|
|
XS Racing is a Racing Organization and a Daily Online News Source for the High Performance Sailor
Visit Several Times Each Day for Your Daily Sailing News as it Breaks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|  |
Monday, January 5 - 2009 - Leading the Vendée Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux on his 60 foot monohull FONCIA rounded Cape Horn (Chile) at 0310 UT today. As such, Michel has taken 56 days 15 hours and 08 minutes to reach Cape Horn and round the last of the great capes to be left to port after that of Good Hope (South Africa) and Leeuwin (Australia). As a result the skipper of FONCIA has taken two hours less than Jean Le Cam in 2004 (56 days 17 hours and 13 minutes), who was the first to round Cape Horn during the Vendée Globe 2004/05.
It's a staggering performance by the Michel Desjoyeaux/FONCIA duo when you note that the course across the Southern Ocean has been extended by 1,200 miles, given the N'ly position of the seven ice gates which have punctuated this navigation across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
|
|
|  |
Monday January 5 - 2009 - After an incredible week sprinting along the coast of Argentina and Uruguay, during which Thomas Coville was bordering exhaustion, exploiting every stormy squall to ultimately make up over four days on the record time, the Maxi trimaran Sodeb'O is today making headway close on the wind in very, very uncomfortable conditions.
The N'ly wind - force 6 to 7 with 25 to 33 knots of breeze - is picking up a short sea on the nose, which is causing both the sailor and the boat to suffer. Thomas Coville is currently etching out a 'seagull wing' shape wake as he has been making easting since yesterday in order to line himself up favorably in relation to the tradewind. Midway through tonight's course the skipper is likely to change tack and adopt a N'ly course, which may well enable him to begin clawing back more miles on the record holder. Upon rounding Cape Horn last Sunday Sodeb'O had a deficit of nearly five days on Francis Joyon's record time. Coville took the inside track at Cape Horn by daring to go through Le Maire Strait "which has enabled us to envisage a shorter course to the west. As such we were also able to benefit from two weather systems which took us to the Rio gateway on a virtual single tack, the main bonus of which was the high speed," highlighted Richard Silvani from Météo France this morning. "Right now all that's needed is to reposition ourselves to the East in order to hunt down the famous tradewind."
Climbing due North from tomorrow, Thomas is likely to accelerate progressively and make up even more miles. He will be able to ease his sheets slightly and get onto a more comfortable point of sail, which will be gentler for the sailor and the boat alike. Yesterday evening the skipper had to carry out repairs on a stubborn engine which was refusing to start. He spent the majority of the night upside down getting his hands dirty in some rather unenviable conditions.
The weather forecasts for the coming week will carry the Maxi Sodeb'O along at good speed as far as the equator, which she is set to reach on Wednesday 7th January. As for the Doldrums, situated at 6 or 7 degrees North, these don't appear today to be very active. This may change however! Of note is the fact that there is still some uncertainty between the American and European models as regards the Azores High, which is the last strategic transition in this express round the world.
In order to beat the record set by Francis Joyon last year, the Maxi Sodeb'O will have to cross the finish line in Brest prior to 15th January, 03h27'20'' UTC. Photo Jean Marie Liot.
|
|
|  |
Monday January 5 - 2009 - Jonny Malbon (Artemis, GBR) yesterday announced his decision to retire from the Vendée Globe due to the ongoing problems with his mainsail.
Artemis's mainsail began delaminating three weeks ago, apparently due to a problem with the adhesion between the scrim and fibers. Over the past 24 hours the sail has broken down further, with a one meter-long vertical tear developing as the final taffeta layer also began to disintegrate. The damage is so severe that Malbon cannot repair it onboard, as he explained during yesterday's radio broadcast:
"It's getting worse and worse and worse. I simply cannot repair that sort of damage, I've never seen anything like it before, I don't have enough materials or glue or I haven't got enough hands."
Artemis has been racing in 12th place and is currently 300 miles south of New Zealand. With the isolated Pacific Ocean still ahead and no landfall until South America, Malbon and his team have assessed the situation and decided that his best option is to retire and head for the South Island of New Zealand.
Artemis is also suffering a damaged starboard rudder, following a collision with a whale several weeks ago, which - combined with his mainsail issues - would make sailing upwind near-impossible. Previous issues, such as difficulties with his watermakers and an ongoing battery charging problem, are not in themselves race-threatening, but combined with the lack of mainsail could become deeply problematic over time.
Jonny Malbon commented: "I am absolutely devastated. We (AOR II and I) have been through so much since the start and survived it all - I think I always imagined that if I went out of this race it would not be something I would have to weigh up and decide, it would just be something that happened and be beyond my control. The thing with this is that I could carry on for a bit but it is only a matter of time - it is no longer if but when the mainsail will just disintegrate completely, so heading out past New Zealand back into the Southern Ocean is just not feasible. My heart is telling me to go on but my head is telling me I have to stop and in the end it is true - I have no choice. Words cannot describe my disappointment that this has come to an end."
Malbon, 34 from the Isle of Wight, was competing in his first Vendée Globe on the Rogers-designed Artemis II, and becomes the 16th skipper to abandon this year's race, with over half of the 30-strong fleet now having retired.
|
|
|  |
Monday, January 5 - 2009 - We have gotten quite a bit of response about an XS editorial we posted posing the question of the burden extreme races may pose to outside resources (scroll down for the original story.) Brian Hancock organizer for the Portimao Global Ocean Race, where a solo sailor was recently rescued, shot us an email:
I read with interest the comments on XSRacing about the cost of rescue at sea - and as you might expect I disagree fully. I think it's a healthy thing to disagree and have a full on debate about it.
Below is an email I received from a race fan about his own rescue.
A small personal comment on sea rescues.
As you are aware I was fortunate enough to be plucked from Cloud Nine by a 90 foot Cray fish trawler in absolutely extreme conditions, winds probably in excess of 100 knots and breaking steep waves.
These guys diverted within minutes of seeing our flare. The rescue took hours under those conditions. They risked their lives , their boats and serious injury (one guy nearly lost his leg in the processes) and it cost them plenty.
Not one bit of thanks or compensation was asked for nor did it seemed expected. It just seemed a routine event to them. Though I am eternally grateful and respectful of their efforts, how does one say thanks. I think the only way is to know in your heart and for them to know in their hearts, that you will do the same for anybody else if required one day, and that someone else will do their best for them if the need arises.
I feel strongly this is one of those unwritten laws of the sea that must never be challenged by the modern competitive, win at all costs, world. The day a sea rescue is passed up for personal gain will be a sad day for humanity and all sea farer's. I think everybody has an unsaid gut feel that when you enter into the world of the sea you you do it like David approached Goliath. The sea is mightier than us and our boats by far. Yet we know that if we respect the sea and try really hard, we may well be afforded the chance of coming out alive. We all know that no matter how big or small the boat is that we set off in, we may well need to be rescued one day. As said - even the Titanic needed rescue.
|
|
|  |
Monday, January 5 - 2009 - There were light winds for the A-Cat Worlds Race One, on Australia's Lake Macquarie today.
Spain's Manuel Calavia claimed first place. Calavia was the first ranked European behind five times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby and Scott Anderson in the 2007 European Championships and was placed second behind Steve Brewin in the 2008 Europeans. 'I was the third boat up from the pin. I went left, found clean air and was good after that,' Calavia said.
Ashby, who came second, described his approach to the challenging conditions. "The secret was to go hard left until your nose bled or you almost bricked, and then come away," he said.
For the start of Race 2 it was A-Cat Heaven - Winds were gusting 15 to 18, possibly 19, World Champion A-Cat brochure conditions on Lake Macquarie.
It was sensational first leg for Tom Slingsby, the duel Laser World Champion who is definitely a multihull talent. Off the start line, the entire fleet went left. Although the line was pin end favored, Slingsby had started 50 meters down from the boat end, went hard left and tacked on the port lay line, while others overlaid.
He came in on the port tack, fast ahead of the five times A-Cat World Champion, Glen Ashby for the third time in the last week, with Brad Collett and Andrew Landenberger close, followed by Luc Du Bois (SUI).
The young red headed Laser sailor says "I haven't really figured out how to sail these things downwind." That said, he wasn't too bad - the second time at the top mark he was third behind the five time World Champion, just behind Brad Collett, who hit the bottom mark and fell back.
"I'm, going well upwind, first to the top mark again," said Slingsby. "I was happy to get third. In my view I feel like I'm dog slow down-wind."
After a late lunch the A-Cat fleet was back on the water for the third race in the series. Conditions had changed little from Race 2, again perfect A-Cat conditions, 15-18 knots from the north east.
At the top mark BMW Oracle mono and multihull racer James Spithill came in on starboard tack to lead, with Tom Slingsby speeding in on port, slotting into second ahead of Brad Collett and Hamish Sinclair. Fifth was Glen Ashby, who flew down the run, quickly over taking Collett and Sinclair.
At the top mark for the third time, World Champion Glenn Ashby has sailed through Spithill. Third on the water was veteran Scott Anderson ahead of Dave Brewer, Steve Brewin. Slingsby was nowhere to be seen, and then the green and gold trampoline appeared, about 15th on the starboard lay line, struggling for boat speed, after a gear failure.
A disappointed Slingsby had to retire from the race. "One of my lines snapped. While I tied it up, I couldn't put any load on it so I had to come ashore."
Ashby won again, over Spithill, Scott Anderson, Dave Brewer, Steve Brewin and Andrew Landerberger.
In the series overall after the first three races Ashby, with five A-Cat World Championships under his belt is certainly looking good for number six with a 2,1,1 result. Behind him is Spithill 3, 9, 2 and Switzerland's Luc Dubois has 7, 2, 7 is third. Dave Brewer, the unlucky sailor who was struck by lightning on the first day of the Pre-Worlds event is fourth with 5.10,4
Ashby commented dockside - "Pleased to be 2, 1, 1 against this quality fleet. It's been great racing. James is surprising everyone with his boat handling, race tactics and race management. I'm sure we'll have some classic races down the track."
Spithill commented. "There is a long way to go in the series, but it was certainly fun out there today."
Brewer, who spent the night in the regional base hospital after being the only A Cat sailor holding onto his carbon mast when lightning struck the water has sailed into contention in this top quality fleet.
He was smiling in the boat park "You've got to start well and sail consistently. The last race was beautiful; about 15 to 16 knots. All the Olympic guys have been doing well, so I am just pleased to up there." Photography by Sail-World.com /AUS ©
|
|
|  |
Friday, December 31, 2008 - Alinghi Released this statement a few days ago - The Amicus Brief...sounds like a Grisham movie:
Five additional challengers have presented an Amicus Curiae Brief in support of the Société Nautique de Genève against BMW Oracle Racing, including two 32nd America's Cup challengers. (On the 13 of November Team French Spirit, Team Shosholoza, Green Comm Challenge, Argo Challenge and Ayre Challenge as well as the city of Valencia filed an Amicus Curiae Brief).
These are the five additional challengers:
- K-Challenge
- Deutscher Challenger Yacht Club
- Dabliu Sail Project
- Italia
- Russian Challenge
|
|
|  |
Friday, January 2 - 2009 - Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) at the head of the Vendée Globe fleet for 17 days leads the fleet towards Cape Horn. Running downwind into the Fifties latitudes he had slowed in the hour to 0330h GMT but has been back to speed since. Desjoyeaux leads by just under 70 miles from Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnment).
Sam Davies, GBR (Roxy) lies sixth but encounters ridge of high pressure during last night and spends some hours almost becalmed.
Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy), complained that there was not much wind during the night, while 2000 miles ahead of her, Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) is back in the Fifties having to contend with the usual strong winds and cross seas. For once, his speed at 0400hrs was dictated by this, and even worth noting is that the slowest of the five front-runners averaging just 11.6 knots, while those directly behind him were still happily sailing along at 16 knots.
We might therefore see the gaps narrowing in the next few hours. Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air) and Vincent Riou (PRB), remain joined at the hip, and having passed the last Ice Gate are also now heading down towards Cape Horn. The pair are still joined by a 30 miles line. Le Cléac'h crossed the final gate at 0330hrs GMT, more to the east of Riou, who crossed an hour earlier.
With Desjoyeaux slowing down the first boat is now due to round the Cape on Monday morning after 56 or 57 days of sailing - around the same time Jean Le Cam took in 2004, but this time the course is 1160 miles longer.
Jean Le Cam in third place has had a good night, pushing hard to consolidate and is quickest of the top five this morning. At current speeds he is about 24hours behind the leaders, but may lose more miles at Cape Horn. Current weather models show the leading pair escaping on the tail of the system they are on, while Le Cam may, ironically, lose out at the notorious Cape.
While Davies was left wallowing in a light winds, doing all she could to wriggle Roxy free, Marc Guillemot (Safran) was making the best speed of the fleet and closed 74 miles on the British skipper, 212 miles behind. Both have yet to hear from the international jury as to what their respective redress will be for diverting to help Yann Eliès, but decisions are expected soon.
Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) has been working hard to stay with the weather system he is riding and has been making good speeds overnight, now in ninth place with 250 miles to go to reach the SW Pacific security gate, whilst Dee Caffari, GBR (Aviva) is about 50 miles ahead of Arnaud Boissières (Akena Verandas), but she had a weed issue last night which cost here a little time. Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) has been making good average speeds, averaging 13 knots overnight.
|
|
|  |
Friday, January 2 - 2009 - We asked the readership if some of the global races ask too much of others in terms of resource in a rescue situation. And should these races be self contained and ask nothing of outside agencies to assist in cases of emergency. Here's a couple of responses from the XS pack:
"To take off around the world in pursuit of your own personal dream, only to have things go wrong, and then expect someone to risk their life and property (and thus alter the lives of their families) to save your butt is...(wait for it..) PROFOUNDLY selfish, and totally self-absorbed. At the very least, the race organizers and the sailors need to buy some sort of major insurance policy that would: 1. Pay for the costs of being rescued, and 2. Compensate the families of those performing the rescue in the event the rescuers (the real heroes) are hurt or worse, killed. If you can pursue your dream without changing someone else's world negatively - go for it and good on ya`. But otherwise - stay on the beach and keep dreaming." - CP -
"Seems very selfish. Maybe they should hire a 100 foot boat to follow the racers. Each leg would have a different rescue boat depending on its range and speed."
-BW -
Photo onEdition.
|
|
|  |
Friday, January 2 - 2009 - If you're in the BMW Oracle camp, you have to enjoy when Vincenzo Onorato from Mascalzone Latino starts writing letters to Ernesto. Here's the latest:
Dear Ernesto,
I have read the list of the last - minute registered teams to Your America's Cup.
You would forgive my insolence, but in such a very short time a number of teams without history or "art" have been promptly and immediately accredited to the highest world sailing competition. These teams "by chance" have filed an Amicus brief against GGYC - BMW Oracle Racing team. The above would be nearly - and I repeat nearly - marginal if you would have not taken more then a year to issue a confirmation letter of acceptance of our Club and Mascalzone Latino! You asked for the proof of the existence of Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, which has more then a century of history and participation into two America's Cup.
The matter raises existential questions: which rooms near the sea I have visited in the last decades in Naples? Where I have had dinners hundreds of times thinking to be my yacht club? Should I now question whether my club exists? I'm proud of my Neapolitan origins . You Mr Bertarelli , you should be ashamed to offend my club and the city it represents only because we have supported Oracle arguments. You could make other amicus brief being signed by teams which from the America's Cup expect anything but a loyal competition; the so called "professional" of sailing which means those who wish to make money from sailing, have not always honored our sport, too eager for money and not for the competition. Congratulation to Russell who has the courage to give up with you, and to Ellison to defend our sport. A prayer: for once please reply to me, and do not hide you behind your "rubber wall" which does not honor you .
Vincenzo Onorato
P.S.: I kindly ask you to provide me with the proof that all the other teams registered have paid the registration fee as we have done!
|
|
|  |
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - At around 1300hrs GMT, Vendee Globe skipper Jean-Pierre Dick suffered a collision with a solid object which is reported to have removed the port rudder and most of its assembly from the stern of Paprec-Virbac 2.
He was sailing at around 15 knots of boat speed, under mainsail and gennaker when incident happened during the hours of darkness.
The skipper reported to his shore team that he has no idea what the object was. He immediately slowed the boat, reduced sail to two reefs and a staysail and turned on to the opposite gybe so that he could steer with his starboard rudder.
His position was approximately 47 deg 49.53 S, 143 deg 08.10 W. That places him about 1700 miles south of the French Polynesian Islands, 2700 miles WNW of Cape Horn, and about 1800 miles from New Zealand.
The Nicois skipper is unharmed, there is no other damage reported to the boat and he is making a compass course of about 350 degrees towards the South Pacific high pressure system which will initially provide calmer winds and seas while he and his team assess the options. Photo LIBRES DE DROIT.
|
|
|  |
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - Here's a question for the XS readership - if you have a minute, please weigh in and we'll put some of the responses on the homepage.
In some of these recent high-profile round the world races and through history, sailors have been, understandably, getting into trouble as they make their way into the latitudes of the 40s and 50s. When a keel falls off or a mast comes down, typically a large ship of some kind gets rerouted and a rescue is implemented. Sometimes it's a Coast Guard driven rescue and occasionally a fellow racer is able to assist. In the case of the first two, much resource, effort and money is spent to save these dare-devil racers.
Should races that involve such high risk be "without a net"? If you want to brave the Southern Ocean - it's on you. No one gets inconvenienced and no money gets spent except other racers or the race organization. Is this too radical a proposal? Don't get me wrong - I love these races, but the kind considerate side of me asks if our sport is, at times, a mite selfish .
What say you? Respond here: info@xsracing.org
|
|
|  |
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - Ernesto Bertarelli recently did an interview with the International Herald Tribune about the state of the cup and addressing the BMW Oracle situation. Here's some highlights:
When asked about BMW Oracle missing the registration deadline, Bertarelli said:
"I'm disappointed. Larry Ellison's argument is to say that the event is a phony and not fair and that the rules are not acceptable. Nevertheless, the rules are acceptable to 19 teams, some of which have had a pedigree in the America's Cup much superior to his team. This is the most teams we've ever had, so we must have done something right in promoting the event and going about our vision for the America's Cup and making sure there's a lot of interest. He's a little bit singled out at this stage."
On Ellison's legal motivations:
"I think he wants to win the Cup without having to race the other challengers on the water."
Protecting the "future of the Cup"?
"First, he should read the history of the America's Cup to see that all sorts of yacht clubs have participated. One famous example is Michael Fay's Kiwi Challenge, which was out of a yacht club whose clubhouse Michael was very proud to say was an old Cadillac on a deserted beach in New Zealand. Which I actually got to see when he invited me to his private island way back in 2001. The other thing, which is very interesting, is that the creation of the Spanish yacht club, CNEV, is a result of Larry's request to transform the yacht club that was representing the Spanish team from the Spanish federation to the yacht club we created as he requested. The Spanish team, by the way, had better results in the last Cup than Larry's team."
Building a Multihull?
"We have done enough to be ready within the time that we would have in case Larry was to win in court, but we don't have a boat that is finished. We just try to spend as little as possible. And so we don't have a boat that could sail tomorrow morning. We would need to spend quite a bit more to get ready. My hope is not to have to launch the multihull.
I just don't understand where he's going with his strategy. He can't be arguing that the rules that 19 teams have agreed on are not good enough for him. And wanting to race the defender in a deed of gift match where the rules are dictated by the defender! If you know the history of the America's Cup, the 150 years of the New York Yacht Club's stewardship of the Cup shows that it's very hard for a challenger to win under the deed of gift match rules. So I really don't see his plan if it's not one of stopping the Cup as long as possible or creating as much trouble as possible." Photo Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi.
|
|
|  |
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 - Five times A-Cat World Champion Glenn Ashby reminded everyone just why he is the A-Cat King today. He has produced a dominating display in the five race Australian A-Cat titles on Lake Macquarie. His scorecard was 1, 1,3,3,1 - an impressive result in an 85 boat fleet.
The vertically challenged sailor, he is only 5 foot six inches (1.68 metres) has blistering speed, surprising when another six inches or 150mm would get more weight to windward.
Ashby has a different trapezing style to most of his competitors; his body is much lower on the boat, his airborne hull seems to just skim over the waves. His head is so low it's clear he often can't see the leeward hull, but his boat is flat and flat is fast.
Ashby says 'It comes from the Tornado. Darren (Bundock) is a low trapper and I need to be lower than helm, so I've always been a very low trapper. It provides maximum efficiency and I need that because I am far from tall.'
As well as speed, Ashby has always been a very smart sailor; he has five A-Cat World titles to prove that. But his silver medal Olympic Tornado campaign has sharpened his course skills even more, in the last two years especially.
He agrees. 'The last two years of the Tornado campaign have certainly improved my racing skills. Things like picking starting positions and shifts. The Olympic campaign has polished up some of the edges.'
'I guess it comes out best on tricky days. Today was a really 'woolly' day; we had a westerly from 6 knots to 28 knots, shifty, puffy wind. Really tricky conditions. There were some huge snakes and ladders. It was not a speed day; it was an eyes out of the boat day.'
In the first race of the day, the fourth in the series, Steve Brewin won from Tom Slingsby, Glenn Ashby and Brad Collett. In Race Five, Ashby took the gun from Andrew Landerberger and Brad Collett. Slingsby was seventh.
2007 Australian A Class Champion Steve Brewin commented back in the boat park, 'Glenn is always very hard to beat, so it was nice to do that in the first race today. On Monday he gave us a sailing lesson right from the start and that was a wake up call.
'I would have said that Tom Slingsby is probably the biggest improver that I've seen in a long while, in the shortest time. Today he had a 2 and a 7. Scott Anderson's doing a lot of training with Tom and certainly he's come up to pace.'
In fourth place overall was BMW Oracle America's Cup match racer James Spithill, who had a 16, 12 day after a second and seven yesterday.
'I've been able to string together a few good results. However I think my family who were watching on the first day, just think it's a miracle I have not capsized. I've almost done it coming into the finish. Yesterday in one race, closing on the finish line I just pulled off this gybe and my boat was right on the edge. I somehow flattened it out and it was a Spithill family disappointment, obviously' he laughed.
Slingsby, dual World Laser champion is another freshman in the A-Cat's who is messing with the pecking order.
He came ashore today with a huge grin on his face, after a second in this morning's race ahead of his Australian Sailing Team mate Ashby and then a seventh this afternoon.
Slingsby commented 'Starting catamarans is a whole new thing for me, so timed runs in are a bit different for me; but it's pretty crazy. I've been lucky to get off the start so far. I had one bad one yesterday.
'Glenn's quick. It's not the only thing. I think off the start line people can match him; he's just smart and his boat handling is better than everyone else's.
'In one race I saw him duck ten boats. It was just one of the biggest duckings, but then he came out and went the right way and was gone. I think his 'smarts' are what are getting him in front of everyone. He knows how to sail his boat, that's for sure.
'I like plenty of wind because I am a bitter heavier than most. The more shifts the better, (like today) I think. I'd prefer having a bit more of a mind game than everyone else. But it's fun, it's a great boat, a great class and I'm really enjoying it' concluded Slingsby.
The A-Cat Worlds commence at Belmont Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie on the 2nd January, with the Practice race. Racing concludes on the 9th January and spectators are most welcome. Photography by Sail-World.com /AUS ©.
|
|
|  |
Tuesday, December 30 -2008 - Sixteen-year-old Michael Perham has re-commenced his bid to become the youngest person to sail around the world single-handed.
He set off yesterday saying how pleased he was to be back at sea after spending almost a month trying to sort out gremlins in his auto-pilot system. Speaking from his satellite phone he said, "I'm free at last, it feels absolutely brilliant to be on my way again. I am still slightly anxious that the Auto-pilot is 100% reliable, but with each passing hour my confidence in it builds."
Mike's Dad, Peter said, "Mike has shown a great strength of character in having to deal with so many setbacks so early on in the voyage, He has only sailed for 12 days since leaving six weeks ago and to make matters more challenging, up till last week there was an excellent weather pattern to send him on his way, alas this has now moved on so he will have to contend with light, variable and mostly adverse winds for the next few days."
Many messages of encouragement continue to arrive onto his web site TotallyMoney.com/sailmike. Clearly his supporters are pleased to see he has thrown off the shackles that have kept him in harbor for so long.
|
|
|  |
Tuesday, December 30 -2008 - Last week Team Russia announced it's withdrawal from the Volvo Ocean Race due to lack of funding. The team had been actively approaching sponsors in recent months to secure enough financial support to continue the Volvo Ocean Race onto Qingdao (China) and beyond. However no sponsorship has been forthcoming and the team had no alternative but to suspend racing until further financial support can be secured.
Watch Captain Nick Bubb wrote:
"One of the saddest things about suspending Team Russia's participation in the Volvo Ocean Race is not just the lack of frontline action out on the ocean but the break up of one of the most amazing collections of people I've ever spent time with.
At our final team dinner there were many tears. What was shared between us that night will remain private but suffice to say, guys don't like having their toys, boys and girls all taken from them in one fell swoop.
We may not be at the top of the leaderboard but we are not at the bottom either and if you asked anybody on the dock which team was having the best time, both on and off the water, the answer virtually always came back 'Team Russia'.
This may be the Volvo Ocean Race, the most hardcore and professional yacht race in the world and while we worked our butts off, we also partied hard.
Developing a great team spirit can only be achieved by sharing experiences and these can't all come from time on the ocean. Only 30% of the team were out there anyway! We all knew the rules even though they were never written down: party as much as you like but don't miss the morning gym session and ensure your area of responsibility is under control.
Undoubtedly the last six months have been some of the best times of my life. When I joined the team in June I didn't really know any of them and now I feel like I'm leaving 30 life long friends behind. I fly back to the UK today ready to see all my friends and supporters back home and can't help but reflect on how lucky I am, even though it is going to be desperately disappointing not to be leaving Singapore with the rest of the fleet. Maybe I will sign up for the website race and see if I can crack the top 1000 in the virtual skipper competition." Photo Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race.
|
|
|  |
Tuesday, December 30 -2008 - An eerie calm in Bass Strait and light and variable winds along the Tasmanian coast split the smaller and slower boats in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart race fleet from the fast-finishing 50 to 55 footers, which have dominated the overall corrected time placings.
Knocked out of contention for the race's major trophy, the Tattersall's Cup, for the overall IRC handicap winner in this general slow-down were some of the overseas entries.
International entries are, however, in the top three placings in two of the four IRC Divisions, which group boats of similar rating.
Chris Welsh's veteran Spencer 65 Ragtime has won Division 2; Harry Heijst's 36-year-old Sparkman & Stephens 41 Winsome is leading Division 4 with near sister S&S 41 Pinta-M, both from the Netherlands, third with yachts still finishing.
Ragtime a narrow-gutted "splinter" of a boat, built in plywood to a design by the New Zealand genius John Spencer 43 years ago, was well ahead of both the major calms in finishing four hours behind the last of the hot TP52s.
The international jury awarded her redress time of one hour 55 minutes for backtracking and standing by the sinking Georgia on the race's first night. That left Ragtime 11th on IRC handicap overall and at the top of IRC Division 2.
Ragtime, legendary in USA West Coast racing in the 1970s, won line honours in the 1973 and 1975 Los Angeles-Honolulu Transpac races. After competing in fourteen Transpacs, she slipped into a neglected state. Welsh bought her at a sheriff's auction in 2004.
Welsh repaired the hull, installed a new rudder, new keel, carbon rig, added a new mainsail and five new asymmetrical spinnakers for a highly competitive IRC handicap-racing package.
He says: "We checked all the boxes on what a Rolex Sydney-Hobart race should be. We had a damaged rental car, the sinking of a vessel we were intimately involved with, high winds, changing winds, a lot of surfing like crazy. We had the right sails; had some gear failures."
The biggest problem was the number four jib pulling out of the headfoil four times, every half hour or so, as Ragtime slogged across Storm Bay in 38 knots.
The highest downwind speed Ragtime's crew saw was 26.5 knots. "It was really on fire, we had decent waves to surf," said Welsh. "Geny Tulloch is the strongest driver we have in that kind of stuff. She is truly gifted as a helmsman. She just lights up, the boat lights up and she keeps the boat on the edge of power."
Photo credit: Rolex / Daniel Forster
|
|
|  |
Tuesday, December 30 -2008 - Vendee Globe Newsflash - Racing with the benefit of better weather conditions Michel Desjoyeuax and Roland Jourdain are driving a bigger wedge between themselves and trio of boats which are in pursuit. Jean Le Cam in third saw his deficit rise by more than fifty miles overnight, while Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac'h lost more than 100 miles.
Desjoyeaux and Jourdain are taking advantage of a different weather system from their rivals to extend their lead. During the night they were averaging 4 to 7 knots more than the next three. In two days Le Cam has lost 150 miles and is now 337 miles from the leader, and the situation is worse still for Vincent Riou (PRB) and Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air), who have conceded more than 100 miles overnight and 240 and 300 miles in 48 hours.
These gaps are likely to increase still further during the day. Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement), the fastest of the 16 boat fleet this morning was averaging 19.1 knots, some 7 knots faster than Le Cam. And overnight Jourdain - 50 miles to the south of Foncia's track - has not just lived with Desjoyeaux, but in fact has taken about 10 miles out of the leader, making 439 miles over the last 24h.
In sixth place, Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) must be pleased to have gybed during the night, as this should allow him to take another look at his starboard rudder. Dick is putting a brave face on it, but admits his repaired rudder system requires consistent love and care. He is still content to be in the race, but the Nicois skipper - who won the Barcelona World Race and worked tirelessly to maximize the reliability of his Farr design which was built in New Zealand - must be frustrated to be in sixth, back in the same position as he finished the 2004 race.
Sam Davies, GBR, has remained much the same distance behind Paprec-Virbac overnight, after having replaced the 'fuse' in her rudder yesterday evening after Roxy hit 'something small but solid' Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar), Arnaud Boissières (Akena Verandas) and Dee Caffari, GBR, (Aviva) all crossed back into the western hemisphere last night, whilst Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) is relishing some more settled weather conditions, preparing to his two big jobs on board - stabilizing his broken gooseneck, and re-securing his generator. Photo JEAN MARIE LIOT / DPPI.
|
|
|  |
Tuesday, December 30 -2008 - At 11:45GMT today there was a dramatic rescue deep in the South Indian Ocean. The 17,000 tonne bulk carrier CSK Radiance, having been diverted earlier in the week at the request of MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) Reunion, located the stricken yacht Hayai with skipper Nico Budel on board and effected a flawless mid-ocean rescue. Budel, a 69 year old grandfather of five was racing the second leg of the Portimão Global Ocean Race when the lead bulb of his keel separated from the keel fin. While the bulb was still attached at the time of the rescue, and the boat was upright, the danger of the bulb coming loose and the boat capsizing was imminent. For the last three days Budel has been sailing north out of the Southern Ocean in an attempt to avoid violent storms that are forecast for the area. On Sunday night Hayai experienced storm force winds of 62 knots while Nico prepared to abandon ship.
"The conditions for rescue were not ideal," said Race Director Josh Hall who along with MRCC Reunion, race assistant Alan Green, and the Captain of the CSK Radiance coordinated the rescue. "There was a seven meter swell running and a moderate wind of around 20 knots making it difficult to manoeuvre a ship the size of CSK Radiance alongside a small yacht. Clearly Captain Singson and his crew are highly experienced seamen and we thank them profusely for not only diverting to help Nico, but also for their skill and determination in pulling off a successful operation."
The rescue brings to an end three days of high anxiety for Nico, his family, friends and the larger global community of Portimão Global Ocean Race fans who have been following every move. Their collective good wishes kept the keel bulb attached to the keel fin and the boat upright until CSK Radiance was on station for the rescue. Nico first noticed that the keel bulb had separated from the blade when the fastenings that run from the lead bulb to the top of the keel became loose. Upon further inspection it was clear that there was a major issue. He then observed that the bulb was at a 20 degree angle to the blade and could feel it banging around.
"I was very worried that the boat was going to capsize at any time," Budel said in a satellite phone call from on board CSK Radiance. "I have been on deck for the last two days in my survival suit as I did not want to be trapped below. It has been a very emotional time but I am happy to be saved and grateful to Captain Singson and his crew. They have been very welcoming. Before I left the boat I opened up the seacocks and there was already a lot of water around the keel. I am sure that it will sink in a few hours." The tracking device on board Hayai continues to send position reports and will do so until the boat goes down. Scuttling the boat is a prudent course of action to ensure that Hayai does not present any danger to maritime traffic.
Nico is hoping to be airlifted off the boat when the ship passes Cape Town. "I need to get back to Holland as soon as I can," he said. "If I can find a boat in New Zealand that is suitable for this kind of race I will buy it and rejoin the fleet in Wellington. This is a great event with great people and I want to continue to be a part of it. If not this one, definitely the next one."
Aside from the ships papers and his computer, the only thing that Budel salvaged from Hayai was a wooden plaque given to him by his father. "I have the plaque with me," he said. "It will be fixed to the interior of my new boat as soon as I have one. I am very sad to lose this great boat that has already raced twice around the world, but at least I am safe and there will be another boat and another race."
|
|
|  |
Monday, December 29 - 2008 - Cape Horn represents something special in a sailor's life, even if, for the sailor in question, it's not a complete first, but it is the first time single-handed in a multihull.
Thomas Coville is attempting to break the solo round the world record under sail held by Francis Joyon and this Sunday at 19 hours 42 minutes (GMT) he rounded the legendary rock nicknamed the Cape of Storms.
This nickname is well deserved as he observed: "Very big seas with winds increasing sharply from 12 to 30 knots." Conditions ultimately proved relatively manageable though after what Thomas has just had to endure. Indeed over the past few days and hours the skipper of Sodeb'O has experienced some particularly testing times.
It all started with two days on the alert, slaloming across the ice zones which were potentially very high risk where "we found a little way through between two masses." You can imagine the tension which reigns aboard: "You go very fast and you have ice all around you with extremely reduced visibility. We'd forecast that the wind was going to fill in and that was what occurred in the form of a very deep depression with 50 knot gusts and hard, cross seas. For 24 to 36 hours it was difficult to sail in the six to eight meter waves.
"You hurtle to the bottom of the wave and you're in a wind shadow, whilst at the top there's 40 to 50 knots, which sends you off into a surf where you're no longer in control. The following wave catapults you along or twists you side on. It's a very unsettling situation, to the extent that the pilot went crazy on two occasions. The boat broached into a wave and I really thought she was going to capsize. We dragged along the side of the wave; the boom swung to the other side and again pulled everything with it on its way through.
After the passage of this depression, I wanted to hoist more sail in the easing wind, to stop the windward float slamming too much and just at that point I got hit by a 50 knot gust. The wave motion whipped the mainsail, which deflated and then inflated again. All that resulted in four broken battens".
It should be noted that changing battens all on your own on a multihull is a titanic operation. The smallest measures five maters and the largest is nine meters. For Thomas this represents seven hours work in conditions where you can suffer frostbite on the ends of your fingers.
"Even though my deficit is eating away at me, I still retain the sense of determination and satisfaction through being with a boat I feel very good with; a boat which responds perfectly and has only suffered minimal damage despite the very hard conditions. To round the Horn with Sodeb'O is an immense pleasure for me. The Horn is a kind of deliverance. From the Cape of Good Hope to the Horn, if something bad happens, you're in a very critical situation, especially in a solo, record program where all you have around you is solitude. In a multihull you're very exposed.
"After the Horn you have a coastline and shipping. The pressure is different and enables you to switch to another mindset. When we see the state of the fleet in the Vendée Globe, we can be proud of the boat we've built. I can better understand why Groupama 3 was destroyed last winter. We're in a difficult spell of weather with a violent and very fast succession of systems. When you're in a single system, you don't get such a sea state. In contrast when you experience such a succession of depressions, the sea becomes very chaotic and very hard."
A few miles from reaching the end of the inappropriately named Pacific, the skipper of Sodeb'O admits that, "We're really not cut out to live in these places."
IDEC took 35 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes to round this third great cape but even though Sodeb'O has taken around 40 days to make the Horn, the deficit on the record holder has now shrunk to 1,314 miles.
|
|
|  |
Monday, December 29 - 2008 - A sailor racing in the final series ahead of A Class Catamaran Worlds, this afternoon was struck by lightning at Belmont, south of Newcastle, as a severe storm swept through the area.
The 40-year-old Victorian sailor was competing in the Australian National Championships.
The event is being sailed under the auspices of the Belmont 16 foot Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie and Sailing regatta spokeswoman Vicky Endert says steps were taken to protect competitors when the bad weather set in
'We thought the storm was getting close so we finished the race immediately and the fleet was off the water, when the lightning struck the water in the boat park, next to club and in the heavy rain the sailor who has his hand on the carbon fibre mast of his boat received a very severe shock.
The sailor was rushed by ambulance to John Hunter Hospital and is now reported to be in a stable condition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5676.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5675.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5674.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5673.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5672.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5671.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5670.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5669.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5668.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5667.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5666.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5665.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5664.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5663.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5662.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5661.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5660.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5659.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5658.jpg");)
![click to open](javascript:windowOpen("images/home/5657.jpg");)