America's Cup: SNG’s Fred Meyer comments on latest NY court ruling

by Fred Meyer, Vice Commodore, Société Nautique de Genève

“Société Nautique de Genève continues to evaluate its options ahead of next Wednesday’s hearing. We hope that the pending issues will be resolved and that we will have certainty regarding the 33rd America’s Cup.

"It’s disappointing that Justice Kornreich took yet another unprecedented decision that diminishes the rights of the Defender under the Deed of Gift by considering that rudders are not part of the load waterline length measurement,” said Fred Meyer, adding: “The Deed of Gift Match chosen by Golden Gate Yacht Club is not a mutual consent match and is therefore ruled by the strict provisions of the Deed, which read: ‘These ocean courses [...] shall be selected by the Club holding the Cup; and these races shall be sailed subject to its rules and sailing regulations [...]’. We expect Justice Kornreich to recognise these rights and respect the Defender’s position.”

Société Nautique de Genève
Alinghi

Olympians Focus on 2009 Sail Sydney

Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen competing against each other at last year's event. Image copyright www.harvpix.com

by Di Pearson

Five Olympic sailors, including a Beijing gold medallist, are early entries for Yachting NSW’s 2009 Sail Sydney (previously known as the Sydney International Regatta), which will again be held on Sydney Harbour from December 5-8 off the host venue, Woollahra Sailing Club.

The only ISAF Grade 1 event in NSW, Sail Sydney will feature 470, 49er, Finn, Laser, Laser Radial, and RS:X all classes that will compete at the Olympics in London 2012.

Sail Sydney entry is also open to the junior 420, 29er, Laser 4.7 and Bic Techno 293 classes, feeder boats into the Olympic classes, along with the Hobie 16 and Moth classes, which will undoubtedly add colour and spectacular viewing to this year’s event.

Early entries for Sail Sydney include Australian Sailing Team members who represented at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games; Tom Slingsby (Laser), triple Olympian Anthony Nossiter (Finn), Nathan Outteridge with his new crew Iain Jensen (49er skiff) and 470 gold medallist Malcolm Page, with his new skipper Mathew Belcher.

Page, from Sydney, won the gold medal with his former skipper Nathan Wilmot and the two went their separate ways after the Games to pursue different sailing dreams. Ironically, it was Page’s now skipper Belcher, from Queensland, who pushed the former pairing in the four years leading up to the Olympics, defeating Wilmot/Page at several major regattas.

“There’s no better place to sail than Sydney Harbour,” Page stated today, before starting training at the Institute of Sport in Canberra.

“Mat and I are keen to go sailing again and we’re both looking forward to SIRs, our first Olympic class regatta of the summer,” commented Page who says sailing with Belcher has: “given me a fresh perspective.”

Slingsby won two Laser world titles in succession in 2007 and 2008 and regained that form to win Gold at the Sail for Gold Regatta sailed at the new Olympic venue in Weymouth, England this past September.

Outteridge, too, can claim two successive world titles, winning the 2008 and 2009 49er Worlds. The 23 year-old changed crews after the Beijing Games to win his 2009 crown with Iain Jensen, whom he reconnected with after they scored world, national and state championship wins in junior classes during their youths.

The NSW pair has won each of the three Grade 1 Olympic events they have contested this year, and because of his outstanding results in the 49er and finishing runner-up at the 29er and Moth worlds in the last 12 months, Outteridge is the only Australian finalist in the 2009 World Sailor of the Year awards, to be announced on November 10.

Some of the country’s best Youth sailors will also take part. James Sly and Andrew Gillies will head-up the 29er skiff class. The current 29er Australian champions, they scored a major coup last week taking out the Junior Team of the Year at the Victorian Sport Awards.

Ashley Stoddart, the 2009 Australian Laser Radial champion, will head up the Female entries in the Radial. In August, the Queensland schoolgirl finished runner-up at the Laser Radial Youth World Championship in Japan, where she was crowned the Under 17 world champion. Prior to that, the 16 year-old finished sixth at the Volvo ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, as a representative of the Australian Youth team.

Internationally, entries have already been received from Canadian Michael Leigh, a Beijing Olympian who continues his quest for an Olympic medal in the Laser class, and Ryan Seaton/Matt McGovern, who will represent Ireland in the 49er skiff.

“It’s gratifying to see so many Olympians return for this great annual event,” said Peter Hemery from Yachting NSW.

“Not only is it a good opportunity to earn valuable points for an Olympic campaign, it is also a great chance for up-and-coming young sailors to compete against some of the best sailors in the world. I can’t think of another sport where no matter what standard you are, you can come and compete against Olympians”.

Entries for the 18th edition of Sail Sydney, hosted by Woollahra Sailing Club, close on November 20.

Sail Sydney 2009

Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

by Paul Cayard

I am down here at the world's best regatta. Why is it the world's best? Great sailing conditions, independent race management, fair rules, friendly environment, great shore side facilities, top level competitors.

The BEYC has welcomed me and my family here 10 times in the past 18 years. My daughter Allie joined me this time. The staff remember her being a little girl playing in the sand and flapping around the pool. Now she is writing college papers in her room before dinner, then ordering Rum Punch at the Pub after dinner, while we shoot pool and listen to Reggae. She also looks like a young woman, so I have to be quick to introduce her as my daughter because we have both gotten some nasty stares.

The trade winds blow here consistently between 10-15 knots. The sun is plentiful and the temperature is 82 degrees day and night. I know that is hard to take.

There was no time spent arguing about the rules or the Notice of Race. There was zero money spent on lawyers or travel expenses to a New York court. But we did spend some money on rum drinks.

Finally, the competitors. This is a Pro Am, the Pros skipper the boats and the hotel guests do the crewing. The Pros: Ken Read (what did her ever do?), Zach Riley (some kid from Florida who went on a trip to China last year to pick up a piece of metal), Anna Tunnicliffe (some chick who likes to sail and went to China as Zack's friend, saw his chunk of metal and decided to get a better one...just like a chick), Keith Musto who won a piece of metal in the 72 Oly's and yours truly who is a journalist masquerading as a sailor. There is a new addition to this year's skippers format; an amateur! One of the division winners from Block Island Race Week last summer won the right to race against the Pros and his name is Craig Albrecht. This should be a cool new innovation down here.

So the point is, the Bitter End Pro Am is a lot about what sailing is and should be; FUN.

Cayard Sailing

TJV: The Spectacle Begins

by Régis Lerat (abbreviated in translation)

The first rounds of the City of Le Havre Trophy - Paul Vatine were conducted in light winds in the Eure basin on Saturday, 31st October.

On Sunday the racing continued, in winds of 20 knots, gusting to more than 25 knots.

The three group winners, who form the finalists - Foncia (Michel Desjoyeaux and Jérémie Beyou), Brit Air (Armel Le Cléac'h and Nicolas Troussel) and Guyader pour Urgence Climatique (Victorien Erussard and Loïc Fequet) - will now race on Saturday, 7th November, at 1500.


Racing in the intial rounds of the City of Le Havre Trophy - Paul Vatine, on Saturday, 31st October. Image copyright Alexis Courcoux.

Results of the initial rounds

Pool A:
1st - Brit Air 5pts
2nd - Veolia Environnement 5pts
3rd - Actual 5pts
4th - Aviva 8pts
5th - DCNS 8pts
6th - 1876 11pts

Pool B:
1st - Foncia 3pts
2nd – Crêpes Whaou! 3pts
3rd - Artemis Ocean Racing 7pts
4th - W Hotels 8 pts
5th - Mike Golding Yacht Racing 9pts
6th - FenetreA- Cardinal 12pts


Racing in stronger winds in the City of Le Havre Trophy - Paul Vatine, on Sunday, 1st November. Image copyright Alexis Courcoux.

Pool C:
1st - Guyader pour Urgence 4pts
2nd - Safran 4pts
3rd - BT 6pts
4th - Hugo Boss 8pts
5th - Akena Verandas 9pts
6th - Groupe Bel 11pts

Transat Jacques Vabre

Ben Ainslie: 1,00 Days to London 2012

by Dan Wilkinson

On October 31 it was exactly 1000 days until London 2012 gets underway and I cannot wait for the excitement and buzz around the Olympics to really start ramping up as we get closer to the Games.

All the facilities will be in place but I really think it will be the atmosphere generated throughout the country that will make or break the Games and hopefully it will be better than anything I've ever experienced at any other Olympics.

The biggest Olympic Classes event I've ever done in this country was probably the Olympic Trials in 1995 so to compete at an actual Olympics in front of a home crowd in Britain would be very special.

To coincide with the release of my autobiography recently I did a few book signings around the country and it was great to meet so many people who just loved the Olympics and seemed genuinely excited about the Games coming to Britain.

I haven't been in a Finn since Beijing last year but I have a week's training with the rest of the British Finn squad scheduled at the start of December and in all honesty I fully expect the other guys to give me a good butt kicking!

It will probably be really windy and I'm a good six-seven kilos below my racing weight at the moment but that's fine and I'm looking forward to just getting back into the boat.

I'd like to do as much Finn sailing as I can in January and February and, although nothing's concrete yet, maybe look to do a couple of events next year too. But 2011 is the crucial year for me to really step it up while adding those extra kilos I need to sail the Finn.

It's great to be working with David 'Sid' Howlett again on my Finn campaign. Sid was my coach for Athens 2004 and he'll take a lot of the workload out of the logistics and planning meaning I know I can step back into the boat and i t will all be in great shape. His enthusiasm and knowledge are priceless, especially on the technical side, and he will be a great asset.

Earlier this month myself, Matt Cornwell, Iain Percy and Christian Kamp enjoyed a successful week in Bermuda winning the Argo Group Gold Cup. The event is part of the World Match Racing Tour and has in the past been won by some of the biggest names in sailing so to win the coveted King Edward VII Gold Cup was a very special moment for us all.

We had some tough racing during the event being pushed hard by Australian Torvar Mirsky, reigning champion and fellow Brit Ian Williams and Kiwi Adam Miniprio in the final knockout stages but with those three guys currently sat 1-2 and 3 in the overall Tour leaderboard after eight events it was a very satisfying victory.

It's frustrating to have only done four Tour events this year meaning we're not in line to land the World title but a good performance at the final round in Malaysia in December could still see us sneak on to the podium.

In November Team Origin will compete in the first Louis Vuitton Trophy Regatta in Nice. With the 33rd America's Cup solely the Deed of Gift Match between Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing next February, a series of five Louis Vuitton Trophy events, sailed in America's Cup boats, have been proposed starting now and continuing throughout 2010. I think this is a really good thing and crucial if the interest level in the America's Cup is going to be maintained.

Finally huge congratulations to Jenson Button on landing the Formula One World title. I was a guest of Brawn GP at the European Grand in Valencia in August and they made me feel so welcome, even involving me in all the post-race briefs. It's a remarkable story and I'm really delighted for Jenson.

Ben Ainslie CBE

Australian 18 Footers League: Club Championships Race 1, Sydney Harbour

Great skiff action on Sydney Harbour. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

by Frank Quealey

Following the return of the six skiffs which competed recently in the US, a fleet of 22 teams lined up in 20+ knot north easterly conditions to contest Race 1 of the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship on Sydney Harbour on Sunday.

The fleet took a battering in the conditions with only ten teams managing to complete the course.

Current NSW champions John Harris, Scott Babbage and Peter Harris handled the conditions superbly to bring their skiff Rag & Famish Hotel home a 2m13s winner from Sponsor Wanted, crewed by Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas.

Andy Budgen, James Barker and Matt McGovern finished third in Project Racing, a further 1m4s behind Sponsor Wanted.

Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Cuddihy) was next, followed by Smeg (Trevor Barnabas, standing in for Nick Press) and Yandoo (John Winning)

Former Giltinan champion Michael Coxon, returning to the 18s after a season lay off, showed that his team would again be a force when Sponsor Wanted took a 40s lead on the windward leg to the Beashel Buoy


Rag and Famish heads to victory. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

Seve Jarvin’s Gotta Love It 7 was in second place, followed by Rag & Famish Hotel, Yandoo, appliancesonline (John Winning Jr), Smeg, Project Racing and Pure Blonde (James Francis).

Several skiffs capsized on the spectacular spinnaker run to the wing mark off Shark Island.

Among them were appliancesonline, Gotta Love It 7 and Club Marine (Marcus Ashley-Jones).

Sponsor Wanted continued to hold their lead to the bottom mark the first time although their margin had been reduced to just 15s by Rag & Famish.

This pair had opened up a break on the rest of the fleet which was headed by Smeg, Project Racing, Yandoo and Fisher & Paykel.

There was little change up the following windward beat. This time Sponsor Wanted gained marginally to lead Rag & Famish by 25s.

The leaders set a sensational pace down the spinnaker run to the bottom mark the second time, thrilling the large crowd aboard the spectator ferry.

Unfortunately for the Sponsor Wanted team, an untimely capsized near Clarke Island ended their winning chance as they watched Rag & Famish sail off to an unbeatable lead.

Over the final triangle of the course Rag & Famish Hotel was untroubled to maintain their advantage over the fleet and went on to record a comfortable victory.


Smeg capsized on the final spinnaker run to Shark Island. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

Behind the leader, however there was still plenty of action as Smeg and Yandoo both capsized on the final spinnaker run to Shark Island.

Next Sunday’s race is the first race of the NSW Championship and John Harris and his team showed today that they will be favoured to retain the title they won last year.

With today’s race under his belt, Michael Coxon and his ‘Sponsor Wanted’ team will also be a strong challenger in the NSW championship as well as the Giltinan Championship next February.

An ideal opportunity for somebody to sponsor a potential ‘world champion’.

Australian 18 Footers League

America's Cup: Statement by Russell Coutts, Skipper & CEO, BMW ORACLE Racing

by Russell Coutts

Our position that rudders should not be included in teh Load Water-Line has been supported by the New York Supreme Court.

We welcome this decision. We also totally support the Court's initiative to resolve the remaining issues with input from experts who are previous America's Cup jurors and able to bring their experience to bear on sailing and technical matters.

Justice Kornreich has asked Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) and the defender, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), to nominate three persons to attend a hearing of the New York Supreme Court next Wednesday, November 4. Each side will nominate one former juror who, in turn, will select the third.

Their combined testimony will help determine:

- the use of moveable water ballast in the measurement of LWL
- whether it is safe to race off Valencia, Spain, in February 2010 (the date of the 33rd Match)
- whether racing and other rules can be changed after the Notice of Race is issued
- the timing of the International Jury being empanelled for an America's Cup Match
- and whether the agreement between the International Sailing Federation and SNG leaves this Jury unencumbered to be independent and objective

These issues go right to the heart of what we have advocated all along: fair rules and fair play.

This is a significant step towards getting the America's Cup back on track.

Golden Gate Yacht Club
BMW ORACLE Racing