Wild Oats XI near finish (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
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| Robert Oatley’s Wild Oats XI was announced this morning as the Overall Winner of the 68th Rolex Sydney Hobart. It had become clear overnight that none of the yachts still at sea could better the corrected time established by the 30.48m (100 foot) maxi skippered by Mark Richards. Wild Oats XI has repeated its historic performance of 2005, when it secured the treble of Line Honours, Overall Winner and Race Record.
Aside from Rani, in the very first race, Wild Oats XI is the only yacht ever to have achieved this impressive display of dominance. She has now done it twice. Bob Oatley was understandably impressed: “The main aim was the fastest time. To get the handicap too was fantastic, a real bonus. Getting the record trip was really the icing on the cake.”
By 15:00 AEDT on 29 December, 13 yachts had finished the 2012 Rolex Sydney Hobart including two of the international entries: KLC Bengal from Japan and Ambersail from Lithuania. Last year’s winner, Loki, has so far come closest to unseating Wild Oats XI. Finishing last night at just before 21:00 even she was two hours adrift on corrected time. Black Jack, which arrived an hour before Loki, lies in third overall. Chris Bull’s Jazz holds fourth.
Victorian yacht Calm had appeared to have the best opportunity of the yachts destined to arrive before dawn today. Needing to finish before 01:31, she was behind schedule yesterday afternoon. Owner Jason Van der Slot believed they would pick up pace but had not counted on stalling close to the finish: “We parked for two hours off Tasman Island and for an hour in the Derwent. We were aiming to finish in time to win and up to Tasman Island we were on track. It had all gone according to plan until then.” She eventually finished at 06:06 this morning and holds fifth place.
Five yachts have retired so far and, for the 58 yachts still racing, a difficult evening lies ahead. In the lee of northeastern Tasmania there is a substantial wind shadow. From midway down the eastern seaboard to Tasman Island spindrift is flying off 3 metre waves in a 26 – 36 knot west-southwesterly. These conditions are forecast to prevail through much of 30 December too. |
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Posted by admin on Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 10:32 am
Filed under Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Oats XI · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Australia, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, carlo borlenghi, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, hobart, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jaqueline IV, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Line Honors, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Mark Richardson, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Robert Oakley, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, Tazmania, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, winner, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
Wild Oats approaching the Hobart finish for 2012 Line Honors (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
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| On the morning of 28 December 2012, Wild Oats XI once again stamped her name in the Rolex Sydney Hobart history books. From the moment the start gun fired on Boxing Day the silver wraith seemed intent on condemning her rivals for line honours to the position of also-rans. Wild Oats XI’s finish time of 1 day 18 hours 23 minutes and 12 seconds sliced 16 minutes 58 seconds off her own record. Another commanding performance in a race she has begun to treat as her own.
Without doubt skipper Mark Richard’s crew of thoroughbred racers had some luck, but their race was not without problems. The first night saw the wind drop in the scheduled transition and her opponents close down the lead she had worked to establish during the afternoon. The crew held their nerve and once the northeasterly settled in they were off.
Ragamuffin-Loyal’s endeavours to stay in touch with Wild Oats XI were hampered by a headsail gear failure from which the 100-foot maxi never recovered; Syd Fischer’s equally accomplished crew forced to accept the unwelcome role of bridesmaid. Ragamuffin-Loyal finished almost five hours behind Wild Oats XI. Had the apparent error of starting the race too early been converted to a penalty, her crew’s sense of disappointment would have been complete. Fortunately, the International Jury found that race officials failed to notify Ragamuffin-Loyal after five minutes that they had jumped the start, leaving the crew unaware that they should have returned and restarted.
By 20:30 AEDT only four yachts had completed the 628 nm course. Lahana rounded out the maxi contingent just before 19:00, while Black Jack was the first mini maxi some 40 minutes later. Loki and Ichi Ban will be next home. None have so far been capable of posting a time that knocks Wild Oats XI off the overall podium position. The door may be open for a smaller yacht if the weather obliges. Calm, Jazz, Quest and Shogun look best placed to foil a second triple crown. They need the wind to shift substantially in their favour, something it has singularly failed to do so far. |
Wild Oats XI near finish (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster) |
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Posted by admin on Friday, December 28, 2012 at 9:39 am
Filed under Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Oats XI · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Australia, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, carlo borlenghi, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, hobart, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jaqueline IV, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Line Honors, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, Tazmania, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, winner, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
MALUKA OF KERMANDIE the smallest yacht in the fleet (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
The 68th Rolex Sydney Hobart got underway in exceptional conditions. The forecast southerly breeze providing the perfect angle for a spinnaker start and run down the harbour. The angle would prove less kind as the yachts exited the Sydney Heads and made their turn towards Hobart, finding the 20 – 25 knots now firmly on the nose. Mark Richards and Wild Oats XI looked to be in no mood to be interrupted in her bid to claim a sixth line honours, blasting off the line and showing Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin Loyal a clean pair of heels before popping out of the Heads comfortably in the lead.
An interesting night lies ahead. The decision how far to head out to sea was the first conundrum facing the crews. So far the bulk of yachts appear firm in the belief that staying inshore, and inside the rhumb line will pay better. Only, one or two boats have shown a determination to head offshore for any length of time. Mike Broughton, navigator on Chris Bull’s Jazz, felt ahead of the start that the fleet would do well to stay inshore for the initial section of the race, certainly until the major swing in wind direction expected during the night. This transition should see the wind back to the northeast and will have the yachts running under spinnaker for an extended period.
Start of the 2012 Rolex Sydney Hobart
Earlier this morning, Gordon Maguire, tactician on Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki, indicated some of their pre-race routing suggested the bigger yachts could profit enormously from the predicted northeasterly. If it arrives on cue, they could bite a huge chunk out of the course during the hours of darkness and be lying off Green Cape by mid-morning on the second day, 27 December. The small boats, meanwhile, such as race veteran Roger Hickman’s Wild Rose, might only find themselves parallel with Jervis Bay as dawn breaks. The difference in power between segments of the fleet will be all too apparent at this juncture.
Wild Oats XI leads out of Sydney Harbor (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
WILD OATS XI, after the start
At 17:30 AEDT Wild Oats XI was 8 nautical miles north east of Kiama travelling at 12 knots, with some 50 nm under her belt after 4.5 hours of sailing. Any thought of setting a new record seemed to be on hold as navigator Adrienne Cahalan called in to report the wind speed dropping as evening arrives. Ragamuffin Loyal lies within striking distance just astern. Lahana, Ichi Ban and Black Jack round out the top five on the water. Conditions have been wet and hard on crews during these first few hours and the measure of performance differential between front-runners and back markers is clearly demonstrated by Charlie’s Dream. Averaging just 3.4 knots, Peter Lewis and crew were parallel with Botany Bay having knocked a mere 13 nm off the 628nm course distance.
Black Jack charges down the harbor (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
The start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart is like few other yacht races. The natural amphitheatre formed by the deep-water harbour offers great viewing potential from the water, at water level from the beaches and coves, and grandstand opportunities from higher ground. Every Sydney-sider has a favourite location, and South Head must be one of the most popular and dramatic. A huge crowd always assembles to watch the fleet barrel down the harbour and make the sharp out into open water. This year’s spectacle was worth the effort involved. After a dreadful Christmas Day, when rain and wind battered Sydney, Boxing Day has been a joy. Blue sky and reasonably warm temperatures brought the locals out in their thousands to cheer the determined and enthusiastic crews off on their compelling adventure.
Crowds on the South End enjoy the spectacle. (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
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Posted by admin on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 10:28 am
Filed under Loki, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Oats XI · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Australia, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, carlo borlenghi, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, hobart, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, Tazmania, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
Syd Fischer and Tony Ellis (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
The 68th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race promises to be one for the true believers; if you admire people who constantly challenge your values, fire your imagination, refuse to quit when the going gets tough, can’t be told that they are too old, are too stubborn to give it away and who keep coming back for more, then this year’s race is a Christmas present you’ll never forget.
At centre stage of the race, again run by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, is Sydney yachtsman Syd Fischer, a national living treasure who is still in the grip of finish line fever. At the age of 85, when most men of his age might be shuffling around a retirement village in their slippers with their trousers braced up around their chest, Fischer wants to win line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht race – again.
He’s taken over the boat to do it, Investec Loyal, last year’s first across the line. The 100-foot super maxi becomes the latest iteration of Fischer’s Ragamuffin series, Ragamuffin Loyal.
Syd – lean, leather-skinned, laconic, highly competitive and still the subject of discussion for his exploits on and off the water – personifies Sydney: he won’t lie down.
The challenge he mounts at the front of the 80-boat fleet caps off an indifferent year for Australian sport internationally, a disastrous year for world cycling, but a great year for Australian sailing.
We had success at the Olympics with Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page in the 470 Men’s, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen in the 49er, Tom Slingsby in the Laser and Olivia Price, Nina Curtis, and Lucinda Whitty in the Women’s Match Racing in the Elliott 6. The TV coverage at the superb Weymouth venue has reinvigorated interest in sailing and helped to demystify it for non-sailors.
Fischer will be on his 44th Sydney-Hobart. He has already won line honours wins with Ragamuffin in 1988 and 1990, with an overall win in 1992 aboard an updated Ragamuffin.
This year he is leasing Investec Loyal with a view to knocking off five-time line honours winner and race record holder (1:18:40:10 set in 2005) Wild Oats XI, whose skipper, Mark Richards, is just young enough to be his grandson.
Last year Loyal, skippered by owner Anthony Bell, beat Wild Oats XI in the fourth closest finish in the race’s history; three minutes and eight seconds.
This month Richards and Wild Oats XI recaptured a psychological advantage over Fischer by taking line honours in the 180 nautical mile Cabbage Tree Island Race, when Ragamuffin Loyal had to drop her mainsail after a pin dropped out of the port runner block. Sailing with a scratch crew, Fischer made repairs, but was unwilling to risk the rig. It must be noted she was eight miles behind Oats at the time and contesting her first ocean race with Fischer.
Prior to winning last year’s race, Loyal was second across the line in 2010 and fourth in 2009. Not only has Fischer leased Loyal for the next two Hobart races, he will buy it outright when the lease runs out.
For this year’s Hobart race, Fischer will have right-hand man, Tony Ellis, and David Witt as boat captain. Ellis will sail his 46th race (one behind the record), but will sail his 40 together with Fischer, while Witt was one of Australia’s best known 18ft skiff sailors in the 90s. He made the transition to ocean racing, via the great events: the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Melbourne-Osaka double-handed race and the Volvo Ocean Race.
Asked at today’s official launch if there are many arguments between him and Fischer on the boat, Ellis said: “We’ve had plenty of cross words over the years – but it stays on the boat.” Does Ellis win any of the arguments? “Syd’s won a few arguments with me,” Ellis quipped.
When asked about the crew that will be onboard for the Hobart race, Ellis said, “We’re going to have a pretty well rounded crew by the time we get to the start line… Andrew Cape (multiple Volvo Ocean Race and Rolex Sydney Hobart yachtsman) is going to come and navigate for us. The last time we sailed together (the 1992 Hobart), we won the race overall.
Geoff Huegill, the Aussie swimming legend and former butterfly world record holder, is back, sailing aboard the same boat he did his first race on in 2010; Ragamuffin Loyal. “To be part of a crew that has such great experience behind them is something that I am really looking forward to,” he said.
“Once you’ve got the bug for sailing it really gets you – the teamwork aspect is an opportunity that I really enjoy,” Huegill commented.
The hardest part of his first race, the retired swimmer said, was “Sleep deprivation – but I’m used to it now, because I have a 10 month old baby,” he said.
Owner, Bob Oatley, has gone back to the drawing board with Wild Oats XI after her defeat in the Derwent last year. Oats had been no match for Loyal in light weather. She keeps her retractable daggerboards that were fitted before last year’s race, but she has a new retractable, centreline fin, three metres aft of the bow.
The aim of all three is to reduce leeway, but they are each used in different phases of light weather sailing, the forward fin being used first before being retracted. In addition, there is a new fitting on the bulb of the keel, whose role is to minimise ‘tip vortex’, curling water at the tip of the bulb that can reduce lift.
Skipper, Mark Richards said at the official Rolex Sydney Hobart launch today, “Last year’s race was a great race all the way until the finish, but Loyal was quicker in light air – and we’ve made some radical modifications to rectify that. We’ve tested the new set-up and it’s
working well.”
This then is the battle royale to which we can look forward to at the front of the fleet, the old bull versus the young bull for the fastest boat at sea, but there will be other contenders.
Peter Millard and John Honan’s 98ft maxi Lahana is back after finishing third across the line in 2010 and 2011. Also on the front row of the grid is Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing, which took line honours in 2003, when she was named Skandia. The 98 footer has undergone modifications ahead of the race, including being lengthened to 100 feet.
Last year’s overall race winner, Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel/Pugh 63 Loki, is back to defend her title and still appears to be the boat to beat. In August, the CYCA boat broke the 13 year-old record for a conventional yacht in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Race and won the race outright. This month she won the CYCA’s Cabbage Tree Island Race and she goes in to the Rolex Sydney Hobart as the pre-race favourite.
On board again are sailing master Gordon Maguire and navigator Michael Bellingham. Ainsworth has also declared this is his last. He will be selling Loki and spending future Christmases with his family (unless he suffers the Fischer Syndrome at some stage).
Fischer first took line honours in 1988 in a gale-strewn race that ended with one of the smallest boats in the fleet, the Davidson 34, Illusion, win the race outright. Illusion is back as well this year, this time in the hands of Kim Jaggar and Travis Read.
The two bought the boat in April and, according to Jaggar, have spent more on its reconfiguration than the actual purchase. They are seeking to reduce the boat’s rating by going to a masthead kite, smaller headsails and a longer spinnaker pole. It will sail with a crew of eight.
“We’d like to beat Hicko (Roger Hickman’s Wild Rose) and Simon (Simon Kurts’ Love & War),” Jaggar said, “but it has to be right race for us.”
Love & War is always a sentimental favourite for handicap honours in the race. Peter Kurts won the race in 1974 and 1978 and, after his death in January 2005, son Simon gave the nod for his navigator Lindsay May to sail the wooden boat to Hobart the following year.
May sailed her to an emotional third win in 2006 and is back in his role as navigator, while Peter’s son Simon will skipper the yacht with his 21-year-old son Phillip having his second crack at the race.
Bob ‘Robbo’ Robertson’s top performing Queensland yacht Lunchtime Legend is on a mission, coming off a win in the Magnetic Island Race Week series and second in both the Audi Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach Race Weeks.
“This is our year; we have to do it this year,” Robertson said, having built and launched the Beneteau 40 in time for the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart race and scoring a highly creditable third in IRC Division 4 after scoring the exact same overall time as Andrew Saies’ same design Two True (SA) and in the company of pacesetters of the calibre of Hickman’s Wild Rose (NSW) and David Rees’ Whistler from Tasmania.
This time, Lunchtime Legend has a younger crew fired up, Robertson says, after the Australian successes at the London Olympics: “That has done so much to get young people involved again in sailing. I reckon our average age will be 20 years lower than in the 2011 race.”
This is a strong fleet of 80 boats: four maxis and nine previous winners of the major trophy, the Tattersall’s Cup, presented to the overall winner.
Joining Illusion, Loki, Love & War, Wild Rose and Wild Oats XI in the previous winners’ club are Geoff Boettcher’s 2010 winner Secret Men’s Business 3.5, Andrew Saies’ 2009 winner Two True, which is one of four South Australian entries, Bob Steel’s 2008 winner Quest and Luna Sea, which won the nightmare 1998 race as AFR Midnight Rambler, which is now in the hands of James Cameron.
Anthony Lyall’s Cougar II, which was second overall in 2008 in the hands of Victorian Alan Whiteley, leads the Tasmanian contingent in this year’s race. She has just won the Maria Island Race in record time and claimed the treble of record, line honours and overall win.
All states and the ACT have boats in the fleet with the NSW fleet numbering 43, Victoria 13, Queensland nine, Tasmania and South Australia four each, WA two, the ACT one and there are four overseas entries.
The overseas boats include the first Lithuanian entry, Ambersail (Simonas Steponavicius), a Volvo 60 that had been the Assa Abloy training boat for the 2001/2 Volvo Ocean Race.
Beneteaus make up the biggest design contingent, 12 of them, all in the 40-foot range. Two True and Lunchtime Legend will be up against the other form boat, the reigning Blue Water Point Score champion, Darryl Hodgkinson’s Victoire and the chartered Balance, now known as Peugeot Surfrider, which will feature a mostly French crew headed by Sebastien Guyot.
Once again, David Kellett will lead an experienced team on the Radio Relay Vessel (RRV), JBW, which accompanies the fleet to Hobart each year, generously loaned again by John Winning. Young Endeavour will act in the role of Communications Support Vessel to the RRV this year, under command of LCDR Michael Gough, Commanding Officer STS Young Endeavour.
The CYCA’s annual race starts at 1pm AEDT on Boxing Day, December 26 on Sydney Harbour. The fleet will sail from two start lines off Nielsen Park. The start will be broadcast live on the Seven Network throughout Australia, webcast live to a global audience on Yahoo!7 and the Australia Network throughout the Asia Pacific Region.
By Bruce Montgomery, Rolex Sydney Hobart media team
THE 2012 RACE
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Posted by admin on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Filed under Investec LOYAL, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
ANTILOPE GBR 46N Willem Wester (Photo by Rolex / Ingrid Abery)
The three-day International Rolex Regatta kicked off today with “town races” that took sailors from the east end of St. Thomas, where host St. Thomas Yacht Club is located, to Charlotte Amalie, the island’s capital city. Once there, the fleet of 68 boats, split into six classes, turned around and headed back, but only after sharing some colorful action with tourists on the downtown waterfront and on two cruise ships in port as well as fans perched at different vantage points along the route. Gray clouds mingled with white all day, giving tacticians as much cause to look upward to anticipate wind shifts as they did downward to read the play of the sapphire blue Caribbean Sea beneath them.
“Both of the races today were very different from each other,” said Tony Rey (Newport, R.I.), tactician aboard Peter Cunningham’s (George Town, CAY) PowerPlay, which finished 1-2 today to edge out Willem Wester’s (Breskens, Zeeland, NED) Antilope, which posted a 3-1. “We owe 11 ½ minutes to Antilope in an hour of racing, so it’s not easy to beat them, but we love planing, and 8-10 minutes into the first leg of the first race, a storm cloud came and we were off and running. That’s how we got ahead — it was 16-18 knots for a while, and Peter did a fantastic job of driving.”
Rey explained that in the second race the wind laid down. It was then that Antilope, the heavier displacement boat, had the advantage. Bill Alcott’s (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) 65-footer Equation took line honors in both races and corrected out to third overall. Equation’s navigator Chris Clark (Detroit) was happy with the outcome, saying that the crew had been sailing together a long time but not on this particular boat, which Alcott only recently bought. “We are gaining confidence,” said Clark, “but the hard thing really is the boat draws 16 ½ feet, which is a lot. Today around one of the islands, we were about 500 feet away from it; even in Charlotte Amalie Harbour we had to be careful — it’s hard to find the sweet spot for us on the course.”
A disappointment to all in this class was the dismasting of Lord Irvine Laidlaw of Rothiemay’s (MON) IRC 52 Highland Fling XII after a port spreader apparently failed. “It happened about five miles into the race after the first turning mark,” said Michael Giles (SA), the boat’s trimmer. “We had made some modifications after racing in Key West, and we were very happy because we knew they were the right changes. We were 100% sure we were winning, so it was unfortunate that it did come down.” With no way to repair the rig before the end of the regatta, the boat is out for the count.
“It’s absolutely a shame for a lot of reasons,” said PowerPlay’s Rey. “We were having a great race with them at the time when we heard a loud bang. She was a benchmark for us, and we were keen to see how we compared.”
CSA racing boats (three classes), one-design IC 24s, and Beach Cats also joined in today’s town races, with the IC 24s adding a third race afterwards.
“We actually had to take our spinnaker down in the first race,” said Latitude 38’s 18-year-old Nikki Barnes, who, with one of her all-girl crewmembers here (Augustina Barbuto, age 16) won a bronze medal for the Virgin Islands at last summer’s ISAF Youth Championships (in international 420s). “There were a lot of boats broaching in our (IC 24) class.” Though currently in 12th, Barnes says her experience in dinghy racing will serve her well over the next two days of racing, when the class will sail up to 14 more races. “We made so many mistakes in the long races; we are well practiced in short-course racing, and we will be so much better at that.” Currently leading the IC 24s is Carlos Sierra’s (Guaynabo, PR) Banana Boat/Fuataka.
Another young team of West Indian high school and sailing students is competing in CSA non-spinnaker class and currently sitting in second overall. They are led by Central High School (St. Croix) teacher Stan Jones aboard Tony Sanpere’s (St. Croix) J/36 Cayennita Grande, which has won this class several times. Jack Desmond’s (Marion, Mass.) Swan 48 Affinity posted a 1-2 today to Cayennita Grande’s 3-1 to take the lead in the seven-boat class.
Jorge Ramos’s Hobie 16 Universal leads the Beach Cats, while Andrea Scarabelli’s (Cole Bay, St. Maarten) Melges 24 Budget Marine/GILL and Jaime Torres’s (San Juan, PR) Beneteau First 40 Smile and Wave are leading CSA 1 and CSA 2, respectively.
Racing continues tomorrow with all classes but the IC 24s racing within viewing distance of St. John’s south shore.
WILD T'ING ISV 888 Owner Lawrence Aqui (Photo by Rolex / Ingrid Abery)
Results
Place, Yacht Name, Type, Owner/Skipper, Hometown, Results, Total Points
IC 24 (One Design – 14 Boats)
1. Banana Boat/Fuataka, IC 24, Carlos R. Sierra , Guaynabo, PR, USA – 3, 1, 5, ; 9
2. Orion, IC 24, Fraito Lugo , Ponce, PR, USA – 1, 4, 4, ; 9
3. Cachondo, IC 24, Marco Teixidor , San Juan, PUR – 5, 2, 2, ; 9
CSA 1 (CSA – 9 Boats)
1. Budget Marine/GILL , Melges 24, Andrea Scarabelli , Cole Bay, St. Maarten, AHO – 1, 1, ; 2
2. Fire Water, Melges 24, Henry Leonnig , Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI – 2, 3, ; 5
3. Magnitude 400, Farr 400, Doug Baker , Long Beach, CA, USA – 5, 2, ; 7
CSA 2 (CSA – 13 Boats)
1. Smile and Wave, Beneteau First 40, Jaime Torres , San Juan, PR, USA – 2, 1, ; 3
2. Lazy Dog, J 122, Sergio Sagramoso , San Juan, PR, USA – 3, 2, ; 5
3. Dark Star, J 105, Jonathan Lipuscek , San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA – 1, 6, ; 7
CSA Non-Spinnaker (CSA – 7 Boats)
1. Affinity, Swan 48, Jack Desmond , Marion, MA, USA – 1, 2, ; 3
2. Cayennita Grande, J 36, Antonio Sanpere , Christiansted, VI, USA – 3, 1, ; 4
3. Hotel California too, Cruising SC70, Stephen Schmidt , St Thomas, USVI, USA – 2, 5, ; 7
IRC 1 (IRC – 9 Boats)
1. PowerPlay, TP 52, Peter Cunningham , George Town, CAY – 1, 2, ; 3
2. Antilope, Grand Soleil 46, Willem Wester , Breskens, Zeeland, NED – 3, 1, ; 4
3. Equation, STP 65, W.Alcott / E.Palm / T.Anderson , St Clair Shores, MI, USA – 2, 3, ; 5
Beach Cats (Portsmouth – 10 Boats)
1. Universal, Hobie 16, Jorge Ramos , San Juan, PR, USA – 2, 1, ; 3
2. Time Out, Hobie 16, John Holmberg , St. Thomas, VI, USA – 1, 2, ; 3
3. Zhik, Nacra 20, Trey Brown , Taylors, SC, USA – 4, 3, ; 7
U.S. and Caribbean Media Contact
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Posted by admin on Friday, March 23, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Filed under International Rolex Regatta, Latest News · Tagged with 39, 39th, 40 degrees, AFFINITY, AHO 5, Alcock Donnelly, Alexander Markarov, Andrea Scarabelli, Andrew Fisher, Andy Morrell, Antilope, Antonio Sanpere, Arianne Christo, Ashley Wolfe, Banana Boat, Bartosz Bilinski, Bermuda High, Berry Lewis, Beukes, Billy Baldwin, Blade, Blame it on Rhea, Boost Sailing Team, Bowie Bekking, Breskens, Brian Thompson, Budget Marine, BVI, C&C, CA, Cachondo, Carkeek 40, Carlos R. Sierra, CAY 52, Cayennita Grande, Chauntecler, Chinook, Chris Clark, Chris Thompson, Chuck Pessler, class 40, Cole Bay, Comfortably Numb, Cookson 50, COYOTE 2, CRO 2222, Cruising SC70, CSA, Dante, Dark Star, Decision, DonQ Cristal, Double Trouble, Doug Baker, E.Palm, Farr 400, Fire Water .Henry Leonnig, First 40.7, Fraito Lugo, Frits Bus, Fuataka, GBR 46N, GBR 6840, GBR 8653R, GBR 8685T, GBR 90, GBR 9949T, Giacanella, Gilberto Rivera, GILL, Gornyy Dmitry, Grand Soleil 46, Green Boat, Greenwich, Gregory Fink, Gruppo, Guaynabo, Hanse 400 . USA 403, Harmony, Harmony 42, High Performance Rule, Highland Fling XII, Hotel California too, HPR, Hunter 43, Icarus Racing, Ingrid Abery, International Rolex Regatta, IRC, Irvine Laidlaw, Island Girls, Island Sol, ISV 007, ISV 1, ISV 107761, ISV 108064, ISV 110667, ISV 110697, ISV 111417, ISV 3, ISV 4, ISV 40, ISV 6969, ISV 7, ISV 88, ISV 888, ISV IC11, ITA 1, IVB 14, IVB 24, IVB 47, J 105, J 30, J 36, Jack Desmond, Jaime Torres, James Brooks, Jeaneau 45, John Holmberg, Jonathan Lipuscek, Jorge Ramos, Karuba 5, Kedyw, Kike González, Kotari, Kuilagus II, Lattitude 19, Lawrence Aqui, Lazy Dog, Luis Juarbe, Madrugada, Magic Bus, Magnificent 7, Magnitude 400, Manuel Aviles, Marco, Marco Teixidor, Mark Chong, Marston Winkles, Martinus van Breems, Mayhem, Melges 24, Merlin Wilson, Michael Shlens, Mike Williams, Mill Valley, Molto Bene, MON 888, Monaco, Moscow, Nacra 20, Nanny Cay, NED, newport, Nikki Barnes, Oliver Shanklin, On Deck, one design, Orion, Otrakosa, Paul Davis, Paul Stoken, Peter Cunningham, Peter Haycraft, Peter Houtzagers, Phillip Shannon, Pipe Dream, Por Fin, PowerPlay, PR, Privateer, PUMA, PUR 11, PUR 113, PUR 180, PUR 23, PUR 396, PUR 4042, PUR 52902, PUR 60, PUR 62, PUR 63, PUR 68, PUR 69, R Lancelot II, Red dog, Richard Backstrom, Richard Corbett, Richard Ewing, Ron O'Hanley, Roundabout, RP 52, RUS, Safara, Salt Water Mexican, Satisfaction, Sergio Sagramoso, SHAMROCK VII, Skip King, Smile and Wave, SOCA, Spirit of Juno, St Thomas Yacht Club, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Stephen Murray, Stephen Schmidt, Stevens, Stewart Tuttle, Stinger, STP 65, Swan 48, T.Anderson, Team Coors Light, Team HIHO, Team Maximus, Team Urayo, Teri McKenna, The Valley, Thomas Mullen, Tim Molony, Time Out, Tommy Kozyn, tortola, Trey Brown, TRI 888, Ubisol, Universal, USA, USA 1, USA 1017, USA 13, USA 2, USA 2241, USA 233, USA 25405, USA 323 Equation, USA 32365, USA 42845, USA 50007, USA 50009, USA 52831, USA 63320, USA 7, USA 7016, USA 84001, USA IC 24, USVI, V Aguilar, VI, Virgin Gorda, W.Alcott, Wild T'ing, Willem Wester, William Gammell, X 65, Yann Leboyer, Zeeland, Zhik
ARETHUSA USA 4216 Phil Lotz (Photo by Rolex / Ingrid Abery)
Overcast skies and light showers cooled things down today at St. Thomas Yacht Club in the USVI where hundreds of sailors on 68 teams are preparing for the 39th International Rolex Regatta. The conditions, however, came with plenty of wind for practicing and did nothing to dampen the excitement building for the next three days of racing.
Right out of the box will be Stephen Murray, Jr.’s Carkeek 40 Decision, which has been designed to the newly developed HPR (High Performance Rule) and will headline in one of two CSA classes here that has no less than six other 40-footers “raring to compare.”
“There is no rating rule promoting the light (displacement) grand prix racing boats as a continuum between 30 and 70 feet,” said Sean Carkeek, the South African designer who has been working for a year on the rule as part of a technical committee developed specifically to fill this void. According to Carkeek, the HPR will change all that when regattas eventually adopt dual scoring under the widely used IRC rule and HPR in classes where it needs to apply. At the International Rolex Regatta, the likes of Michael Shlens’ (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.,) Blade and Doug Baker’s (Long Beach, Calif.) Magnitude 400, both Farr 400s, are sure to spice up the competition among the 40 footers. In addition, two Class 40 boats, which typically are outfitted for short-handed offshore sailing, are competing with accomplished skippers aboard. Andrew Fisher (Greenwich, Conn.) will take the helm of Icarus, while Berry Lewis (Mill Valley, Calif.) will steer 40 Degrees.
In IRC, it will be a trio of 52 footers– Lord Irvine Laidlaw of Rothiemay’s (MON) Highland Fling XII, Ashley Wolfe’s (Calgary, AB, CAN) Mayhem, and Peter Cunningham’s (Georgetown, Cay) PowerPlay — and a Cookson 50, Ron O’Hanley’s (Newport, R.I.) Privateer, that are likely to stand out, while the reborn 65-foot Rosebud, now called Equation, will be out for a first showing since bought by Bill Alcott (St. Clair Shores, Mich.). Among the power names onboard these boats are America’s Cup notables Peter Holmberg, Mike Toppa, Tony Rey, and George Skuodas. As well, Great Britain’s Brian Thompson, who layed to waste previous around-the-world speed records with his recent circumnavigation aboard the 130-foot trimaran Banque Populaire V, will be skippering the Safe Passage company’s Andrews 72 Safara, which is the largest boat competing here.
Willem Wester (Zeeland, The Netherlands), with Volvo Ocean Race veteran Boewe Bekking (NED) calling tactics, will attempt to repeat his IRC class victory from last year, sailing the Grand Soleil 46 Antilope. With tomorrow’s winds expected to be between 15 and 20 knots, Bekking says this may be hard to recreate, however. “When it’s windy the lighter displacement boats in our class this time should be going better,” said Bekking, “but if it’s light we can have a pretty fair race.”
For the USA’s Olympic medalist Charlie McKee (Seattle, Wash.), who is serving as tactician aboard Mayhem, it is mostly about the experience of being here for the first time that has him “expecting crazy, wild, mixed up racing that’s super fun!”
The International Rolex Regatta is a cornerstone of the spring Caribbean racing schedule, and as such attracts top programs from around the world for its mix of buoy and point-to-point races. It also distinguishes itself by having multiple races a day for all classes. “It’s all part of a unique mix of island-style fun and hard-core IRC, CSA and one design racing,” said Regatta Co-chair Bill Canfield, pointing out a massive, specially-constructed stage rising out of the water on the St. Thomas Yacht Club’s own beach. It is where a band will play on Friday and Saturday nights and where the Rolex Awards will wrap up the event on Sunday, when winners in select classes win coveted Rolex watches.
Spectators will get a treat tomorrow when all classes sail to Charlotte Amalie Harbor for their first race, then return to St. Thomas Yacht Club for their second (and some classes may have a third race). On Saturday, spectators can watch IC 24s and Beach Cats sail as many as eight buoy races in Great Bay, while other classes sail longer courses on the south side of St. John. On Sunday, while the IC 24s sail up to six races in Jersey Bay, all other classes will sail two “Pillsbury Sound” races.
St Thomas (Photo by Rolex / Ingrid Abery)
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Posted by admin on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 9:28 am
Filed under International Rolex Regatta · Tagged with 39, 39th, 40 degrees, AFFINITY, AHO 5, Alcock Donnelly, Alexander Markarov, Andrea Scarabelli, Andrew Fisher, Andy Morrell, Antilope, Antonio Sanpere, Arianne Christo, Ashley Wolfe, Banana Boat, Bartosz Bilinski, Bermuda High, Berry Lewis, Beukes, Billy Baldwin, Blade, Blame it on Rhea, Boost Sailing Team, Bowie Bekking, Breskens, Brian Thompson, Budget Marine, BVI, C&C, CA, Cachondo, Carkeek 40, Carlos R. Sierra, CAY 52, Cayennita Grande, Chauntecler, Chinook, Chris Clark, Chris Thompson, Chuck Pessler, class 40, Cole Bay, Comfortably Numb, Cookson 50, COYOTE 2, CRO 2222, Cruising SC70, CSA, Dante, Dark Star, Decision, DonQ Cristal, Double Trouble, Doug Baker, E.Palm, Farr 400, Fire Water .Henry Leonnig, First 40.7, Fraito Lugo, Frits Bus, Fuataka, GBR 46N, GBR 6840, GBR 8653R, GBR 8685T, GBR 90, GBR 9949T, Giacanella, Gilberto Rivera, GILL, Gornyy Dmitry, Grand Soleil 46, Green Boat, Greenwich, Gregory Fink, Gruppo, Guaynabo, Hanse 400 . USA 403, Harmony, Harmony 42, High Performance Rule, Highland Fling XII, Hotel California too, HPR, Hunter 43, Icarus Racing, Ingrid Abery, International Rolex Regatta, IRC, Irvine Laidlaw, Island Girls, Island Sol, ISV 007, ISV 1, ISV 107761, ISV 108064, ISV 110667, ISV 110697, ISV 111417, ISV 3, ISV 4, ISV 40, ISV 6969, ISV 7, ISV 88, ISV 888, ISV IC11, ITA 1, IVB 14, IVB 24, IVB 47, J 105, J 30, J 36, Jack Desmond, Jaime Torres, James Brooks, Jeaneau 45, John Holmberg, Jonathan Lipuscek, Jorge Ramos, Karuba 5, Kedyw, Kike González, Kotari, Kuilagus II, Lattitude 19, Lawrence Aqui, Lazy Dog, Luis Juarbe, Madrugada, Magic Bus, Magnificent 7, Magnitude 400, Manuel Aviles, Marco, Marco Teixidor, Mark Chong, Marston Winkles, Martinus van Breems, Mayhem, Melges 24, Merlin Wilson, Michael Shlens, Mike Williams, Mill Valley, Molto Bene, MON 888, Monaco, Moscow, Nacra 20, Nanny Cay, NED, newport, Nikki Barnes, Oliver Shanklin, On Deck, one design, Orion, Otrakosa, Paul Davis, Paul Stoken, Peter Cunningham, Peter Haycraft, Peter Houtzagers, Phillip Shannon, Pipe Dream, Por Fin, PowerPlay, PR, Privateer, PUMA, PUR 11, PUR 113, PUR 180, PUR 23, PUR 396, PUR 4042, PUR 52902, PUR 60, PUR 62, PUR 63, PUR 68, PUR 69, R Lancelot II, Red dog, Richard Backstrom, Richard Corbett, Richard Ewing, Ron O'Hanley, Roundabout, RP 52, RUS, Safara, Salt Water Mexican, Satisfaction, Sergio Sagramoso, SHAMROCK VII, Skip King, Smile and Wave, SOCA, Spirit of Juno, St Thomas Yacht Club, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Stephen Murray, Stephen Schmidt, Stevens, Stewart Tuttle, Stinger, STP 65, Swan 48, T.Anderson, Team Coors Light, Team HIHO, Team Maximus, Team Urayo, Teri McKenna, The Valley, Thomas Mullen, Tim Molony, Time Out, Tommy Kozyn, tortola, Trey Brown, TRI 888, Ubisol, Universal, USA, USA 1, USA 1017, USA 13, USA 2, USA 2241, USA 233, USA 25405, USA 323 Equation, USA 32365, USA 42845, USA 50007, USA 50009, USA 52831, USA 63320, USA 7, USA 7016, USA 84001, USA IC 24, USVI, V Aguilar, VI, Virgin Gorda, W.Alcott, Wild T'ing, Willem Wester, William Gammell, X 65, Yann Leboyer, Zeeland, Zhik
Niklas Zennstrom's Rán. (Photo: by RORC/Tim Wright photoaction.com)
It has been a busy 24 hours at the Antigua Yacht Club. At dawn on the fifth day of the RORC Caribbean 600, only three yachts were still at sea vying to complete the course before tonight’s Prizegiving celebrations and all of the class winners are now provisionally decided. The bar at the Antigua Yacht Club has been in full swing, buzzing with stories between the crews and songs in a myriad of different languages.
Team Selene skippered by Benjamin Davitt finished yesterday morning. The Swan 80 sailed an excellent race to claim third place overall and will lift the prestigious Swan Caribbean Challenge Trophy later this evening.
Without doubt, the closest racing for this year’s event was in IRC One. Colin Buffin’s Swan 62, Uxorious IV, was first to finish, but the team did not celebrate a class win. Buffin and his young team knew that Amanda Hartley’s Swan 56, Clem, was extremely close to eclipsing their corrected time. Just over three and half hours passed before Clem crossed the finish line to win the class by just 21 seconds on corrected time. There were ecstatic scenes dockside as the Spanish crew of Clem celebrated their class win. The entire crew of Uxorious IV including Colin Buffin sportingly applauded their rivals. Amanda Hartley spoke of their win.
“‘We had no idea until we crossed the line and turned on our phones which went crazy with people calling in from Spain. By our calculation we thought we had lost out by five minutes. We got stuck at Guadeloupe for four hours and we could only sit and watch Uxorious get away. We are obviously extremely delighted and really appreciate Colin and his team coming over to give us such a lovely welcome back to Antigua.”
Jaime Torres’ Puerto Rican First 40, Smile And Wave, finished shortly after midnight last night to claim third in IRC One.
Scarlet Logic, co-skippered by Ross Applebey and Tim Thubron, finished the RORC Caribbean 600 shortly after 2300 last night. The Oyster 48 has been vying for the overall win for the last two days. In the end Scarlet Logic missed out, but the team had put in an incredible effort and have been rewarded with a convincing win in IRC Two. Scarlet Logic has the best corrected time in IRC One, Two and Three and as a result will be awarded the fantastic prize of a week’s accommodation at the luxurious Inn at English Harbour.
“Fantastic, elated but bloody tired,” admitted Tim Thubron, co-skipper of Scarlet Logic. The weather lined up nicely for us and we were aware that we were in with a chance of beating the big, well funded professional teams and that really spurred us on and made us push even harder. A lot of credit must go to the whole team, especially Ross Applebey. Scarlet was immaculately prepared and we hardly had a single breakage, however we did need to drop the main to replace a sail slide. The job was done and the main back up in eight minutes, that to me says it all.”
There was joy and pain for both IRC Canting Keel and the Class40s. Ernesto Cortina’s Volvo 70 Gran Jotiti finished the race in just over two days. The Spanish team is racing the yacht formerly known as Telefonica Black in the last Volvo Ocean Race. Ernesto spoke about his team shortly after finishing. “This has been a great experience, even though our result was badly affected by a lot of sail damage. Many of the sails are tired from thousands of miles of racing. However, the crew have been a joy to sail with and this race is helping us build for the future. Gran Jotiti’s aim is to create a world class amateur Spanish offshore sailing team and we have learnt a lot through this race.
Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50, Privateer, showed exceptional pace and boat handling throughout. Unfortunately the American team failed to start correctly and accepted a 10% penalty from the race organisers resulting in Gran Jotiti being declared winner of IRC Canting Keel.
IRC One, Two, Three and Class40 Start. Smile and Wave, Scarlet Logic, Clem and Uxorious IV (Photo by Tim Wright)
The Class40s turned into a battle royale between Christophe Coatnoan’s Partouche and Christof Petter’s Vaquita. The two Class40s were locked in a heroic tacking duel for the final push to the finish line, a 40-mile beat from Redonda to the finish in Antigua.
Vaquita crossed the line just after sunset beating Partouche by a slender margin, just 15 minutes in a race lasting over 3 days. However, Vaquita failed to start the race correctly and to the Austrian crew’s disappointment, the class win was awarded to Partouche: “It was a tough race and we had a couple of moments that really slowed us down,” commented Christophe Coatnoan who raced two-handed with Eric Calmard. “We picked up a fishing float after Nevis without realising and we probably lost 8 miles before we knew it was there. Later at Guadeloupe, I had to dive into the water to free Partouche from yet another fishing buoy. The race was an excellent test for our new design especially for our sails as I think we used every one of them during the race.”
Superyacht Start. Windrose, Adela, Hetairos, Sojana and P2 line up for the start. (Photo by Tim Wright)
Vaquita’s Andreas Hanakamp commented: “Obviously we are disappointed to have been penalised but we were delighted with our performance. Partouche is a brand new Finot design, whilst Vaquita is a 2006 Akilaria. The RORC Caribbean 600 is a testing race course and a very tough race, exactly what we needed to prepare for our main competition of the season, The Atlantic Cup later this year.”
The latest competitor to finish the RORC Caribbean 600 is Bernie Evan-Wong’s Mumm 36, High Tension. Falmouth Harbour exploded with noise as the smallest yacht in the race tied up right outside the Antigua Yacht Club. Thunderous blasts from megayachts, superyachts and foghorns literally shook the dock as the whole of the sailing community in Falmouth heralded the arrival of local hero Bernie and his crew.
“I said we would be here tonight but I always like to be early for appointments,” joked the Antiguan dentist. “It was a hard but satisfying race and the beat from Redonda to the finish seemed to take forever. We could see Antigua but it just didn’t seem to be getting any bigger, however a few miles out a massive rain squall hit and veered the wind favourably for us to speed our way to Antigua. After last year’s dismasting, I think maybe someone was looking out for us!”
Tonight the RORC Caribbean 600 Prizegiving Ceremony will take place at the Antigua Yacht Club. The two yachts still racing are Igor Zaretskiy’s, First 40.7 Coyote II and the RACYC Offshore Racing Team – White Knight’s Spirit of Venus. Both are expected to make tonight’s party, which should be a momentous occasion.
IRC OVERALL RESULTS
Rayon Vert Pulsar 50 (Photo by Tim Wright )
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Posted by admin on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 10:31 am
Filed under Class 40, Latest News, P 2, P2, Privateer, Rambler, Ran, Ran 2, RORC Caribbean 600, VOR70 · Tagged with 600Nm Racing Club, 78ft Maxi, Adela, Alejandro Perez Calzada, Alistair Groom, Amanda Hartley, Anders Nordquist, Andrew Bardot, Andrew McIrvine, Andrews 72, Andy Middleton, Antigua Yacht Club, Apache, Baltic Yacht, Beneteau 47.7, Benjamin Davitt, Benoit Cabaret, Bernie Evan-Wong, Blackbird, Brad Van Liew, Briand 76, Bryon Ehrhart, C.N.B., Caribbean 600, Carribean 600, catamaran, Charisma, Christof Petter, Christophe Coatnoan, Class40, classic, Classic Schooner, Clem, Colin Buffin, Cookson 50, Coyote II, Didier Lacombe, DP Yachts, EH01, Ernesto Cortina, Falmouth Harbour, Farr 115, Farr 65, First 40.7, Frank Eberhart, George David, Global Yacht Racing, Gran Jotiti, Greg Perkins, Hassebas, hetairos, High Tension, Hound, ICARUS, Icarus Racing, Igor Zaretskiy, Jack Layfield, Jaime Torres, Jonathan Kline, Jonty Layfield, JV72, Karuba 5, Kent Groves, Kings Legend, Lancelot, Lancelot 2, Latest News, Le Pingouin, LILLA, Lloyd's IDEA, Lloyd's of London Yacht Club, Lucky, MacAlpine Downie, Med Spirit, Michael Butterfield, Michael Cotter, Michael Reardon, Michiel Lijnsvelt, Mk11, multihull, Mumm 36, Nefertiti, Nielsen 59, Nigel Irens, Niklas Zennström, Northern Child, Olin J. Stephens, open 60, Oyster 48, P 2, P2, Paradox, Partouche, Peter Aschenbrenner, Peter Harding, Peter Harrison, Philippe Briand, Privateer, racing, RACYC Offshore Racing, Rambler, ran, Ran 2, Reichel Pugh, Reichel Pugh 78, Reichel Pugh 90, Ron O'Hanley, RORC, RORC Caribbean, RORC Caribbean 600, RORC Commodore, Ross Applebey, Safara, Sailing Logic, Scarlet Oyster, Schooner, Selene, Sergey Borodinov, Shipman 63, Simon de Pietro, Sleeper, Smile and Wave, Sojana, Spirit of Isis, Spirit of Juno, Spirit of Tradition, Spirit of Venus, Steve Hayles, Super Rose, Super Yacht, superyacht, superyachts, Swan 56, Swan 62, Swan 80, Team Merkle, TP 52, trimaran, Tripp 75, Uxorious IV, Vaquita, Vincent Fauquenoy, Volvo 70, Welbourn, Whisper, Whisper · Tagged with 40 degrees, White Knight, Windrose, Windrose Of Amsterdam, Windward Sailing, X 65, yacht
Ran (Photo by George Bekris)
The 4th RORC Caribbean 600, starts at 1100 on Monday 20th February. There isn’t a single hotel room left near Antigua Yacht Club, as competitors fly in to the magical island of Antigua from all four corners of the world – Falmouth Harbour is filled to the brim with astounding yachts.
Niklas Zennström’s JV72, Rán, and George David’s RP90, Rambler, are the hot favourites for the RORC Caribbean Trophy, but the two highly impressive yachts are almost hidden in Falmouth Harbour. Rán were out practicing today and Navigator Steve Hayles reports that conditions were a bit lighter than usual, but he expects 15-20 knots of trade winds for the race with their weather routing predicting that they could finish the race in 48 hours, may be less.
RORC member, Stan Pearson has lived and sailed the sublime waters around Antigua for over 20 years. He was one of the creators of the RORC Caribbean 600 and will be racing this year on Adela, the 181′ twin masted schooner:
“I can’t remember ever seeing Nelson’s Dockyard and Falmouth Harbour with so many impressive yachts but I know why they are here; there is nowhere in the world quite like Antigua and the ’600 is a real celebration of all that the Caribbean has to offer. The sailing is just fantastic; constant trade winds, warm water and air temperature in the high 20′s provides brilliant sailing, but this is a tough race. The course has a lot of corners and there is a lot of activity for the crews. Looking at the fleet, there are going to be some great duels going on, it is going to be a very competitive race.”
For the first time, a Volvo Open 70 will be competing in the RORC Caribbean 600. Some might suggest that the canting keel carbon fibre flyer could have been designed for this course. Ernesto Cortina’s Gran Jotiti has a highly talented Spanish crew and could well be a contender for line honours and an overall win.
IRC Zero has 16 entries and may well be the class to watch for the overall winner. George David’s Rambler 100 is the trophy holder and George David’s all-star crew will not be giving it up without a fight.
Sojana (Photo courtesy of International Maxi Association)
With a combined water line length that would soar 500ft above the Eiffel Tower, there are some truly amazing yachts in IRC Zero. The 214′ ketch Hetairos is an impressive sight. The crew of 36 have been out practicing all this week and on board there are enough sails to cover a full size football pitch. Sojana is expected to have a Superyacht duel with 124′ Pernini Navi, P2, owned by businessman and philanthropist, Gerhard Andlinger. Sojana was on mark laying duty today. The only laid mark of the course is the North Sails mark, off Barbuda. No doubt the crew, will be using the exercise to practice the first 45 miles of racing.
In the Spirit of Tradition class Adela will line up against Windrose. This will be the first time these magnificent yachts have raced against each other offshore, however Adela did get the better of Windrose in The Superyacht Challenge inshore regatta. A close battle with these two powerful yachts fully off the leash is a mouth-watering prospect. Past RORC Commodore, Andrew McIrvine and a team of 11 RORC members including current Commodore, Mike Greville, have chartered the 145ft Windrose.
The multihull record for the RORC Caribbean 600 has not been beaten since the inaugural race in 2009. The 63′ Trimaran, Paradox, skippered by Olivier Vigoureux says the six crew on board are out to ‘beat the current record’. The American, French and British crew members have raced in the Figaro Race, Transat Jacques Vabres, America’s Cup and Mini Transat.
Anders Nordquist’s Swan 90, Nefertiti, has an international crew including Rolex Middle Sea Race winner, Christian Ripard from Malta. They should have a close battle with Wendy Schmidt’s Swan 80, Selene, and Irish entry, RP78, Whisper.
There are a huge variety of yachts racing in IRC One, including Hound, skippered by Hound from Maine USA. The 60′ classic will be competing in the Caribbean 600 for the first time with a family crew of avid racers. Hound has competed in the last 8 Newport-Bermuda races, winning her class twice.
Ondeck’s 40.7 Spirit of Venus is chartered to the Royal Armoured Corp Offshore Racing Team. The majority of the 11 strong crew are part of the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank Regiment which returned from Afghanistan last spring.
Lt Col Paul Macro RTR: “Soldiers have to work together as a team, under time pressure, when cold, wet and tired, in difficult and even dangerous conditions. The adventurous team spirit required by a successful offshore racing crew is the same as that required by the crew of a tank or any other armoured vehicle.”
There are four Class40s competing. Close duels are expected right through the fleet, but a hard fought and close encounter is expected in this class. Trade wind sailing provides perfect conditions for Class40s, with long reaches and downwind legs, these pocket rockets are capable of surfing at speeds of up to 25 knots. Class40s from America, Austria, France and Great Britain are taking on the 600 mile Caribbean odyssey; Tim Fetch’s Icarus Racing, Christophe Coatnoan’s Partouche, Andreas Hanakamp’s Vaquita and Peter Harding’s 40 Degrees, co-skippered by Hannah Jenner. The Class40s will be level-racing under their own rules. First to finish will claim the Concise Trophy; a full barrel of English Harbour rum.
IRC Two includes the smallest yacht in the fleet, Bernie Evan-Wong’s Mumm 36, High Tension. Antiguan dentist, Bernie has competed in all four RORC Caribbean 600 races, however last year, High Tension did not finish the race.
“It is definitely a case of unfinished business,” said Bernie. “We have actually used our downfall to modify the rig, so we have made something good out of the incident. Like many Antiguans, I am amazed how this race has developed since 2009, I have been sailing in the Caribbean for over 50 years and what has been really missing is a well-run, exciting offshore race. The RORC Caribbean 600 has provided that and made my dreams come true.”
Icarus Racing (Photo by George Bekris)
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Posted by admin on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Filed under Adela, Icarus, Latest News, Le Pingouin, P 2, P2, Privateer, Rambler, Ran, Ran 2, RORC Caribbean 600, Selene, Sojana, trimaran, Whisper · Tagged with 40 degrees, 600Nm Racing Club, 78ft Maxi, Adela, Alejandro Perez Calzada, Alistair Groom, Amanda Hartley, Anders Nordquist, Andrew Bardot, Andrew McIrvine, Andrews 72, Andy Middleton, Antigua Yacht Club, Apache, Baltic Yacht, Beneteau 47.7, Benjamin Davitt, Benoit Cabaret, Bernie Evan-Wong, Blackbird, Brad Van Liew, Briand 76, Bryon Ehrhart, C.N.B., Caribbean 600, Carribean 600, catamaran, Charisma, Christof Petter, Christophe Coatnoan, Class40, classic, Classic Schooner, Clem, Colin Buffin, Cookson 50, Coyote II, Didier Lacombe, DP Yachts, EH01, Ernesto Cortina, Falmouth Harbour, Farr 115, Farr 65, First 40.7, Frank Eberhart, George David, Global Yacht Racing, Gran Jotiti, Greg Perkins, Hassebas, hetairos, High Tension, Hound, Icarus Racing, Igor Zaretskiy, Jack Layfield, Jaime Torres, Jonathan Kline, Jonty Layfield, JV72, Karuba 5, Kent Groves, Kings Legend, Lancelot, Lancelot 2, Le Pingouin, LILLA, Lloyd's IDEA, Lloyd's of London Yacht Club, Lucky, MacAlpine Downie, Med Spirit, Michael Butterfield, Michael Cotter, Michael Reardon, Michiel Lijnsvelt, Mk11, multihull, Mumm 36, Nefertiti, Nielsen 59, Nigel Irens, Niklas Zennström, Northern Child, Olin J. Stephens, open 60, Oyster 48, P2, Paradox, Partouche, Peter Aschenbrenner, Peter Harding, Peter Harrison, Philippe Briand, Privateer, racing, RACYC Offshore Racing, Rambler, ran, Reichel Pugh, Reichel Pugh 78, Reichel Pugh 90, Ron O'Hanley, RORC, RORC Caribbean, RORC Commodore, Ross Applebey, Safara, Sailing Logic, Scarlet Oyster, Schooner, Selene, Sergey Borodinov, Shipman 63, Simon de Pietro, Sleeper, Smile and Wave, Sojana, Spirit of Isis, Spirit of Juno, Spirit of Tradition, Spirit of Venus, Steve Hayles, Super Rose, Super Yacht, superyacht, superyachts, Swan 56, Swan 62, Swan 80, Team Merkle, TP 52, trimaran, Tripp 75, Uxorious IV, Vaquita, Vincent Fauquenoy, Volvo 70, Welbourn, Whisper, White Knight, Windrose, Windrose Of Amsterdam, Windward Sailing, X 65, yacht
