Monsoon Cup practice day and skippers press conference

Greetings from rainy Kuala Terengganu, home of the Monsoon Cup. The 12 sailors fighting for the Malaysian trophy were divided into two groups of 6 and carried out their practice sessions until the early afternoon. The practice day started slowly with a light breeze but finished under much fresher winds as the monsoon rain was approaching from the north.

I didn't have the time to talk to the sailors, especially the top five that vie for the ISAF World Match Racing Champion title, as I went onbaard Torvar Mirsky's yacht right after arriving at noon. Mirsky's team practiced a few races against their fellow young Australian, Keith Swinton, as well as Ian Williams. Mirsky, mathematically, still have chances to become the brand new world champion but they are considerably slim. A lot has to come to his favor but with such a strong lineup, Phil Robertson, Keith Swinton, Peter Gilmour or Jesper Radich could spoil the party for Mathieu, Richard or Ainslie.

The five skippers with chances at the world title, Mathieu Richard, Adam Minoprio, Ben Ainslie, Torvar Mirsky and Ian Williams will talk in a press conference starting at 5pm local time (10am CET) that will be streamed online, here on Valencia Sailing as well, so there will be many chances to ask them any questions.

Some of the video footage certainly leaves a lot to be desired but it was just experimental, trying to get more of the action, from the front and from in front, not the back. The more time I pass on those yachts the more I'm convinced sailing could become more popular with a cameraman onboard. The question of course, is where to put him.

Torvar Mirsky and his crew train on the eve of hte Monsoon Cup. Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Video copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Torvar Mirsky and his crew train on the eve of hte Monsoon Cup. Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Video copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Torvar Mirsky and his crew train on the eve of the Monsoon Cup. Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Trimmer Kinley Fowler in full action. Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Kyle Langford trims the mainsail and calls tactics while Torvar Mirsky helms. Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Pitman Tudur Owen in full action. Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

No, I was NOT on Keith Swinton's yacht but with so much at stake there is no doubt we will be seeing more of that kind of extremely close racing . Kuala Terengganu, 30 November 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Valencia Sailing goes to the Monsoon Cup

There will most probably be no updates during Monday as I'm travelling to Kuala Terengganu for the Monsoon cup, the closing event of this year's World Match Racing Tour.

It will undoubtedly be the closest and fiercest event with five skippers vying for the ISAF World Match Racing champion title. Any of Mathieu Richard, Adam Minoprio, Ben Ainslie, Torvar Mirsky and Ian Williams can be crowned world champion next Sunday and all the variables and possible scenarios couldn't be better described than the excellent, succinct table below.

We'll be back in full force on Tuesday morning, Malaysian time, with photos, videos and interviews from the official practice day.

Monsoon Cup: Sailing's richest event

Few could have imagined back in 2005 that a match racing event in a then-unknown port on the eastern coast of Malyasia would turn out to become a showcase of how inshore sailing events should be organized and, more importantly, the world's richest sailing event with a total prize pool of RM 1.5 million, close to US$ 500,000.

With the start of the 2010 Monsoon Cup just around the corner, Valencia Sailing talked to the event's Operations Manager, Shafique Iqbal, the person that makes sure the Monsoon Cup is "like no other event in the world", as stated Triple Olympic gold medallist, Ben Ainslie.

The Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina, venue of the Monsoon Cup
The Monsoon Cup started in 2005 as a part a showcase of a big infrastructure development in Kuala Terengganu, initiated by the Malaysian government. A new marina was built, together with a brand new resort next to it while the river mouth was dredged and reshaped and a new fishermen wharf was constructed. In what has become a trend in the last few years, the regatta is conceived as a marketing tool for major infrastructure and tourist developments.

For the event promoters, the Monsoon Cup put Kuala Terengganu on the world map but also brought an important number of cruise and leisure boats to their marina. Traditionally, all of Malaysia's marinas face the Strait of Malacca while Kuala Terangganu is the only one in the country on the Southern China Sea and it has now become a much-welcome stopover for the constantly-increasing number of leisure yachts on those waters. Power and sail boats from China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand or even as far as the UK, now make a stop at the Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina. Facilities are of a world-class level and further improvement and expansion are in the pipeline until the entire master plan is fully implemented.

The purpose-built facilities in Kuala Terengganu have nothing to envy, even when compared to Formula 1 tracks. The two-story building on the waterfront houses the media center, the enormous broadcasting center, the VIP & hospitality lounges, the sponsor booths as well as the sailors lounge and gym. All that, a few dozens of meters from the race course. One could claim the sailing stadium was invented there.

World-class facilities built at Ri-Yaz by Malaysian Entrepreneur Patrick Lim. Photo copyright SubZero Images

Big organization for a world-class regatta and year-round activities
The Monsoon Cup core team consists of 10 people that work full-time round the year while another five join the time approximately half a year before the start of the event. However, the bulk of people joins a few days before the start and can reach up to 150. This small army of people take care of every small detail on and off the water, ranging from race operations, media & TV operations, VIP & guest staff, technical staff to food & beverage staff, spectator activities or even at the airport, helping sailors & guests.

However, not all racing activities are focused on the week the Monsoon Cup takes place. The Malaysian Match Racing Championship and the Asian Match Racing Championship take place in the month prior to the Monsoon Cup. These two events serve as qualifiers for the actual regatta and provide two spots, one for a Malaysian skipper and another one from Asia. As a result, the months of October, November and early December are by far the busiest ones in Kuala Terengganu.

The purpose-built facilities don't become a ghost town though in the rest of the year. The organization has a busy program of corporate sailing activities, team building programs as well as two match racing schools. The first one is located in Kuala Terengganu and caters to non-sailors that get initiated to the sport of sailing while the second one, the Monsoon Sailing School, targets Malaysian sailors that want to hone their skills under the tutelage of experienced match racers. It was established in 2009 and is located in Putrajya, south of Kuala Lumpur. The Monsoon Sailing School is a first step in the creation of a permanent match racing fabric not only in that country but throughout Asia. In fact, in 2010, just its second year of existence, the Monsoon Sailing School attracted sailors from Turkey and the Philippines.

Ri Yaz Marina Building the Home of Monsoon Cup. Photo copyright SubZero Images

Making sailing popular in Malaysia and Asia
Like in the rest of South East Asian countries, sailing in Malaysia is still a niche sport, despite the rapidly increasing numbers of a relatively affluent middle class and the fact the country is surrounded by the sea. One of the targets of the Monsoon Cup organizers is to precisely break the myth sailing is only for the rich and this is gradually being achieved, according to Iqbal.

During the Monsoon Cup and its related events, over seven days, more than 100,000 people visit the public areas to watch the races and participate in the related activities. The vast majority of the crowds are local residents and the attendance figure is quite big if one considers that the entire population in the Kuala Terengganu area is about 390,000 people. The large majority of them come out to the opening concert which is a huge production. There is also a number of visitors coming from Kuala Lumpur or other regions of the country but the event caters mainly to the local population. For many locals the Monsoon Cup is an entertainment otherwise unavailable because the Terengganu state is quite conservative and, for example, there are no cinemas in Kuala Terengganu.

The drive to spread sailing to a grassroots level now comes as well from the event's main sponsor, the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports. The country's federal government, through this ministry, provides approximately 60-70% of the event's total budget. As a result, the ministry desires a return that is prominent throughout the year and not just in the few weeks running up to the event. Not only does the Monsoon cup have to put Malaysia on the world sailing map it needs to deliver sporting results. Through the various sailing schools the aim is to bring up the level of Malaysian sailors and why not have a fully-Malaysian team participating in the World Match Racing Tour in the not so distant future.

Finally, another main objective of the ministry, as a spin-off of the Monsoon Cup, is to establish and develop a local boat building and repair industry, which forms part of the Minister of Youth & Sports Dato’ Sri Ahmed Shabbery Cheek agenda of developing industries around sport and sporting events.

Karnival Monsoon draws a huge crowd of families. Photo copyright SubZero Images

Promotion, marketing and sponsorship
The Monsoon Cup brand is widely known around the country but Iqbal and his team don't rest on their laurels. Two months before the event they start their media campaign in the country's three major newspapers and a month later they also include the local media in Terengganu. The campaign consists of the usual advertizing banner but also, more importantly, a continuous stream of news and stories about the event. Advertizing on outdoor billboards along the main highways also forms part of their campaign while a very effective method, according to Iqbal, was used in 2008 and 2009 and consisted of placing billboards on 1,000 taxis in Kuala Lumpur.

In addition to the public sponsors, the Monsoon Cup counts among its suppliers some of the major Malaysian corporations. By far the most important ones are Telecom Malaysia known as TM that provides all the telecommunications and Internet infrastructure and Malaysian Airlines and its regional subsidiary FireFly that provide the air travel of sailors, guests, VIPs and the organization.

Oman Sail's Khamis Al Anbouri

The following video doesn't hold any extraordinary, breaking information or show any spectacular incident. Nevertheless, I think that for the sport of sailing as a whole and its future, it might even be more valuable and more important than, let's say, the record-breaking achievements of l'Hydroptère.

It just shows the story of Khamis Al Anbouri, an Omani citizen that in a mere three years climbed from being a regular Omani citizen to becoming an internationally respected sailor who competes at the top of the game. It also shows that with the adequate grass-roots sailing training programs there is no reason whatsoever why Omanis, or citizens of any other country with practically no professional sailing tradition, couldn't become competitive sailors.

They will certainly not produce a new Russell Coutts next month but it would be an encouraging step if the new Adam Minoprio, Torvar Mirsky or Phil Robertson were Omanis, Malaysians or Indians, instead of the usual Australians or New Zealanders.

34th America's Cup team budgets: 20 or 120 million euros?

How much would it cost to have a competitive challenger in the 34th America's Cup? It depends on who you ask. Sir Keith Mills, principal of the now-defunct America's Cup hopeful Team Origin, had stated that he needed 100 million pounds (120 million euros) for the British potential challenger to mount a successful campaign. Russell Coutts stated last September that the "smallest teams could operate on a budget of 40 million euros", which means the big competitive teams should have a considerably bigger budget. Finally, Iain Murray, CEO of America's Cup Race Management, told the media in Dubai on Thursday that approximately 20 million euros could be enough.

Our colleague Michele Tognozzi, editor of FareVela, talked to Silvio Arrivabene and asked him to give his expert opinion on what the costs are in this edition of the world's oldest sports trophy. Arrivabene knows what he's talking about having done two America's Cup campaigns with Mascalzone Latino, the most recent one as the operations manager, while in the 33rd America's Cup he was the construction and planning manager of Alinghi 5. If there's somebody that knows a thing or two about building big catamarans, it's Arrivabene.

Here's what Arrivabene had to say about budgets and the 34th America's Cup:

FareVela: Iain Murray talked about 20 million euros to participate in the 34th America's Cup. Does this figure seem plausible to you?
Silvio Arrivabene: First of all, we need to agree on what "participate" means. If one wants to be there without any ambition to succeed, then it could even be a conceivable figure, for one AC45, one AC72, one wing and a basic group but nothing more. Something similar to China Team in Valencia in 2007. No possibilities at all and a presence that will pass unnoticed. If, on the other hand, as it would seem logical in an event of the significance of the America's Cup, one has the ambition to win, I think it's a figure absolutely undersized and nothing remotely close to what instead we will need to spend.

FareVela: We are obviously interested in the second case, that of a team with the ambition to win. Can we enter into more details?
Silvio Arrivabene: I start by saying that I have carried out a study of the Protocol for some potential projects that had been conceived and as a result I rely on objective data. In summary, a team that wants to try to win must already have a couple of Extreme 40's for training, then a couple of AC45's (US$ 600,000 each just the boat), two AC72's and a development plan that foresees up to 8 wings (the maximum allowed by the rules), about 10 rudders and daggerboards (in a catamaran you always think in pairs) and a development of soft sails. For the aerodynamic research we assume a couple of engineers for the AC45's, a team of 3-4 engineers dedicated to the AC72's and the wings, in addition to the people directly involved in the construction.

FareVela: How much would all that cost?
Silvio Arrivabene: We suppose it's a new team with the maximum ambitions and a tested boat yard, such as Green Marine, with which I collaborated up to a couple of years ago. For the wing on USA17, 64 meters high, BMW Oracle has declared 100,000 hours of work. With a shared knowhow and an AC72 wing, 40 meters high, I think we could envisage 15,000 hours of work at an hourly rate of approximately 50 euros. I'm only referring to the boatyard cost, excluding materials, people and research. As a result, just for the construction of one piece it would be around 750,000 euros. We are talking about just one wing.

A big team needs 8 wings at 15,000 hours each, 4 hulls at 3,000 hours each, 4 rudders and 4 daggerboards. Just the hourly cost, with a calculator in hand, can reach 6 million euros, to which we need to add engineering and development, research and the people to do it. For an AC45 we would need approximately 21,000 hours of work. Just one wing corresponds to two thirds of an ACC Version 5 yacht.

In fact, it seems to me that if you aren't BMW Oracle you will find it difficult to build 8 wings, given the fact they have an advantage of at least two years in the sector in addition to unlimited resources. During AC33 they had no budget limits, now I think they also have prudent people internally, that care about that issue, for example I think of Murray Jones, but undoubtedly they are in an enormously advantageous position.

3D simulation of an AC72. Video copyright America's Cup

FareVela: Any other expenditures?
Silvio Arrivabene: We shouldn't underestimate material costs. There are pieces that need a lot of carbon, for example the daggerboards, the rudders that can cost up to 80,000 euros each. We have to keep in mind that just having the money will not be enough, but specific knowledge is also required that you either have it or you build it. To do that you need time with competent people available for two years and the possibility to test and develop. The America's Cup is not a one-design race, on multihulls speed is everything and the experienced people in that sector count for much. Such specialists are expensive.

FareVela: What about the sailing team?
Silvio Arrivabene: We have been told that the AC45's have a crew of 5 and the AC72's a crew of 11, but in order to have two AC72's you will need 22 sailors and you can't expect having the best without making a "reservation". They are called "retainer" contracts, a basic way to lock on to some sailors while you wait until you can use their services on the water, and have to be added to the 11 monthly salaries you would pay the sailors you hire right away.

In addition, on multihulls it won't be possible to have muscular neophytes fresh out of the gym or from rowing that accept a minimal 2,500 euros per month because they wish to be there. You will need experienced and skilled sailors with abilities and technical knowhow, unless you want to take some skilled kid out of the 470 and train him, but that will not be the case with our hypothetical team, that has the ambition to succeed. Between the design, sailing and shore teams, costs will rapidly increase for a 2-year campaign, the minimum if you hope to just be close to the Defender's abilities.

FareVela: What about the logistics?
Silvio Arrivabene: As far as transportation in concerned, it seems ACRM will have a ship where all equipment will travel, but every team will have to take care on its own of the international shipments and the construction of new pieces. You shouldn't think that there isn't always a new bow or rudder that has to be shipped to San Francisco or wherever the event or pre-event takes place. With two and a half years until the event, scheduled for September 2013, that's the reality, obviously excluding BMW Oracle.

FareVela: After we do all the calculations what figure do we get?
Silvio Arrivabene: I think that a plausible figure is around 100 million euros, in any case much more than the 60 million Coutts and Onorato were talking about. The 20 million euros conceived by Iain Murray are, I repeat, for a team that is only interested in participating, without any ambition.

FareVela: It goes without saying that in the America's Cup winning is the only thing that counts. Who can spend those figures?
Silvio Arrivabene: I repeat, it's not just an issue of having the money or not, it's also the experience and the people that count in order to achieve it. You may have the budget but still not be able to get through to the real challenge against BMW Oracle.

FareVela: Given the fact the strongest potential challenger, Alinghi, has just announced it won't be taking part in the America's Cup under these conditions, are we already heading towards a final between Coutts' BMW Oracle and Paul Cayard's Artemis?
Silvio Arrivabene: It's too early to say but instead of Artemis I always think it will be the Kiwis. Emirates Team New Zealand, if they ever decide to enter the America's Cup, have the right people even in the design team that has been strengthened with skilled people. Grant Dalton's own statement that ETNZ won't take part in the Cup unless they are able to win it, seems to be addressed at BMW Oracle so that, if within 6 months there are few teams taking part, they facilitate the participation of the kiwis. It counts having Emirates Team New Zealand in the event, there is no doubt.

FareVela: And the so promised show?
Silvio Arrivabene: These days we have seen in Dubai how the close encounters, the fights and the battles are the essence of match racing. We didn't miss the show in the Louis Vuitton Trophy. Speed alone doesn't bring any show, going at 25 knots all alone in the middle of the sea isn't so important, unless you are in the Volvo Ocean Race, I can assure you about that. I'm just back from a season on Esimit Europa 2, a 100-foot supermaxi. We rounded Sicily in the last Rolex Middle Sea Race fighting against the watch and giving our best, but we were all alone out there, that's the truth. If there's no fight, boredom comes quickly, can you tell me what's so spectacular in watching a Formula 1 car going at 300 kph by itself in a straight line? When I think about spectacular sailing, the Volvo Ocean Race and the TP52's come in mind, and for sure not the AC33 last February. You can go as fast as you want, even at 30 knots, but if there's no close fighting there will be no show and anyone that sails knows it.

FareVela: What are your personal plans?
Silvio Arrivabene: As I said, I sailed this season on Esimit Europa 2, as the navigator. It's a very complex boat with lots of technology and many systems so my role implied lots of work. We are now preparing the 2011 season. In addition, I'm involved with engineering consultancy in various fields. I've done three America's Cups, so I'm not interested in doing it just for the sake of it but an interesting project can always be stimulating.

34TH America’s Cup announces partnership with Louis Vuitton

[Source: America's Cup] The next major step in realizing its new vision, the America’s Cup Event Authority introduced its first partner, Louis Vuitton. A continuation of its 30-year long association with the America’s Cup, the Paris-based fashion house will present the prize, the Louis Vuitton Cup, to the winner of the America’s Cup Challenger Series, as well as serve as Official Timing for the 34th America’s Cup.

“We are thrilled to announce today the continuation of our 30-year partnership with the America’s Cup. Having met with the team several times, we believe that the 34th edition will be the best America’s Cup yet,” said Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier.

In 2013, the Challenger Series will be staged with the winner earning the right to compete in the America’s Cup Finals. The Challenger series will be once again called the Louis Vuitton Cup, recognizing the brand’s long partnership with the America’s Cup.

In addition, Louis Vuitton will be Official Timing for the America’s Cup World Series competitions, promoting its watch collection.

34th America's Cup - Louis Vuitton Partnership announcement. From left, Bruno Troublé, Russell Coutts, Yves Carcelle, Richard Worth and Pietro Beccari. Dubai, 27 November 2010. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / America's Cup

“We are extremely priveleged that our vision for the next America’s Cup has attracted the return of a company like Louis Vuitton,” said Richard Worth, Chairman, America’s Cup Event Authority. “The 34th America’s Cup will culminate in 2013, marking the 30th anniversary of Louis Vuitton’s support of the sport of sailing, so we could not be more proud to see this great partnership continue and strengthen.”

Since 1983, the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Series has been held whenever there has been more than one challenger team for the America’s Cup. Its role is twofold – to select the best challenger team from the teams presented and, to prepare the winner for success against the Defender in the following America’s Cup Finals.

“I have competed for the Louis Vuitton Cup three times in the past, so I know how important it is to the Challenger’s success. We welcome the return of Louis Vuitton and look forward to racing the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2013,” said Russell Coutts, CEO, BMW ORACLE Racing.

The Louis Vuitton Cup will be in the summer of 2013, with the America’s Cup Finals in early fall. The events will feature the AC72 wing-masted catamaran, a ground-breaking new boat designed to deliver unparalleled racing competition and on-the-water excitement.

Video: Second stage of production of the AC45

Tim Smyth, Core Builders, guides us through the 2nd stage production of the AC45. Video copyright America's Cup

Phil Robertson annihilates world's top match racers

[Source: Sunseeker Australia Cup] Rising young Kiwi sailing star Phil Robertson put in a magnificent performance on the last day of the Sunseeker Australia Cup to lift the trophy, defeating British skipper Ian Williams 3 – 0 in the final.

Robertson, who is a graduate of one of the toughest match racing academies in the world, run by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, had a roller-coaster ride through this regatta, going through the first day undefeated, before crashing to seventh place at the end of the round robin.

However he and his crew picked themselves up off the mat to win their quarter-final against current World Tour leader Mathieu Richard.

He lost his first semi-final race to Britain’s golden boy of sailing, Ben Ainslie, but came back again to win the next three, and finally outclassed Williams in a display of cool, calm sailing that defied his 23 years.

Stepping ashore with a face splitting grin Robertson said, “it’s great mate, it’s awesome,” as words tumbled from his lips, we loved it, just from the start of the day we haven’t lost a race today.

“We’ve just been in the groove, the boys were all just so relaxed, and just loving it, having a ball out there, and the course was pretty interesting, it was extremely shifty a lot of fun to sail, I think we jagged that last one but we’ll take it.”

All three final races were fought tooth and nail, but in the first two Robertson won by margins of 25 and 23 seconds, in the final confrontation the Kiwi picked up a penalty, but managed to build up sufficient lead to take his turn on the finishing line and grab the win, and the trophy by one second.

Talking about the event in general he said, “this is a build up for the Monsoon Cup really, that’s the reason we’re here, we wanted to work on the small things and it’s all come together, we were pushing it and trying to make it all work, so we’re obviously pretty confident going into next week.”

BMW Oracle reaches final of Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai

[Source: BMW Oracle] BMW ORACLE Racing advanced to the final of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai, the fitting finale for America’s Cup Class monohulls, with a sterling performance in today’s semifinal round.

Led by skipper James Spithill, the American team, which won the 33rd America’s Cup in February, defeated the German/French All4One crew 2-0 to advance to the final where it will meet Emirates Team New Zealand, also a 2-0 winner in the semifinal round.

The winning formula for today was as it’s been throughout the regatta that began 13 days ago. Tactician John Kostecki and strategist Murray Jones called the windshifts with aplomb and trimmers Dirk de Ridder (mainsail), Ross Halcrow (headsails) and Joey Newton (spinnakers) kept the boat moving fast. Not to mention, the sailhandling at the turning marks was flawless.

“It’s nice to have the option to put the boat where you want and the guys take care of the rest,” said Spithill. “We’ve got the option to go toe-to-toe or, if JK and Murray see a shift, we can speed to that. The guys have been spot on throughout the regatta.”

Skipper James Spithill comments on the team's 2-0 win over All4One in the semifinal round of the Louis Vuitton Trophy. Dubai 26 November 2010. Video copyright BMW Oracle

Spithill has been spot on too, especially in the pre-start sequence. Once again, he gave his crew the ability to call free races by winning the starts.

In the first pre-start, Spithill got a penalty on All4One for jibing too close. That penalty came in handy during the second upwind leg when All4One closed to within one length as the two crews combined for 25 tacks in a furious duel.

“We set the penalty up in the dial-up,” Spithill said. “We got control and forced him into a tight situation and he went for it. Turns out we didn’t need it, but it was nice to have that penalty in the back pocket.”

In the second race the two crews came off the line at opposite ends, but BMW ORACLE Racing was at speed at the pin end while All4One was tacking to starboard at the committee boat, making the French/German team slow off the line.

After entering onto the racecourse, BMW ORACLE Racing quickly tacked to port to get to the right and take advantage of the downspeed All4One and a right-hand windshift.

“The second start changed quite a bit during the pre-start,” Spithill said. “Initially there was a pin bias and we were going to take it, but then the wind went way right. We came off the line and JK called a tack right away. I think the fact we tacked so quickly put them under pressure.”

Tomorrow’s final against Team New Zealand pits Spithill against old rival Dean Barker. The two raced the Louis Vuitton Cup final during the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007. It’s a showdown Spithill is looking forward to.

“I’m convinced we haven’t seen our best yet, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Spithill said.

World Match Racing Tour unveils new points system and 2011 schedule

[Source: World MAtch Racing Tour] The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) has unveiled a new scoring system for the 2011 season to give a more even spread for teams in the top ten. The plans will see points awarded down to 10th place rather than 8th at each stage, while the spread in points between each position will be reduced.

With Tour Card Holders being guaranteed invites to six stages, the new scoring system will still see the team’s best five events count towards their overall position plus the points from the season finale, the Monsoon Cup which carries points worth 1.5 times more.

Under the new scheme the winner of each stage will still win 25 points but the runner up and third place will now receive 22 and 19 respectively compared to the existing model of 20 and 15. The table below shows the proposed breakdown, which will reward teams that perform consistently throughout the season.

WMRT will have nine places available for Tour Card holders in 2011, who will be competing for a bonus prize fund which has been doubled to USD500,000. The top three teams in this year’s WMRT will be guaranteed access to a card - the winner will receive their card for free while the second and third place will be able to secure their cards for USD10,000 and USD20,000 respectively.

Should any of the top three choose not to take up their card next year they will be able to transfer it to another top flight skipper, under the condition that the team taking it up consists of at least 60% of the same crew that won the Tour Card. Invitations for applications for Tour Cards are being distributed this week and must be returned by 17 January. Sailors wishing to find out more can contact WMRT Tour Director Craig Mitchell via www.wmrt.com.

The 2011 Tour will consist of a minimum of nine stages kicking off at Match Race France from 10-15 May and once again finishing with the Monsoon Cup from 22-27 November – a full schedule of events is also listed below.

2011 ISAF MATCH RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Stage	Date	Event	Location	Teams
1	May 10 – 15	Match Race France	Marseille, France	12
2	May 24 – 29	Match Race Germany	Langenargen, Germany	12
3	June 7 - 12	Korea Match Cup	Gyeonggi, Korea	12
4	June 22 - 26	Portimao Portugal Match Cup	Portimao, Portugal	12
5	July 4 – 10	Match Cup Sweden	Marstrand, Sweden	16
6	Aug 24 – 28	Danish Open	Bornholm, Denmark	12
7	Aug 30 – Sep 4	St Moritz Match Race	St Moritz, Switzerland	12
8	October 3 - 9	Argo Group Gold Cup	Hamilton, Bermuda	24
9	Nov 22 – 27	Monsoon Cup	K.Terengganu, Malaysia	12

With the Tour actively seeking to add a further six new venues by 2013, it is currently engaged in conversations with a number of interested parties. It is the aim of the Tour to provide new events with a specialist sailing advisor who can offer expert sailing experience and event management skills and is inviting people to apply for the shortlist of special advisers. Those interested should also contact Tour Director Craig Mitchell.

Mitchell commented, “The Tour is never standing still as we’re always looking to improve the experience for the teams, fans, media and public. We feel that the current scoring system is a little top heavy with some teams that perform well being left behind on the leaderboard. Even though match racing is a winner takes all sport we hope that the new system will keep the championship podium open for as long as possible, providing drama and excitement until the final cross.”

Alinghi announces sailing program; not to enter America's Cup; focus on Extreme Sailing

[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi, two times winner of the America’s Cup, has today announced that it will not enter a team in the 34th edition of the prestigious sailing trophy and instead has launched a new programme that will see the Swiss team participating in the Extreme Sailing Series.

After a careful evaluation of the protocol and other initiatives taken by the American Defender and its Challenger of Record, Alinghi considers that the existing conditions make it impossible for the team to participate in the 34th America’s Cup.

Alinghi remains interested in the America’s Cup and will be closely following its developments in the coming months but for the immediate future it will concentrate its efforts in other world class challenges. The Extreme Sailing Series, a championship raced with 40-feet catamarans that is expanding geographically and commercially in 2011 whilst maintaining a truly level playfield and exciting competition, provides the perfect ground for Alinghi to develop its international sailing activity. In parallel, the team will continue to participate in the D35 series on Lake Geneva.

Alinghi won the 2008 iShares Cup. Cowes, 2 August 2008. Photo copyright onEdition

Video: Highlights from day 2 of the Sunseeker Australia Cup

Highlights from day 2 of the 2010 Sunseeker Autralia Cup. Perth, 25 November 2010. Video copyright Sunseeker Autralia Cup

Mascalzone Latino Wins Fleet Racing at Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai

[Source: Louis Vuitton Trophy] The six international crews at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai hosted local dhow skippers today in three fleet races when competition resumed off the Dubai International Marine Club.

Italy’s Mascalzone Latino Audi won the day handsomely with skipper Gavin Brady scoring two first places. The French/German team All4One and Sweden’s Artemis Racing were second equal, while Emirates Team New Zealand was third.

Saeed Hareb, CEO of the Dubai International Marine Club, presented the fleet race trophy to Gavin Brady and presented commemorative medals to Brady and all his crew.

The Emirates Team New Zealand crew raced today wearing black arm bands and with their ensign at half mast in a somber reminder of the Pike River coal mine explosion in New Zealand that claimed 29 lives. The team is planning a brief on-water ceremony tomorrow morning to pay their respects to the lost miners.

Skippers of the four semi-finalists chose their starting positions and their boats tonight. BMW Oracle Racing chose to race fourth-seeded All4One while Emirates Team New Zealand will start against Synergy Russian Sailing Team.

Gavin Brady does his magic and helms Mascalzone Latino AUDI Team to two victories. Dubai, 25 November 2010. Photo copyright Bob Grieser/ousideimages.com/Louis Vuitton Trophy

“We chose All4One simply for the fact that they finished in fourth place,” said James Spithill, skipper of BMW Oracle Racing. “It’s never an easy decision but at the end of the day you have to go out there and beat them. It’s going to be a tough race. They’re not an easy team to race against.”

In the semi-finals the winners will be the first boats to win two races. The winners will race the finals on Saturday in a best of five series.

In today’s fleet racing, each of the four teams raced twice over the course of three races.

Brady’s finishes have been uneven over the past two weeks of racing in Dubai but today he and his afterguard of tactician Morgan Larson, navigator Steve Hayles, and masthead wind spotter Cameron Dunn, made no mistakes on flat water in a very shifty five to seven knot north westerly breeze.

In his first race Brady claimed the pin end of the line and pulled out to an early lead that increased as the race wore on. In his second race, Brady went for a port tack start behind the fleet before going up the middle of the course. He emerged at the weather mark with a commanding lead that he held until the finish.

“We wanted the left in the first race,” Brady said. “In these light air races you can’t be conservative. You have to really go for it so we went for a pretty aggressive start down at the pin end. For the second race we wanted to start to the right. We didn’t want to sacrifice a tack to get the right so we decided to do something that no-one else has done here and start on port tack and take the stern of all the boats at full speed.”

Ben Ainslie and Torvar Mirsky dominate the round robin at Sunseeker Australia Cup

[Source: Sunseeker Australia Cup] Britain’s sailing superstar Ben Ainslie showed his class on the Swan River today, rising to the top of the leaderboard at the Sunseeker Australia Cup, to win the round robin stage of the regatta.

He won five straight races today, turning a fifth place at the end of day one, with a 3 – 2 scoreline, into first place with a scoreline of 7 – 2 this evening, sharing the top score with local skipper Torvar Mirsky, but taking the top spot on a tie-break.

Talking about his improved form Ainslie said, “that was a bit cleaner today, we had a little bit of rust yesterday, the guys were a bit tired having just flown in from Europe, but we felt a bit better today, and got things slightly smoother I think.”

Highlights from day 1 of the 2010 Sunseeker Autralia Cup. Perth, 24 November 2010. Video copyright Sunseeker Autralia Cup

Winning the round robin brings with it the privilege of choosing his quarter-finals opponent, and he has selected South African Ian Ainslie who finished fourth on the leaderboard.

One of the big areas of improvement for Ben Ainslie today was in his starting, generally getting off the line in control.

He commented, “it is difficult, because it’s so shifty, and with such a tight starting box, it really all happens in the last 30 seconds, but we pretty much got what we wanted in most of the starts.

“I guess they weren’t all perfect, they never normally are in match racing, but we ended up having control in most of the starts, and half way up the beat, but really on this course it’s so shifty it’s more about good speed, getting the shifts and good crew work when things are shifting around so quickly.”

It was Western Australian skipper Torvar Mirsky who defeated Ben Ainslie in the final of this event last year, so a repeat of this match in the final this year is still possible, no doubt with the British skipper hoping to reverse the result.

Another important game within a game being played out at this event is the fight for the last place available at next week’s Monsoon Cup, in Malaysia, the final and deciding regatta on this year’s World Tour.

The top placed skipper at the Sunseeker Australia Cup, who has not already qualified, will grab that slot.

Conditions on the Swan River’s Perth Water were very tough again today, with the seabreeze piping in at 15 to 20 knots, which on such a tight course is a real test of skill, fitness and agility.

The Sunseeker Australia Cup is hosted by the Royal Perth Yacht Club, and managed by Swan River Sailing.

RESULTS AT THE END OF THE ROUND ROBIN
1. Ben Ainslie (GBR) 7 – 2
2 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 7 – 2
3. Ian Williams (GBR) 6 – 3
4. Iain Ainslie (RSA) 5 – 4
5. Keith Swinton (AUS) 5 – 4
6. Mathieu Richard (FRA) 5 – 4
7. Phil Robertson (NZL) 5 – 4
8. William Tiller (NZL) 3 – 6
9. Peter Nicholas (AUS) 2 – 7
10. Reuben Corbett (NZL) 0 – 9

Phil Robertson leads Sunseeker Australia Cup undefeated

[Source: Sunseeker Australia Cup] With skill and guile that belies his age, the young Kiwi skipper Phil Robertson manoeuvred his way through the first day of the Sunseeker Australia Cup undefeated in a field that would over awe considerably older skippers.

Most notable of the scalps he collected on the first day was last year’s winner Torvar Mirsky, the home-town boy who is currently fourth on the World Tour leader board, and hoping to capture the world title next week in Malaysia.

In other matches he downed fellow Kiwis Reuben Corbett and Will Tiller, who is one of his former crew, and another Perth skipper Peter Nicholas. Last week Robertson won the New Zealand Championships, one of the toughest national competitions on the planet.

Talking about the day’s action he said, “we’ve just come off our nationals, so the team is in pretty good shape, we’re just trying to improve on the small things now. I like the small race course here, it makes it that much more exciting, and it makes the pre-start that much more important, it’s good racing out there. I think in most of the races we came off pretty fair in the pre-start, which created a decent lead, but Torvar was definitely the hardest.”

Phil Robertson reports on day 1 of the Sunseeker Australia Cup. Perth, 24 November 2010. Video copyright Waka Racing

Behind Robertson the ladder is crowded with Frenchman Mathieu Richard, England’s Ian Williams and Torvar Mirsky all on a 3 – 2 score line.

Making up the top half of the leader board is British golden boy Ben Ainslie with three wins from five races.

The Swan River was at its best, with a healthy 15 to 18 knot seabreeze, and a cloudless sky. The Sunseeker Australia Cup is hosted by the Royal Perth Yacht Club and run by Swan River Sailing.

Results after day 1
1. Phil Robertson (NZL) 4 – 0
2= Mathieu Richard (FRA) 3 – 1
2= Ian Williams (GBR) 3 – 1
2= Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 3 – 1
5. Ben Ainslie (GBR) 3 – 2
6= Keith Swinton (AUS) 2 – 3
6= William Tiller (NZL) 2 – 3
8. Peter Nicholas (AUS) 1 – 4
9. Iain Ainslie (RSA) 0 – 2
10. Reuben Corbett (NZL) 0 – 4

2011 AUDI Med Cup Dates Published

[Source: AUDI Medcup] Planning is well under way for the 2011 Audi MedCup Circuit season which for the first time will feature both the TP52 Series fleet, racing under the new measurement rule which will take the Series forward from 2011, and the exciting new S40 one-design class which has been attracting worldwide attention since it was announced as the Circuit’s second class from 2011 onwards.

The 2011 season is set to follow a very similar schedule of dates as 2011, with one regatta in each of France, Italy, Portugal and two regattas in Spain. As yet most of the city venues have been decided, but final negotiations are continuing.

The 2011 dates will be:

Trophy 1 - Tuesday 17th – Sunday 22nd May
Trophy 2 - Tuesday 14th – Sunday 19th June
Trophy 3 - Tuesday 19th – Sunday 24th July
Trophy 4 - Tuesday 23nd – Sunday 28th August
Trophy 5 - Monday 12th – Saturday 17th September

The regatta format will be the same as previous seasons for the TP52s, racing starts officially each Tuesday and finishes Sunday with one coastal race at each regatta, usually on the Friday. The S40 programme has to be confirmed but will maximise their racing time and they will not race coastal races.

As usual the season’s finale, the last Audi MedCup regatta of 2011, runs Monday to Saturday to allow for a Saturday night final prize-giving party.

Niklas Zennstrom, RAN, winner of the 2010 Rolex Mini Maxi World Championship and brand new entry in the TP52 class. Photo copyright Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

In 2011 teams will be allowed two training days only at the venue immediately prior to the event.

The Audi MedCup Circuit event opens the week-end before to the competition commences with a Public Village full of activities open to visitors including an “Open Pontoon Day” the first Saturday

Announcement of the venue cities that will host the events are currently being studied as Ignacio Triay (ESP), Audi MedCup Circuit Director, explains: “We are finalising negotiations with venues at the moment. The principles remain the same and we expect to be returning to a number of the venues that proved so successful in 2010. We are very conscious of delivering what the owners like and also what the preferences are for our sponsor Audi.”

“On the one hand, returning to successful, known venues makes a lot of sense for everyone involved, it allows continuity for everyone: it allows the cities to build on their successful formula, it streamlines logistics for organisers, teams and hosts. And we have built good data on weather reliability and wind patterns for efficient race management on the water. But on the other hand, we all like to visit new cities for different reasons, not least to introduce new challenges for the competitors, which they enjoy,” continues Triay.

“At the moment we have agreements with most cities for 2011, but it is a difficult balancing act, one which we feel we have got right in the past, and we will not compromise to ensure that the next season is as good as 2010,” concludes the Audi MedCup Circuit Director.

Lights; Camera; Action; It's Sunseeker Australia Cup Time

[Source: Sunseeker Australia Cup] The superstars of sailing are here, the sun is shining and the fabled Fremantle Doctor is back from a week’s leave, bring on the Sunseeker Australia Cup 2010!

Sailing’s answer to Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Raffa are in town, Ben Ainslie and Ian Williams of Britain and Frenchman Mathieu Richard are the best in the world at what they do, race sailboats.

The skies over Perth are cloudless, and there is a strong wind warning for at least the next three days.

Compress these components into the confined space of Perth Water, right in front of the CBD, and you have a recipe for some serious action.

But it’s not all about the overseas “rock stars”, because last year Perth’s own up-and-coming world talent, Torvar Mirsky, beat the all these guys to collect the trophy, and it will take a crowbar to get it out of his hands.

There is also a trio of young Kiwis, bought up in the toughest match racing school on the planet, who have been making their mark on the world stage, these guys would love to win on Australian waters.

Throw in a South African and a couple of other talented locals, and the line up for the Sunseeker Australia Cup is red hot, and the Fremantle Doctor will only fan the flames.

Ben Ainslie, who has three Olympic golds and a silver, was the defeated finalist last year, beaten in two straight races by Torvar Mirsky, and defeat isn’t something that fits into his agenda, so expect a fight back.

Mathieu Richard has put in a big year on the International Tour, and has the world championship within his grasp, he will be looking to go into next week’s Monsoon Cup in Malaysia on a high, so a good performance in Perth is essential.

The Sunseeker Australia Cup will be four days of intense head-to-head competition that is too good to miss, hosted by the Royal Perth Yacht Club, it is managed by Swan River Sailing.

SKIPPERS
1. Mathieu Richard FRA
2. Ben Ainslie GBR
3. Torvar Mirsky AUS
4. Ian Williams GBR
5. Reuben Corbett NZL
6. Ian Ainslie RSA
7. Phil Robertson NZL
8. Keith Swinton AUS
9. William Tiller NZL
10. Peter Nicholas AUS

Report: Three America's Cup World Series regattas planned in Palma de Mallorca

Update 4pm: We obtained more concrete details on the negotiations between the Chamber of Commerce in Palma and BMW Oracle. It appears that BMW Oracle will only offer one event in 2011 but the city's desire is to stage 3 events (one each year, from 2011 to 2013) in order to get a better return on their expenditure. The hosting fee is 5 million euros and covers all three events. As per the Chamber of Commerce, Palma can't afford to spend more money.

The regattas, if the two parties come into an agreement, would be held between the months of April and July. August is off-limits in Palma because that is when the island's premiere event, the Copa del Rey, takes place. Other calendar issues that have to be taken into consideration are the Palmavela regatta and the Easter holidays. Palma being a major tourist destination, there will certainly be a shortage of hotel rooms during that period.

Finally, it is quite probable the Real Club Nautico Palma is involved with the organization of the event. In addition to the cash payment, BMW Oracle, among other things, requires mooring space for 50 mega-yachts as well as 30,000 square meters of empty space for the race logistics.

With approximately seven months left until the curtain-raising event of the brand new America's Cup World Series, it is obvious BMW Oracle are busy meeting with cities around the world that are interested in eventually becoming hosts of one, or more, events.

If one is to believe the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, it now appears that Palma de Mallorca is one of the cities that has been approached by the holder of the America's Cup. According to the article that appeared in today's edition, Russell Coutts was in Palma a few days ago and met with the President of the local Chamber of Commerce, in order to negotiate an agreement on a number of America's Cup World Series events.

The article claims that Palma was offered the possibility of holding three events during the period from April to July in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. In exchange, the Spanish city will have to pay Larry Ellison's team of total of 5 million euros in host city fees.

The author of the article considers this to be a surprisingly small amount, most probably due to the current economic crisis. In comparison, according to the article, the Louis Vuitton regatta in La Maddalena cost the local authorities 4 million euros and the regional government of Andalusia paid 1.8 million euros for the right to hold three Extreme Sailing events. These events being considerably less popular than an Americas Cup race, it seems that even the pinnacle regatta of the sport of sailing doesn't escape from the financial turmoil.

Finally, always according to the article, in addition to San Francisco and Palma, other cities that could stage America's Cup events are Newport, Venice and cities in Portugal, the UAE and Russia.

Five skippers vie for the World Match Racing champion title

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] With five skippers still in with a chance of winning the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) as the series heads for the final event of the season at the Monsoon Cup, WMRT has drawn comparisons to the recent grandstand finish in Formula 1 which saw four drivers go into the final Grand Prix of the year with a shot at winning the title.

Just as F1 had a sting in its tail with Vettel, who went into the last race in third place, snatching the title, WMRT is being tipped to have an equally dramatic climax at the Monsoon Cup, which is being held at the five-star Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort and Spa in Kuala Terengganu from 30 November to 5 December.

Matthieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team will go into the final event of the year with a 15 point lead over defending Champion Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing while Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN is just two points further back. Australia’s Torvar Mirsky, Mirsky Racing Team and two-time World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar are also still in with an outside chance.

Sailing pundit Mark Chisnell, who has watched the action unfold throughout the season, has called into question championship leader Matthieu Richard’s preparation saying: “I was interested to see that he’s chosen to race in Perth just before the Monsoon Cup. Mathieu is very methodical in his preparation, and I’m sure he’s got a plan, but this year his worst results have come in events that followed closely one after another – not a particularly good omen for him.”

While Chisnell believes the race is too close to call between Richard, Minoprio and Ainslie, he has all but written off the chances of Williams and Mirsky adding, “Even if I was a betting man, I wouldn’t put a pound on it, it’s just too close. I’d only say that it will be Richard, Minoprio or Ainslie – too much has to go the way of Mirsky or Williams for them to come from behind and take it. But after that, it’s wide open.”

Chisnell has also warned of the impact the rest of the field will have in deciding the outcome. With all the skippers having to take part in the Qualifying Round Robin to win their place in the knock out stages no-one is guaranteed a place in the final.

Alluding to the importance of the rest of the teams, Chisnell said, “They could have a huge impact – last year, it was decided when Peter Gilmour beat Torvar Mirsky in the quarter-finals. Gilly couldn’t overhaul Minoprio to win it by then, but instead, he stopped the man who could.”

Vincenzo Onorato replies to criticism on his role in the 34th America's Cup

Vincenzo Onorato, owner of Mascalzone Latino, Challenger of Record of the 34th America's Cup, has been widely criticized for his silence and the, allegedly, inexistent role his team has in shaping the current edition of the pinnacle event of the sport of sailing. Onorato being Italian received the bulk of the criticism in his home country. As a result, he used Italy's main sailing media, FareVela, to reply to his critics. We would like to thank our friend Michele Tognozzi, editor of FareVela, for allowing us to reproduce Onorato's letter.

Here's what the owner of the Challenger of Record had to say [Note: the translation of the original text in Italian is mine]:

"Dear Michele,

I read Fare Vela Online with interest, every day. I have also read the criticism leveled at my club, seen as a sleeping partner of the Defender rather than a Challenger of Record worthy of its name. I partly feel responsible for these opinions as a direct result of our scant communication on the work we are carrying out. Oracle and Mascalzone, and their respective yachts clubs, inherited a disastrous Cup in terms of image, a result of the long and, I point out, legitimate litigation with Bertarelli. Russell and I meet almost every week and our teams are in daily contact.

All decisions taken are thoroughly discussed and thought through. It is also true we are going through an international economic environment to say the least disastrous and this is a further incentive to act with utmost care and caution. My silence doesn't mean I'm not doing anything but that we are humbly working, among other things, on carrying water to our mill. I'm Italian and my mill is called Italy, I would like to take to our country a series of events of the next Cup, just like I did last summer in La Maddalena.

A Jesuit that taught me in school used to say: Look at the substance of things, not their form. That's what I'm doing.

Your faithful and devoted reader,

Vincenzo Onorato"

Mascalzone Latino is not the "sleeping partner" of BMW Oracle, according to Vincenzo Onorato

Here's what Michele Tognozzi wrote, regarding Onorato's letter [Note: the translation of the original text in Italian is mine]:

We thank Vincenzo Onorato for his prompt reply and for the attention with which he follows us. We would like to point out that FareVela Net has echoed the large number of readers that wrote, replying to our invitation to voice their own opinion on the Cup. Our doubts are simply those of the majority of emails we received.

With two years and a half left until the 34th America's Cup there are still many unknowns and Onorato's very admission of a "difficult international economic environment" can only give rise to questions on the real costs of the event, the potential participating teams and the role of the Challenger of Record, questions to which Onorato has promptly replied. Many of the questions, certainly, derive from the "scant communication on the work we are carrying out", as the owner of Mascalzone Latino Audi Team pointed out.

Video: The Dhow experience

What do you get when the holders of the America's Cup crew a traditional Dhow on the Arabian Gulf waters? Just watch this very interesting video. I have to issue a strong parental warning though, this video contains footage of centuries-old traditional monohull sailing and thus might not be suitable for the Facebook generation.

Parental Advisory: Warning, these centuries-old yachts might not be suitable for the Facebook generation

BMW Oracle Racing Dominates Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai

[Source: Louis Vuitton Trophy] The American team BMW Oracle Racing sailed a near-flawless race today against Sweden's Artemis Racing to maintain their margin at the top of the leaderboard.

Everything didn’t go their way. Earlier in the day James Spithill and his team were defeated by the French/German team All4One whose helmsman Sebastien Col won the start and staved off determined American attacks, especially on the first three legs. It was only the second loss in the series for the American team.

Except for BMWOR which holds a four and a half point lead on 13 points, the leaderboard at the Louis Vuitton Trophy remained tightly-packed after the second day of competition in the second round

“We got two points for that race today. It’s a big win,” said All4One’s skipper Jochen Schümann. "BMW Oracle Racing has been very strong so far, so I would say it’s almost ‘bonus points’. We now have a realistic chance to make it to the semis, which is our goal here.”

Follow the leader. Barring any major mishap, BMW Oracle will finish the round robins at the top of the leaderboard. Dubai, 21 November 2010. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / BMW Oracle

Sébastien Col, helmsman of the French/German boat said: “We achieved a really solid race. The key point was the first downwind leg, where we defended very well. We were leading at the first mark, and then we defended well with a few close jibes, which was kind of our weakness at the beginning of the event. After a day like this, we will really feel better controlling our competitor downwind."

Speaking of BMOR’s James Spithill, winner of the 33rd America’s Cup, Col said: “He and I are from the same generation. We raced together very often in youth world championships or on the match racing circuit. He has had an exceptional career these past four years. We’ve known each other for a long time, and it’s always nice to get a win against him.”

Ian Moore, the navigator of the American boat agreed that All4One had done an outstanding job. “It was a little disappointing to lose the first race, but give credit to All4One,” said Moore. “They started well and sailed impeccably well. We see a lot in these races that if you win the start it helps to go on and win the race, and that’s what they did.

“But you can’t let it get you down. You’re going to lose races in a tournament as long as this and we rallied in the second race. Jimmy got a fantastic start and our tactician John Kostecki did a nice job calling the race and picking the shifts.”

Moore said that after losing to the French/German team, “it was good to get a victory against a strong team like Artemis.”

The hard luck story of the day was the Swedish team Artemis Racing which lost two races, each worth two points, to drop from third place overall to fourth. They had started the day in third place, just one and half points behind second-placed Emirates Team New Zealand.

Artemis lost first to the Synergy Russian Sailing team even though the Russians were penalized for a collision in the pre-start. In one of the closest races seen in Dubai this week, Synergy skipper Francesco Bruni attacked and gained the lead before surrendering it while unwinding his penalty. He then fought his way back to finish first, only to lose his two finish points with a two-point deduction for hard contact.

In their second race Artemis was solidly defeated by BMW Oracle Racing.

It was tough day for Cameron Appleton and Artemis. Dubai, 21 November 2010. Photo copyright Sander van der Borch / Artemis

Racing resumes tomorrow afternoon with race boats now scheduled to leave the dock at 1300 and the earliest warning signal at 1345.

Race organizers aim to complete the Round Robin competition on Tuesday. There will be a lay day on Wednesday followed by fleet racing on Thursday. The semi-finals and finals will be raced on Friday and Saturday.

Flight One, Race One, All4One def BMW Oracle Racing Team, 00:45 -
This was only the second race the Americans have lost. Sebastien Col had the starboard advantage at the entry, went nose-to-nose in a protracted dialup above the line against James Spithill, and led back to start at the pin on starboard. Coming into the top mark Spithill was pressing hard but the French/German alliance held the Americans out above the mark and led by eight seconds. Oracle stayed close and on the attack but Col held his nerve and pulled away on the last two legs.

Flight One, Race Two, Synergy Russian Sailing Team def Artemis Racing, 00:26 –
A collision before the start saw the Russian team facing a four point loss – two penalty points for hard contact in the collison and the prospect that Cameron Appleton and Artemis Racing would win the match and go up two points. Synergy’s Francesco Bruni sailed the race of his life to lead on the first beat, unwind the penalty at the top mark and hold off Appleton on the second beat to win the race and two points that were wiped out by a two point loss for hard contact.

Flight Two, Race One, Emirates Team New Zealand def Mascalzone Latino Audi, 00:10 – The Kiwis claimed the right at the start and despite early gains by Gavin Brady, steering Mascalzone Latino Audi, it was Dean Barker who led around the top mark. Brady remained in close contact as the breeze softened with the approaching sunset and it was only on the final run that the New Zealand team could feel comfortable about an imminent win.

Believe it or not, team owner Torbjorn Tornqvist was just an aft grinder today. Dubai, 21 November 2010. Photo copyright Sander van der Borch / Artemis

Flight Two, Race Two, BMW Oracle Racing def Artemis Racing, 01:03 – The presence of team owner Torbjorn Tornqvist onboard was not sufficient to save Cameron Appleton and the Swedish from a sound defeat at the hands of James Spithill. After a protracted dialup, Spithill returned to start on the left on starboard with Artemis trailing by a few metres at the committee and also on starboard. Spithill was able to cross his opponent on the port tack half way up the beat and extended from there on every leg.

Provisional Results after Day Two of RR2:

1. BMW ORACLE Racing, 11-2, 13 pts
2. Emirates Team New Zealand, 7-5, 8.5 pts
3. All4One, 5-7, 6 pts
4. Artemis Racing, 5-8, 5 pts
=5. Synergy Russian Sailing Team, 5-7, 4 pts *
=5. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, 4-8, 4 pts *

* A scoring penalty has been assessed by the umpires

Phil Robertson is the brand new NZ Match Racing Champion

Phil Robertson was today crowned the Telecom New Zealand Match Racing Championship beating Josh Junior 3-1 in the final. Robertson joins Dean Barker, Chris Dickson, Gavin Brady & Rod Davis on the list of names engraved on the New Zealand Match Racing Cup.

For the first time in the Championships, a strong southerly breeze greeted the four skippers as they headed out on to the Waitemata Harbour to contest the finals. In the petit final, William Tiller was 1-0 up on Reuben Corbett. Corbett was a little too eager to get the match back on level pegging, crossing the start line early and gifting Tiller 3rd place overall.

Robertson started the day knowing he was 1 up on Josh Junior and his crew were determined to increase their 18 match unbeaten streak. However it was obvious Junior was not going to let Robertson have it all his own way and make the finals a clean sweep. Their matches produced toe to toe racing with both skippers sailing well in conditions more suited to the Wellington based skipper Josh Junior.

The brand new New Zealand Match Racing champions. Auckland, 21 November 2010. Photo copyright Brad Davies

Junior in keeping the pressure on Robertson in the first race of the morning copped a penalty leaving Robertson 2-0 up going into the 3rd flight. Junior pounced when an unusual slip in Robertson’s crew work led to a bad kite hoist. Despite Robertson having a real crack at Junior on the last downwind leg, there was not enough run way to get past and Junior crossed the finish line a mere 2 seconds ahead of his rival. 2-1.

In what turned out to be the last race of the day, Robertson and his crew had a great start, but with Junior bringing the breeze with him all the way down the course and slowly closing the gap it was a nervous skipper & crew who finally crossed the finish line 6s ahead to claim the win and the Championships, 3-1.

“We had a lot of fun out there, but it was hard work. We had some tight matches, despite what the deltas might show. We sailed well today in the final, but we had to, as there was a strong breeze today and you are vulnerable if you go hunting penalties in that breeze – it’s just not worth it” said Robertson after being presented with the New Zealand Match Racing Cup.

Phil Robertson sails to victory in the New Zealand Match Racing championship. Auckland, 21 November 2010. Photo copyright Brad Davies

I’m proud of where we finished in the Championships” said Junior. “I only put together our crew 5 weeks ago and we have been practising about 3 times a week since. We feel we really stepped it up coming in to the finals and we’re very pleased with our result. Phil sailed well and he was tough to beat. Coming 2nd for us is a great end to our Championships.”

Robinson will be feeling buoyed by his team’s performance. Next week they’re off to compete in their Sunseeker Australia Cup in Perth in which Tiller & Corbett are also competing. That will be the last match racing event in their build up to the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia in December.

FINAL RESULTS

1st - Phil Robertson
2nd - Josh Junior
3rd - Will Tiller
4th - Reuben Corbett
5th - Chris Dickson
6th - David Wood
7th - Dan Pooley
8th - Samantha Osborne
9th - Byeong Ki Park

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing recruits world-class sailing quartet

[Source: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing] The 2008/2009 Volvo Ocean Race winning navigator, Jules Salter from the United Kingdom, heads a quartet of world-class sailing stalwarts signed up to the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team, which will contest the 2011/2012 round-the-world race.

In a major coup for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)-backed outfit, Salter is joined by New Zealand’s Craig Satterthwaite as watchleader, Ireland’s Justin Slattery as bowman and the UK’s Simon Fisher.

And with skipper Ian Walker at the helm, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will likely boast one of the most experienced and decorated sailing teams on the Volvo Ocean Race’s Alicante start line next October.

“The impressive pedigree of these crew members is a clear signal of our intent to be a competitive force in the race,” said His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA - which lead-manages the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team. ‘Further than challenging for competition honours, we hope the team’s knowledge and experience may be fully harnessed to leave a compelling legacy for Abu Dhabi in terms of reigniting a love of the sport among our own youth.”

Having been part of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/09 winning Ericsson 4 team and a runner up in the 2005/6 campaign aboard Pirates of the Caribbean, Salter, from the Isle of Wight, is one of the most revered navigators in top-level yacht racing. The 42-year-old father of two has also notched up victories in the 2010 Medcup Circuit and the 2010 Louis Vuitton regattas.

From left, Craig Satterthwaite from New Zealand, Simon Fisher from United Kingdom, Ian Walker from United Kingdom, Jules Salter from United Kingdom, Justin Slattery from Ireland, recruited for the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing campaign for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. Abu Dhabi, 19 November 2010. Photo copyright Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06 winner, Slattery - the bowman on American businessman Steve Fossett’s record-breaking 2004 world circumnavigation - joins on the back of an impressive run of form. Slattery finished runner-up in the 2010 Louis Vuitton series and won the Maxi One Design Worlds last year.

As part of the 2007 America’s Cup winning Alinghi team, as well as watchleader for 2009 Sydney-Hobart race victors Alfa Romeo, Auckland-born Satterthwaite also brings to the table a wealth of top-tier competitive experience.

And 32-year-old Fisher’s impressive Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup expertise over the last decade rounds off a world-class line-up of sailing talent for the emirate’s debut pursuit in the 39,000 nautical mile, round-the-world challenge - widely regarded as the ‘Everest of Sailing’.

"The confirmation of Jules, Craig, Si Fi and Justin as our first sailing team members shows just how serious ADTA is about being successful in this race. This is exactly the calibre of sailor you would like to have beside you in what will be probably the closest fought round-the-world race ever,” said Walker, who will guide the outfit through nine-months of intense, head-to-head sailing across four of the world’s most treacherous oceans and around six continents.

“In these four, we have a very strong foundation of race winning experience upon which to build the rest of the team."

ADTA is in the final stages of appointing the remaining members of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s 11-strong crew, which will include at least one UAE national. The Emirati selection programme is in its latter stages with 20 candidates shortlisted.

The hopefuls are currently preparing to undergo a demanding fitness and endurance programme to assess their mental and physical strength, before sea trials on the Arabian Gulf waters begin next month.

Abu Dhabi’s on-water ambitions are being equally matched by its on-shore preparations as the United Arab Emirates’ capital readies for its New Year 2012 hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race prior to the yachting fleet embarking on its third leg to Sanya, China. The emirate will be the first Middle East stopover in the event’s 37-year history.

ADTA, which was behind the emirate's successful bid to become a 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race home port and the event’s first Official Destination Partner, believes the Abu Dhabi stop-over will be a race highlight and will give visitors a unique opportunity to connect with its centuries-old maritime heritage.

“Race followers can realistically anticipate a welcome like no other,” added Al Muhairi. “The UAE capital will be alive with a packed programme of activity and entertainment that will culminate in a memorable maritime experience and impress upon the attending and watching world Abu Dhabi’s mounting credentials as an international winter yachting destination.”

Phil Robertson moves to the New Zealand Match Racing Championships finals undefeated

Phil Robertson has continued his domination of the Telecom New Zealand Match Racing Championships coming out on top of the Round Robin series with 15 wins from 16 races. A 3-0 win in the semi-finals advanced him to the finals and he ends the day 1-0 up in the first to 3 final series.

At the start of the day only two flights remained to determine the four semi-finalists. Robertson was already secure in top place with a 3 point advantage and it was all to play for between Josh Junior (starting the day on 10 points) and Will Tiller, Chris Dickson and Reuben Corbett, all on 8 points. Tiller had raced one more race than the others and was starting the day with a bye.

Flight 8 ended with wins for Dickson and Corbett, putting them on 9 points. Junior lost to Roberston so remained on 10 points.


In the crucial match between Dickson and Junior, Junior copped a penalty as the windward boat not keeping clear. Junior sailed well and managed to get rid of the penalty on the 2nd upwind leg. Whilst still behind he came back at Dickson and managed to slam dunk them after which Dickson’s crew fumbled their gybe set and it was game over. Junior crossed the line 16 seconds ahead of Dickson to take the win.

The win by Junior was enough to give Will Tiller the much sought after 4th spot after the two skippers ended the Round Robin both tied on 9 points. Tiller had beaten Dickson in their last match which broke the tie and thus advanced Tiller straight into the semi-finals. Corbett won over Park and finished on 10 points, with Junior on 11 and Phil Robertson with 15 wins from 16 races.

Robertson chose to race against Will Tiller in the semi finals leaving Corbett up against Junior. Robertson continued his dominating ways with a 3/0 win.

I’m pleased with our performance” Robertson said once back on the dock. “We’ve sailed well all championships, we’ve had good starts and been fast on the water. The only race we lost was to Byeongki Park from Korea when we didn’t have a great start. We ended up with a big split which we couldn’t recover from. Our core team of 4 have been sailing together for over 2 years now and we’re really starting to see results. It’s great.”

Robertson’s win in the semis meant he would be facing Josh Junior from the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in Wellington, after Junior defeated Reuben Corbett 3/1.

With an eye to Sunday’s light and variable forecast, Race Officer Megan Kensington saw her opportunity to get one match of the finals underway. Tiller beat Reuben Corbett in the petit final. Continuing his winning ways, Phil Robertson beat Josh Junior by 23s.

Racing gets underway at 1000 hours tomorrow in the first to 2 for the petit final and first to 3 in the finals.