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SCUTTLEBUTT 3067 - Friday, April 9, 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. Scuttlebutt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Scuttlebutt on Facebook: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/facebook Today's sponsors: Doyle Sails and Flexofold. PUMA ON BOARD FOR VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2011-2012 Herzogenaurach, Germany/Boston, Massachusetts (April 8, 2010) - PUMA announced today it will participate in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012 after placing second overall in the 2008-2009 competition. The race, known as the "Everest of sailing," begins October 2011 in Alicante, Spain and ends in Galway, Ireland in June 2012. The eight stopovers include: Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya (China), Auckland, Itaja� (Brazil), Miami, Lisbon and Lorient (France). The PUMA Ocean Racing team will once again be under the leadership of skipper Ken Read. "We are proud of PUMA Ocean Racing's success in the last Volvo Ocean Race and look forward to the adventures this next race will bring," said Jochen Zeitz, PUMA AG Chairman and CEO. "Both the team and the company hope to leverage the key lessons from the last VOR campaign in order to continue spreading the good will of the program and PUMA worldwide." Team selection efforts are already underway and will likely include a number of sailors from PUMA's 2008-2009 team, plus a mix of new and veteran talent from the professional racing world. Training will begin onboard PUMA's il mostro in Spring 2010 at the team's home base in Newport, Rhode Island. Skipper Ken Read, considered to be one of the world's most accomplished racers, was in charge of PUMA Ocean Racing and at the helm of PUMA's il mostro throughout the entire Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. The US born Read has twice helmed America's Cup programs in 2000 and 2003 and was named "United States Rolex Yachtsman of the Year" twice, and has 46 World, North American and National Championships to his credit. "This last race was an amazing journey for me personally and for our start-up company PUMA Ocean Racing," said Ken Read. "To have the opportunity to continue where we left off is a dream come true. For PUMA to want to come back to this adventure is a testament to the event itself and to the entire PUMA Ocean Racing team past and present. We look forward to the challenges that lie ahead both organizationally as well as competitively." -- Complete story: http://tinyurl.com/ylhwwb5 GAVIN BRADY CHASING ALL IN 2010 Fresh off a second place finish at the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Auckland, Gavin Brady stepped off the plane in Southern California and picked up right where he left off, leading the Congressional Cup standings through the early rounds and battling again into the Final, where he took second place in the top match racing regatta in North America, behind fellow LVT skipper Francesco Bruni. Brady won in Long Beach in 2006 and 2008, so the Con Cup is obviously the scene of some good memories, but it's not only memories Brady is chasing in 2010. The regatta was just an early step in a year full of possibilities. Brady likes the Con Cup for a number of reasons. "It's early in the year and no matter where you are in the world," he said, "it's one of the first events of the year and it gets you dialed in. The yacht club still runs two round robins, so you know you're going to come here and do at least 18 races, and if you can't figure it out in 18 races you don't deserve to be in the semis!" "The boats are probably the most similar to an America's Cup boat, in the way you have to sail them technically. They're a big heavy boat, one of the biggest boats on the match racing circuit. In an America's Cup boat, in the pre-start, you have to be able to keep them moving and not get slow and these boats are pretty much the same. In some of these match race regattas, you're in these little 20 footers and you're just roll tacking and roll gybing all day long and you walk away from them thinking, 'well, we learned some skills and all that and did some match racing,' but it doesn't help you in America's Cup sailing near as much as this stuff does." Not that Brady's Cup skills have gotten rusty. He drove Mascalzone Latino to a finals match-up with Emirates Team New Zealand - a bit of a surprise to some, given Mascalzone's lack of run up to the regatta, weather-induced and otherwise. The Latin Rascals attempted to practice and race against some of the other teams still maintaining bases in Valencia, but with little result. The first problem they had to overcome was the same Valencia weather that was such an obstacle in the recent America's Cup match. -- Full story: http://www.cupinfo.com/en/gavin-brady-mascalzone-interview-10006.php DOYLE LOFT TECHNOLOGY NIGHT Join Doyle Sailmakers Salem, MA for a night of new technology on Wednesday April 14, 2010. Don't miss the opportunity to hear about the latest innovations in sailmaking, learn more about the design process and meet other local sailors. Robbie Doyle, Jud Smith, Tyler Doyle and Glenn Cook will illustrate the use of cutting edge numeric simulations in sailmaking and the relationship between experience and scientific calculation that it takes to develop fast sails. http://www.doylesails.com/CFD/event.html BEN AINSLIE MOVES TO FIRST ON WMRT LEADERBOARD Marseille, France (April 8, 2010) - Day Two of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) in Marseille had a slow start to the morning with racing postponed, and only 5 flights sailed. Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN and Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team are still both on top of the WMRT leader board after today with 11 flights now completed overall. Commented Mirsky, "It was a long day, not knowing whether we were racing or not, we were on standby for 10 hours today. It is mentally draining keeping yourself prepared to go out at any second and race. Despite doing no physical work today, it was very tiring. We have 7 races remaining and the result sheet is tightening and with light winds forecast for tomorrow anything can happen." Francesco Bruni (ITA) Team Azzurra, who won the Congressional Cup only 12 days ago and is currently in 9th, said, "It is tough out there, today has really reminded me about spending time training at particular sailing venues prior to events. I think more time on the water with your coach really getting to grips with the region's quirks is a definite advantage". This is not an option for the WMRT competitors who only have a small window of 2 hours to train on the race course area at each of the 10 venues before racing starts the next day. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/ycsk8wz Day 2: Current Round Robin Standings Ben Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin 5-1 Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia 5-3 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 4-0 Sebastien Col (FRA) ALL4ONE 4-2 Philippe Presti (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4-3 Pierre-Antione Morvan (FRA) 4-3 Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch 3-2 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 3-3 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra Racing 3-5 Gian Luca Perris (MON) 2-5 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 3-5 Bertand Pace (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team 1-5 Event website: http://www.wmrt.com/ Event live blog: http://www.wmrt.com/live-from-marseille.html The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the leading professional sailing series featuring 10 World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with "Special Event" status. TEAM USA SCORES STRONG AT IODA SOUTH AMERICANS Team USA had strong results at the Opti South Americans, the second IODA event for 2010, held in March in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The Yacht Club Punta del Este Race Committee did an outstanding job running the 12 schedules races with 2 throw outs over 5 days of fleet racing in relatively light air conditions. The top 5 US sailors (out of 168 sailors from 18 countries): Romain Screve, San Francisco YC (24th) Megan Grapengeter-Rudnick, Noroton YC and LISOT (25th & 2nd girl) Malcolm Lamphere, Lake Geneva YC and LISOT (26th) Eliot Caple, Naples Sailing Center (36th) Duncan Williford, Lauderdale YC (37th) In the team racing, Team USA 1 won the Nations Cup and Team USA 3 was second - the first time in memory that Team USA has had two teams make the finals. Team USA also donated 15 Opti sails to Paraguay and El Salvador, to help both countries start Opti fleets. -- Complete story: http://www.optiworld.org/news1Article.php?link=10newsSAM.html NEW YORK TO BARCELONA BOATS UNDERWAY New York, NY (April 8, 2010) - Estrella Damm and W-Hotels passed Ambrose Light and broke the official start line for the New York to Barcelona Transoceanic Record at 14h 33m and 18s, local time New York, (18h33m18s GMT/20h33m18s Barcelona time). Estrella Damm was slightly ahead of W-Hotels as they crossed in about 18-25 knots of wind in a direction of 200 degrees, the breeze exactly as forecast. W Hotels was timed across the line at 14.35.48 (NY). A slight delay to the planned schedule occurred because it took the boats a little longer to get down river from North Cove Marina with a strong current and a little more tacking required than perhaps the teams would have liked as they headed for the open ocean. But immediately after the start the two Barcelona IMOCA Open 60's took off in the fresh, favourable conditions and first reports had them doing 18 to 20 knots of boat speed in flat seas. Alex Pella off Estrella Damm (ESP) reported shortly after the start that they have plenty of breeze, jumping to 27 knots, and expect to have enough wind to reach at high speeds for the first few days of their record challenge. The aim of the crossing is to set a sailing world record between the two cities, and to strengthen the connection between New York and Barcelona with a strong socio-cultural, educational and sporting program. This is a pioneering initiative, as it is the first time in sailing history that a record has been set between an Atlantic and a Mediterranean city. -- Full report at http://www.ny-bcn.org/en/por-que-un-record.jsp CAMPBELL CRACKS WHIP AT YOUTH BOOT CAMP Long Beach, Calif. (April 7, 2010) - The 33rd CISA Racing Clinic is underway at the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach, Calif. With a week off from school, more than a hundred of America's best young sailors from the East Coast to Hawaii will spend Thursday through Sunday under the tutelage of world-class sailors including Andrew Campbell, clinic director, Zach Railey and Charlie McKee. But it's more boot camp than spring break. Driven by a team of world-class instructors, the 111 boys and girls ages 13 to 18 selected by their r�sum�s will see 12-hour days on and off the water learning fine points of the sport before breaking free with some real racing Sunday. They'll train twice a day in their assigned two-person 29er skiffs, International 420, C420 and CFJ dinghies and singlehanded Lasers and Laser Radials, between spending as much time in group lectures and video reviews. Evening programs are scheduled after dinner featuring selected speakers: 2008 silver medalist Zach Railey on the Olympics and Kenneth Andreasen of US Sailing on how to organize a world-class campaign, including the Olympics. Andrew Campbell is the clinic director for the second year. He was once a clinic student who sailed a Laser for the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics and is now campaigning a Star with crew Brad Nichol for 2012. Campbell has laid down a training regimen for the clinic no tougher than his own. The program, he has told the instructors, emphasizes "potential and having the kids focus on increasing their personal capacity, regardless of the level of their sailing." -- Full story: http://www.campbellsailing.com/ SAILING SHORTS * The Chicago Yacht Club has announced that the 102nd Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, presented by Veuve Clicquot, is sold out at 375 paid entries. "We are very pleased that the race continues to have such a wide appeal across the region and nationally. We are especially pleased that we could open up the race to more boats in 2010 to meet the increase in demand," said Greg Freeman, Race Chair. Boats that want to enter the race may ask to be put on the wait list. Interested skippers should contact the Chicago Yacht Club. -- Complete story: http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/ * The 2010 US-IRC Great Lakes Championships for the second consecutive year will be sailed in lower Lake Huron in the shadow of two great sailing communities; Sarnia, Ontario and Port Huron, Michigan. The Port Huron Yacht Club is looking forward to hosting this much anticipated event just one week before the Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Island Sailboat Race is scheduled to set sail. Register now at Yacht Scoring's website for this mid July event on Lake Huron: http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=319 * Youth Match Racing opportunities are currently scheduled, with more in the works). These should be especially interesting to sailors in the 16-21 year old range when they are deciding to continue with the sport or not. Each of the four events provide Clinics with expert coaches, so the sailors will learn the tactics of match racing as well as the advanced sailing techniques needed to race a small keelboat well. Two of the events qualify the top skipper to the 2010 Governor's Cup Match Race, July 20-25, an annual international youth match racing championship. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/yd7mq3f. * Boats racing the Regata del Sol al Sol to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, will start from the St. Petersburg Pier on Friday, April 23rd at 10 am. Over 30 boats have registered for the regatta including yachts from Rhode Island, Louisiana, and Alaska. The race is approximately 500 nautical miles and has three different current complexes to challenge navigators. The first Isla Mujeres race was organized by the Mexican government in 1969. The regatta has continued since thanks to the family of former Mexican Secretary of Sports, Jose De Jesus Lima, and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. -- Event website: http://www.regatadelsolalsol.org/ SAIL MORE, MOTOR LESS! Are you dragging a fixed prop around under your boat? If so, you might as well be dragging a bucket while you're sailing; it's nearly 100 pounds of drag! A low-drag Flexofold propeller will allow you to keep sailing more, increasing your boatspeed, particularly while the winds lighten. With only 5% of the drag of a fixed prop under sail, and equivalent or better performance under power, you can have the best of both worlds. When performance matters, the choice is clear. Flexofold Sailboat Propellers. To learn more and spec a prop for your boat, click now: http://www.flexofold.com/Spec_A_Prop.php VIDEO OF THE WEEK Scuttlebutt received a letter from Howard Bentley, who was commenting on the changes needed to heighten interest in the next America's Cup. Said Howard, "If you look at the success of other sports, the focus is on the athlete and not the technology. I believe sailing needs to start to promote its athletes and personalities above the technology. "There are so many rich personalities that when combined with the confines of a boat provide for some spectacular and often lively commentary ... Billionaire toys are sure cool and worthy of a focus but people like people and personality sells. The technology is cool but the sport is called sailing, a verb, because it's the participants that make the sport." The TP52 Quantum Racing team produced this week's video, and it provides a good example of Howard's commentary. Much like they do at the beginning of each segment of a reality TV show, they introduce us to the characters, and provide us reasons to get to know them better. The QR team is prepping for the 2010 Audi MedCup Circuit in the Med, and are using video to create interest in their team, and hopefully, their product too. Click here for this week's video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/10/0409/ SEND US YOUR VIDEOS: If you have clips to share for the Video of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:[email protected] 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: [email protected] -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From John Fox: (re, Scuttlebutt 3066) With no disrespect meant to Sir Durward Knowles, a number of Star sailors have made it beyond 80 and still actively competed in the class. Former Star International secretary Harry Walker competed up until he died at age 84. There is Marshall Brown who actively sailed in his 80's and Doc Karlovski in Milford CT, who made it to 90 plus. These gentlemen are an inspiration to all of us. As we say at Master's regattas: "Cheat the nursing home, die with a tiller in your hand!" * From William Tuthill: (re, Scuttlebutt 3066) While the Russian teams have yet to "make a ripple" in some soft water racing arenas, it should be noted that Russian sailors are some of the best in the world when it comes to snow and ice sailing in all of its forms. For proof, look at the results from WISSA 2009 http://www.wissa2009.org/results.html * From Mal Emerson: (re, Scuttlebutt 3065) Going downwind faster than the wind still requires jibing back and forth across the wind. That requirement has yet to have been circumvented. The "boat" in the referenced article just seemed to circumvent the requirement by separating the sail's maneuverability from the boat's. The sails did the jibing in order to generate the added relative wind that has always provided the leverage needed to sail faster than the wind. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch." - Ivern Ball, author Special thanks to Doyle Sails and Flexofold. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
