Hillary Lister
A disabled yachtswoman was cheered by wellwishers as she became the first female quadriplegic to sail solo around Britain.
With the forthcoming 2011 Extreme Sailing Series™ venues, teams and innovations due to be revealed at a Press Conference in Portugal on 13 December, for the next four weekends British viewers can relive the action from the 2010 circuit that is changing the way sailing is seen.
Oman Sail (Photo by Roberto Foresti / Canon / OC Events )
Four, half-hour shows, presented by double Olympic Gold Medalist Shirley Robertson and produced by Sunset+Vine|APP, kick off this Saturday 27 November at 7.25am on Channel 4. With on-board cameras on every Extreme 40 catamaran, the series takes the viewer into the heart of the racing where crews compete within a few meters of the crowds on tiny, ‘stadium-style’ race courses. Featuring Olympic Gold Medallists, multiple World Champions, round the World sailing stars and America’s Cup racers, the action is intense and even the very best are caught out. With closing speeds in excess of fifty knots and the potential for spectacular capsizes when it’s windy there is plenty of opportunity for drama.
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for the Channel 4 TV Series
Fleet passes in front of the crowd ( Photo by Roberto Foresti / Canon / OC Events )
And the 2010 circuit had plenty of drama…
The first man to lead a crew around the planet in less than fifty days was stopped in his tracks at the UK round in a crash that left him with no control. Heading towards a concrete wall at twenty knots he makes the call to abandon ship. At the Italian round in Trapani wild winds hit the fleet which saw the premier sailors lose control as their bows head deep underwater, the crew suspended in mid air with no steerage. And at the finale in Spain the youngest skipper on the tour has less than a second to decide whether to sail safe or take a risk that could see his season end in shattered carbon fibre.
Collision ( Photo by Lloyd Images )
Five events, 130 races, 14 teams, but who will be crowned overall 2010 Extreme Sailing Series™ Champions? Watch this weekend, and for the next three weeks, on Channel 4 to find out more.
Channel 4 broadcast dates and times:
November 27th – 0725 (then at 0825 on Channel 4 plus 1)
December 4th – 0725 (then at 0825 on Channel 4 plus 1)
December 11th – 0725 (then at 0825 on Channel 4 plus 1)
December 18th – 0730 (then at 0830 on Channel 4 plus 1)
Groupama 70 Starting Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race. (Photo courtesy of Franck Cammas and Team Groupama)
Scheduled for 1400 hours local time, the start of the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race took place bang on target. The English punctuality didn’t favour Groupama 70, who were delayed following a collision with another boat whilst still tied to their mooring. Setting off around fifteen minutes late, Franck Cammas and his crew powered away and managed one by one to overtake 25 of their 27 rivals in some rather harsh sailing conditions and a light worthy of Beken of Cowes.
First to cross the start line, ICAP Leopard and Telefonica Azul put on an exceptional display, firing off at 25 knots into the Solent, the sound which separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland. Despite being over 30 foot longer than the VOR 70, ICAP Leopard, with Sam Davies navigating, got irreparably left behind, as did the rest of the fairly assorted fleet.
During this time, the crew of Groupama 70 attempted to quickly hoist their mainsail. Delayed following a failed manoeuvre by a competitor, which damaged the bow of the VOR 70, Franck Cammas could only watch, powerless, as his main rival, Iker Martinez, skipper of Telefonica, took flight. A double Olympic medallist in the Forty Niner, the Spaniard couldn’t have wished for a better start.
It remains to be seen now how the skipper of Groupama 70 will react. Prior to the start, the newcomer to the VOR category had this to say: “We’re here to drive the men and Groupama 70 into a corner, as well as to see how we measure up against an experienced, high performance crew”.
Having racked up a 5-mile deficit from the outset, Cammas had no other choice but to attack. He too tracked making 25 knots of boat speed, creating fabulous plumes of water in his wake, the skipper was clearly ruling Groupama 70 with a rod of iron.
Once across the Solent, the imposed route will call for a series of tack changes under spinnaker. Favouring a more northerly course, Jean-Luc Nélias, Groupama 70′s navigator, was the first to put in a gybe. It’s a manoeuvre which, in the breeze, requires perfect synchronisation. Unfortunately this element may well have been somewhat lacking aboard Celox 40, which lost her mast.
With the wind set to remain very steady, the competitors will continue to traverse the English Channel at pace, zigzagging between the numerous cargo ships picking their way across it. Suffice to say that in these conditions, any minutes spent sleeping will be both rare and precious if they are to keep performing well…
Crew of Groupama 70
1. Franck Cammas, skipper
2. Jean-Luc Nélias, navigator
3. Laurent Pagès, watch leader
4. Magnus Woxen, watch leader
5. Charles Caudrelier, trimmer
6. Erwan Israël, trimmer, under 30 years of age
7. Martin Strömberg, trimmer and pitman, under 30 years of age
8. Sébastien Marsset, trimmer and pitman, under 30 years of age
9. Mike Pammenter, bowman, under 30 years of age
10. Martin Krite, bowman, under 30 years of age
11. Yann Riou, media crew
About the race:
Distance to cover: 1,802 nautical miles
Direction of the course: clockwise
Best race time since 1976: Artemis (IMOCA 60) in 7 days and 4 hours
Largest of this year’s boats: ICAP Leopard measuring 30 metres
Smallest of this year’s boats: Arethusa measuring 10.9 metres
Number of VORs competing: 2
Start: Cowes, Monday 23 August 2010 at 14:00
Lowres In The 2009 Shetland Round Britain and Ireland Race
The closing date for entries for next year’s Shetland Round Britain & Ireland race is just one month away (January 31st). With a maximum of 50 boats allowed and 44 competitors already booked in spaces are limited.
The Shetland Round Britain & Ireland race has the support of many sailing greats including: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston; Steve Fosset and Pete Goss MBE. It is a truly global event with competitors taking part in 2010 deriving from Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Norway, Finland and Belgium.
Many well known sailors have already signed up, including the winner of the OSTAR 2009 (Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race), Jankees Lampe. Jankees broke the record for a 40ft vessel when he completed the trans-Atlantic race earlier this year, finishing in just 17 days, 17 hours and 40 minutes. He will certainly be the one to watch in next year’s race and will be competing in his boat Roaring Again. The forty footer is strong and fast and ideally suited to the rigorous conditions north of Scotland.
Race regulars, Jerry Freeman and Mary Falk will be joining forces to sail together in Mary’s sloop Q11. Jerry has already sailed the Q11 to America in this summer’s OSTAR. Both Jerry and Mary are no strangers to the Shetland Round Britain & Ireland Race having taken part an astounding five times before.
Another sailor whose love for the race has bought him back to compete after nearly 30 years, is Finnish sailor David Von Flittner. This time David will be sailing with his son Nicholas in their 50ft trimaran, Rauma Repola.
Shetland Islands Council, who announced its sponsorship of the event in June, is now gearing up to promote the race and welcome the crews to Lerwick, one of the four compulsory stops during the race. Shetland is the ideal sponsor of the Shetland Round Britain & Ireland 2010 due to its maritime links and history, as well as its 35 marinas.
The race will depart from Plymouth on 6th June 2010 and see the competitors sail 2000 nautical miles around the UK coastline. The race has been hosted by the Royal Western Yacht Club every four years since 1966.
Douglas Irvine, Business Development Manager for Shetland Islands Council, commented: “We are thrilled to have seen the places snapped up so quickly. We are still a month to the deadline and only six remain. This is certainly testament to the race itself which has been running for more than 40 years. This is one of the reasons we wanted to play a part in the race once again. We will now look forward to the race start and inviting the sailors to a warm Shetland welcome when they arrive in Lerwick.”
“The trials and tests of this four yearly adventure are so addictive that old friends return again and again,” adds Peter Taylor, Race Director of Shetland Round Britain & Ireland Race 2010. “And we are more than pleased to welcome them back to Plymouth. Not only are we delighted to see Jankees Lampe, Mary Falk and Jerry Freeman, it will also be good to see Desmond Hampton, veteran of three previous races and now taking part with his long-time sailing partner Adrian Biggs. Both men are into their sixties and their experience and boat, a water ballasted 40 footer, are sure to hold them in good stead.”
For further information about the Round Britain & Ireland 2010 race and those taking part please visit www.rwyc.org. For further information about the race sponsor, Shetland Islands Council, please visit www.shetlandmarinas.com.
Melges 32 Fleet
Claudio Recchi’s Team 93 (ITA) remains in first place overall with three races having been run in the Audi Melges 32 World Championsip 2009, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Pieter Taselaar’s (New York, N.Y.) Bliksem (USA) took a bullet in today’s only race and climbed from yesterday’s third place to sit in second place overall ahead of Stefano di Properzio’s Mataran (ITA). Red (GBR), owned by James Woods, slipped from second overall to fourth after taking sixth place in today’s race. Recchi, who is one of the most experienced Melges 32 owners, also has aboard with him former Melges 24 World Champion Federico Michetti and American two-time Olympic medalist (’84 gold in the FD, ’00 bronze in the 49er) Jonathan McKee (Seattle, Wash.). Victory, however, is by no means assured to any of the current leaders, since there are three more days of racing to go and a possible seven more races to be held with a discard coming into play after race six.
The start of racing today was delayed as the Race Committee headed to the regatta course to see whether this morning’s rain storm would pass over Porto Cervo and allow the games to commence. After recording winds of 15-17 knots accompanied by widely spaced swells coming in from the southeast and wind-driven waves coming in from the northeast, the Committee, headed by Principal Race Officer Peter “Luigi” Reggio deemed that racing would be challenging but secure, and the first warning signal was given at 12.30 p.m.
“It was blowing at around 18 knots at the start; the seas were a bit messy but the conditions were not a problem for this class,” said Reggio on his return to Porto Cervo Marina. “As the race went on, the wind picked up to 25-26 knots and the seas were building. This is an owner-driver class and these conditions are tiring, and we decided that for the safety of all, it was better to send the fleet home. We still have three more days of racing left.”
The windward-leeward course set today was again approximately 7 nautical miles and it was Taselaar, with Australian brothers Jeremy (tactician) and Nathan (the 470 Men’s 2008 Olympic Gold medalist and three-time world champion) Wilmot on board, who led the fleet across the finish line ahead of Team 93 and Mataran. Francesco Martino’s Pilot Italia (ITA) took fourth place ahead of Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino (ITA).
Melges Fleet Racing Off Porto Cervo, Italy
Racing is scheduled to continue tomorrow, Friday 25th September, at 12 midday with a maximum of three races to be held on each race day. According to the forecast, conditions should improve tomorrow with light rain in the morning giving way to sunshine and northerly winds of approximately 14-18 knots.
Audi Melges 32 World Championship 2009
Melges 32 – Summary Results – as of 09/24/09 at 15:47
Place, Boat Name, Helmsman, Owner, Nation, R1-R2-R3-Points
1. TEAM 93 Claudio Recchi Claudio Recchi, ITA,2,1,2, 5.00
2. BLIKSEM Pieter Taselaar Pieter Taselaar, USA,6,2,1, 9.00
3. MATARAN Stefano Di Properzio Stefano Di Properzio, ITA,7,4,3, 14.00
4. RED Joe Woods Joe Woods, GBR,1,6,11, 18.00
5. MASCALZONE LATINO Vincenzo Onorato Vincenzo Onorato, ITA,12,3,5, 20.00
6. PILOT ITALIA Francesco Martino Francesco Martino, ITA,8,8,4, 20.00
7. ARGO Jason Carroll Jason Carroll, USA,10,10,6, 26.00
8. FANTASTICAAA Lanfranco Cirillo Lanfranco Cirillo, ITA,9,5,13, 27.00
9. BAGUA Andrea Cecchetti Andrea Cecchetti, ITA,5,7,18, 30.00
10. UKA UKA RACING Armando Giulietti L. Santini & A. Marinelli, ITA,4,11,19, 34.00
11. JOE FLY Giovanni Maspero Giovanni Maspero, ITA,3,12,20, 35.00
12. BITIPI Savino Formentini Savino Formentini, MON,11,17,9, 37.00
13. SEI TU 32 Antonello Morina Antonello Morina, ITA,15,14,15, 44.00
14. CALVI NETWORK Carlo Alberini Carlo Alberini, ITA,13,20,14, 47.00
15. MATRIX Luigi Melegari Luigi Amedeo Melegari, ITA,21,13,16, 50.00
16. OPUS ONE Wolfgang Stolz Wolfgang Stolz, GER,20,9,22, 51.00
17. JANAS Pietro Fois Roberto Pardini, ITA,16,30(DSQ),8, 54.00
18. TORPYONE Edoardo Lupi E.Lupi & M.Pessina, ITA,23,21,10, 54.00
19. RUSH DILETTA Mauro Moccheggiani Mauro Moccheggiani, ITA,17,16,23, 56.00
20. TEASING MACHINE Jean Francois Cruette Jean Francois Cruette, FRA,26,24,7,57.00
21. HIGHLIFE Dave Cowell Peter Rogers, GBR,19,26,12, 57.00
22. BRONTOLO Filippo Pacinotti Filippo Pacinotti, ITA,14,15,30(DNF), 59.00
23. TEAM BARBARIANS Fred Kemp Stuart Simpson, GBR,18,19,24, 61.00
24. BLACK MAMBA Martin Knetig Martin Knetig, CZE,27,22,17, 66.00
25. BIG BANG HUBLOT Cesare Curtis Battistella & Curtis, ITA,22,18,26, 66.00
26. SHAKEDOWN Geoffrey Pierini Geoffrey Pierini, USA,24,23,25, 72.00
27. FRA MARTINA Edoardo Pavesio Edoardo & Vanni Pavesio, ITA,25,28,21, 74.00
28. I.NOVA2 Carlo Pesenti Carlo Pesenti, ITA,28,25,28, 81.00
29. LEA Ernesto Faraco Aamalia De Lana, ITA,29,27,27, 83.00
Round Britian and Ireland 2006 Start (Photo by Robin Price)
A high number of racing enthusiasts, competitors, and supporters arrived at the Royal Western Yacht Club in Plymouth yesterday afternoon (23rd September), to celebrate the launch of the Shetland Round Britain & Ireland 2010 race.
Veteran sailor Mervyn Wheatley, who competed in the OSTAR 2009 earlier this year, was guest speaker at the event and beguiled the audience with his extraordinary tales of the race. As the 2010 race will be Mervyn’s sixth, there seemed no better candidate for this role!
Still four months from the entry deadline (31st January 2010), 26 teams have already signed up for the two-handed race, including the winner of the OSTAR 2009, Jankees Lampe. Jankees broke the record for a 40ft vessel when he completed the trans-Atlantic race earlier this year in just 17 days, 17 hours and 40 minutes; making him the one to watch in next year’s Shetland Round Britain & Ireland. The race is limited to 50 boats so it is advised that those interested in taking part contact the RWYC soon to avoid disappointment.
The Shetland Round Britain & Ireland race has the support of many sailing greats; including Pete Goss MBE. Supporters and 2010 competitors who attended the launch event included Mary Falk, Jerry Freeman and David Southwood (previously race director of OSTAR 2009).
Shetland Islands Council announced its sponsorship of the race in June and took a leading role in organising the launch. Sandy Cluness, Convener of the SIC, spoke at the event detailing why the council undertook the race sponsorship and the welcome it will show the competitors when they reach Lerwick.
Lerwick, one of the largest marinas in Shetland, is one of the four compulsory stops during the race. This marina, and 34 others, makes Shetland the ideal sponsor of the race; especially when you also take into consideration its maritime links and history.
Douglas Irvine, business development manager for Shetland Islands Council, commented: “We are really pleased with the success of the race launch and the support we have received from all involved. This is a fantastic race and we are proud to be a part of it. We have a number of beautiful marinas across the Shetland Islands and Lerwick is one of our most popular. The crews are guaranteed a real Shetland welcome when they arrive!”
The race will depart from Plymouth on 6th June 2010 and see the competitors sail 2000 nautical miles around the UK coastline. The race has been hosted by the Royal Western Yacht Club every four years since 1966.
For further information about the Round Britain & Ireland 2010 race and those taking part, please visit www.shetlandmarinas.com or http://www.rwyc.org/oceanic/RBI10/rbi10viewev.asp?id=270
This is Shetland Islands Council’s second time sponsoring the RB&I, having first sponsored the race in 2006.
Shetland is one of the best kept maritime secrets and provides a beautiful setting to sail and explore one of nature’s most beautiful coastlines. The stunning Shetland coastline stretches for 900 miles and boasts 35 marinas and berthing places.
Instigated by Blondie Hasler, the Royal Western Yacht Club has hosted the Round Britain and Ireland race every four years since 1966. The course, about 2000 nautical miles, is split into five legs. These are separated by compulsory stops of 48 hours each at Kinsale in Ireland, Castle Bay, Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Lerwick in Shetland, and Lowestoft on the East Coast.
Peter Taylor, race director of Shetland Round Britain & Ireland 2010, added: “As well as those already signed up I am receiving interest from a number of other parties looking to take part in the race. We are getting a good mix of old and new competitors and it was great to see a number of these here at the launch. This race has a long history at RWYC and we are thrilled to have the support of Shetland Islands Council, allowing us to promote the race and what is stands for. It is a tough sail and the competitors will face some mighty conditions, it really is a great challenge.”
The race will depart from Plymouth on 6th June 2010 and see the competitors sail 2000 nautical miles around the UK coastline. The race has been hosted by the Royal Western Yacht Club every four years since 1966.
Melges 32 At Audi Melges World Championship (Photo Courtesy Of The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda)
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s sailing season in Porto Cervo is about to close in style with the twelfth and final event of the season being an inaugural ISAF World Championship for one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding one-design classes around. The Audi Melges 32 World Championship 2009 began officially on Sunday 20th September with registrations, measurements and official checks on the 30 participating boats and crews, but the tension will truly rise when racing starts tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd at 12 midday. Racing will continue through Sunday 27th September with a maximum of ten races scheduled.
Although approximately two-thirds of the fleet is Italian, seven other nationalities – Australia, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Monaco and the USA – are also represented. The teams to watch are numerous and no one boat is seen as a favourite for the championship, so competition is sure to be fierce.
Carlo Alberini’s Calvi Network (ITA) has performed well this season, winning the Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series after four legs in Italian waters. Peter Taselaar’s (New York, N.Y.) U.S. entrant Bliksem showed excellent form in the final two legs of the Sailing Series gaining three bullets and four second-place finishes over 13 races and boasts four-time 470 World Champion Nathan Wilmot of Australia aboard. With three professional sailors allowed on each crew, sailing superstars are not in shorMatrix Cortina t supply. America’s Cup Sailor Ray Davies is calling tactics on Luigi Melegari’s D’Ampezzo (ITA) while Pietro D’Alì, 2007 winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre, is sailing on Rush Diletta (ITA) and Adrian Stead is tactician aboard Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino (ITA). Onorato is a former World Champion in the Farr 40 and Mumm 30 classes and will be looking to establish a name for himself in the Melges 32 class.
The fleet completed a practice race in light winds of approximately 11 knots and lumpy seas today, but many boats were clearly keeping their tactics under wraps until racing starts in earnest tomorrow. Normally sunny Porto Cervo has been experiencing unsettled and stormy weather over the past few days, and conditions look to remain variable for the first few days of racing. Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio is confident, however, that the YCCS Race Committee will manage to fit in the full quota of 10 races, or close to it.
The first signal is scheduled for 12 midday tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd September, and the forecast predicts east to northeasterly winds of 8 to 10 knots.
Hilary Lister, 37, smiled as she was applauded when she sailed into Dover harbour, Kent, and into the record books.
Her spokesman, Paul Taroni, said: “This is an amazing triumph over adversity. Everything that went against her and all the things that went wrong, Hilary overcame to do something truly inspirational. We are all so proud of her.”
Speaking in her boat at the quayside, Mrs Lister said: “I’m hugely proud of the team, the whole team, who worked so hard for four months without a day off. It’s a privilege to be back in Dover. The killer was when the wind died just east of the entrance to the harbour but unbelievably it picked up just as I sailed in.”
She added: “We’re going to have a meal for the whole crew tonight but we’ve got an early start in the morning.”
Mrs Lister described the highlight of her challenge as being able to see the marine wildlife at close quarters sailing alongside her. She said: “Just seeing whales 35ft long fully breached out of the water was incredible.. Two of them jumped like dolphins, it was amazing.”
One of the low points, she added, was having to spend £9,000 to buy a reconditioned engine for her ridged inflatable safety boat.
She also praised members of the Lions Club who had supported her throughout her challenge.
Just before a celebratory bottle of Champagne was opened to cheers and applause, she said: “I’m so relieved to be home but looking forward to the next challenge. One thing I’ve learnt is that you can’t predict the future, we couldn’t even predict tomorrow’s weather so I’m not ruling anything out or anything.
Dee Caffari and Crew At The Dock (Photo by Lloyd Images)
British yachtswoman Dee Caffari and her all female crew onboard Aviva have had a successful first night in their attempt to break the record for sailing around Britain and Ireland . Having departed from Gosport at 6pm yesterday, the crew crossed the official start line off Ventnor on the Isle of Wight at 21:09:36 and are sailing in an anti-clockwise direction.
Dee Caffari commented:
“It’s been wicked. We are really on the pace and have worked hard overnight dodging shipping in the English Channel with lots of manoeuvres and sail changes already. We are about to enter an area of variable weather which will keep us pretty busy for the rest of today.”
The all female crew are hoping to making good progress today, despite a dying low pressure system, before picking up a new breeze that will set them on their way again and continue to increase as a cold front comes in.
At 09h00 this morning, Caffari and crew were passing Southend-on-Sea and were approximately 10 hours ahead of the pace required to beat the outright record.
Round Britain and Ireland Record Overview
§ Dee Caffari, the British yachtswoman who made history by becoming the first woman to sail solo, non stop both ways around the world, set off at 21:09:36 on Monday 15th June to attempt to break the record for sailing around Britain and Ireland
§ Caffari is joined onboard her racing yacht Aviva by an all female crew, including fellow British yachtswoman and Vendée Globe race rival Samantha Davies, sailor Miranda Merron and boat captain Alex Sizer
§ The current outright record stands at 7 days 4 hours and was set in May 2004 onboard Solune
§ Another record in their sights is for an all female crew, which stands at 10 days and 16 hours recorded by Samantha Davies and her crew onboard Roxy in June 2007
§ The route is almost 2500 nautical miles around the British coastline and the crew
