Written by AC NEWS – With NZ and Prada matching racing effortlessly and getting ready for the AC in September, here is some footage of the defender ORACLE trying to do a simple bear-away but can’t! Then, as they head up into the wind, the boat heels to weather as if they could capsize to weather! Is ORACLE going back to the drawing board or was it just bad crew work? Check it out! Also, if you have not voted in our XS POLL “Who will win the AC?” please do…the XS POLL box is to the right.
Monthly archives for February, 2013
PRACTICE RACE DAY #1 – NZ vs. PRADA
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TEAM EMIRATES – The AC72 testing programme in Auckland has gained new urgency as the team counts down towards the day we must pack up the base and start the migration to San Francisco. This week, Herald on Sunday sports editor Paul Lewis went along for the ride. It was a race training day with Luna Rossa and Team NZ sailing in a first time ever AC course practice race. Check out some raw footage below:
VELA SAILING SUPPLY
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LEARNING HOW TO SAIL…
NEW SAILORS – Glenn tells how learning to sail catamarans is full of thrills and spills. He learned how to sail the first time on a racing catamaran at his sailing club. We love his enthusiasm for the sport as he discovers sailing even as an adult! Music from Free Music Archive. “Goodwill Cowboys Ride Again” (by Michael Chapman & The Woodpiles)
THE MOTH PROJECT
COOL VIDEOS – Moth sailing around Hayling Island Sailing Club England
RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AT AMERICA’S CUP PARK
AMERICAS CUP – The Port and the City of San Francisco came together on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the completion of the James R Herman Cruise Ship Terminal on Piers 27/29 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The building will be turned over to the America’s Cup Event Authority on March 1st, who will make it the centerpiece of the America’s Cup Park. The Cruise Ship Terminal will host the America’s Cup Media Center, and have areas for the competing teams, for public exhibitions, as well as food and beverage points. Following the Summer of Racing, it will be turned back to the Port and become a working Cruise Ship Terminal.
“I want to congratulate the City and the Port on achieving this milestone,” said Stephen Barclay, the CEO of the America’s Cup Event Authority. “It’s been a fantastic effort to get to this point. We’re very proud to be the first tenant of this facility, which will host the international media, as well as thousands of guests and the public, who will come to the America’s Cup Park this summer.”
The waterfront was buzzing with anticipation on a warm and sunny San Francisco afternoon as Mayor Edwin M. Lee told the crowd the project was an example of the legacy this America’s Cup will leave for the city.
“The new Cruise Terminal is a legacy project that will not only boost tourism and create jobs this summer during the America’s Cup races, but it will welcome visitors and residents to our waterfront for generations to come,” said Mayor Lee. “This major infrastructure project that is being delivered on time and on budget is the centerpiece of the America’s Cup Park and when it begins serving the cruise industry next year, it will provide a significant economic impact to our City.”
Following the America’s Cup, the Port is scheduled to complete the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal by 2014 to make it operational for cruise ships, and create a new 2.5 acre public park known as the Northeast Wharf Plaza.
TEAM ABERDEEN SINGAPORE
EXTREME SAILING SERIES – The Extreme Sailing Series is set to become a brand new international fixture on the Singapore sports calendar until 2015, in a three year deal announced today between Series organisers OC Sport, the Singapore Sports Council and Aberdeen Asset Management. And for the first time ever, a team representing Singapore, skippered by a Singaporean sailor and supported by Aberdeen Asset Management, will be on the start line at Act 2 hosted in Singapore from the 11-14 April.
For Aberdeen Asset Management, the sponsorship of Team Aberdeen Singapore and their status as the main Local Partner for the Singapore Act, adds to the global asset manager’s growing sailing sponsorship portfolio, which includes ‘Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week’; an event where they had their first foray into Extreme 40 sailing in 2011, entering a British team into the UK leg of the 2011 Extreme Sailing Series. “We are delighted to bring the Extreme Sailing Series to Singapore as it promises lots of entertainment and we have developed a successful association with sailing elsewhere in the world” said Hugh Young, Managing Director at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited. “We are happy to be able to support Singapore’s sailing ambitions and the inclusion of two young Singapore sailing stars will generate great local interest.”
An aspiring Olympic laser sailor, 22-year-old Scott Glen Sydney is the man charged with the task of skipper, making him the first ever Singaporean to skipper an Extreme 40. Together with fellow Singaporean and Asian Games keelboat match racing gold medallist Justin Wong, 27, the duo will line up against some of the world’s best sailors as part of Team Aberdeen Singapore as the invitational team in Act 2 of the Extreme Sailing Series. The ‘invitational team’ concept was introduced to the Series this year to provide a platform for host nations to compete on their home waters, yet be part of the full season leaderboard.
Thrilled to be part of the inaugural team representing Singapore, Scott said, “I’m very excited at the prospect of representing Team Aberdeen Singapore in the Extreme Sailing Series in Singapore. This is an immense opportunity and I hope to use this experience to become a more well-rounded sailor.”
Justin who is looking forward to race on home waters said, “The credentials of the competitors are very strong, racing against the world’s best sailors on home waters is a very rare opportunity. It’s a great privilege to be part of Team Aberdeen Singapore and I’m looking forward to exciting racing at the Extreme Sailing Series.” The three remaining crew members will be announced at a later date.
The action in Singapore will begin on the 11th April with the official media day before the free to enter public Race Village opens from the 12th. The Extreme 40 fleet will race in the circuit’s action packed ‘stadium’ format on Marina Bay Reservoir offering excellent spectator views of the racecourse from the Race Village and VIP areas and spectators will be spoiled with front row seats at The Promontory@Marina Bay. Whilst the conditions at this time of year are expected to be light, the tension on the racecourse will be enhanced by the enclosed stadium right at the heart of the city.
ROLEX HONORS HEINEKEN, FRENCH
ROLEX YACHTSWOMAN AND YACHTSMAN – At an emotional ceremony today at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, Johnny Heineken (Larkspur, Calif.) and Jennifer French (St. Petersburg, Fla.) were celebrated as US Sailing’s 2012 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. Formally announced in January after being chosen for their outstanding on-water sailing accomplishments in 2012, the honorees were joined by family, friends, sailing dignitaries, fellow sailors and members of the media for a luncheon program.
The event was emceed by former US Sailing President Gary Jobson and the luncheon included a multi-media retrospective of their rise to the top of the sport. Heineken, the 2012 Kiteboarding Course Racing World Champion, and French, the 2012 Paralympic Silver Medalist in the SKUD-18 class, each gave heartfelt speeches after being awarded specially engraved stainless steel and platinum Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Masters, symbolic of their achievements in excellence, by Rolex Watch U.S.A. President and CEO Stewart Wicht.
I am so honored to be amongst the fantastic sailors who were nominated in 2012 and even more honored to win,” said French. “It’s a huge move forward for disabled sailing, the only sport where sailors can leave their wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs behind and go out and compete against able-bodied people; that’s why it attracts me.” French took several seconds to leave her own wheelchair to stand during her acceptance speech, utilizing a neuroprosthetic system she helped pioneer after a 1998 snowboarding accident left her a quadriplegic.
French called her Paralympic silver medal performance “a fantastic journey” and said she couldn’t have done it without crew JP Creignou (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and many others who supported them. “We were standing on their shoulders and fortunate for our outcomes. To gain a silver medal…it was not only an honor to represent Team USA but also an honor to follow in the footsteps of (2005 Rolex Yachtsman) Nick Scandone and his legend as well.” Scandone’s wife, Mary Kate Scandone, had introduced French, saying, “For Jen to achieve her goals as a disabled sailor is amazing.” Nick Scandone, who died in 2009, won a Paralympic gold medal and was the first-ever disabled sailor named for this award. French is the second.
Heineken took the stage after being introduced by 2011 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Bill Hardesty, who said, “Johnny has taken kiteboarding to the next level; he makes it look easy.” In fact, Heineken is a back-to-back kiteboarding course racing world champion (2011, 2012) after spending most of his life windsurfing and sailing. It wasn’t until 2009, that he learned to kiteboard.
“Kiteboarding is an evolution of sailing, not a new sport,” said Heineken, “and the fact that everyone is seeing it that way is pretty special. I’m amazed to have my name added to a list of sailors I’ve grown up idolizing.”
Heineken said winning one world championship was exciting but it was about “giving it a little more last year to win again” that was especially fulfilling. “Sailing has always been about speed to me,” he said, adding that he started out windsurfing with his father and progressed to racing a 29er in high school. “I’ve been working with the best guys to stay on top of the game, and I’m fortunate that many of them are from the Bay Area here. We’re seeing the sport take off, on the racing side especially; people are noticing they can go sailing in lighter and lighter conditions and still have fun. Kiteboard course racing is popping up all over in little clusters of local fleets.”
Heineken also gave St. Francis Yacht Club credit for pioneering the running of kiteboarding races locally. This was the second consecutive year that the awards were presented at the St. Francis Yacht Club.
Established in 1961 by US Sailing and sponsored by Rolex Watch, U.S.A. since 1980, US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards are considered the sport’s ultimate recognition of an individual’s outstanding on-the-water achievements for the calendar year. The process of determining the recipients starts each September when US Sailing invites its membership to make online nominations. A shortlist of nominees is then reviewed by a panel of noted sailing journalists who discuss the merits of each nominee and vote to determine the winners. Over its history the coveted award has been presented to 41 men and 34 women.
WOMEN SAILING IN OMAN
WOMEN SAILING – A team of Omani women has made it to the final stages of the Gulf region’s only long distance sailing event. The Sailing Arabia tour will head to Oman later on Thursday.
Despite a history of maritime trade and pearling, Omani sailors haven’t made much of a mark at an international level.
Now, the country is training a new generation to compete at the top level of the sport.
Al Jazeera’s Joanna Gasiorowska went to meet some of them in Doha.
THE FINAL CUT
AC NEWS – Some important decisions have been made in the last few days on the afterguard of the AC72 Luna Rossa catamaran, who will be participating in the Louis Vuitton Cup – America’s Cup Challenger Series – in San Francisco, CA, starting from July 6th.
Chris Draper has been chosen as helmsman and Francesco Bruni will be the tactician, although he will still helm the AC45 Luna Rossa Swordfish catamaran during the upcoming ACWS event in Naples.
Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena declared: “In all America’s Cup challenges you reach the point when this decision needs to be made. During these months Chris Draper has proved to be the best candidate to cover this role and I am convinced that his partnership with Francesco Bruni as a tactician will be one of our strengths. We may, for some races, decide to adopt a format in which Francesco Bruni will steer the boat in the pre-start, but this is a call that we will make from time to time, depending on the circumstances”.
NOT YOUR DAD’S DINGHY…
FOILERS - Foilers with kites in R Class Leander way back in the 2010 Sprint Series Super Cup. Will everyone in the future be on foils?
18 FOOTER RECAP VIDEO
18 FOOTERS – We love this class of boat here at XS. Here is Heat 7 Winning Group JJ Giltinan International 2013 and the overall JJ Title was decided on a 25 knot plus NE Course 1 minefield, with Gotta Luv it 7′s, Seve Jarvin, Scott Babbage, and Big Peter Harris victorious, and now have won 4 consecutive JJ Titles on the trot. Even more meritorious was the situation the 7 crew faced to win this title, with a busted hull the week prior, Seve’s damaged knee, and that they knew the competition was hotter than ever for the JJ title and that they would have a real fight on their hands.
With Rag & Famish Hotel equal with 7 on points, this race would decide it between this pair. The deal was obvious to everyone including mentor, Iain Murray. To win it you need to stay upright, and that’s what Seve’s crew did and the minefield took out all the main competition. Rag & Famish Hotel drove it in on the first bare away and after that they were looking good but the pressure of staying upright was immense over the rest of the long downwind legs to the finish. C-Tech, 1 swim, put on great downwind display to finish 2nd in Heat 7 and 4th overall.
The Rag’s jack McCartney, Mark Kennedy and David Witt came home in 3rd and 2nd overall, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, Michael Coxon, Dave OConnor and Trent Barnabas suffered 3 capsizes whilst leading only to finish 5th on line and 3rd overall.
The very best in 18 foot skiff racing from Sydney Harbour.
See the full race @ www.18footerstv.com
OLYMPIC SAILORS JOIN ARTEMIS
AC NEWS – Artemis Racing announced today the addition of 2012 Olympic medalists Iain Jensen and Andrew Simpson as well as 2016 Olympic hopeful John Gimson. The newcomers will join the team’s decorated Olympians Percy, Lange, Outteridge, and Monk.
Jensen and Gimson will provide sailing and training support for the team including maintenance and logistics for the team’s AC45 and F18 fleet, while Simpson will provide weather and tactics support to the afterguard.
“The experience we have on the sailing team, balanced with the youth and enthusiasm John, Iain and Andrew bring to the team is a good mix for us,” said Sailing Team Director Iain Percy.
© Sander van der Borch / Artemis Racing
Iain Jensen, as crew for Nathan Outteridge, won the Gold Medal in the 49er class in last summer’s games in London. Iain is a 49er world champion in 2009 and 2011 and a 49er European champion in 2011. His accolades include winning “Sail for Gold” in ‘09, ‘10, and ’12.
John Gimson is campaigning to represent Great Britain in the Nacra 17 in the Rio 2016 Olympic games. He has received many podium finishes ranging from the TP52 and Extreme 40 class to the Star, Etchells and Melges 24s.Andrew Simpson medaled in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in the Star Class as crew for Artemis Racing Sailing Team Director Iain Percy winning a gold and silver medal. Simpson brings his experience from +39 Challenge and Team Origin America’s Cup teams to his role with Artemis Racing.
© Sander van der Borch / Artemis Racing
“As an America’s Cup team, we are investing in the team’s future with guys like Andrew, Iain, John and Nathan,” said Artemis Racing CEO Paul Cayard. “These young sailors bring talent and enthusiasm to our team. They are the future of the America’s Cup.”
LOOKING GOOD
AC NEWS – Rumor here on the west coast says that ORACLE USA is back in the game…and maybe ahead of the game with thier rebuilt AC72. Flying is become routine and the boat is recording some crazy speeds. With our XS Poll over there on the right, Team NZ is leading as 70% of you say Team NZ will win the AC and 26% of you are saying ORACLE will. If you have not voted, cast your vote and we will see if the XS collective and predict the next AC winner.
ONE WEEK TO GO!
EXTREME SAILING SERIES – The original high-performance, stadium-style global racing circuit, designed for spectators, is set to come alight with a rash of new talent in its seventh season, as 8 international teams with some of the worlds best sailors prepare for Act 1 of the 2013 global tour, to the held at The Wave, Muscat Oman 5th-8th March.
Three new skippers and two completely new teams will bring a wealth of fresh talent to the Extreme 40 fleet in 2013, along with a set of credentials that will make predicting not only the outcome of the opening Act but the entire Series a near impossibility.
The public race village opens on the 6th March with Red Bull Free Runners, a dedicated kids zone, a football tournament for local teams and try sailing amongst other activities all staged at the The Wave, Muscat community beach.
Follow the action on the official event website, www.extremesailingseries.com
KILROY WAS HERE…
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE – Jim Kilroy’s long awaited autobiography is the no-holds-barred, behind the scenes story of commerce and competition; of what it takes to succeed; of adventure and glory on the high seas. Kilroy’s ocean racing yachts, all named Kialoa, amassed a record of victories that remains unrivaled in the highest levels of Grand Prix racing. In this lavishly illustrated full-color book he shares his secrets and his tale. On Wednesday, March 20, Jim Kilroy will be at the dinner meeting of California Yacht Club’s Sunset Book Club to tell the story of the book, his boats, his life … and so much more. His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and book signing. The meeting is open to the public. Details: Wednesday, March 20 Buffet dinner at 7 p.m. Open to the Public – $25 Reservations required by Friday, March 15
BACARDI SAILING
MIAMI SAILING WEEK – The most anticipated multi-class regatta in Miami will take place from March 3rd to March 9th, 2013. Teams representing countries from all over the world will meet again and line up under Miami’s sunny skies on Biscayne Bay to compete for the celebrated Bacardi Cup and the BMSW regatta trophy.
The STAR Class will compete for the 86th time in the Bacardi Cup, the VIPER 640 will be back challenging for their EFG Bank Pan-American Championship, the Melges 24 look forward battling with the Europeans, the Melges 20 will be back competing for their Winter Series and the J/80 are excited to come back to Biscayne’s warm waters for the second year in a row. We are also thrilled to announce to all participants that this year the hottest one design boat on the market, the J/70 , will be joining the BACARDI Sailing Week Regattas both in Miami and Newport.
RECORD BREAKING FINISH
RECORD BREAKERS – Here is raw footage of Sean Langman on his ORMA 60 trimaran renamed to Team Australia finishing the Sydney Hobart race in record time. He beats Mari Cha III’s Sydney record, also beating the 100′ Wild Oats XI’s best time on the course. It’s a new WSSRC record of 29hrs 52mins for the Sydney to Hobart course. Congrats Sean!
WHO’S LARRY ELLISON?
AMERICA’S CUP – Who is Larry Ellison? Here is a cool 1999 interview with Larry from CNN on how he built one of the most successful companies in the world. At the end of the video he talks about how he survived the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race that claimed 6 sailors lives on his racing yacht at the time ‘Sayonara’. After watching this video go vote on our XS Poll over on the right on ‘who will win the upcoming America’s Cup’…after watching this video on Larry, it may influence your vote to vote for ORACLE to win.
5 TEAMS SELECTED
RED BULL YOUTH AMERICAS CUP – Five of the best youth sailing teams in the world have qualified for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup following a grueling two-week Selection Series in San Francisco. The 12 crews, from 11 countries, were pushed to the limit as they fought for the right to compete in September’s races.
National crews from Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland, made the cut to advance to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup where they will meet five crews supported by current America’s Cup teams
Double Olympic Gold medalists Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher, the Sports Directors for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, made the selections after closely monitoring the teams on and off the water during the two back-to-back selection weeks. With the high talent level and extreme motivation of the crews, there were hard choices to make.
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