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SCUTTLEBUTT 3029 - Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Scuttlebutt 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.
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Today’s sponsors: Kaenon Polarized, North Sails, and Newport Shipyard.
AMERICA’S CUP RETURNS TO AMERICA
Valencia, Spain (February 14, 2010) - Larry Ellison's space-age trimaran BMW Oracle won back the America's Cup for the United States by speeding across the Mediterranean to rout two-time defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland for a two-race sweep. The 65-year-old software tycoon was onboard his incredibly speedy craft on Sunday, after sitting out Race 1 due to a weight limit.
Ellison's victory over wealthy rival Ernesto Bertarelli sends the oldest trophy in international sports to San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club. The two billionaires have been locked in a tumultuous legal fight for 2 1/2 years, and it looked for a while like the result of this race was going to be contested off the water.
The America's Cup has been away from U.S. shores for 15 years, the longest drought since America won the silver trophy by beating a fleet of British ships around the Isle of Wight in 1851. Dennis Conner lost it in 1995 to Team New Zealand and Russell Coutts, a three-time America's Cup winner who is CEO of BMW Oracle Racing.
Besides Ellison, tactician John Kostecki of Reno, Nev., was the only other American on BMW Oracle's crew. It was steered by skipper Jimmy Spithill of Australia, who at 30 is sailing in his fourth America's Cup.
While Ellison's fortune made the victory possible, the true star was his monster trimaran and its radical 223-foot wing sail, which powered the craft at three times the speed of the wind, sending its windward and middle hulls flying well above the water.
These were the fastest, most technologically advanced sailboats built in the 159-year history of the America's Cup. -- Bernie Wilson, Associated Press, full story: http://tinyurl.com/y8ou24x
Race 1: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=4374
Race 2: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=4375
Shenanigans: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=4376
Final quotes: http://www.sailing.org/worldcup/news/31649.php
AMERICA’S CUP NEWS AND NOTES
* FOUL: A photo sequence and rules explanation from International Umpire Jos M. Spijkerman concerning the penalty Alinghi received during the start of Race 1: http://rrsstudy.blogspot.com/2010/02/rules-picture-of-year.html
* SIDE STORY: With the headline ‘Coutts Gets His Revenge’, the New Zealand Herald points out how “Russell Coutts scored sweet revenge … by winning his fourth America's Cup against his former employers Alinghi who prevented him from competing in 2007.” - Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10626286
* FOUR-TIME WINNER: The Cup belongs to a graying, grinning, crooked-fingered sailor who hoisted sailing's top prize for the fourth time Sunday. It belongs to (team CEO) Russell Coutts, 47, who hasn't lost a Cup race in 15 years. -- Angus Phillips, Washington Post, http://tinyurl.com/ye5mhbv
* CHALLENGER OF RECORD: The Golden Gate Yacht Club announced that a challenge has been accepted from the Club Nautico di Roma, and that the Italian club will be the Challenger of Record for the 34th America’s Cup. The challenging team for CNR is “Mascalzone Latino” owned by world champion sailor Vincenzo Onorato. Mascalzone Latino competed as a challenger for both the 2003 and 2007 America’s Cup.
COMING HOME: The BMW Oracle Racing team will fly with the America’s Cup to San Francisco on Friday. More details on the USA homecoming to be confirmed soon.
* COURT DATE: Alinghi president Ernesto Bertarelli will wait before deciding whether the Swiss team continues sailing the America's Cup. Bertarelli said that the American champion could "withdraw their lawsuit" to get the two-time champions interested in returning. BMW Oracle and Alinghi still have a Feb. 25 court date to determine whether the Swiss team's sails were made in-country as the rules decree. -- http://tinyurl.com/ybot6ff
KOSTECKI CALLS THE MOVE OF THE MATCH!
Wearing Kaenon Polarized Hard Kore Copper 28, John Kostecki saw it coming. He trusted what he saw, and he made the call - the Call of the Match! America’s Cup 33, was purely about technical innovation. Pete Melvin, who wears Jetty G12, pushed Russell Coutts to develop the Wing. The Wing was the game-changer. The sailors chose Kaenon Polarized patented SR-91 lenses - the sailor’s tool - their visual game-changer. Congratulations JK, Russell (Lewi G12), Dirk (Kore G12), Joey (Hard Kore G12), Rosco (Hard Kore C28) and Thierry (Hard Kore G12)! Kaenon Polarized. Evolve Optically. http://www.kaenon.com
QUOTE / UNQUOTE
"My life just changed," said Robert Mulhern, general manager of the Golden Gate Yacht Club. "It wakes up the club, brings it to another level." -- http://tinyurl.com/ycjklry
"For all of us on the sailing team, it still hasn't really hasn't sunk in," said Australian Jimmy Spithill, who at 30 became the youngest skipper to win the America's Cup. "The only downer is we don't get to sail the boat. It's such a cool boat to sail. I'm talking on behalf of the guys when I say that I really looked forward to sailing it every single day. It's one of those special boats that's just so rewarding." -- http://tinyurl.com/ybr6qxu
"They got a little help from the legal system in New York. That always makes things difficult for us Europeans to get the same advantages," Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli said. "It's not the Europeans' Cup; it's America's Cup. It's very difficult for a European to win.” -- http://tinyurl.com/ygzq2x6
TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE SPORT
With the America’s Cup now concluded, it is easy to forget about the misery last week when the racing was stalled. With the event slipping from the media radar, Scott MacLeod, former chairman of the World Match Racing Tour, shared his sentiment from Valencia:
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I am just getting on the plane to go back home to London from Valencia after four days and no racing. At least I didn't fly to New Zealand and wait 10 days with no races as I did in 2003. I guess I have a short memory. While the boats are amazing to look at and truly technological marvels, this Cup is not even close to the event that I witnessed in 2007. The buzz, the public interest, the teams and the business that was generated in 2007 may never be achieved again and this event is not helping to further the sport or the America's Cup brand.
It was unfortunate to see the top sailors and teams in our sport sidelined, walking the docks hoping that this will all be over soon. Everyone seems to be putting on a brave face and I am amazed at what they have put together in just under two months to deliver this event to the public. There was a public village, interactive displays, live TV and the foredeck club was filled with usual VIPs. However, the numbers were much smaller and I only hope the public stay around until this thing finishes.
Having visited with friends on both teams, I was surprised by how deep and wide the chasm of misunderstanding and mistrust is between both sides. Unfortunately know one in our sport has been able to provide the leadership to bridge that gap for the good of the sport. I am not sure where Goran Petersson, the President of our Governing body, was while Valencia was burning. I didn't see or hear of him anywhere in Valencia and he surely wasn't standing behind PRO Harold Bennett during the press conference on Wednesday (when Bennett was getting grilled). The total lack of leadership and direction from Goran has been one of the most frustrating aspects of the last three years. Sticking your head in the sand and hoping it all just goes away isn't the way to lead our sport.
One thing is for sure, whoever the winner chooses as its challenger of record will send a clear message as to their true intentions. We will clearly see if all the rhetoric of a fair, multi-challenger event for the future is true. The ultimate winner will truly have it in their hands to do the right thing for the sport. I have a bet with someone that the winner will do the right thing and choose a challenger who will offer the credibility and direction that the event needs to get back on track. I hope I win that beer.
=> Curmudgeon’s Comment: I have feeling that Scott won the bet. As for the 34th America’s Cup, the Forum thread is already started: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com
STANDING BY FOR 34th AMERICA’S CUP
The monster multihulls might have taken sailing to another stratosphere off Valencia, but you can bank on a return to monohulls for the 34th America's Cup. That was the message from victorious BMW Oracle Racing chief executive Russell Coutts, who earmarked a return to traditional monohulls, with a boat able to plane downwind likely to replace the now relatively sluggish Version 5 boats used during the last multi-challenger America's Cup in 2007.
"I think we should reach consensus with the rest of the America's Cup world," Coutts said. "It would be irresponsible for one party to try and make a decision on behalf of everyone else. You have to put a lot of thought into these types of decisions because this is a 159-year-old trophy and we must look after it."
Team owner Larry Ellison promised an independent organising committee including an impartial jury and umpires, for the next multi-challenger event, agreeing it was important that there was a level playing field for all competitors to bring sponsors and fans back to sailing's pinnacle event.
"We're going to try and make decisions along with the rest of the America's Cup community to do just that, so we can attract sponsorship and funding for all of the teams that want to participate, not only BMW Oracle and Alinghi, but also the Chinese team and the South African team and the Swedish team and the New Zealand team," Ellison said. "If we do our job well and work closely with them, it should be the most popular America's Cup, the 34th America's Cup."
When and where America's Cup 34 is sailed remains a moot point. Newport, Rhode Island seems the frontrunner among a list of potential host cities that includes Valencia, San Diego and San Francisco, the home of the Golden Gate Yacht Club under whose flag Oracle races. A 2013 event looks most likely too with 2011 too soon and 2012 clashing with the London Olympics. -- Full story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/3332101/Return-to-monohulls-likely-Coutts
ALL FIVE AMERICA'S CUP HULLS POWERED BY NORTH
Congratulations to both BMW Oracle and Alinghi on two very exciting races during the 33rd America's Cup! Both powered by North sails, the American tri and the Swiss cat provided spectacular racing from both the waters off of Valencia and (for most of us) on computer screens around the world! The North Sails team feels fortunate and proud to have taken part in the development of these two projects. What we learned helping two extreme multihulls stretch the performance envelope will help make sailing better for all North Sails customers. When performance counts, the choice is clear: http://www.northsails.com
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
It was just over a year ago that the Volvo Ocean Race fleet was competing on a first time route… from Singapore to Qingdao, China. Between the incomplete charts, severe winds and opposing current, and floating garbage in the water, the fleet got battered. By the finish, only 2 of the 7 starters completed the race without pit-stops to facilitate repairs, and two teams were ultimately forced to abandon that leg and the next one so as to repair all their damage.
So when The Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race began the same route earlier this month, one had to wonder whether this span of sailing was worth the risk. Would this race, which began with ten strongly built 68-foot boats sailed by amateur crew, face the same consequences as the Volvo Ocean Race? After nearly two weeks of sailing, the question has not been fully answered, but the first casualty has occurred.
After a weekend of 30 knot headwinds and 5 meter waves, it was on Sunday evening when Team Finland reported to the race office that they had lost the top third of their rig, that all the crew were safe, and they were heading due west towards the Taiwanese port of Hualien. This is the second significant casualty of the race that saw Cork, one of ten original starters, strike a rock a month ago in the Java Sea, around 200 nautical miles north east of Jakarta, with significant damage leading to the rescue of the crew but the loss of the boat.
The remaining eight boats continued into the heavy North East Monsoon conditions for the remaining 700 miles of the leg, following a route the race had done twice before without incident. Clipper Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, says, "One of the givens in long distance ocean racing is to expect the unexpected. We know that this section of the race can deliver some of the hardest conditions faced by our crew and it is clear that they have dealt with the incident in a seamanlike manner." -- Race website: http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/
FOR THE RECORD
(Day 16 - February 15, 2010; 16:28 UTC) - The challenging trajectory through the South Atlantic for Franck Cammas and his crew on Groupama 3 finally escaped the grip of the St Helena high on Friday, where their deficit against the Jules Verne Trophy record had grown to 385 nm after another sub-par 24 hour tally of 247 nm. But what a difference a day makes, as by Saturday the team was greeted by a NW'ly wind of between 28 and 30 knots that saw the maxi trimaran at speeds of over 30 knots. The next 24 hours would have the team cover 719 nm by Sunday, and by Monday they finally rounded Cape Agulhas at 05:43:47 (UTC), 14d 15h 47' 54'' after leaving Ushant, France.
The weather situation is changing at the entrance to the Indian Ocean, requiring a switching of gears Monday afternoon with over forty knots from the north picking up a more aggressive sea. "We're going to be beam on in this harsh wind and we've prepared the heavy airs jib and intend to put in reefs,” reported Steve Ravussin from onboard. “This gale will last for around twenty hours. It's not going to be very pleasant, but we're lucky that we'll be sailing in following seas. We're trying to sail without putting too much strain on the foils, especially the starboard one, which has been working hard since the start. As such we're rarely exceeding 37 knots, but we do at times make 42 knots as we did yesterday (Sunday)."
The African promontory is also the kick-off point for another of the records approved by the World Sailing Speed Record Council: the Indian Ocean crossing, from Cape Agulhas to the South of Tasmania; a record held by Bruno Peyron and his crew with a time of 9d 11h 04'. -- Team website: http://www.cammas-groupama.com/en/
Current position as of February 15, 2010 (22:00:00 UTC):
Ahead/behind record: - 230.9 nm
Speed (avg) over past 24 hours: 25.6 knots
Distance over past 24 hours: 615.3 nm
Data: http://cammas-groupama.geovoile.com/julesverne/positions.asp?lg=en
Map: http://cammas-groupama.geovoile.com/julesverne/index.asp?lg=en
* After their start on January 31, 2010, Franck Cammas and his nine crew on Groupama 3 must cross finish line off Ushant, France before March 23rd (06:14:57 UTC) to establish a new time for the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions. Current record holder is Bruno Peyron and crew, who in 2005 sailed Orange 2 to a time of 50 days, 16 hours, and 20 minutes at an average of 17.89 knots.
SAILING SHORTS
* Amid the 11 classes competing on the three circles at Sperry Top-Sider St. Petersburg NOOD Regatta, it was the 24 boat J/24 fleet that produced the regatta's overall champion - Quantum sailmaker Tim Healy. There were quite a few other familiar sailmakers at the winner's podium, too, including J/80 champion Kerry Klingler (UK-Halsey), who won this important tune-up regatta for the October J/80 Worlds in Newport; and Doug Fisher (Ullman Sails) in the Melges 24 class, a repeat winner here over the past three years. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/yas7qtw
* Thirteen teams will begin the 1,000 mile Vallarta Race 2010 from San Diego on February 19 and 20, taking a course down the Baja Peninsula toward the finish just off of Punta Mita near Puerto Vallarta. iBoat Tracks will track race progress online. The annual MEXORC (Mexican Ocean Racing Club) Regatta follows the Vallarta Race in the first week of March and will be sailed in Banderas's Bay. -- Event details: http://www.sdyc.org/pv
* The Jet-14 Class has announced the production of new Jet-14's by Allen Boat Company, the world class builder of quality one designs, including Lightnings and Highlanders, since 1961. -- http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=9166
* As part of the takeover of UK composite yacht-builder Green Marine by Dutch superyacht builder Vitters, a new factory is being planned that will be able to build yachts up to 80m (262ft) compared with 58m (190ft) at present. "By 2011 we would hope to have the new factory which will combine the two existing plants in Southampton and Lymington," Geert Shouten told IBI. -- Full story: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20100112134747ibinews.html
NEWPORT SHIPYARD
American Boatbuilders & Repairer's Award of Excellence, Boatyard of the Year. "Awarded to the service or repair yard that demonstrates excellence in all facets of business through commitment to customer relations, quality management, and positive vendor and employee relations.... exceptional support, refitting, and servicing of superyachts up to 300'....." http://www.NewportShipyard.com
LETTERS AND FORUM
Please email your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). One letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum.
-- To submit a Letter:
editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- To post on the Forum:
http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Thomas C. Price, Annapolis, MD:
I'm sorry but if what your Scuttlebutt Extra says is true, (SNG tried to manipulate the RC to their advantage) that calls for sanction by ISAF against Mr Bertarelli. This absolutely cannot be allowed to pass without resolution and it's clear that it's he ISAF who must resolve it! If true, no Alinghi team should ever sail a sanctioned event again! What a shame. After the awkward "Cumbaya" moment at the press conference, where the parties shook hands, this news is reprehensible.
* From George Morris, Inverness, Scotland, UK:
If the SNG race committee really did behave as described then this will surely require a Rule 69 referral to ISAF. If the RC members who refused to raise the flags are members of SNG then that club would surely be banned from holding any more yacht races and if they were acting on instructions from Alinghi then surely that team would be banned from all future competition. AC events are not quite the same thing as ordinary sailing club regattas but there is a point at which the two sports touch each other, and that is on the racecourse. If Alinghi attempted to fix the result by buying the race committee, then they have disqualified themselves from future competition. Tell me it isn't true.
* From the Forum (rt_/)):
Before a race was run, I nominated PRO Harold Bennett for hero of the event. Now that both races are in the books, I'm more strongly in his corner. Seldom has a PRO shown more courage, or needed to.
I hope never to see a race committee mutiny on me, the way his did on St. Valentine's Day. But "Stalwart Harold" pushed forward and took charge, mustering irregulars into the corps to get the flags up & down and the guns fired. We need a Hall of Fame for race officials. -- http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com
* From Peter O. Allen, Sr: (re, Scuttlebutt 3028)
I usually value Peter Isler's opinions, however, he didn't get it right when he disagreed with Cory Friedman's view and suggests: " . . . none of us deserve to have a race at a scheduled time."
The moment the Billionaire Boys Club decided that they wanted commercial sponsorship and coverage of their personal match race (or maybe better the match race between their yacht clubs), they ceded their right to consider the game their own.
The good folks at Louis Vuitton recognized this in 2007 when they snapped shut their AC checkbook and then offered their Cup (and money) to and sponsored the AC Class (monohulls) challenger series.
Let Larry and Ernesto remove all the advertising (and lawyers?) from the current "competition. Then they can wait around forever. They can mail us the results, if and when they finally do race in Valencia. And who cares?
* From Bill Sandberg:
Great article by Peter Lester (in Scuttlebutt 3028). Not sailing in over 13 knots? You must be kidding. It was the 1987 Match in Perth that dramatically increased the average person's interest in sailing. Prior to that point, most of my non-sailing friends figured that sailors were guys in double breasted blazers and ascots, wearing yachting caps and drinking martinis. They laughed when I called sailing a sport. After watching the grinders in 20+ knots and big seas in Freemantle, they changed their minds.
What should be the guiding light for the sport has become a sham, and like many, I've lost any interest. At least we have the 2012 Olympics in the UK to look forward to. That's what competitive sailing is supposed to be about.
* From Capt. Rick Rahm:
I attended the Miami Boat Show yesterday (Thursday) and was very happy and impressed with the turnout of vendors and guests at the convention center. The vendors were all very happy to speak to the customers and listen to their problems with the product or stories of how delighted they were to be using the product. Boating is alive and well.
I did not go to the broker show on Collins Avenue, but I did go to the Strictly Sail Show at the Omni Location. I should have known what was in store when I was charged $6 for the first hour and $2 for every 20 minutes thereafter. The sail show was like going to the Casbah in Morocco. One aisle of vendors leading to the water, down a dirty alley. I was waiting for Indiana Jones to appear at any moment. Fifteen minutes later we were out of there.
I was told that after two years of warnings by the management at the former Bayside location to the Attitudes and Latitudes crowd to cool the party and end it on time, Bayside decided this year the show was not welcome.
If you had gone in past years, it was a great venue, lots of vendors, clean and organized, with wonderful views of Miami harbor. Good parking and access, and lots of restaurants and bars for after show activities. This Strictly Sail Show is not Annapolis!
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
Everyone has a talent; what is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads." - Erica Jong
Special thanks to Kaenon Polarized, North Sails, and Newport Shipyard.
Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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