Wildcard entry granted to ROFF Cascais Sailing Team for Extreme Sailing Series™ Istanbul and Porto Acts

Extreme 40 fleet bolstered for the Istanbul and Porto Acts, with the participation of the Portuguese challenger for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup – ROFF Cascais Sailing Team

The ‘Stadium Style’ racecourses at the Istanbul and Porto Acts of the 2013 Extreme Sailing Series™ will have a fresh complexion as ROFF Cascais Sailing Team becomes the second Youth America’s Cup team to announce its participation in as many weeks alongside Team Tilt. The participation of the Portuguese squad, sponsored by ROFF, the Municipality of Cascais and the Municipality of Lisbon, will boost the fleet to nine boats for the Act in Istanbul, with a home nation invitational team to be announced next week.
The Act in Istanbul takes place from the 20-23 June where the fleet will race from the banks of Istanbul’s old town, before entering the second half of the 2013 Series and heading to Porto from the 25-28 July.

3ª Regata Acreditar é... Optimist - VII Regata Dia do Clube

Coimbra

Resultados finais

A/B Division

Sailed: 3, Discards: 1, To count: 2, Entries: 17, Scoring system: Appendix A

Rank	Division	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	R1	R2	R3	Total	Parcial
1st	A/B	OPTIMIST	2094	CVCN	Luís Pires	(5.0)	3.0	1.0	9.0	4.0
2nd	A/B	OPTIMIST	2511	CVCN	Miguel Santos 	(2.0)	2.0	2.0	6.0	4.0
3rd	A/B	OPTIMIST	2403	CVCN	Afonso Luz	1.0	(18.0 DSQ)	4.0	23.0	5.0
4th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2321	CVCN	João Ribeiro 	4.0	1.0	(18.0 OCS)	23.0	5.0
5th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2463	CVCN	Alex Batista	3.0	(8.0)	3.0	14.0	6.0
6th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2171	CMCoimbra	Ana Rita Mendes	(6.0)	5.0	5.0	16.0	10.0
7th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2466	CVCN	Guilherme Luz	(9.0)	4.0	7.0	20.0	11.0
8th	A/B	OPTIMIST	1705	CMCoimbra	Tomás P. Oliveira	8.0	6.0	(10.0)	24.0	14.0
9th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2475	CVCN	Diogo Sardo	(18.0 DNF)	9.0	6.0	33.0	15.0
10th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2484	CMCoimbra	André Salvaterra Fernandes 	7.0	(10.0)	8.0	25.0	15.0
11th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2140	CMCoimbra	António P. Oliveira	(11.0)	7.0	9.0	27.0	16.0
12th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2044	CMCoimbra	Gonçalo Vilaça Ramos 	10.0	11.0	(12.0)	33.0	21.0
13th	A/B	OPTIMIST	1725	CMCoimbra	Miguel Silvestre 	(12.0)	12.0	11.0	35.0	23.0
14th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2568	CVCN	Henrique Silva	13.0	13.0	(14.0)	40.0	26.0
15th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2125	CMCoimbra	Hugo Sousa	14.0	(15.0)	13.0	42.0	27.0
16th	A/B	OPTIMIST	29	CMCoimbra	Diogo Fonseca Gaspar Saraiva Santos 	(18.0 DNF)	14.0	15.0	47.0	29.0
17th	A/B	OPTIMIST	2432	CVCN	Pedro Gomez	(18.0 DNC)	18.0 DNC	18.0 DNC	54.0	36.0

I Division

Sailed: 3, Discards: 1, To count: 2, Entries: 19, Scoring system: Appendix A

Rank	Division	Class	SailNo	Club	HelmName	R1	R2	R3	Total	Parcial
1st	I	OPTIMIST	1487	CMCoimbra	José Miguel de Oliveira	1.0	(2.0)	1.0	4.0	2.0
2nd	I	OPTIMIST	2227	CVCN	Pedro Monteiro	3.0	1.0	(5.0)	9.0	4.0
3rd	I	OPTIMIST	1545	CVCN	João Guimarães	2.0	(3.0)	2.0	7.0	4.0
4th	I	OPTIMIST	1733	CVCN	Alexandre Pires	(5.0)	4.0	3.0	12.0	7.0
5th	I	OPTIMIST	1909	CVCN	Duarte Figueiredo	4.0	5.0	(6.0)	15.0	9.0
6th	I	OPTIMIST	12227	CVCN	Mário Herdeiro	7.0	(9.0)	4.0	20.0	11.0
7th	I	OPTIMIST	9	CMCoimbra	João Machado Aires	6.0	6.0	(7.0)	19.0	12.0
8th	I	OPTIMIST	4	CNNazar遁	Lara Duarte Azeitona	(11.0)	7.0	9.0	27.0	16.0
9th	I	OPTIMIST	MySugar	CVCN	José Luís Batista	(20.0 DNF)	8.0	8.0	36.0	16.0
10th	I	OPTIMIST	3	CNNazar遁	Isabel Correa da Silva Mendes	8.0	10.0	(20.0 DNF)	38.0	18.0
11th	I	OPTIMIST	13	CNNazar遁	Ana Chiara da Rosa Ferreira	9.0	(15.0)	11.0	35.0	20.0
12th	I	OPTIMIST	1575	CNNazar遁	Matilde de Assis Batista Balbino Gradil	10.0	11.0	(12.0)	33.0	21.0
13th	I	OPTIMIST	54	CNNazar遁	João Pedro dos Santos Machado	15.0	(17.0)	10.0	42.0	25.0
14th	I	OPTIMIST	16	CNNazar遁	Mariana de Assis Batista Balbino Gradil	(20.0 DNF)	12.0	13.0	45.0	25.0
15th	I	OPTIMIST	116	CNNazar遁	Mariana Vasco Andrade	12.0	13.0	(16.0)	41.0	25.0
16th	I	OPTIMIST	8	CMCoimbra	David de Palhares F. Bernardo Barreiros	13.0	(16.0)	14.0	43.0	27.0
17th	I	OPTIMIST	1	CNNazar遁	Maria Constança Rosa Guerra	(16.0)	14.0	15.0	45.0	29.0
18th	I	OPTIMIST	5	CNNazar遁	Tomás Amado Torres	14.0	(20.0 DNF)	17.0	51.0	31.0
19th	I	OPTIMIST	41	CNNazar遁	Tomás Gonçalves Estrelinha	(20.0 DNF)	20.0 DNF	20.0 DNF	60.0	40.0

Scoring codes used

Code	Description	Points
DNC	Did not come to the starting area	18
DNF	Started but did not finish	Varies
DSQ	Disqualification	18
OCS	On course side at start or broke rule 30.1	18

www.cmcoimbra.pt
cmcoimbra@gmail.com

Sailwave Scoring Software 2.9.7
www.sailwave.com

America’s Cup remains on track; Experts named to Review Committee

© © ACEA / Photo Guilain GRENIER


© © ACEA / Photo Guilain GRENIER

America’s Cup organizers have confirmed that this summer’s events remain on track.

In parallel with completing the final arrangements for the America’s Cup, a highly experienced panel of sailing and safety at sea experts has been appointed and charged with reviewing the training and racing of AC72 yachts in the 2013 America’s Cup.

The Review Committee will make its recommendations following the loss of Artemis Racing crew member Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson (GBR) in a training accident on San Francisco Bay on Thursday of last week.

Members of the Committee – download bios here – have strong backgrounds in the sport at its highest levels as well as involvement in other reviews where an incident at sea has claimed the life of a competitor.

Iain Murray, the Regatta Director, will chair and lead the Review Committee comprised of:

• Iain Murray (AUS, Chair)
• Sally Lindsay Honey (USA, Deputy Chair)
• John Craig (USA)
• Chuck Hawley (USA)
• Vincent Lauriot-Prévost (FRA)
• Jim Farmer QC (NZL)

The U.S. Coast Guard supports this approach and will assist as appropriate. Lt. Jon Lane, with 26 years in the Coast Guard and 10 years experience as a marine casualty investigator will serve as liaison.

Tom Ehman, the Vice Commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club (the America’s Cup Trustee), said, “The America’s Cup will go ahead this summer. We will see the world’s best sailors racing at the highest level on one of the most iconic race tracks in sport.”
 
With regard to the Review, Ehman added: “The Committee brings immense experience and expertise to this Review. At a meeting in San Francisco this morning, the teams expressed unanimous support for this Committee and this process.”

The Review Committee will report as soon as possible, given that racing starts in seven weeks.

Artemis Racing sailor Andrew Simpson dies in training accident

Fonte: Artemis

It is with immense sadness that Artemis Racing confirms the tragic death of crewmember Andrew “Bart” Simpson today in San Francisco.


Simpson, a British double Olympic gold medalist, was one of the 11-man crewaboard Artemis Racing’s AC72 catamaran which capsized during training on San Francisco Bay ahead of this summer’s America’s Cup. All other crewmembers are accounted for.
Simpson, however, was trapped underneath the boat and despite attempts to revive him, by doctors afloat and subsequently ashore, his life was lost.
“The entire Artemis Racing team is devastated by what happened,” said CEO Paul Cayard. “Our heartfelt condolences are with Andrew’s wife and family.”

Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE 2013 - Wednesday

44th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre - Day 3

Sailing the multihull after an Olympic match racing campaign is a new challenge for Rio and one she’s taking to with the help of the experienced multihull sailor Besson.

The 44th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre, ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma regatta, saw the conclusion of the qualification series after three days of fantastic racing in varied conditions in the bay of Palma.

With many new faces on the scene, the class favourites have made sure they show their full potential in the first ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta on the European circuit in front of new rivals.

Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE 2013 - Tuesday

44th Trofeo Princess Sofia Mapfre - Day 2

Fonte: Trofeo Princess Sofia Mapfre

For one week, at least, Trofeo Princess Sofia Mapfre – ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma is the centre of the Olympic sailing world with the best sailors competing to reach the next level.









So far the Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mapfre is going according to plan for Asenathi and Roger who have for objective to finish in the top quarter of the fleet.

44th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre - Day1

Fonte: 44th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre

Regatta favourites open the scores in the The first European event in the ISAF Sailing World Cup circuit have tested the athletic sailing skills

Racing started in the 44th Trofeo Sofia Mapfre, ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma, with increasing wind and waves, providing for challenging races. The 49er FX, Nacra and 2.4 missed on racing, as did some of the 49er in the blue group. In most classes the favourites have taken an early lead in the testing conditions.



Jonas Warrer (DEN) “ I have sailed with four different crews in the 49ers, for me it is a way to improve and keep learning. Peter is young, full of energy and super fast in the boat."

With increasing wind and waves, the 49ers have had a tough day in Palma. After two races in the yellow group, racing was cancelled for the day. The British team of David Evans and Edward Powys have mastered the heavy weather with a victory and a third place. However the Danish teams have had their word to say.

Victor Kovalenko describes the Sofía Mapfre in three words: “passion, hard work and success”

Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE 2013 - Sunday

XXIV Campeonato de Portugal de Juniores e Absoluto

Fonte: FPVela





Quase perfeito o primeiro dia do XXIV Campeonato de Portugal de Juniores e Absoluto, que decorre até Domingo, em Viana do Castelo. A prova tem organização da Federação Portuguesa de Vela e do Clube de Vela de Viana do Castelo.

Classificação provisória após 3 regatas

Laser Radial

Laser 4.7

420

Ministra “apadrinha” obra do desassoramento em Coimbra

Fonte: Diario de Coimbra

A ministra Assunção Cristas está hoje em Coimbra para participar na assinatura do acordo de parceria entre a Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA) e a Câmara Municipal de Coimbra com vista à realização das tão desejadas acções de desassorramento do rio Mondego.
A ministra da Agricultura, do Mar, do Ambiente e do Ordenamento do Território chegará a Coimbra pelas 15h00 e irá dirigir-se à zona do Clube Náutico de Coimbra, no Parque Verde (margem esquerda) onde irá ouvir breves explicações sobre o estado e consequências do assoreamento do Mondego para depois, cerca das 16h00, se deslocar às instalações da ARHCentro, no Edifício da Fábrica dos Mirandas, onde o documento será assinado.

Goodbye, Auckland, and thank you!

Fonte: Luna Rossa



Copyright Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 – Photo by Brendon O’ Hagan

View Photo










After six months of training and racing in the austral summer the Team Luna Rossa leaves Auckland to resume its racing activity in Naples, where it will participate at the last event of the America’s Cup World Series (16 – 21 April) with the two AC 45 catamarans Luna Rossa Piranha and Luna Rossa Swordfish, respectively steered by Chris Draper and Francesco Bruni.

In the attached images, commented by Luna Rossa Skipper Max Sirena, are portrayed some high and impressive moments of the AC 72 catamaran sailing in the Hauraki Gulf; this is the class of boat who will sail the Louis Vuitton Cup – Challenger Selection Series and the America’s Cup, starting in July in San Francisco.

PLAY VIDEO >>

Scheidt And Drozdovskaya Clean Up On Lake Garda

Fonte: ISAF


Robert Scheidt (BRA)
©Andrea Pisapia/SeaAndSail.it

Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) dominated the Laser and Laser Radial fleets at the Laser Europa Cup on Lake Garda, Italy.

Maximum level at the Arenal Training Camps Trophy

Copyrights: Jesus Renedo


The regatta has had the participation of 260 sailors from 18 countries


The Arenal Training Camps Trophy, the training international regatta for the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre which was held this weekend under the organization of the Club Nautico Arenal, has had the participation of up to 260 sailors from 18 countries, a figure impressive record in post-Olympic years. In addition, the race brought together Olympic champions who are beginning to work towards Rio 2016.



The Arenal Training Camps Trophy was characterized by light and medium winds, eight to ten knots. On Sunday the races could not be held due to lack of wind.



In the 470 W, at the top of the table are placed the Dutch Afrodite Anneloes Kyranakou and Van Veen, followed by British and Ellidh Weguelin Sophie Mcintyre. The SpanishMarina Gallegoand Fatima Reyes have occupied the third drawer. The Match Race Olympic champion at London 2012 Angela Pumariega, now sailing in this class withCarmen Mateo, finished in eleventh place.



In the Laser Standard Spanish Jesús Rogel has taken the title of winner of the Arenal Training Camps Trophy after signing two first places, one second and two thirds. Second was the German Philipp Buhi and ranked third Polish Patryk Piasecki.



Spanish winners also in the 49er. Young Diego Botín and Paul Turrado have achieved the victory with a lead of ten points on the Polish Lukasz Przybytek and Pawel Kolodzinski. In third place was placed Olympic champion in Beijing 2008, the Danish Jonas Warrer, who sails now with Peter Lang.



In the 470 M, the Spanish Onan Barreiros and Juan Curbelo have finished second the Arenal Training Camps Trophy, just one point behind the winners, the British Luke Patience and Joe Glanfield. Third were the Argentines Lucas Calabrese and Juan de la Fuente.



Foreign rule in the new Olympic class 49er FX. The Danish Ida Marie Baad and Marie Thusgaard have been the winners, followed by the Italians Giulia Conti and Francesca Clapcich. Tenth have been the Match Race London 2012 Olympic championTamara Echegoyenand her new crew,Berta Betanzos, who could not race the first two races of the Arenal Training Camps Trophy.



In the Nacra 17, international teams have also dominated. First and second place for the Netherlands, with Mandy Mulder and Thijs Visser on top of the podium and Renee Groeneveld and Karel Begemann in the second drawer. The Austrians Sylvia Vogl and Thomas Czajka have been third.



In the Finn class, Frenchman Jonathan Lobert was the winner after winning by just one point over London 2012 silver, the Dutch JP Postma. Third was the Polish Piotr Kula.



The international Olympic teams continue to train these days in the waters of theBayofPalma, in order to reach its highest level at Princesa Sofia Mapfre Trophy, to be held from March 30 to April 6.

Coming soon to an ocean near you

Austin Wong/Volvo Ocean Race

Driving a Volvo truck in testing conditions through Europe is not unlike helming a Volvo Ocean Race boat. So says our reporter Rick Deppe, who is following the convoy of hull number one from Persico, Italy, to Green Marine, England.

Ocean dreams for Olympic medallists

A third group of candidates is coming to Lanzarote to train with SCA's all-women sailing team – including three Olympic medallists.
Photo Rick Tomlinson/SCA

"Our intention has always been to try and put together the best female offshore racing crew" - Brad Jackson

Spain’s Tamara Echegoyen and Natalia Via-Dufresne, Annemeike Bes of the Netherlands and Sweden’s Anna-Lena Elled are starting a 10-day selection program with Team SCA, the 100% female team for the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.

AC72 Regata

New AM-Cam video shot at Takapuna Beach on Friday March 8, 2013. Includes previous clips together with new video of the two AC72's sailing back to their base on the Waitemata Harbour. In this new footage Luna Rossa starts well behind Emirates Team NZ's AC72 and appears to be sailing higher and faster than the New Zealand Challenger which dominated the other racing on the day

RAN incidente - Worlds 2013 52 SS

Ultima regata do Mundial do 52º Gaastra World Championship 2013

Winds fail at Gaastra 52 World Championship

Fonte: 52 SS

Racing at the Gaastra 52 World Championships off South Beach Miami had to be abandoned today, Thursday, when the light, fickle breezes proved too little to complete a fair race.


Race 5 of the series was started and ran in very light, streaky and shifty conditions. After over an hour and within only 300 metres of the shortened finish line at the second top mark, Tony Langley’s Gladiator was ahead of the pack when the time limit cruelly expired. Mark Blees’ Gaastra Pro crew with John Cutler (NZ) calling tactics was on course for a second place – which could have been the best of the regatta so far - when the abandon signal was sounded.



A short wait in the warm Miami sunshine followed before it became clear that there was little prospect of an increase in breeze and so the eight boat fleet was sent back to the dock.

Several teams filed for redress in their belief that the leg length was not as it was supposed to be and that there were other procedural anomalies, but the International Jury dismissed the requests.



Chris Larson (USA) tactician of Gladiator (GBR) outlined their request:
“There were several things. The course distance was longer than it was supposed to be, about a tenth and a half longer than it should have been. There were two ways to read the time limit, as well as other things.”
“It was always going to be two breezes fighting each other. I told the boys we would see a lot of crazy stuff going on today and we had just that. It was tough.”

John Cutler remained objective on the outcome of the redress request:
“It was a light and shifty race which had worked out well for us. We managed to find a few shifts and sail quite a nice race. As we were coming up to what was looking likely to be a good finish for us the time limit expired. Now we have just been in the protest room looking for redress but the Jury has found the facts that the race committee can abandon if they feel the race will not finish within the time limit. That is what the rules say and we will move on.”

Winds are expected to be more favourable Friday, the penultimate day of racing. As it stands championship leaders remain Rán Racing who lead by one point from Azzurra with Quantum Racing in third just one point back.

Gaastra 52 World Championships, Results after 4 races.
1 Rán Racing (Zennström, SWE) 10pts (7,1,1,1)
2 Azzurra (Roemmers, ITA) 11 pts (1,2,3,5)
3 Quantum Racing (De Vos, USA) 12pts (3,4,2,3)
4 Gladiator (Langley, GBR) 17pts (2,6,5,4)
5 Vesper (Swartz, USA) 19pts (5,5,7,2)
6 Interlodge (Fragomen, USA) 22pts (4,7,4,7)
7 Rio (Moshayedi, USA) 25pts (8, 3,8,6)
8 Gaastra-Pro (Blees, NED) 28pts (6,8,6,8)

Racing Format Trials For Olympic Sailing Events

Fonte: ISAF

Nacra 17 racing in Miami
©Walter Cooper

ISAF Sailing World Cup
With two regattas of the 2012-2013 ISAF Sailing World Cup completed and two more to follow, the journey to the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition is underway.

As the heroes of London 2012 and the rising starts of Olympic sailing's future explore the new classes on the Olympic agenda and test new partnerships, the Class Associations have been assessing the competition and trialling new racing formats.

As a result of recommendations made by the Olympic Classes Sub-Committee at the 2012 ISAF Annual Conference new formats were trialled at ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami. Following a review of those trials, the intended format for ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma and Hyeres has been released and is available here.

The exact format will be defined in the Sailing Instructionsand will depend on entry numbers which determine whether a fleet sails as a single fleet or as two fleets in the Qualifying Series and Final Series.

The Final Series scoring is designed to test the proposed Rio 2016 scoring for the proposed fleet size, and therefore some fleets might sail as one fleet in the Qualifying Series and then split into Gold and Silver fleets for the Final Series.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Palma will be the first regatta to trial the new formats with modifications made as appropriate to the Hyeres programme to reflect lessons and sailor feedback from Palma.

The Class Associations and event organizers will carry out a full analysis of the merits of the trialled formats and continue testing over the coming months and work closely with an ISAF working party who will submit an interim report to the 2013 ISAF Mid-Year Meeting. ISAF will make final format decisions for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the 2013 ISAF Annual Conferece. Feedback from athletes, regatta organizers, race officials and coaches is welcomed.

Day 2. Act 1 - Muscat, Oman. *LIVE*

470 super crew

Paul Wyeth / RYA

Luke Patience announces his new double silver medallist crewman
Two-time Olympic silver medal-winning sailor Joe Glanfield is set to make his competitive comeback, having been announced today as the man who will partner 2012 silver medallist Luke Patience in the quest for gold at Rio 2016. Patience and Glanfield unveiled their Rio 2016 campaign plans at the RYA Dinghy Show, Alexandra Palace today.

Quase acabado - VOR65

Mark Somerville/Persico Marine



The Volvo Ocean 65 project will reach a major milestone in the next few days as the first hull and deck leave their sheds at Persico and Multiplast to be assembled in the UK at Green Marine.

Mark Somerville/Persico MarineVolvo Ocean RaceYann Penfornis/MultiplastYann Penfornis/Multiplast

Hull number one is being packed up and loaded onto a trailer at Persico in Italy. Later in the week, it will be towed by a Volvo truck from Bergamo to England's south coast.

“We will be escorting the convoy,” says Volvo Ocean Race’s Rick Deppe, who is overseeing filming of the Volvo Ocean 65 build project.

ESS Muscat día 1, Leigh McMillan e equipa na frente

Fonte: Extreme Sailing Series

© Lloyd Images

© Lloyd Images

© Lloyd Images

© Vincent Curutchet/Dark Frame/Lloyd Images


Champagne sailing conditions kick-started a glamour first day for the 2013 Extreme Sailing Series at The Wave, Muscat, Oman today in a baptism of fire for the new teams who thrived on the Extreme 40 race course. After scoring first blood in the first race, Leigh McMillan and his crew on The Wave, Muscat start the 2013 Series where they left off in 2012 at the top of the leaderboard, but with new and existing teams stepping up to mark, the competition it set to be one of the closest and unpredictable in the history of the Series.

Highlights - GAASTRA 52 World Championship

52 Super Series- World Championship - Azzurra opening day stars

Fonte: 52 Super Series


After triumphing with a consistent display in Key West in January, Azzurra seemed to have continued in their winning ways today when they made the strongest opening to the Gaastra 52 World Championships in light and very challenging conditions off Miami Beach.












Azzurra’s effervescent tactician Vasco Vascotto is on something of a winning run, backing up that 52 SUPER SERIES win in Key West with an overall world title win on Pisco Sour in the Soto 40 class the following week in Chile and then a Melges 32 regatta win in the Caribbean.

Miami 52 Super Series

Fonte: 52SS

Miami should deliver a true 52 World Champion teamTony Langley and the crew of the British flagged Gladiator proved that even though they have made technical changes to improve the all-round performance of their boat in stronger winds they still have the pace to win in very light winds when they ghosted to victory in today’s practice race which is the prelude to the Gaastra 52 World Championships which start Tuesday off Miami Beach, Florida.



The eight teams competing are fully expecting Miami to deliver a broad range of wind conditions over the five scheduled days of racing but they will be hoping that the breezes have a little more punch and are more settled in direction than today’s offering. Langley’s crew, with Chris Larson calling tactics, were quickest off the start line, knitting together the patchy breeze to build a very big early lead.

Defending 52 SUPER SERIES champions Azzurra crossed the finish line second with the Austin and Gwen Fragomen’s quietly consistent Interlodge – runners up in Key West last month chasing Azzurra to finish third.

The eight boat Gaastra 52 World Championship fleet is split evenly with four from the USA and four from Europe. Newcomers to the fleet since Quantum Key West 2013’s 52 SUPER SERIES are Jim Swartz’s USA based Vesper which has Gavin Brady on tactics and the Dutch all-star team on Gaastra which is skippered by Finn and Star sailor Marc Blees. Both 52’s showed good form at times today and during informal practice have been up with the established crews.



Gladiator’s tactician Larson confirms that each day here looks like it might be different, suggesting that the team which collects the world title trophy on Saturday evening will be deserved winners:

“We will see a little bit of everything. Tomorrow will be light, Wednesday will be in the mid-teens with really nice sailing conditions and then there will be a front coming through and we will see what happens with that, it will be breezy NW 15-20kts on Thursday and then it will be windy and wavy from NE on Friday.”

“Things are going well. We are going better in the breeze but when it is light and crazy light today then anything can happen. I am superstitious about a lot of things but winning the practice race is not one of them. Winning the practice race has always been a good omen for me.” Larson concludes.

“I think we will see everything this week. That should be the most extreme light we will see but the forecast shows a bit of everything.” Also affirms Adrian Stead, the tactician of Rán Racing who has won the world title twice as tactician with Quantum Racing.
“It should be good over the five days. It is a world championship to be won and we are definitely capable of winning. We see this a good opportunity to put together a solid series with the added motivation that there is a world title at the end of it. And certainly it is a good focus for us. I have won it twice and want to win it a third time!”

One particular feature of the 52 World Championship is that it is strictly owner-driver, perhaps giving a small advantage to those owners who steer regularly through their season – like Langley, Rán Racing’s Niklas Zennström, Fragomen on Interlodge and Jim Swartz on Vesper. Doug De Vos steered Quantum Racing in Key West whilst Alberto Roemmers JR has had a longer break since he last steered Azzurra, but showed no sign of that when he brought the blue hulled 52 home second today.

The Gaastra 52 World Championships are complemented by the HPR 40 class Midwinter Championship. The HPR entries are not defined tightly by a box rule, but can range in size and style, relying on the new HPR rating system to equalize them under handicap. HPR was devised to fairly rate high-performance, offshore-capable boats. There are two design types on show here the Carkeek 40 and the Farr 400 with two of each – Stephen Murray’s New Orleans-based team on Decision won the HPR class in Key West along with Steve and Heidi Benjamin’s Spookie which is the newest boat in the fleet. George Collins’s Chessie Racing finished as the top Farr 400 in Key West, and so may be considered a strong favorite here in Miami but will have strong competition from Team Premier lead by Dee Smith.

Quotes:
Doug DeVos (USA) skipper-helm Quantum Racing (USA): “We’re looking forward to a great week. Eight boats means the competition will be intense. We did a small change in the keel blade after Key West to make it a little faster, but it's a very small change and today was so light I did not feel any difference. We’ll know more throughout the week.”

Keith Kilpatrick (USA), project manager Rio (USA): “We are having some hydraulic problems now, but will get them sorted. The boat was new to us in the last event, and we’re still learning, but we’re looking to build on what we learned in Key West and improve here in Miami.”

Andalusian Olympic Week - Carnival Trophy

Fonte: ISAF

Perfect conditions
©VIII Semana Olímpica Andaluza

At the Andalusian Olympic Week held from 27 February to 3 March the Spanish national titles were on offer across all of the classes whilst an array of international sailors staked their claim in the 50-point ISAF graded regatta.

In one of the closest fought championships in recent years good winds accompanied the fleets throughout the regatta and the final day brought south easterly winds ranging from 15 to 20 knots which continued to push and test all the sailors.

In the 49er class brothers Federico and Arturo Alonso did what they needed to do on the final day to take the 49er Spanish title. With a second, a first and a discarded seventh on the closing day they held on to third place overall. Taking the overall honours in the 49er was Mattieu Frei and Yann Rocherieux (FRA) who held off competition from Julien d'Ortoli and Noe Delpech (FRA). The experienced Iker Martinez, sailing with Iago Lopez, finished fourth overall but took silver in the Spanish championship.

Juan Manuel Moreno (ESP) was consistent in the Men's RS:X fleet but was not as impressive as overall winner Dimitrii Poleshenuk (RUS). The pair jostled throughout the 10 race series and the third race of the series was the only one where neither took the bullet. However the Russian finished three points clear of Merono who had to settle with the Spanish title.

Among the Women's R:SX fleet Seville's Pilar Gonzalez Lamadrid claimed the national title. Lamadrid shared second and first place results throughout the week with overall winner Anzhela Polubarova (RUS). Across the seven race series the Russian won five races compared to the Spaniards two to take the overall title.

Meanwhile Toni Bonet (ESP) put his name on the Men's RS:X Youth Spanish title with Artem Javadav (BLR) taking the overall top spot ahead of club mate Mikita Tsirkun (BLR).

In the Laser fleet Antony Munos (FRA) held off Spanish national champion Jesus Rogel Sanchez (ESP) by two points as he claimed the overall title. Mattis Naud (FRA) rounded off the podium.

A strong Laser Radial fleet featured London 2012 Olympian Annalise Murphy (IRL) who finished off the podium by three points as Belgium's Emma Plasschaert, tied with Amelie Riou (FRA) on 21 points, won gold by countback having won three of 11 races. France's Mathilde de Kerangat completed the podium. Taking the Spanish title was Martina Reino Cacho who came down in eighth place overall.

Portugal's Antonio Matos Rosa and Ricardo Schedel finished 12 points clear in the Men's 470 fleet take the gold medal. Onan Barreiros and Juan Curbelo (ESP) finished second overall and subsequently took the Spanish title. Rounding off the podium is Russia's Mikhaill Sheremekiev and Maksim Schrenietiev (RUS). The Women's title went to Alisa Kirilyuk and Dmitrieva Luydmila (RUS).

Event Website
A small four boat Finn fleet saw Federico Melo (POR) win overall and the Spanish title went the way of Pablo Guitian Sarria (ESP).