The new "Anonimo Q8"

The new "Anonimo Q8" hits the water in NZ. Built by Hakes Marine, she sure is a fine vessel.




Check out the teams website. http://www.audiq8.it/home-page.html

World´s top ranked Women Match Racers compete in sydney

[Source: Lisa Ratcliff CYCA]
Starting Sunday 16 March, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia will host the Harken Women’s International Match Racing Regatta.

Ten women’s teams representing France, Denmark, Germany, UK, New Zealand and Australia will take to Sydney Harbour on board the CYCA’s Elliott 6 sports boats in the lead up event to the upcoming ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship (1-6 April).

The world’s top four ranked women match racers, Claire Leroy (FRA), Lotte Meldgaard Pederson (DEN), Katie Spithill (AUS) and Christelle Philippe (FRA) and the seventh ranked Silke Hahlbrock (GER) will headline the four-day event.

Team Wild Oats Chardonnay/Musto Finishes 3rd in NZ

Along with Katie Spithill´s Team Acuity we have another young group of Australian girls, lead by Nicky Souter battling away in the women’s match racing circuit. The girls are currently trying to qualify for the World Championship to be held in New Zealand April 1-6 and have just finished the New Zealand Women´s Match Racing Championship in 3rd place. Here is their report.

Team Wild Oats Chardonnay/Musto started their campaign to qualify for next month’s world in Auckland well by recording a third place at the recent New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Championships.

With several international teams competing this year, including World Number 1 and ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Claire Leroy, competition was certain to be fierce at the Grade 2 regatta. However, the event got off to a slow start with early delays thanks to a high pressure sitting over New Zealand. Day one got underway, but not as planned when we recorded our first loss to New Zealand’s Jan Dawson, the eventual regatta runner-up. After adjusting to the difficult tidal condition and light winds we recorded wins against Waugh, Osborne and Boyd, and a narrow loss to fellow Royal Prince Alfred member Katie Spithill. After an early conclusion to the days racing our first day tally was 3 wins and 2 losses, leaving us in equal 2nd place.

Slightly disappointed with our first day’s tally, we resolved to improve our results on the second day and secure a semi final berth. Once again racing was delayed and the race committee were forced to shorten the series to a single round robin. With only one round robin it was even more important for us to record good results. To this end we had four wins and an extremely close loss to Claire Leroy, which left us in 3rd position at the end of day two.

After successfully making it through to the semi finals, we were keen to race against our opponent Jan Dawson, however the light winds once again delayed the start of racing until 12:30pm. An inconsistent breeze built from the south and racing got underway. In the challenging conditions we recorded a decisive victory over Jan Dawson and were confident we would make it to the Final. Unfortunately, the wind did not settle and racing was called off at 4pm. Final positions were taken from the completed round robin results, leaving Claire Leroy the deserving New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Champion. Jan Dawson finished 2nd and Team Wild Oats Chardonnay/Musto finished 3rd. For their efforts, Jan Dawson (2nd) and Jess Smyth (4th) were rewarded with invitations to the ISAF World Women’s Match Racing Championships in April as New Zealand offered the top two New Zealand teams invites to the World Championship.

Happy with our result and the improvements made to our boat handling in the difficult Auckland conditions, we look forward to competing against some of the world’s best female match racers at the upcoming Harken International Women’s Match Racing Champs and, finally earning that elusive World Championship invite.

Nicky, Kylie, Lilly and I (Ray) would like to extend our sincerest thanks to our sponsors and supporters particularly Wild Oats Chardonnay, Musto, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, and our parents and families, without their continued support our participation at these regattas would not be possible. If you would like any further information on how you too can support this team then please contact Nicky Souter at nickysouter(at)yahoo.com
by Rayshele Martin

Harken Promotional Video

Here´s a video for all those Harken nuts out there! It is a promotional video with some great sailing footage and behind the scenes machine shop action. Very well edited and worth watching….enjoy!

Team Acuity Aims High for 2008

[Source: Team Acuity Media]
Team Acuity Women’s Match race Campaign is set to commence its toughest and hopefully most successful year in 2008.

Following a three month match race regatta break the girls hope to pick up where they left off. Semi finalists or finalists performances in every event since August, has seen Team Acuity’s World Ranking soar to #3.

This has been an enormous effort as all of their points earning events have occurred in the northern hemisphere.

Tomorrow the tables turn and the worlds best women match racers participate in three back to back events on our doorstep.

Starting with the Grade 2 New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Nationals, Auckland – 7th – 9th March.

Then the Grade 2 Harkens Women’s Match Race Regatta, Sydney – 15th – 19th March and the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championships, Auckland – 1st – 6th April.

It will be a nice change to see our ranking competitors dealing with the logistical hassle and expense of world travel to compete. This is something we have learnt to deal with in getting to this point.

[Team Acuity Media] Whilst success at individual events is always nice, Team Acuity’s focus remains on achieving the #1 ranking which is based on 24 months of sustained performance.

Following the world championships, Team Acuity is planning an extensive international campaign with 14 events in 10 countries this year.

The recent announcement of Women’s Match Racing as a discipline for 2012 Olympic Games has provided us with a long term goal. We plan to start our campaign first if we want to finish first in five years time. Out team is expanding and we are talking with some exciting new athletes.

Team Acuity spent the Australian Summer cross training in dinghies, keel boats and offshore racing. Tomorrow the focus returns to match racing with a fresh and energetic resolve to finish what we have set out to do.

Australia dominates ISAF World Sailing Rankings

[source: ISAF] Australia holds on to its three world #1 spots (Men’s 470, Laser and Tornado) in the latest release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings.

Men's One Person Dinghy – Laser

Tom SLINGSBY (AUS) remains well ahead in the latest Laser Rankings after successfully defending his title at the recent Laser Worlds in Terrigal. Paul GOODISON (GBR) stays put in the #2 position, with Andrew MURDOCH (NZL) moving up one place to #3, although neither skipper to mount as sustained challenge to SLINGSBY on his home waters.

Men's Two Person Dinghy – 470

Nathan WILMOT and Malcolm PAGE (AUS) remain top of the Men’s 470 Rankings, their sixth consecutive Ranking release in the world #1 spot. Just behind them the world top three is also unchanged, with Nicolas CHARBONNIER and Olivier BAUSSET (FRA) at #2 Gideon KLIGER and Udi GAL (ISR) at #3.

Multihull – Tornado

Newly crowned World Champions Darren BUNDOCK and Glenn ASHBY (AUS) stay top of the Tornado Rankings after a sparkling run of form down under which culminated in World Championship victory in last week. The Australian duo have simple been unbeatable since the start of the year, with their World Championship win their fifth consecutive victory at ISAF Graded events.

For BUNDOCK, victory in New Zealand gave him a sixth World Championship title and a second with ASHBY alongside him. After a poor first day at the Worlds in Takapuna, they fought back strongly to top the leaderboard by the time the final day of racing was abandoned because of heavy winds and rain.

Skiff - 49er

2008 World Champions Nathan OUTTERIDGE and Ben AUSTIN (AUS) are currently in 5th position and are reigning in the top 3.

Euro skiffs to host '09 JJ Gilitinan International Championship

Photo: Christophe Favreau

I have read an announcement from the 18ft Skiff European Class Association that the 2009 JJ Gilitinan International Championship will be held in Europe for the first time ever. The venue is to be Carnac, France which is on the Bay of Biscay. The Bay has a reputation for producing some very tough conditions and I think that if this does indeed go ahead, we will see some spectacular sailing.

But I am sure there are some old 18ft skiffies turning in their graves! And for the ones still around, well they´ll be throwing their hands in the air. How could the JJ, such an Australian & Sydney Harbour icon disappear overseas? I´d like to know who is responsible for this decision and hear their reasoning.

http://www.18footer.org/

Inaugural Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race Forecast

[source: CYCA] With less than four days to the start of the final event of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s offshore season for 2007-08, the Bureau of Meteorology has released its long range forecast for the inaugural Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race.

The Bureau’s manager of weather services, Rob Webb, is anticipating a S/SE change will pass through Sydney during Friday, 7 March, creating the likelihood of a spinnaker start in Sydney Harbour at 6pm that evening in a 15-20 knot following breeze.

“This breeze should be maintained offshore through the night and 15-20 knot SE winds should see in the start of Saturday before an easing trend during the day.

“By late Friday a shower or two will have redeveloped in Sydney behind the change and these will extend north overnight. We're not expecting too much in the way of rainfall,” Webb added.

Moderate to fresh overnight offshore winds is exactly the sort of forecast that brings a wry smile to the faces of the TP52 crews. And there are two of them going head to head this Friday to determine who will be crowned CYCA Blue Water Pointscore (BWPS) Champion. Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin is currently holding onto first place by three points while Graeme Wood’s Wot Yot is ready to apply plenty of heat as Wood vies for his first Championship title against Fischer’s eight.

“Normally heading north we try to stay between the beach and the current but if it’s blowing hard, it doesn’t really matter where you are,” said Fischer today when quizzed on his pre-race tactics.

Saturday’s easing trend is not good news for the smaller end of the Audi Sydney Offshore fleet as they will be retracing their path, having rounded the Crowdy Head laid mark, and will be pushing into a soft head wind as they head back south to Newcastle.

The Ocean Pointscore fleet, which will set sail from Sydney Harbour at 9am Saturday morning to join their Blue Water colleagues in Newcastle, look set for a leisurely ride north with the change well and truly through by Saturday. Based on the forecast, boats from boat fleets could be finishing in the Hunter River well into Saturday evening and possibly into Sunday morning.

Some movement in the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race list of entries has left a quality fleet of 18 to contest the last of the seven-race 2007-08 BWPS.

One of the withdrawals was Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban, which was reluctantly pulled from the starter’s list following a delay in the arrival of new mast fittings. The crew has run out of time to put the Jones 70’s rig back in and test the mast before heading offshore. The issue was compounded by the fact that most of Allen’s crew were in Dubai with him last week for the Maktoum Sailing Trophy, which they won sailing a Beneteau 44.7 also called Ichi Ban.

Based on the long range forecast, the first boat, likely to be ASM Brindabella, is expected to take line honours in the 213 nautical mile race early Saturday afternoon.

To follow the fleet during the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race go to Yacht Tracker. - Lisa Ratcliff

James Spithill’s Team Ceeref wins the Dubai RC 44 Cup match racing event

[Source: RC44 Class]
Despite local advice, Race Director Peter “Luigi” Regio sent the six strong RC 44 fleet out on the water for the second Round Robin of the Dubai RC 44 Cup. A wise choice as the teams could sail six matches, allowing the Committee to establish a final ranking based on 21 matches. “You won’t get anything if you don’t try”, he commented with a smile at the end of the day.
The winner of the event is Igor Lah’s Team Ceeref, with James Spithill at the helm. “It’s a great start to our season”, he commented. “Yesterday, we were not happy with our sailing. We made a lot of little mistakes and lost matches that we could have won. We all wanted to do better today and that’s what we did.”
Equally happy with his performance was Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano’s pro helmsman Sebastien Col: “It all goes down to a couple of meters at the right moment”, he explained. Yesterday, we could have won all our matches but we lost two of them because of tiny mistakes. We had a thorough de-brief in the evening and the difference was clear today. All the guys on board realised how important every single meter is. They were hiking better, our tacks were better, we focused well on what we were doing and the result is there: we had two excellent matches.”
Russell Coutts’ Team ES Bankers completes the podium with victories against Cro-A-Sail and Team Sea Dubai this afternoon.
Four teams were sharing the lead after the first round robin. Team Sea Dubai, leader of the provisional ranking after day one, lost its advantage today, regressing to the fourth place. As for Team Aqua (Cameron Appleton), penalised by a collision yesterday and sailing below its usual level, it finishes fifth, ahead of Cro-A-Sail who only won one match.
The team owners will be back at the helm tomorrow for the fleet racing event. The weather forecast is good, with North-Westerly winds of up to 20 knots expected.

They said:

James Spithill, Team Ceeref: “We are all looking forward to starting the fleet racing event tomorrow. Igor Lah, the team’s owner, trained during two days and his progress is quite spectacular. I am very impressed by him: he has a good temperament; he is calm and has a good feeling. His results so far have been quite amazing considering that he had only sailed on power boats just a year ago…”

Sébastien Col, Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano: “The teams are very close. The fleet has definitely gained in consistency. Each mistake costs a lot but people throughout the fleet make less of them by the day. We are very pleased with our result, and particularly with our win against Russell’s team yesterday. It proves that we can win against any team and it is a good morale buster.”

Match-racing, final results

Note: half points have been awarded to teams who have competed against each other only once (in both round robins).

Ranking, number of victories/losses, points.

1) Team Ceeref (5/2) 3,5 points
2) Team Hiroshi (4/3) 3 points
3) Team ES Bankers Dubai (5/2) 3 points
4) Team Sea Dubay, (3/4) 2,5 points
5) Team Aqua (3/ 4 incl 1 penalty) 1 point
6) Cro-A-Sail (1/6) 1 point

Gotta Love It 7 leads 18ft Skiff Championship

Note the mainsail head geometry on Fiat

Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Robert Bell tightened their grip on the Australian 18ft Skiff Championship with another impressive win in Gotta Love It 7 in Race 3 of the series on Sydney Harbour today.

Gotta Love It 7 took the lead soon after the start and was never headed over the north-east course to score a 25secs victory from Michael Coxon’s Fiat, with defending champion Macquarie Real Estate (Micah Lane) just 8secs further back in third place.

Adam Beashel’s Club Marine finished fourth, followed by Rag & Famish Hotel (John Harris) and Ssangyong Yandoo (John Winning).

With half the championship now completed Gotta Love It 7 holds a clear lead on 5 points, followed by Rag & Famish in second place on 10 points. Club Marine is third on 14 points.

Macquarie Real Estate holds fourth position on 15 points, Ssangyong Yandoo 17 and Omega Smeg (Trevor Barnabas) on 21.

Pure Blonde (James Francis) won the start but Gotta Love It 7 took over midway up the windward beat to the Beashel Buoy.

Jarvin and his team led by 30secs at the windward buoy with Fiat in second place, followed by Omega Smeg, Asko 2 (Ian Henderson), Macquarie Real Estate, Pure Blonde, Club Marine and Ssangyong Yandoo.

Gotta Love It 7 retained their lead on the downwind legs back to Double Bay but her margin had been halved by Fiat which was now only trailing by 15secs.
Macquarie Real estate gained two placings to move in to third ahead of Club Marine, Omega Smeg, Ssangyong Yandoo and Rag & Famish.

The ‘7’ crew covered Fiat on the next windward leg and regained her 30secs margin as the pair turned for the downwind leg down the middle of the course.

Macquarie gained to be just one boat length behind Fiat at that point.

From there to the finish Gotta Love It 7 had little difficulty in retaining a comfortable lead.
Former national champion Hugh Stodart (Asko Appliances) won race 1 of the series but every thing has been downhill since then.

Stodart and his team were sailing well in the lead in race 2 before having a spectacular capsize which saw them finish in sixth place.

Following that race they were disqualified after a protest.

Today was no better when they capsized soon after the start and had to battle hard to get back for a 9th placing – some four minutes behind the winners.
Races 4 and 5 of the championship will be sailed next weekend.
Race 4 will be sailed on Saturday (Australia Day) 26 January and Race 5 on Sunday 27 January.

Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League

Sydney 38’s at Dockland’s Invitational

[Source: Simon Reffold, Sydney 38 Class Association]

It’s been a weekend of extremes for the Sydney 38OD's sailing in the Docklands Invitational. This is the warm up regatta for next weekends Morris Finance Sydney 38OD National Championships being sailed as part of Skandia Geelong Week.

Yesterdays light air conditions saw two of the Sydney boats, Chris Way's Easy Tiger and Alan Brierty's Limit, battle it out at the top of the fleet with a clear speed advantage over the other eight boats.

Easy Tiger ultimately won the day but Limit was just a couple of points behind. The top Victorian boat was Lou Abrahams' Challenge who toughed it out in the first race but came back to be a consistent third at the end of the day.

Then it blew the dots of the I's today and Lou Abrahams crew, ably skippered by long time friend Carl Schmidt, showed their almost unmatched experience in heavy conditions with two bullets from two starts. Another Victorian also faired well - Ian Murray from Geelong, sailing Cinquante, had a great day posting two fourth places to draw on points with Sydneysiders Zen, sailed by Gordon Ketelbey and relegating them to fifth on a count back to hold fourth overall behind Challenge.

But despite the obvious skill of the Victorians in a blow, it wasn't enough to wrest the lead from Limit and Easy Tiger who battled it out for the top points all day. Chris Way decided to try a number four headsail instead of a three like the other competitors and paid the price in boat speed when the breeze went light from time to time. It was enough to let Limit take the ultimate honours for the Regatta with Easy Tiger second.

The top Corinthian boat (with no professional sailors on board) was Victorian Boat Sierra Chainsaw, skippered by Mel Mollison.

This was an excellent warm up event for the Nationals, with some Crews happy, and others going away to look at some boat speed issues, but all singing the praises of the organising team and the NSW boats especially complimentary of the Docklands setting and 'vibe' with so many Melbournians coming down to visit over the weekend.

Beau Geste wins Skandia Docklands Invitational

Andrea Francolini © Photo

Hong Kong’s leading yachtsman Karl Kwok loves to race in Australia and today the 1997 Sydney to Hobart winner added the prestigious Skandia Docklands Invitational title to a string of yachting achievements with Beau Geste, his ninth yacht named after the famous French term.

The annual invitation-only event gathered fourteen of Australia’s best performed yachts at Waterfront City Docklands to compete in five races for IRC handicap honours.

They may be novices when it comes to yacht racing in Melbourne but Kwok’s international crew which included team members of the BMW Oracle America’s Cup team, and Alinghi trimmer Craig Satterthwaite sailed the New Zealand-built Reichel Pugh 45 superbly on Port Philip during the two-day event to post a top three result in each race. Tactitian Gavin Brady attributed the win to making big gains downwind while working the boat well. “Yesterday was flat and light and we’re a light boat so it suited us and today it was really physical out there. We were catching waves and working the sails all the time so the boat performed fantastic” he said.

Meeting for the first time at Skandia Docklands Invitational were two TP52’s, Bob Steele’s Quest from NSW and Victorian skipper Alan Whiteley’s Cougar II. Two metres longer than Beau Geste, the sleek downwind racers revelled in the 20 knot winds, slicing through the moderate chop and showing plenty of style as they enjoyed their “race within a race”. The fifth and final race in particular proved to be a thrilling duel with Quest edging out Cougar II by six seconds to take line honours in both races on day 2 but Cougar II’s IRC rating served to secure her second place on handicap ahead of Quest.

After Saturday’s frustratingly light breezes, all skippers were hoping for some stiffer winds for the final days’ racing and while a fresh southerly provided ideal conditions for the cutting-edge Invitational fleet there were some casualties out on the course. The crew of Georgia had their hopes of making it into the top ten dashed when backstay problems forced them to withdraw from race four. A quick repair job saw her make the start of race two with minutes to spare.

Chris Dare’s new Corby IRC 49 Flirt II enjoyed a better days’ racing in the moderate chop but it was Michael Hiatt’s Cookson 50 Living Doll which sailed consistently well over both days to take fourth place behind Quest. In the battle of the mid 40-footers Philip Coombs’ DK46 Dekadence performed the best, taking fifth position on the ladder ahead of Flirt II, and Tony Kirby’s Patrice Six. Chutzpah, Bruce Taylor’s sharp-looking new Reichel Pugh 40 showed that she wasn’t quite as competitive around the buoys as she has proven to be in blue-water events. The record-breaking Sydney-Hobart division winner finished mid fleet in the Docklands Invitational, beating Extasea, Shogun, Goldfinger, Pretty Woman, Georgia and Isuzu Marine on handicap.

But it was the pretty little beamy boat with the red dragon on her topsides which captured everyone’s attention at Docklands and the famous yacht name Beau Geste will now be inscribed on the Docklands Invitational Perpetual Trophy. Kwok is renowned for selecting iconic sailing events around the globe to compete in and while he can now tick the Docklands Invitational off his list, the Beau Geste crew will focus on repeating their impressive performance during the upcoming Skandia Geelong Week.

Skandia Docklands Invitational is presented by Skandia, the Victorian State Government, the City of Melbourne, The Age and the organising authority Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

[Source: http://www.docklandsinvitational.com.au/index1.asp]

Kokomo wins the CYCA Farr 40 regatta

[source: Sam Crichton, Australian Farr 40 Fleet]

After two days of racing off the Sydney Heads, Lang Walker's Kokomo (CYCA) was declared the winner of the Farr 40 CYCA Regatta. Seven boats raced the six-race series with Kokomo named the eventual winner of the third regatta in the Australian Farr 40 2007/8 circuit.

Racing on Saturday was a wet affair as the fleet sailed in a southerly breeze that reached 18 knots. The typical lumpy seaway off Sydney Heads made for a hard day of sailing over four races. Kokomo, steered by long-time crew member Mark Walsh, won the first race of the series.

Both Kokomo and Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban (CYCA) had two wins for the series with Ichi Ban taking the wins in races two and six and Kokomo in races one and four. “There were plenty of opportunities to make gains and losses out there. It was great to have Beasho weave his magic and to have Mark helm for us this weekend,” commented Kokomo's mainsheet trimmer Richard Allanson.

Race three of the series went to the New Zealand team of Brett Neill’s White Cloud. Neill and his team travel across the Tasman to join the Australian fleet for each regatta on the Australian schedule.

Day two and the threatening dark skies cleared into a ideal spring day with the building westerly breeze flattening the seas from Saturday. The breeze reached 23 knots as the fleet sailed the last two races of the regatta.

Kokomo again took the Boat of the Day award with two second places while Ichi Ban improved on their day one finishing places and as a result moved up the leader board to finish third overall.“I now appreciate how hard it is for these guys (Farr 40 owners) the get these boats around the track. It’s hard work and takes a lot of concentration,” remarked Walsh after racing.

Lisa and Martin Hill’s Estate Master, which made its Farr 40 debut 12 months ago, took the gun for race five of the series and they finished in second place overall.

“It’s 12 months since we joined the class and we are really happy with where we are. We are knocking on the door and we’ve managed to finish in the top three for the first three events this season,” said Hill.

The Farr 40 class would like to thank the CYCA for hosting this event. The next event on the Australian Farr 40 schedule is the Savills SORC Regatta, hosted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club on November 24-25. - Sam Crichton

Results
1. Kokomo Lang Walker 14pts
2. Estate Master L & M Hill 17pts
3. Ichi Ban Matt Allen 21pts
4. White Cloud Brett Neill 23pts
5. Transfusion G. Belgiorno-Nettis 23pts
6. Revolution Edake Jeff Carter 35pts
7. Quantum Leap M. Blumentals 36pts

CST Composites wins Mick Scully Trophy

[source: Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League]

(Photo By Brad Maylon www.frothers.com.au)

Chris Dixon, Greg Dixon and Justin Healey were clearly the masters of the 15-18knot westerly wind on SydneyHarbour today when they brought their skiff CST Composites home an easy winner of the Mick Scully Trophy race.

The trio grabbed the lead on the second windward leg of the course to record a 4mins 1sec win over Kinder Caring Home Nursing, skippered by Brett Van Munster.

Pure Blonde (Janes Francis) was a further 52secs back in third place, just ahead of the early race leader Macquarie Real Estate, skippered by 2005 world champion Euan Mc Nicol.

Maytag (Nick Press), Ssangyong Yandoo (John Winning), Club Marine (Adam Beashel) and Keith Piggin Estate Agents (Peter Morrison) were next in a great finish which saw the group cross the line with just a few secs separating.

The tough conditions saw six of the 22 starters fail to complete the course.

A mad scramble at the start saw near collisions and capsizes abound, while John Winning and his Ssangyong Yandoo team were brilliant to take the lead at the pin end of the line.

On the first windward leg Macquarie Real Estate took the lead but as the 3-buoys handicap system came into play it was Maytag which headed the pack on the downwind leg.

Last week’s winner Asko Appliances (Hugh Stodart) was forced out with gear failure on this run while Maytag surrendered her lead with a capsize.

On the second windward leg, Macquarie led from CST but CST’s crew were superb as they regained the #1 position over Macquarie at the 3-buoys marks.

The battle for third placing was now ‘hotting up’ with Kinder Caring, Pure Blonde, Ssangyong Yandoo and Keith Piggin all in contention.

CST totally dominated the next spinnaker run to open up her race winning margin and the spectator interest was now totally focused on the race for minor placings.

As the wind fluctuated in strength and direction, at times, the positions changed several times on the final windward leg which set up a great spinnaker finish.

Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League

Ichi Ban wins the Rhodes Waterside Farr 40 Regatta

(photo: Damian Devine, RPAYC)

Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban has won the Farr 40 Rhodes Waterside held at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club over the weekend. Martin Hills Estate Master finished second on a countback with Lang Walkers Kokomo (third).

Tacticians in the fleet included Colin Beashel on Kokomo and 2008 Olympic Laser representative Tom Slingsby on Transfusion, who you would have to say finished a disappointing 4th overall.

It sounds like the conditions were light and moderate over the three day regatta, no doubt providing the tacticians with plenty of headaches.

Results

1. Ichi Ban M Allen CYCA 13 pts
2. Estate Master M Hill MHYC 20
3. Kokomo L Walker CYCA 20
4. Transfusion G Belgiorno-Nettis MHYC 29
5. White Cloud B Neill RNZYS 32
6. Quantun Leap M Blumentals RPAYC 36
7. Revolution Edake J Carter MHYC 48
8. Impi I Resnekov RSYS 57

Asko Appliances take Race 1 of the 18ft Skiff Club Championship

(photo by Brad Maylon)

[Source: Australian 18 Footers League, Frank Quealey]

Hugh Stodart, Niall Kinch and Paul Schulz again showed their light wind skills when they steered Asko Appliances home an easy winner in Race 1 of the Australian 18 Footers League’s Club Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

The talented trio took their victory by 1min 15secs from John Harris’ Rag & Famish Hotel in the tricky light north-easterly breeze, with early leader Omega Smeg (Daniel Phillips) a further 20secs back in third place.

Gotta Love It 7 (Seve Jarvin) finished a close fourth, followed by Fiat (Michael Coxon) with Australian champion Micah Lane’s Macquarie Real Estate in sixth place.

The young Pure Blonde crew, skippered by James Francis, won the start with a port tack at the buoy end of the line but midway up the first beat it was Fiat which showed the way from Pure Blonde and Asko.

Fiat was a clear leader over Asko on the left hand side of the course while Omega Smeg led a small group on the right.

A change came over the race on the final section of the leg where Asko took a 5secs lead from Fiat at the windward mark.

Omega Smeg was a further 10secs back in third place ahead of Gotta Love It 7, Ssangyong Yandoo, Macquarie Real Estate and Southern Cross Constructions, which was one minute from the lead.

Daniel Phillips made a great tactical move when he elected to gybe Omega Smeg immediately after rounding the mark.

The manouvre was a winner as it put Smeg into a 10secs lead at the wing mark at Rose Bay (Shark Island).

Smeg increased her lead over Asko to 18secs at the leeward mark while Gotta Love It 7 had moved into third place – 35secs from the leader.

Fiat was back in fourth spot, followed Yandoo, Macquarie, Rag & Famish (after a slow start), Pure Blonde, Kinder Caring Home Nursing and Southern Cross.

The red mainsail of Smeg led the pack back to the Beashel Buoy windward mark where her lead was now 20secs over Asko.

These two leaders had edged ahead of the next group and staged a great battle down the long spinnaker run back to the leeward mark off ClarkIsland.

Asko took the line down the northern shore while Smeg went to the middle.

When the pair met near Taylor Bay, Smeg held a narrow lead but the greater boat speed of Asko won out as she took a 15secs lead as they turned for the final lap of the course.

Asko revelled in the conditions over the final windward leg and headed for home with a race winning lead.

The battle was now on for the minor placings between Rag & Famish Hotel, Omega Smeg and Gotta Love It 7, which held the spectators interest right to the finish line.

The next race in the 13-race selection series to determine the Australian team for the Giltinan Championship will be sailed on Sunday 11 November.

The full result sheet from today’s race is attached and photographs from the racing will appear on the club’s www.18footers.com.au website

Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League

Figaro Madness!

The french skipper Corentin Douguet sailing (or surviving) in 40-55 knots of wind in a Figaro. This guy must be completely nuts, struggling to keep it upright with main and jib, he then decides to hoist the chute and then promptly lay the boat on its side....

Team Acuity Win Rolex Osprey Cup Grade 1, Florida

RPAYC’s Team Acuity, comprising of Katie Spithill, Nina Curtis, Jessica Eastwell and Kristen Short took out the Rolex Osprey Cup, Grade 1 in St Petersburg, Florida, USA in convincing form winning both their semi finals and finals with a clean sweep.

Sailing in Sonars out of St Petersburg Yacht Club, the line up consisted of 10 teams from 4 nations, including Olympic sailors Sally Barlow – USA, Anna Tunnicliffe – USA and Guilia Conti – ITA.

The team finished 1st in the round robin, 2 wins clear of their next opponent. The semi-finals saw a rematch from the final in their last Grade 1 in Italy, where they’d finished 2nd against two-time world champion and Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Sally Barkow. Winning this in 3 straight wins, they moved onto the finals.

The team get back onto the long haul flight to Sydney tomorrow to return to normal life for a few days before training recommences with coach Traks Gordon for the 2008 ISAF Women’s Match Racing Worlds in Auckland, New Zealand in April.

Semi Finals
Katie Spithill 3 wins vs Sally Barkow 0 wins
Guilia Conti 3 wins vs Liz Baylis 2 wins

Finals
Katie Spithill 3 wins vs Gulia Conti 0 wins
Petit Finals 1. Sally Barkow 3 wins vs Liz Baylis 1 win

Final Placings
Katie Spithill - AUSTRALIA
Guilia Conti - ITALY
Sally Barkow - USA
Liz Baylis – USA

33rd America´s Cup - What´s the call Justice Cahn???

Justice Cahn has adjourned to make his decision regarding the validity of the CNEV challenge. One of five things could now happen,

1. He rules in favour of SNG (Alinghi). GGYC (BMW Oracle) then enter the competition and everyone gets on with the 33rd America’s Cup to be held in 2009.
2. He rules in favour of SNG. GGYC then appeal and the 33rd America’s Cup is delayed.
3. He rules in favour of GGYC. SNG appeal and the 33rd America’s Cup is delayed.
4. He rules in favour of GGYC. GGYC then become Challenger Of Record and the two parties agree to sail the existing IACC V5 boats in 2009.
5. He rules in favour of GGYC. GGYC then become Challenger Of Record and the two parties fail to agree on the new protocol. The 33rd America’s Cup is then raced in multihulls next year in accordance with the GGYC challenge.

If Justice Cahn was to rule in favour of SNG then it is hard to believe that Oracle (GGYC) would just drop the court case they have caused so much fuss about. Oracle, no doubt have the most money. A four year cup cycle allowing their design team to go to work would be the best option for them. So I think they would appeal the decision.

For me, options 2 & 3 seem the most likely. But let’s wait and see what the old codger has install for the America’s Cup community.

Gotta Love It 7 - 2 wins from 2 races

Photo: Brad Maylon
[Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League]
Seve Jarvin and his young Gotta Love It 7 team of Sam Newton and Robert Bell won their second successive race of the season when they mastered the 20-knot North East wind to take out the Life Members Trophy on Sydney Harbour today.

Gotta Love It 7 had the boat speed upwind and were spectacular under spinnaker to win by 24secs from Ssangyong Yandoo (John Winning) with CST Composites (Chris Dixon) a further 12secs back in third place.

Behind the placegetters were Macquarie Real Estate (Micah Lane), Fiat (Michael Coxon) and Asko Appliances (Hugh Stodart).

Gotta Love It 7 led a tightly bunched fleet to the windward marks, where the three-buoys came into play for the first of three times during the race.

Macquarie Real Estate took advantage of going to the middle mark and was first to set her spinnaker, ahead of Sean Langman’s Thurlow Fisher, 7, Asko, CST and Ssangyong Yandoo.

The spinnaker run to the wing had the spectators cheering loudly as the skiffs jumped across the water at tremendous speed.

7 took the lead off Steel Point to lead at the wing mark but Ssangyong Yandoo was putting plenty of pressure on to grab second place ahead of Macquarie Real Estate.

Keith Piggin Real Estate (Peter Morrison) joined the leading group on this leg and was holding sixth spot before breaking a mast at the gybe.

The three leading teams worked back up the second windward leg with little between them.

Ssangyong Yandoo rounded the blue marker 15secs ahead of Gotta Love It 7 which had to go to the further white buoy. Macquarie was next to the blue buoy and actually split the others with the distance advantage over 7.

Once again Gotta Love It 7 was brilliant on the long downwind leg to the start mark and from that point was never headed to score an excellent victory.

The strong winds took a toll on the fleet with only 14 of the 21 starters completing the course.

Next week is Race 1 of the Club Championship and is also the first selection race to determine Australia’s 15 boats to contest the 2008 Giltinan Championship in February.



Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League