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SCUTTLEBUTT 3351 - Friday, May 27, 2011Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: BIC Sport and Doyle Sails. AMERICA’S CUP CHANGES CONSIDERED By Stuart Alexander Changes to the format of the America’s Cup preliminary events are being considered in San Francisco by the holder, Larry Ellison’s Oracle Racing Team, the sponsoring Golden Gate Yacht Club and the organisation they have set up to arrange regattas over the next 48 months, the America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA). Already having had to hold up the announcement about which of the 14 challenges received for America’s Cup 34 can meet the qualification and financial requirements, ACEA, in conjunction with its sister organisation, America’s Cup Event Management ACEM), has seen timetables slip as a search continues for the venues to host the 2011-12 America’s Cup World Series (ACWS). ACEA has consistently been saying that it does not expect all 14 of the original hopefuls to make it into the world series. The Challenger of Record, the Rome-based Club Nautico di Roma and its Mascalzone Latino team, has already dropped out. One of the 14, believed to from Germany, was rejected by the scrutineers in San Francisco. But, while the new Challenger of Record, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club’s Artemis and the New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Emirates Team New Zealand, are seen as certain runners, only the Team China challenge has been looking viable. Another Italian team claims to have paid its $200,000 initial performance bond and San Francisco has been talking up a team from South Korea. The Australian team has yet to be substantiated. An announcement is expected on or about 1 June which will finally name the participating teams for this season, but Iain Murray, CEO of ACEM, has already said that some of the penalties and forfeits over payment by the deadline of 31 March this year may have to be reviewed. Many believe the number may have dropped from 14 to six or seven. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/3t2fgba * Scuttlebutt spoke with ACRM on Thursday afternoon to shine some light on reports that are circulating with regard to the many issues that Stuart Alexander raises, and feel none the wiser for their response. Here’s what they said: “America's Cup Race Management is continually working with the teams to produce the best possible outcome for AC34. ACRM will hold a Competitor Forum on Monday May 30 where several proposals will be discussed and voted on.” MADDENING WINDS WITH BERMUDA JUST A DAY AWAY Charleston, South Carolina, (May 26, 2011) - As the 60-plus sailors participating in this eighth edition of the Charleston Bermuda Race endure their sixth day at sea, it's clear that Aeolus the Greek wind god has taken a powder. As of midnight last night, the fleet began running out of breeze, and the situation appeared to be widespread. From the back of the fleet - where Rob Turkewitz and his crew on board the classic ketch First Light continue to chase Bernie Schapiro's team on this 41-foot Pied-a-Mer - to the front, average speeds dropped to the low single digits, with some crews witnessing their speed gauges plummet to a half knot. As of the 1:00 p.m. position update today, Stephen Colbert and his mates on board the OnDeck Farr 65 Spirit of Juno continued to maintain the top spot (with the handicaps applied). After a very slow morning with little progress, they had begun to pick up a minor amount of speed and make some headway toward their anxiously awaiting fans in Bermuda. At that time, Colbert and company were 166 miles from the finish, moving at almost two knots. Said Colbert in an email to Race HQ, “We have put up our Audi spinnaker (which is roughly the size of Denmark), and we crawl toward glory at the blistering pace of 4 knots. And by blistering, we mean what's happening to our skin in the merciless rays of the sun."-- Race website: http://www.charlestonbermudarace.com/ GET WITH THE PROGRAM More and more junior programs are adding O’Pen BICs and Techno 293 windsurfing to excite kids who aren’t necessarily into the traditional path of race-race-race in olden boats. If you want to add new-age excitement for the kids in your program… and watch your dropout rates fall…. it’s not too late to start your 2011 fleet. The O’Pen BICs and Techno 293s are less expensive, amazingly durable, completely self-bailing, and kids LOVE them. See videos below. Contact info@bicsportna.com or 508-291-2770 for special junior program packages. BIC also offers great Stand Up Paddleboards! O’Pen Bic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9_botWb8KU Techno 293 windsurfing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOa8rhmGI7c FRENCH MATCH RACING CONTINUE THE CHARGE Langenargen, Germany (May 26, 2011) - Francesco Bruni sits on the shoulder of Damien Iehl at Match Race Germany after the Italian continued his unbeaten start in the second Qualifying Session on Lake Constance. Teams were left to play a frustrating waiting game for much of the second Qualifying Session as the wind continually failed to gather. However it was Bruni who faired best in the limited racing, making the most of a very light mid-morning wind on a short course to notch up two early scalps and take his tally to five straight wins. Echoing the comments made yesterday by his pitman that smooth manoeuvres and teamwork were ever more crucial in light conditions, Bruni said, “Maintaining the speed of the boat was the key. It's a team game - you need a lot of concentration from the skipper and the trimmers.We have an all Italian crew on board and when you have the opportunity to speak your own language, everything seems to happen a lot quicker.” In his first match against the young Kiwi skipper Phil Robertson, who had also posted an overnight unbeaten record, Bruni put in some textbook match racing. Capitalising on an early mistake by Robertson's WAKA Racing team who misjudged their time on distance to the start line, Bruni timed his start perfectly. Despite the Italians having to re-hoist their spinnaker after a bad set around M3, they had built enough of a gap to maintain their lead and stay in control to the finish. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/3p7zqdq Standings After Second Qualifying Session: Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing Team 5-0 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-1 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team 4-1 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 3-2 Mathieu Richard (FRA) - French Match Racing Team 3-2 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team 3-3 Eric Monnin (SUI) - Team Okalys Corum 3-3 Eugeney Neugodnikov (RUS) - Team Synergy 3-3 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 2-3 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) - Berntsson Sailing Team 2-4 William Tiller (NZL) - Full Metal Jacket Racing 0-5 Stefan Meister (GER) 0-6 UPDATES: A live blog will run on the tour website throughout the day to give flight by flight updates, plus video programming before and after the racing: http://www.wmrt.com/live-blog.html BACKGROUND: The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the leading professional sailing series, featuring 9 events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with "Special Event" status. Prize money is awarded for each event, with event points culminating in the crowning of the "ISAF Match Racing World Champion". -- http://www.wmrt.com ARTEMIS MAINTAINS LEAD IN ISTANBUL Istanbul, Turkey (May 26, 2011) - Day three was another intense day on the Halic estuary at the Extreme Sailing Series Act 3 in Istanbul, with gusty conditions and tight race courses resulting in a few collisions and numerous close calls. Luna Rossa has been craned out tonight to check for damage after crunching into Team GAC’s back beam and then another knock with Artemis Racing inflicting some damage to the aft port hull. Both teams are expected back on the water tomorrow. Artemis Racing extended their lead from one point yesterday to 19 points today after another seven races and remains in the lead with 116 points, followed by Alinghi in second with 97 points. Emirates Team New Zealand is in third, also with 97 points. Terry Hutchinson, Helsman, Artemis Racing, said, “Well the day delivered as promised....an absolute whipping but good conditions, shifty, puffy and lots of up and down. We managed a pretty solid day as the aim has been to just try and be consistent in really inconsistent conditions. In what seems like a blur we went 4,4,4,2,1,1,4. Hard to really say why as all the races blend together. I can't really remember too much other then the bad start that we had in the last race - somewhat a casualty of getting too close to the line and then a collision to leeward which prevented us from speed building.” -- Day 3 report: http://tinyurl.com/3plob2x PHOTOS OF THE WEEK Some of the random photos from the sport received this week at Scuttlebutt include inflation, river racing, circus tricks, classic beauty, long distance hiking, hanging by a thread, and maxi toasts. Here are this week’s photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/11/0527 BONUS: Racing for the 2011 Etchells World Championship in San Diego will begin on June 6, but the training has been going on all winter. Here is a gallery of photos from a regatta at the venue last weekend: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdyc/sets/72157626774822966/ SEND US YOUR PHOTOS: If you have images to share for the Photos of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com VIDEO OF THE WEEK There is a short list of keelboat one design classes that are internationally recognized AND can attract a large fleet size to their World Championship. The SB3 is one of the few classes that can pull it off, where recently 103 teams representing 14 nations came to Torquay, UK to compete for the 2011 World title. Currently actively raced in Australia, Belgium, Dubai, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, United Kingdom, and with fleets being developed in Austria, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and the USA, this is the fastest growing keelboat fleet in the world today. Designed by Tony Castro in 2002, this 20-foot three-person sport boat merges keelboat and dinghy habits for fun and affordable one design racing. Here is a wrap up video from their 2011 World Championship: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/11/0527/ BONUS: A mainstay on the Caribbean winter racing circuit is Antigua Sailing Week, which seems to have an ongoing competition as to what is more fun: the daytime sailing or the nighttime partying. Here is the wrap up video from the 2011 event: http://youtu.be/cI08XLLWB9I BONUS: The May 27th edition of Boats on TV “World on Water” Global News Report features videos coverage of the Zhik Laser SB3 World Championships in England, the Audi MedCup Cascais Cup in Portugal, Melges 24 Championships in Texas, Ulsan PWA World Cup in Korea, Dockyard 18ft Skiff Grand Prix Round One in Hungary and in “Fresh to Frightening” see the carnage in the last week’s Audi Cascais Cup, crew overboard, spinnakers in the water etc. See it at http://www.boatson.tv/World_On_Water BONUS: Sailing wouldn't be half the sport without its famous watering holes where all of the great post race stories are told. In honor of this fine tradition T2P.tv starts off their bar tour on Block Island, Rhode Island at Mahogany Shoals for some music and a brew, then slides on over to the Oar for a mudslide and some fried chicken, then slips on down to Davis' Pub in Annapolis for St. Paddy's Day for a wee bit of green beer. Then it’s off to Newport for every yachties favorite stop, the IYAC, on Thames St, world famous for good company and good cheer to start off the new sailing season. -- http://www.t2p.tv/guide/bars10.php SEND US YOUR VIDEOS: If you have clips to share for the Video of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com CELEBRATE SUMMER WITH A MAKEOVER Now is the time to give your main a summer makeover by adding a Doyle StackPack! With the StackPack, there are no sail ties, no sail cover, and it's easier to reef - which adds up to a more enjoyable sailing experience! Your main will last longer - as it is protected from harmful UV rays a higher percentage of the time. Visibility is improved when motoring - as the sail is neatly stowed above the boom. Add a StackPack to your main and revolutionize your sailing! http://www.doylesails.com/stackpack SAILING SHORTS * Cascade Locks, OR (May 26, 2011) - After a long wind delay, it was a sweet victory in the end for the University of Rhode Island on the fourth and final day of the Sperry Top-Sider/ICSA Women’s National Championship hosted by the Columbia Gorge Racing Association and the Northwest Intercollegiate Sailing Association. It’s the first time URI have ever made a presence at the Women’s National Championship, winning by ten points with four teams close behind. Connecticut College took second, with St Mary’s College of Maryland in third. -- Full results: http://tinyurl.com/435bcxj * Medemblik, Holland (May 25, 2011) - Day three of the Delta Lloyd Regatta Women’s Match Racing saw racing abandoned as winds hit 30+ knots after just 1 ½ flights were completed. The top three in each of Groups A and B go through to the Gold Group and the fourth through sixth in each Group will sail in the Repechage Round Robin, following which the top two will advance to the Gold Group in the Quarter-Finals. American teams Anna Tunnicliffe and Genny Tulloch sit in second and sixth respectively in Group A. Thursday will be the last chance for classes racing in groups to qualify for the Gold fleet. -- Full report: http://www.wimra.org/news_detail.asp?rk=903 * (May 26, 2011; Day 13) - Drama overnight for Zbigniew ‘Gutek’ Gutkowski (POL) on Operon Racing when one of his keel rams broke, leaving him to rely on a temporary repair to help get him the 515 miles to the finish line of the VELUX 5 OCEANS. At the 1200 UTC position report Brad Van Liew with just 400 miles to finish is expected into La Rochelle late Friday afternoon. Chris Stanmore-Major (GBR) is currently in second, around 80 miles behind Van Liew, with Gutek third, 113 miles behind the race leader and a 77 mile advantage over Derek Hatfield (CAN). -- Race website: http://www.velux5oceans.com AD SPACE RAFFLE The bulk of advertising revenue for Scuttlebutt comes from the newsletter text ads. But the supply of ad slots is limited, and when they are gone... they’re gone. Ad sales this year have been phenomenal, with only one text ad space remaining for 2011. We plan to donate this slot to a business or organization eager to promote something to the Scuttlebutt readership. Would you like a free ad? Details here: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=11901 GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From D.D. McNicoll, Sydney, Australia: The silence from the America's Cup organisers over just who is left in the field for 2013 is worrying. Having been to most Cup regattas since Australia II won in 1983, I had already started searching earlier this year for an apartment in San Francisco for August and September 2013. I halted this search at the end of April when no indication was given by the organisers about which syndicates had stumped up their initial $200,000 deposit. This leads to speculation that most teams can't raise the $50 million needed for a basic campaign. The fact that only four or five AC45s have been handed over in Auckland also suggests a very small number of viable challenge syndicates. A couple of weeks ago I rang the Australian challenge syndicate and their spokesman was rather evasive about how their fund raising is progressing. All these doubts about what is happening with the challenge syndicates could be ended by Iain Murray simply telling who is still in and who is out. The continuing silence can only harm the regatta. * From Pete Thomas: I have been following the US youth sailing thread this week with interest. Near as I can tell, there was likely a mindset of well intentioned parents who have had an immense impact on the sport, and perhaps not in the best of ways. There was a time when American kids would first learn to sail, and then in their pre-teen years would ease into the various areas of established sailing. But with the growth of youth-only events in simpler youth-only boats, young sailors have been given a similar experience as all the other sports that are available for young people. And based on the comments, it seems like this plan has been great for introducing more people to sailors, but has failed to: - Instill an interest of sailing that can last beyond their youth years. - Provide adequate training to compete internationally. So youth sailing has become a youth sport, which has kept young sailors away from keelboats and all the other one design classes. And when youth sailing ends, there is a good chance that sailing ends for that young person. Sounds like negatives outweigh the positives. Is it possible that these well-intentioned parents have provided structure for their own benefit, and have meddled with a sport where the sailor experience can't always be measured? * From Hamish Matthew: There’s been a lot of discussion about being a professional sailor and what classifies you as such. One of the recurring points is that if you get paid or get any prize money for sailing than you are a professional sailor. I disagree with the prize money statement. I am a Group 1 sailor, who is concentrating on match racing. I pay all my own expenses and take vacation time away from my job in order to compete. Very occasionally I go to an event where there is prize money, and it is ridiculous to think that a $250 share of a $1250 purse should classify me as a professional sailor. By the same logic, if you accept prizes (rum, watches, sails, etc), or the owner/team pays your hotel, flights, gas, food or drinks you should also be classified as a professional, as all of these things have a value. I don’t work in the marine industry, don’t have any financial ties to making a boat go fast and I don’t get paid for my time on the boat. I pay 1000’s of dollars a year to sail at the highest level I can. I am an amateur. Professional means you make a living on something. Not you occasionally get a small reimbursement of the money that you have put in. It is not black and white, but like everything in our sport. Another shade of grey. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION If you do a job too well, you will get stuck with it. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Summit Yachts - Harken - North Sails - North U - Gowrie Group Team One Newport - New England Rope - Ullman Sails Hall Spars & Rigging - LaserPerformance - BIC Sport - Doyle Sails Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
