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SCUTTLEBUTT 3175 - Monday, September 13, 2010Scuttlebutt 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: Interlux and Southern Spars THE REST OF THE STORY Ever since the September 3rd announcement that the Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC) would host the next Canada’s Cup on October 15-17, 2010 (in Scuttlebutt 3171), the story for the Great Lakes’ oldest and most prestigious match race trophy event seemed incomplete. Why would Don Wilson’s Convexity representing CMRC and Grant Wood’s Vincere representing Port Credit Yacht Club in Mississauga, Ontario be competing for the Cup, and not an entry from Macatawa Bay Yacht Club (MBYC), which was the current defender from their victory in 2007? Here is the answer from the MBYC Canada’s Cup Organizing Committee: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailing fans who have read recent blogs and releases may have been left with the impression that Macatawa Bay Yacht Club and the Heartbreaker Team led by Robert Hughes have failed to defend the Cup we won in Toronto in October, 2007. Such an impression is terribly mistaken. Beginning weeks after winning the Canada Cup, MBYC’s representatives worked closely with the Royal Canadian Yacht Club to schedule the next event. MBYC has made it clear to any interested party that MBYC would do anything feasible and within protocol to enhance the competition among all teams on either side of the border, which includes conducting full Defender trials. When MBYC informed RCYC in 2007 that it was ready to issue a “Call to Challenge” for 2009, as provided in the formal agreement between the parties, RCYC asked MBYC to “hold off” because there was not an apparent challenger willing to accept the Call. MBYC accommodated the request and invited RCYC to let it know when a Call should be sent. In the Fall of 2009, there was informal discussion among the sailors suggesting that a team from Port Credit Yacht Club was ready to challenge for the Canada’s Cup. Honoring protocol directed by RCYC, MBYC encouraged the team to contact RCYC for proper notification. MBYC received no official communication from RCYC until late January 2010. In spite of the fact that the Agreement required MBYC to provide at least twelve months notice on any Call to Challenge, MBYC immediately began to determine if we could conduct an event at the level deserving of the Cup and as desired by MBYC, including Defender trials. After weeks of considerable work and effort, MBYC officially notified both RCYC and PCYC that it was not able to make the necessary arrangements to host the event in 2010, but it was prepared to immediately issue a Call to Challenge for 2011. Subsequently, RCYC informed MBYC that the Port Credit team insisted upon a competition being held in 2010. In August, 2010, representatives of the RCYC and MBYC met in person in Grand Rapids, Michigan and, in a spirit of cooperation and compromise, hammered out an agreement which allowed an interim competition in the Fall of 2010 between Port Credit and the Chicago Match Race Center on the condition that Port Credit, at a minimum, would commit to competing for the cup at Macatawa in 2011, against the winner of the Defender trials among possible U.S. defenders, including MBYC, Chicago Match Race Center, as well as other interested teams. -- Read on for complete announcement: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10507#10507 BRAGGING RIGHTS Newport, RI (September 12, 2010) - The mission of the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup U.S. Qualifying Series was to provide an opportunity for U.S. yacht clubs to earn an entry in the NYYC Invitational Cup presented by Rolex. That biennial event, to be sailed in Swan 42s, would see its second running in September 2011. However, after four days of intense competition (September 8-11), the qualifying event took on a life of its own. During the first two days of racing on Narragansett Bay, in which 24 of the nation’s foremost yacht clubs were split equally into fleets designated Red or Blue, the competitors sailed half of each day’s races in either NYYC’s Sonars or Sail Newport’s J/22s. After 14 races were completed the top six teams from each fleet were combined into the “Gold” fleet to sail the final two days of the regatta in Sonars, with only the top three to earn a coveted ‘Golden Ticket’. The 2007 Sonar World Champion, Bill Lynn (Marblehead, MA), skippered Eastern Yacht Club’s team to the overall win of the Gold fleet with his son, Peter Lynn, and Rick Myers (both Marblehead) and Alden Reid (Bedford, Mass) crewing. “There’s so many good sailors here it’s ridiculous,” said Lynn on the penultimate day of racing. “If you miss one shift you lose five boats, and you look around and all of a sudden you’re in 11th and there are 12 boats. It’s really close racing.” When asked if he had an advantage because of his experience in the Sonar class, Lynn explained: “Because you can’t tune them, I think it removes any advantage I might have. I think it’s pretty obvious there are a lot of people who haven’t sailed Sonars as much as I have, and they’re doing fine.” Lynn also noted that “Winning is not the objective. Not losing is the objective.” But win he did after six races on the final day in which Eastern Yacht Club placed no worse than fourth to end the series with 40 points. Also qualifying was Annapolis Yacht Club (Annapolis, MD) with Peter McChesney (skipper), Shane Zwingleberg and Scott Snyder, and Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Newport Beach, CA) with Payson Infelise (skipper), Chris Raab, and Reid Vitarelli. Wrap-up report: http://nyyc.org/archives_public/article_884/ Complete results: http://tinyurl.com/NYYC-091210 Event website: http://nyyc.org/2010USICQualifying/ FIND THE RIGHT PAINT AT THE NEW YACHTPAINT.COM The new Interlux web site makes it easier than ever to choose the right Interlux paint for your boat, get technical information and support for any paint project. "Paint Your Boat" to see how different paint colors look on your hull. Ask questions and share paint info with other sailors. "Ask The Expert" to access the extensive knowledge base and experience of the Interlux Technical Service staff. Learn more here: http://www.yachtpaint.com WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR Bornholm, Denmark (September 12, 2010) - Reigning World Match Racing Tour Champion Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing declared his victory over close friend and fierce rival Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team in the final of the Danish Open as one of the best of his life. With the score tied at 2-2 in the first to 3 point series, Minoprio trailed Mirsky in the final match but battled back for the most dramatic victory of his career. Finals day in Bornholm played host to some of the most exciting and extraordinary racing of the year, which included a dead-heat in the petit final, a Mirsky fightback from 2-0 down in the semis and plenty of controversy. The victory boosted Minoprio’s chance of retaining his title, moving him up to second in the standings cutting Matthieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team lead to just 17 points with two rounds left of the 2010 Tour. Said Minoprio, “The result is so important for us as we were lying third coming into the Danish Open. Now we can look forward to Bermuda and try and close the gap more on Richard.” Bermuda is the next stop on the tour, where the Argo Group Match Cup will be held Oct 4-10, 2010. Following the 12 team single round robin elimination round, the top four advanced to the semi finals that featured top seeded Adam Minoprio (NZL) ENTZ/BlackMatch beating Francesco Bruni (ITA) Team Azzurra 3-0, while fourth seeded Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirksy Racing Team ousted Matthieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing team 3-2. -- Tour website: http://www.wmrt.com/ Overall Result of the Danish Open 1. Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing, 13,281.23 USD 2. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team, 6,640.62 USD 3. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team, 5,448.71 USD 4. Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra, 4,256.80 USD 5. Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Global Team, 3,745.99 USD 6. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing, 3,405.44 USD 7. Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN, 2,894.63 USD 8. Bertrand Pacé (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team, 2,043.27 USD 9. Mads Ebler (DEN) Ebler Matchracing 10. William Tiller (NZL) Full Metal Jacket Racing 11. Suzanne Ward (DEN) Team Ward 12. Michael Buckley (USA) MB Sailing Prize money listed above converted from Danish Kroner (1 USD = 5.87295 DKK) 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". COUTTS TO UNVEIL FUTURE OF AMERICA'S CUP The bumpy road that has been the America's Cup for the last three years is set to become more smooth in Valencia on Monday (September 13th) when Russell Coutts unveils plans to boost its future, including a new boat, a new format, the year in which it will be staged, and rules for the competitors. The Cup is held by the San Francisco-based BMW-Oracle team, of which Coutts is CEO, and its Golden Gate Yacht Club after, in a 90-foot trimaran with a towering fixed wing sail, it blitzed the former holder, Switzerland's Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi team. That move into multihulls, according to all the briefing and expectations, is expected to continue, along with a programme of races over the next three or four years, the possibility of split venues for eliminations and final challenge, and a competitor forum to air the views and wishes of all the potential challengers. But the design rule for multihulls should be tight enough to allow close boat on boat racing rather than a boffin-driven drag race for speed. What will not be announced is the venue as complex negotiations continue with a problematical San Francsico, Italy, home of the challenger of record, Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino, Valencia, which has an existing, purpose-built harbour, though a problem for tall-rig multihulls, with Portugal and the Middle East also in veiled background contention. A decision is scheduled before 31 December. -- Stuart Alexander, The Independent, full story: http://tinyurl.com/Independent-091110 LIVE COVERAGE: To watch the announcement on September 13th (1300 CET / 0700 ET), the Scuttlebutt website is hosting a Viewing Player that will carry the coverage here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/10/0909/ CANADA'S PREMIER OCEAN RACER SECURES TITLE SPONSOR Canada's top ocean racer Derek Hatfield is heading full speed for the VELUX 5 OCEANS start line after securing a title sponsor for his campaign. For the forthcoming race the 57-year-old solo sailor will be sponsored by Active House, a global alliance of companies, research institutions and other organisations promoting sustainable buildings. The title sponsorship is the last piece in the puzzle for Derek, who purchased Rich Wilson's proven Eco 60 Great American III in March and has since notched up more than 10,000 miles at sea in preparation for the gruelling solo race around the world, known as The Ultimate Solo Challenge. Derek's Eco 60 Spirit of Canada will now be renamed Active House and will display the Active House Alliance's livery on the yacht's hulls, decks and sails. The VELUX 5 OCEANS is the longest running solo round the world race, and has 28 years of rich heritage as the BOC Challenge and then the Around Alone. This edition features five ocean sprints over nine months. After the October 17th start from La Rochelle to Cape Town, the race will then take in Wellington in New Zealand, Salvador in Brazil and Charleston in the US before returning back across the Atlantic to France. The only other North American entrant, Brad Van Liew, continues to seek title sponsorship. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/V50-Canada THE PROOF IS IN THE RESULTS Our congratulations to all competitors in the 2010 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, particularly the division winners: Esimit Europa 2, Highland Fling, Singularity (Maxi); Ranger, Velsheda, (J Boats); Ran, Shockwave (Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship). The winning formula that these yachts used? A Southern Spars mast and EC6 Continuous rigging. Tested and proven time and time again, this winning combo provides the ultimate in performance! In the Supermaxi division, Hetairos and Gliss were 1st and 2nd respectively using Southern Spars rigs. To learn more about what goes into designing performance winning rigs visit http://www.southernspars.com SAILING SHORTS * Larchmont, NY (September 12, 2010) - For the final event of the 2010 Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta series, 70-something entries in nine classes sailed two race-packed days: one with brilliant sunshine and mind-bending windshifts, and one with a 20-knot easterly pushing in big swells and steep chop. The J/109 entourage is a fixture of the Larchmont NOOD, and it was Bill Sweetster’s Rush team that secured the class win, and the overall regatta title. The “overall,” of course, earns them a berth at the Caribbean NOOD Championship in November where they’ll take on winning teams from the other eight NOOD Regattas. -- Full report/results: http://tinyurl.com/NOOD-091210 * Four members of San Diego Yacht Club’s junior program, Nevin Snow, Jake La Dow, Max Hutcheson and Jake Reynolds won the Italiana Cup last week in Rapallo, Italy, an international match series for juniors. The American team extended their perfect record against the British team in the finals, winning the first two races in the best of three series. Snow, 16, skippered the SDYC entry for the event which was sailed in the Portobello 28 keelboat. -- Event website: http://cup.italiana.it/ * Newport, RI (September 12, 2010) - Jeffrey Siegal (Newport, RI) and his team on US 1296 won the RI Etchells Cup today on Narragansett Bay, where the 19-boat fleet was warming up for the U.S. Nationals to be held in Newport at the end of the month. Sail Newport PRO Tom Duggan ran seven races for the fleet which Siegal dominated with all single-digit finishes and the first place trophy. Full results at http://www.sailnewport.org/npt/m/_general/snyouthchallenge.asp * Sardinia, Italy (September 11, 2010) - The 2010 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup featured forty-nine of the world’s biggest sailing yachts racing off the stunning Sardinian coast, with this year’s aces being: Igor Simcic and Esimit Europa 2 (SLO) in Maxi, Claus Peter Offen and Y3K (GER) in Wally; John Williams and Ranger (CAY) in the J-Class; Otto Happel and Hetairos (CAY) in Supermaxi; whilst at the inaugural Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds, Niklas Zennstrom and Rán (GBR) took pole overall, and, Brian Benjamin and Aegir (GBR) struck gold amongst the Racer/Cruisers. -- Full report: http://www.regattanews.com/pressrelease.asp?pid=100405&lang=1 * Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli has stepped in to save plans to create the world's largest marine reserve from public spending cuts. British ministers are in talks over a 3.5 million pound deal for the America's Cup-winning yachtsman to fund the policing of the zone around the UK-owned Chagos Islands. The Marine Protected Area (MPA) will cover some quarter of a million square miles of sea around the archipelago in the Indian Ocean and include a "no-take" reserve banning commercial fishing. -- UKPA, read on: http://tinyurl.com/3yqnlco SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit your comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter are limited to 250 words. One published submission per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Alistair Murray, Ronstan CEO: Thanks Jim Whistler, for giving us the heads up on the retirement of Dave Anderson of Schaefer (in Scuttlebutt 3174). I first met Dave in 1980. He had previously worked for some time for the importer of Ronstan, Alexander Roberts, so I am guessing he has been in the industry for 40 years. One thing he did for me was to visit the police station in Newport to see if my wallet had been handed in, after I had lost it in the Viking Hotel in 1983 - you guessed it - after celebrating Australia II’s win way too enthusiastically! Dave is a true gentleman and a true industry professional; it has been a pleasure and an honour, competing with him over all these years. I for one will be seeking him out at the Annapolis Sailboat Show this October to buy him a farewell beer! * From Rick Tears I’ve always been curious - what happened to Cascade? Any info? * From Terry Welsh: I read with interest the offering from Chris Ericksen (Scuttlebutt 3173), but he is in error to state that no women participated in the racing during the J-Boat era. In 1934 Harold Vanderbilt helmed Rainbow and lost the first two races, but came back to win the following four races. His wife Gertrude "Gertie" Lewis Conway became the first female to compete as a full fledged team member in an Americas Cup Yacht race. Harold and Gertie were posthumously elected to the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993. * From Jack Griffin: (re, commentary in Scuttlebutt 3173) I agree that AC34 "must" be in San Francisco. And I agree that sailor (and designer and build) nationality would be a good thing. But c'mon, admit it: your suggestion of sailor nationality is also a commercial suggestion. It's neither in the Deed of Gift nor in AC tradition. It's an invention of the 12m era pushed in the Interpretive Resolutions that had no basis in law, rules or tradition. What was the nationality of Charlie Barr when he steered the Herreshoff Defenders? What was the nationality of the crew hauling in the 1,000 foot long mainsheet on Reliance? I still agree with you: we should have nationality rules. I just admit that my reasons are commercial. * From Brent Boyd, San Diego: Two quick comments about Monday’s AC summit: Meeting in Valencia? Sounds a little suspicious concerning choice of possible venue. Wake up San Francisco and smell the giant rolls of cash leaving your politically corrupt government and special interest groups city. Your waterfront could really use a free multi-million dollar face lift; right now it is a world-wide embarrassment for visitors even though SF is one of the most beautiful places on the planet not to mention an incredible sailing venue. Seventy plus foot multi-hull with wing power - that will knock lots of possible syndicates out of the development, build, experience category - think $$$$. Another two boat AC exhibition will be about as interesting as the last one. This is a big mistake; this event should have at least a dozen aspiring programs with half of those being really in contention. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. Special thanks to Interlux and Southern Spars. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
