Thursday, 28 April 2011
America's Cup: ORACLE's Capsize - Going, Going, Gone....
More on that capsize: what it was like on board, and the damage done to the wing... Dirk de Ridder and John Kostecki got wet, while the others managed to hang on!
The boat that capsized was ORACLE 1 with Jimmy Spithill (AUS) driving; Russell Coutts (NZL) was at the helm of ORACLE 2
ORACLE Racing
America's Cup
The boat that capsized was ORACLE 1 with Jimmy Spithill (AUS) driving; Russell Coutts (NZL) was at the helm of ORACLE 2
ORACLE Racing
America's Cup
NZ Toyota Optimist Nationals - Day 5 (Final Day)
Leonard Takahashi-Fry of Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club wins
by Christine Hansen
The Open fleet Championship has been won by Aucklander 12 year old Leonard Takahashi-Fry of Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club. Leonard drew ahead of his competitors by sailing a very consistent series, with only one race outside the top ten placings. It's a meteoric rise for the young sailor, who placed around 80th at the Optimist Nationals at Whitianga last year.
Leonard's began sailing at Murrays Bay SC and his first Optimist National Championship was two years ago at Worser Bay in Wellington when he was in the Green fleet. In 2010 he joined the NZ Sailing Academy based out of Narrow Neck Beach and spent the year attending several international events. In 2011 Leonard also became a member of Wakatere BC, since January he has been training twice weekly after his school day is done, as well as on Saturday and Sunday with World Optimist Champion and coach Chris Steele, along with training partners Markus Somerville and Tim Adair.
Leonard is also involved in a number of other sports including athletics, basketball, and has National titles in Ballroom and Latin dancing.
In second place is Isaac McHardie of Hamilton/Tauranga who also sailed a consistent series, earlier this year Isaac won the prestigious Tanner Cup representing the province of Waikato; and in third place is local Wakatere BC sailor Markus Somerville who competed at the Worlds last year. Takahashi-Fry, McHardie and Somerville make up the 2011 New Zealand Optimist World Championship team along with fourth placed William McKenzie of Kohimarama YC and fifth placed Nathaniel Deverell of the Bay of Islands.
The series concluded with three races beginning later in the day as a mark of respect for ANZAC day and the full quota of 14 races scheduled for the series were sailed. The race committee was headed by Napier's Gerald Martin, his team from Napier and Mike Drummond, Grant Beck and Derek Snow of Wakatere Club, who all worked very hard over five days to achieve this as this regatta is the largest single class regatta in New Zealand with 310 boats racing, it is the selection regatta for the New Zealand World Championship Optimist team, and it has also been used as a test run for the 2011 World Championship to be held in Napier at the end of this year.
On the final day conditions were wet, with moderate north easterly winds coming onshore which gusted up to 18 knots as rain squalls blew through. With the outgoing tide the sea whipped up into a one metre chop typical of the inner harbour. Eleven year old Blake Nicholson, first-time open fleeter from Murrays Bay, confirmed that the tide was a dominant factor throughout the regatta. At times it was quite difficult to find a space on the start line, especially with 65 boats, as the tide was pushed the boats towards a particular end of the line.
The prize-giving was attended by a huge crowd of sailors and friends: we were lucky enough to once again have role model and sailing hero Dean Barker to hand out the prizes; legendary sports commentator Peter Montgomery was also kind enough to MC; Mike Drummond not only helped on the race course but also awarded the top sailors a trip on Oracle's AC45; past NZIODA president Nigel Rippey handed over his role to Leslie Egnot and spoke of his involvement in the World Championship coming up in Napier at the end of this year.
We would like to thank all those who helped make the regatta possible - there are too many to name - and, in particular, Wakatere BC members working on the beach on and on the water, sponsors, parents, supporters and most importantly, all of those sailors who were such a delight to work with.
For full results go to www.optimistnationals.org.nz
Wakatere Boating Club
by Christine Hansen
The Open fleet Championship has been won by Aucklander 12 year old Leonard Takahashi-Fry of Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club. Leonard drew ahead of his competitors by sailing a very consistent series, with only one race outside the top ten placings. It's a meteoric rise for the young sailor, who placed around 80th at the Optimist Nationals at Whitianga last year.
Leonard's began sailing at Murrays Bay SC and his first Optimist National Championship was two years ago at Worser Bay in Wellington when he was in the Green fleet. In 2010 he joined the NZ Sailing Academy based out of Narrow Neck Beach and spent the year attending several international events. In 2011 Leonard also became a member of Wakatere BC, since January he has been training twice weekly after his school day is done, as well as on Saturday and Sunday with World Optimist Champion and coach Chris Steele, along with training partners Markus Somerville and Tim Adair.
Leonard is also involved in a number of other sports including athletics, basketball, and has National titles in Ballroom and Latin dancing.
In second place is Isaac McHardie of Hamilton/Tauranga who also sailed a consistent series, earlier this year Isaac won the prestigious Tanner Cup representing the province of Waikato; and in third place is local Wakatere BC sailor Markus Somerville who competed at the Worlds last year. Takahashi-Fry, McHardie and Somerville make up the 2011 New Zealand Optimist World Championship team along with fourth placed William McKenzie of Kohimarama YC and fifth placed Nathaniel Deverell of the Bay of Islands.
The series concluded with three races beginning later in the day as a mark of respect for ANZAC day and the full quota of 14 races scheduled for the series were sailed. The race committee was headed by Napier's Gerald Martin, his team from Napier and Mike Drummond, Grant Beck and Derek Snow of Wakatere Club, who all worked very hard over five days to achieve this as this regatta is the largest single class regatta in New Zealand with 310 boats racing, it is the selection regatta for the New Zealand World Championship Optimist team, and it has also been used as a test run for the 2011 World Championship to be held in Napier at the end of this year.
On the final day conditions were wet, with moderate north easterly winds coming onshore which gusted up to 18 knots as rain squalls blew through. With the outgoing tide the sea whipped up into a one metre chop typical of the inner harbour. Eleven year old Blake Nicholson, first-time open fleeter from Murrays Bay, confirmed that the tide was a dominant factor throughout the regatta. At times it was quite difficult to find a space on the start line, especially with 65 boats, as the tide was pushed the boats towards a particular end of the line.
The prize-giving was attended by a huge crowd of sailors and friends: we were lucky enough to once again have role model and sailing hero Dean Barker to hand out the prizes; legendary sports commentator Peter Montgomery was also kind enough to MC; Mike Drummond not only helped on the race course but also awarded the top sailors a trip on Oracle's AC45; past NZIODA president Nigel Rippey handed over his role to Leslie Egnot and spoke of his involvement in the World Championship coming up in Napier at the end of this year.
We would like to thank all those who helped make the regatta possible - there are too many to name - and, in particular, Wakatere BC members working on the beach on and on the water, sponsors, parents, supporters and most importantly, all of those sailors who were such a delight to work with.
For full results go to www.optimistnationals.org.nz
Wakatere Boating Club
The Safran monohull returns to the ocean
Safran Sixty. Image copyright Francois van Mallegham/DPPI.
by Soazig Guého
After a three-month winter refit, Safran was relaunched on Tuesday 26 April in her port of registry in Brittany’s La Trinité-sur-Mer. Marc Guillemot’s Open 60 IMOCA monohull was sporting a new livery and, most importantly, numerous improvements to further boost reliability and performance. The season’s objective: to try to win the Transat Jacques Vabre a second time.
The day after the final race of the Spi Ouest-France Intermarché, the Safran Sailing Team switched from the Open 7.50 to the 60’ IMOCA. The latter relaunch marks the kick-off of the 2011 season, the key elements of which will comprise the Grand Prix Guyader in nearby Douarnenez, the Istanbul Europa Race this summer, and the Transat Jacques Vabre, the season’s highlight. The transatlantic race is synonymous with a title to be defended by Marc Guillemot and Yann Eliès, his new crew.
Lighter, faster, more efficient
In addition to a thorough check of the boat (hull and structure, keel, mast, deck hardware, equipment), the Safran Sailing Team – always in close collaboration with the engineers from the Safran group – has been busying itself this winter with the job of saving weight and improving reliability. In this way, the whole of the boat’s electrical system was rewired and the helming system changed, as was the cockpit’s deck hardware unit, namely the famous ‘Y’ where all the sheets lead back to.
Marc Guillemot explains: “Each time, we think of ways to be more efficient, faster and less heavy, without ever reducing the safety margins: obviously this doesn’t affect the structure in any way. With over 80,000 miles covered aboard Safran, we benefit from a great wealth of experience as regards the machine, which enables us to make further gains in terms of optimisation.”
We’re not going to change a winning formula
Safran Sixty. Image copyright Francois van Mallegham/DPPI.
The total weight saving remains confidential, but we can indicate that the weight of the new unit has been halved, while the helming system is 40% lighter. “However, the weight isn’t everything, explains Marc. For example, the helming system has been simplified too with the aim of making the boat more sensitive to the touch and even more responsive”. As with every improvement or innovation on the boat, all these modifications were made in collaboration with the architects and engineers from the Safran group, who are involved in the project. We’re not going to change either a winning team or a winning formula!
As regards decor, Safran’s new livery design by Christine Vannier, has been adapted to the Group’s new logo. Playing on shades of grey and strokes of orange, this elegant livery is certainly not a mere detail for Marc Guillemot: “It’s even essential for me, he insists, the elegance of a boat and how beautiful she looks on the water are also an integral part of the desire to go sailing.”
Transat Jacques Vabre: two-tier objective
After an intensive three month refit, the new Safran will be back in service again this week. “Just after the launch, we’re going to deliver her to Douarnenez, indicates Marc Guillemot, so as to take part in the Grand Prix Guyader. It’s an interesting meeting as we can do battle with the others during speed runs.”
From 2 July to 10 August, Safran will participate in the crewed Istanbul Europa Race; a brand new, up-and-coming meeting. However, the main objective of the season remains the Transat Jacques Vabre. It’s worth remembering that Marc Guillemot and Safran won the race in 2009 and that their ‘worst’ result was… second in 2007. For this new edition, their very clear objective is summed up by a witticism: “We’ll take the start with the aim of doing at least as well as last time!”
In French:
Le monocoque Safran retrouve la mer
Après trois moisde chantier d’hiver, Safran a étéremis à l’eau mardi 26 avril dans son port d’attache, La Trinité-sur-Mer. Lemonocoque Open 60 IMOCA de Marc Guillemot a révélé une nouvelle livrée maissurtout de nombreuses améliorations pour toujours plus de fiabilité et deperformance. Objectif de la saison : tenter le doublé sur la TransatJacques Vabre.
Au lendemain de la dernière régate du Spi Ouest-FranceIntermarché, le Safran Sailing Team est passé de l’Open 7.50 au 60’ IMOCA. Laremise à l’eau de ce dernier marque ainsi le coup d’envoi de la saison 2011. Celle-ci se composera pour l’essentiel du Grand Prix Guyader à Douarnenez, del’Istanbul Europa Race cet été, et de la TransatJacques Vabre, point d’orgue de la saison, avec un titre à défendre pour Marc Guillemot et Yann Eliès, son nouvel équipier.
Plus léger, plus rapide, plus efficace
Outre la vérification complète du bateau (coque etstructure, quille, mât, accastillage, équipements), le Safran Sailing Team -toujours en étroite collaboration avec les ingénieurs du groupe Safran – s’estattaché cet hiver à gagner encore en poids et en fiabilité. Ainsi, l’ensembledu faisceau électrique du bateau a été refait et le système de barre changé,tout comme le meuble d’accastillage du cockpit - le fameux « Y » oùreviennent toutes les manœuvres.
Marc Guillemot explique : « A chaque fois, nous réfléchissons pour être plus efficace, plusrapide et moins lourd mais sans jamais abaisser les coefficients desécurité : il est évident que nous ne touchons pas à la structure. Avec plus de 80 000 milles parcourus sur Safran, nous bénéficions aujourd’hui d’unretour d’expérience qui nous permetencore de gagner enoptimisation. »
On ne change pas une méthode qui gagne
Le gain de masse total reste confidentiel, mais nous pouvonsindiquer que le poids du nouveau meuble a diminué de 50% et celui du système debarre de 40%. « Mais le poids n’estpas tout, précise Marc. Parexemple, le système de barre a été simplifié aussi dans le but de rendre lebateau plus sensible au toucher et encore plus réactif ». Comme pourchaque amélioration ou innovation du bateau, l’ensemble de ces modificationssont réalisées en collaboration avec les architectes et les ingénieurs dugroupe Safran impliqués dans le projet. On ne change pas ni une équipe ni uneméthode qui gagnent !
Côté déco, la nouvelle robe de Safran conçue par Christine Vannier a été adaptée au nouveau logodu Groupe. Jouant sur des nuances de gris et des touches d’orange, cetteélégante livrée est loin d’être un détail pour Marc Guillemot : « C’est même essentiel pour moi, insiste-t-il, l’élégance d’un bateau et sa beauté sur l’eau font aussi partieintégrante de l’envie de naviguer.»
Transat Jacques Vabre : objectif doublé
Après trois mois de chantier intensif, le nouveau Safran reprend du service dès cettesemaine. « Juste après la mise àl’eau, nous allons le convoyer vers Douarnenez, indique Marc Guillemot, afin de participer au Grand Prix Guyader.C’est un rendez-vous intéressant car on peut se confronter aux autres sur desruns de vitesse.»
Du 2 juillet au 10 août, Safranparticipera à l’Istanbul Europa Race en équipage, un tout nouveau rendez-vousprometteur. Mais l’objectif principal de la saison reste la Transat JacquesVabre. Rappelons que Marc Guillemot et Safranl’ont remportée en 2009 et que leur plus « mauvais » résultat fut…deuxième en 2007. Pour cette nouvelle édition, l’objectif, limpide, est résuméd’une boutade : « Nous nousprésenterons au départ pour faire au moins aussi bien que la dernièrefois !»
Safran
Aon Racing Kick Off Their Campaign in Korea
Aon Racing (formerly Black Sheep Racing) at the Korea Match Cup qualifier. Image copyright Aon Racing.
by Reuben Corbett
Black Sheep Racing are excited to announce a new partnership with Aon insurance brokers, who have signed on as principal sponsor for our 2011 campaign. The Black Sheep are no more, but we will still stand out in the flock, aiming to make a mark on the sailing world under the title "Aon Racing." Other sponsors on board this year include Club Marine and Allianz, as well as Myogenics, NZ Solutions Web Design and our faithful club, The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
For 2011 the team will be lead by Reuben Corbett on helm, with Adrian Short doing mainsheet and tactics. The big Tom Blampied is doing Pit and Tom Bentham (known as mousy) will be our star trimmer.
Spring blossom at the Korea Match Cup qualifier. Image copyright Aon Racing.
The team arrived in Korea to compete against 11 other teams for a place in the Korea Match Cup, a world tour regatta in May. There will be tough competition from fellow kiwis Laurie Jury and William Tiller, as well as the in form Evan Walker who recently won the Warren Jones regatta in Perth. The regatta is sailed in KM36 boats, with masthead gennakers making for difficult maneouvring and boat handling. However today's training session went well for the team, who quickly adapted to the different boats and are looking forward to tomorrows racing. We are lucky to have Benny Butcher sailing with the team this week and he is in charge of bow.
From Korea the team will fly straight to Europe, competing in the Spanish Open, followed by regattas in Sweden, Poland, Russia, Estonia, France and Italy, where they hope to prove themselves as a top match racing team.
You can follow the team on their website, AonRacing.co.nz, which is still under construction. Alternatively you can subscribe to the twitter feed or join our Aon Racing facebook group.
Aon Racing is Reuben Corbett (Helm), Adrian Short (Main/Tactics), Tom Blampied (Pit), Tom Bentham (Trim) and Benny Butcher (Bow).
Aon Racing
Zoke Kiwi Match Preview the Korea Match Cup Qualifier
Korea Match Cup qualifier boat. Image copyright Zoke Kiwi Match.
by Logan Fraser
Zoke Kiwi Match is back for our third attempt at the Korea Match Cup Qualifier this week hosted at the Jeongok Marina in the Gyeonggi Province. We're hoping to emulate our success of 2 years ago and qualify for the Korea Match Cup World Tour Event to be held in June. Once again the event has attracted an impressive line-up of international teams all vying for the big prize, a shot at the World Tour.
We arrive here in Korea feeling well prepared after a 4 day training camp in Hong Kong which has really helped to bring the team together. It was a great opportunity to work hard on boat handling and manoeuvres, and we were lucky enough to have perfect weather to help in our build up. We enjoyed the hospitality of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and the assistance of our friend and supporter Chin Yew who provided his Flying Tiger 10 for us to train on. The Flying Tiger was a good platform to base our training on as we move into the KM36 for this regatta.
Seven International teams have made the trek to Korea from all over the world; 2 teams from Australia, 1 from Russia, 1 from Japan and 3 from New Zealand. 5 local teams from Korea complete the field and demonstrate the growing interest in sailing in Korea and Asia.
The boats for the Korea Match Cup qualifier. Image copyright Zoke Kiwi Match.
The event here is run on KM36 type boats designed by New Zealander Brett Bakewell-White. They are great boats built locally here in Korea especially for the Korea Match Cup and were the first race boats to be built and sailed in the country. They are a stiff and powerful boat and are configured with a retractable bowsprit and genneker. With a large open cockpit the set-up is ideal for match racing, and even includes a cameraman spot instead of a conventional companionway, ideal for onboard footage. These are one of our favourite boats to sail on the international tour and we're looking forward to an action packed week.
More regatta information can be found on the event website www.koreamatchcup.com and we will try and update our progress on our website www.kiwimatch-sailing.com. Thanks again to Zoke for their ongoing support and of course all our friends and family.
Zoke Kiwi Match is Laurie Jury, Logan Fraser, Mike Edmonds, Jarl Borthwick and Jono Rankine.
Zoke Kiwi Match
Team Jolly April Update... Winners in Europe!
Jo and Bianca in action in Palma. Image copyright Jesus Renedo/Princesa Sofia MAPFRE.
by Jo Aleh
Just a quick update to bring you all up to date with what has been going on for Polly and I over the last month or so...
As you may know, Polly had an accident and broke her collarbone a few days before we were due to leave NZ bound for Spain, to compete in the Princess Sofia World Cup event in Palma. With an expected recovery time of 6-8 weeks, there was no way she was going overseas, so instead Jo got a stand-in crew to come with her overseas. Bianca (Barbarich-Bacher) was helpful enough to drop all her university studies at very short notice and jump on plane to head over to Europe in time to get a few days of practice before the event.
With only five days training before the event, Jo and Bianca had a surprisingly good regatta and ended up winning overall, a testament to the training and organisation that had gone on back in NZ over the summer months, and hopefully showing that Team Jolly is still on track, even with a few hick-ups along the way!
The winners at Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE. Image copyright Nico Martinez/Princesa Sofia MAPFRE.
On another winning note, our roommate (from the appropriately numbered room 101) Sara Winther also won the Radial event, so overall a rather successful regatta for us kiwi girls!
Jo and Bianca then competed in the French Spring Cup event - one of the few events where the men and women race together. They had a more up and down regatta, winning a few races (one by a nice two minutes thirty), but also having a few rather terrible ones along the way, to end up 8th overall and top women's team in the seventy five boat fleet.
As the other teams headed off to Hyeres to compete in the next World Cup event on the circuit, Jo and Bianca have come back to NZ, where Bianca goes back to university, and Jo and Polly were reunited once again. Polly's recovery has gone well so far (aside from the boredom created by hours of sitting on a stationary bike...) and she will be back on the water by the end of the week, so that we can sail for the next few weeks before we head over to Weymouth in the UK, to compete in the Sail for Gold World Cup event, where we will be a little down on sailing time, but looking to use it as a learning regatta, and some good practice before the Pre Olympic test event held in August at the same venue.
Our new website is up and running, and we will be posting updates and all that sort of info right there...
Thank you for all the support!
Jo & Polly
Team Jolly
A special note of thanks to Nathan Handley (our coach), for coming to Palma and FSC with us, and to Bianca for dropping everything at such short notice!! Greatly appreciated!!
Thank you to oursupporters and suppliers:
SPARC and the New Zealand Academy of Sport, Yachting New Zealand, Donaghys, Kaenon Sunglasses, Harken, Mackay Boats and Quantum Sails.
Team Jolly Racing
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