Spi Ouest France - Intermarché Dites 33 !

Spi Ouest-France 2010. Image copyright DR.

par Rivacom

Le Spi Ouest France-Intermarché se porte à merveille et rendez-vous est donné à La Trinité-sur-Mer du 21 au 25 avril 2011 pour le 33ème du genre. Autant dire une institution à laquelle seuls les marins retenus au loin font défaut, parce qu'ils seront encore plus de 3000 à rallier le port morbihannais, impatients de retrouver ces joutes nautiques alliant sport et convivialité comme peu d'événements savent le faire.

Intermarché et ses Mousquetaires partenaires de Ouest France

Créé en 1978, ‘Le Spi’ est désormais un rendez vous incontournable pour des milliers de marins et des centaines de bateaux. L'épreuve, qui a lieu chaque année lors du grand week-end Pascal, se déroulera du 21 au 25 avril prochain.


Spi Ouest-France 2010. Image copyright DR.

Pendant trois ans, Intermarché a décidé de renforcer son partenariat avec Ouest-France en associant son nom à cet évènement fédérateur, organisé par la Société Nautique de la Trinité. A travers ce partenariat, Intermarché marque sa volonté de soutenir une régate où le talent, l’initiative et la compétence sont des valeurs phares, communes à celles portées par les franchisés Intermarché.

Du spectacle en mer et à terre

Le succès du «Spi» qui fête sa 33ème édition est incontestable, Il ouvre la saison des courses en étant, de surcroît, la plus importante épreuve de voiliers habitables en Europe. Et ils sont 30 000 spectateurs à faire le déplacement pour assister à cette ‘grand messe' qui rassemble amateurs et professionnels, anonymes et stars, régatiers du dimanche et coureurs océaniques, monotypes et voiliers de série.


Les J80s, Spi Ouest-France 2010. Image copyright DR.

Cette année, le Spi Ouest France-Intermarché ouvrira le bal des multiséries de la saison vélique avec 500 bateaux, parmi lesquels les M34, le nouveau bateau choisi pour le Tour de France à la voile et le Championnat de France des équipages. Ce sera pour, ce bateau que l’on dit puissant, la première apparition en course. Autre nouveauté sur le ‘Spi’, les Longtze qui, depuis leurs premiers bords en régate, ne sont jamais passés inaperçus... Fins à barrer, ces ‘fils du dragon’ (Longtze en chinois) partent au planning avec à peine 10 nœuds de vent et promettent du spectacle en perspective.

Une recette unique

Voilà plus de trois décennies que ça marche et que la recette n’a pas changé : Prenez un plan d’eau exceptionnel, un port de plaisance à la fois charmant et ultra moderne, une meute de marins pressés d’en découdre quand reviennent les beaux jours, une flotte qui ne cesse d’évoluer, une organisation au cordeau, des partenaires motivés et enthousiastes, et vous avez le Spi Ouest France-Intermarché.


Spi Ouest-France 2010. Image copyright DR.

Le millésime 2011 n’aura rien à envier aux plus grandes éditions du ‘Spi’ puisque le véritable secret de la savante recette réside dans ce mélange rare et magique des ‘stars’ de la voile avec de purs amateurs, sur l’eau comme à terre. Et ils étaient déjà plus de 100 bateaux inscrits début février alors que les entraînements de Printemps débutent ce week-end à La Trinité...

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Spi Ouest-France

Mashups: Live Video, Tracking, and Everything on One Page from Sailing Events

Mashups from 505 dinghy and Professional Windsurfing events:

The 505 and PWA World Cup Mashup's from ACTIVE institute on Vimeo.

Video of Professional Windsurfers in Cold Hawaii (aka Denmark):

Middles Funpark from FYM Productions on Vimeo.

Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships: Two Aussie and Two Kiwi Teams in Semi-Finals

by Kelly Gilkison

Kiwi David Hazard representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron added another 5 wins today and with a total of 11 wins overall is 1 point clear of the other semi finalists. Australians Jay Griffin and Jordan Reece along with Wellington’s Josh Porebski complete the final four with a total of 10 wins each. To break the 3 way tie Reece beat both Griffin and Porebski in today’s matches and so qualifies in the second spot. Porebski beat Griffin leaving them 3rd and 4th respectively.

Hazard was pleased with his team’s performance on day two commenting, “We did pretty good. We had a lot better boat handling today and were thinking more. We felt we had good boat speed which is good and we are really looking forward to tomorrows semi finals.”

Reece is the only team in the top four sailing with five crew which includes the luxury of having a designated tactician, Kate Brown, who sits behind him. Although, as Brown found out today, there is not much room at the rear of the boat. “We were having a close race with Porebski” commented Reece “he gybed and we gybed too and Kate’s foot got caught in the mainsheet so I had to go back and pull her back onboard while the other guys rolled us.” Remarkable Reece and his crew managed to get back to win the race by 13 seconds.

19 year old Griffin explained about their impressive day on the water with only 2 losses. “We are still getting used to the boats, and I need to sail a bit more low-risk!” He smiles! Griffin was quick to speak highly of the new Elliott 7’s “The are really really good for match racing and Guy (Guy Pilkington Training Manager, RNZYS) has done a great job setting them up, it makes the transition from the 6’s to the 7’s a lot easier”.

18 year old Porebski commented “We did far better today, only lost one race to Jordan, which was a really good race, both got a penalty – it was all on.”

The teams practically ran into the Squadron clubrooms this afternoon after a gorgeous day on the Auckland Harbour – but it was HOT! Plenty of sunshine, sailing and sunscreen and at the end of Round Robin two the teams were quite pleased to hit the showers! It was a picture perfect day with a light northerly, putting the start box right off the Westhaven seawall, which was fantastic for parents and supporters alike.

The RNZYS Red team helmed by Codie Banks could only add 3 points to their total and move from second place overall yesterday to just missing out on a finals spot this afternoon.

Italian Valerio Galati added another 2 wins to his total putting him in 6th place overall with Wellington’s Adam Middleton 7th and the regatta’s only female skipper Stephanie Doyle, in 8th place overall.

Semi finals and minor placings sail-offs begins tomorrow (Monday 14 February 2011) at approx 1200hrs. There is fantastic spectator viewing along the Westhaven Marina seawall.

Day Two's Results

Flight Two
Hazard beat Galati by 1min 4s
Doyle beat Middleton by 6s
Reece beat Porebski by 13s
Griffin beat Banks by 1min 12s

Flight Three
Hazard beat Doyle by 38s
Reece beat Griffin by 32s
Porebski beat Galati by 50s
Banks beat Middleton by 6s

Flight Four
Galati beat Doyle by DNF
Hazard beat Reece by 23s
Porebski beat Banks by 28s
Griffin beat Middleton by 1m

Flight Five
Griffin beat Hazard by 13s
Porebski beat Doyle by 2m 10s
Galati beat Middleton by DNF
Reece beat Banks by 1m 58s

Flight Six
Porebski beat Griffin by 19s
Reece beat Doyle by 2m 11s
Hazard beat Middleton by 50s
Banks beat Galati by 4s

Flight Seven
Porebski beat Middleton by 23s
Hazard beat Banks by 5s
Griffin beat Doyle by 43s
Reece beat Galati by 12s

Current Standing – End of Round Robin Two Placings
1 David Hazard 11 wins / 3 losses
2 Jordan Reece 10 / 4
3 Josh Porebski 10 / 4 4 Jay Griffin 10 / 4
5 Codie Banks 8 / 6
6 Valerio Galati 4 / 10
7 Adam Middleton 2 / 12
8 Stephanie Doyle 1 / 13

RNZYS

Aussie 18 Foot Skiffs: Club Championship, Race 12

There was a match race between Smeg and Gotta Love It 7 for first and second place. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

by Frank Quealey

Two great 18ft Skiff crews provided spectators with a wonderful race as they battled the 20-knot southerly winds in Race 12 of the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship on Sydney Harbour today.


Rag and Famish Hotel. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

After racing alongside each other for most of the long south course, the Smeg team of Nick Press, Daniel Phillips and Dave Ewings took the honours by just 13s from the Gotta Love It 7 team of Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Scott Babbage.

Third place went to Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney, Tom Clout and Drewe Waller), which finished a further 2m44s back.


Mach 2 Moth capsizes behind SLAM. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

Western Australia’s SLAM, Grant Rollerson, finished fourth, followed by Yandoo (John Winning) ND De’Longhi-Rabbitohs (Simon Nearn).

Yandoo leads the championship from Red Claw (Matt Searle), with Gotta Love It 7 in third place, ahead of Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon), Smeg and Rag & Famish Hotel.


Kinder Caring. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

All teams chose their smaller #2 rigs and it was a tight battle to the windward mark off Clarke Island where Smeg held a 5s advantage over Rag & Famish Hotel, The Kitchen Maker (Brett Van Munster), Gotta Love It 7, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, TF Collect (Mark Kennedy), Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Chapman), De’Longhi-Rabbitohs and Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley Jones)

Smeg held an 8s lead after the long spinnaker run to Obelisk Bay, then revelled in the tough conditions on the following work back to Rose Bay.

Gotta Love It 7 had good boat speed to move ahead of Rag & Famish Hotel at Rose Bay while SLAM moved into fourth place ahead of The Kitchen Maker, De’Longhi-Rabbitohs, Yandoo and Thurlow Fisher Lawyers.


De Longhi. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

All teams elected to two-sail reach back to bottom mark at Athol Bay where Gotta Love It 7 managed to narrowly head Smeg.

From that point the two leaders staged a match race for the remainder of the course and the crews were superb in an exhibition which produced one of the best races for some time.


Smeg and Rag & Famish. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

With Smeg 12s ahead at the final rounding mark, the windward leg back to the finish had spectators cheering for their favourite team.

Gotta Love It 7 was ahead but Smeg’s windward position proved the deciding factor when the ‘7’ team had to put in one last tack to make the line.


Smeg takes the victory from Gotta Love It 7. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

If that’s the type of racing we can expect next month at the Giltinan then we are in for one great championship.

Aussie 18 Footers League

NZ F18 Nationals: Black Sheep Racing finish 1st and 2nd

Black Sheep Racing with their F18 cats and trophies. Left to right: Tom Bentham, Reuben Corbett, James Sandall, and Brad Farrand. Supplied image.


The F18 fleet at the NZ Nationals. Supplied image.

by Reuben Corbett

After a strong showing in day one, both teams managed to put together a solid performance and to hold on to the top two spots of the New Zealand Formula 18 Nationals.


Race start, NZ F18 Nationals, with Black Sheep Racing to leeward. Supplied image.

The first race of two day was light and shifty with results a little mixed. Brad and James managed a solid 2nd and Reuben and Tom 5th after being on the wrong side of a shift up the first beat. In the remaining two races the breeze filled in and saw a return to day one’s results, with both Black Sheep teams finishing 1st and 2nd.


The winners, Brad and James of Black Sheep Racing. Supplied image.

Brad and James kept their overnight lead to take the regatta, with Reuben and Tom a close second. We are all very happy with the result given we only started sailing multihulls just over a month ago and were competing against some other experienced teams. We hope to include more of this racing in our calendar at some stage later in the year.


Brad Farrand and James Sandall, Black Sheep Racing. Supplied image.

For now though, we move our focus back to monohull match racing, in which we will be putting in some solid training before we head to Europe in April.


Brad Farrand and James Sandall, Black Sheep Racing. Supplied image.

Black Sheep Racing would like to say a special thanks to SLAM New Zealand for their great sailing apparel and Andrew Macpherson (Macca) for his wisdom and knowledge in multi hull sailing. Thank you!


Brad Farrand and James Sandall, Black Sheep Racing. Supplied image.

Black Sheep Racing is Reuben Corbett, Tom Bentham, James Sandall and Brad Farrand.

Black Sheep Racing

Aussie 18 Foot Skiffs: Twilight Race

Close racing. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

by Frank Quealey

Simon Nearn, Gerard Smith and Pedro Vozone had to come from behind in De’Longhi-Rabbitohs to take out the Australian 18 Footer League’s Twilight Race on Sydney Harbour today.


Pure Blonde. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

Pure Blonde (James Francis, Brad Phillips and Cameron McDonald) had led from the first windward mark but lost the lead on the final leg of the course to finish 16s behind De’Longhi-Rabbitohs.

Third place went to Andy Budgen’s Project Racing, which finished a further 45s back.


Fisher & Paykel. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

The race was sailed in a fluctuating north east breeze which lightened just before the race and left the fleet underpowered with their smaller #2 rigs.

The course was a three lap windward-return.

Pure Blonde grabbed the early lead when the team took advantage of the nearer red buoy on the 3-buoy course.


Thurlow Fisher Lawyers. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

On the first spinnaker run Pure Blonde led clearly from Project Racing, De’Longhi-Rabbitohs, Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones), The Kitchen Maker (Brett Van Munster), Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon), Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Chapman) and SLAM (Grant Rollerson).

Pure Blonde led by 40s at the bottom mark the first time, followed by Project Racing and De’Longhi-Rabbitohs and Asko Appliances.


De Longhi and Pure Blonde. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

De’Longhi -Rabbitohs reduced the gap on the next windward leg and there was little between the two leaders as they headed for home on the final spinnaker run.

The sky was dark and the wind light but the action kept spectators thrilled as the two leaders raced to the finish line only 1-2 boat lengths apart.


Appliances Online. Image copyright Frank Quealey.

Aussie 18 Footers

Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships: Day One

by Kelly Gilkison

Australian Jay Griffin and Kiwis David Hazard & Codie Banks are locked together on top of the leader board at the end of day one at the 2011 HARKEN Youth International Match Racing Championships.

All three won a total of six races with two losses at the conclusion of racing today, when Round Robin one and one flight of Round Robin Two was completed.

The teams hit the dock this afternoon weary from a hard day’s racing on the Auckland Harbour in a fresh 15 knot easterly which made for fantastic spectator viewing from the Westhaven seawall. Many friends, family and sailing enthusiasts came down to watch the close match racing action.

The RNZYS Blue team helmed by David Hazard and his crew of Rawiri Geddes, Callum Jones & Sam Molesworth had a bunch of impressive wins beating their opponents by over one minute, his closest race being with Wellington’s Josh Porebski whom he beat by just 7 seconds. Hazard was pleased with his team’s performance on the water today, commenting ‘Yeah it was cool’.

The RNZYS Red team helmed by Codie Banks and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Jay Griffin also have a total of 6 wins and 2 losses. On count back Banks broke the tie having beaten Griffin by 35 seconds in Flight Two this morning.

Wellington’s Josh Porebski and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Jordan Reece are next overall with a total of five wins and three losses each.

Italian Valerio Galati being the highest ranked skipper in the series began the day with 2 wins out of 2 races. The Italians fought hard in the remainder of their races but couldn’t add anymore to their total. This puts Galati in fifth place overall alongside Wellington’s Adam Middleton with 2 wins and 6 losses each.

The Championship’s only female skipper, Stephanie Doyle representing the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club was unable to post any wins this morning but had some very close races and will be one to watch out for tomorrow.

Results

Round Robin One
Flight One
Galati beat Doyle by 1m 22s
Hazard beat Reece by 1m 17s
Banks beat Porebski by 1m 2s
Griffin beat Middleton by 1s

Flight Two
Galati beat Hazard by 6s
Middleton beat Doyle by 1min 2s
Porebski beat Reece by 49s
Banks beat Griffin by 35s

Flight Three
Hazard beat Doyle by 1m 33s
Griffin beat Reece by 40s
Porebski beat Galati by 6s
Banks beat Middleton by 1m 29s

Flight Four
Porebski beat Middleton by 10s
Hazard beat Banks by 28s
Griffin beat Doyle by 47s
Reece beat Galati by 2m 31s

Flight Five
Hazard beat Griffin by DNF
Porebski beat Doyle by 1m 11s
Middleton beat Galati by 21s
Reece beat Banks by 45s

Flight Six
Griffin beat Porebski by 2s
Reece beat Doyle by 1m 26s
Hazard beat Middleton by 11s
Banks beat Galati by 58s

Flight Seven
Griffin beat Galati by 33s
Banks beat Doyle by 30s
Hazard beat Porebski by 7s
Reece beat Middleton by 18s

Flight One – RR2
Griffin beat Galati by 9s
Banks beat Doyle by 54s
Porebski beat Hazard by 14s
Reece beat Middleton by 22s

Standings – End of Round Robin Two Flight )
Hazard 6 wins / 2 losses
Banks 6 / 2
Griffin 6 / 2
Porebski 5 / 3
Reece 5 / 3
Galati 2 / 6
Middleton 2 / 6
Doyle 0 / 8

RNZYS Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships 2011 Entry List
1. Lega Navale Italiana Trani Trani, Italy
Helm Valerio Galati
Main Francesco Mastrogiacomo
Trim Marco di Domizi
Bow Francesco Mauro Manzi

2. Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Sydney, Australia
Helm Jordan Reece
Main James Shannon
Trim Arnau Farras-Knowles
Mid Anousha Fluck
Bow Kate Brown

3. Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Sydney, Australia
Helm Jay Griffin
Main Henry Kermot
Main Hamish Hardy
Bow Will Parker

4. Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Sydney, Australia
Helm Stephanie Doyle
Main Elyce McClelland
Trim Gemma Rasdall
Mid Jack Nairn
Bow James Johnston

5. Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club Wellington, New Zealand
Helm Josh Porebski
Main Tim Coltman
Trim Michael Cook
Bow Stuart Williams

6. Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club Wellington, New Zealand
Helm Adam Middleton
Main James de Lisle
Trim Will Eastman
Bow Mackenzie Taylor

7. Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Auckland, New Zealand
Helm David Hazard
Main Rawiri Geddes
Trim Callum Jones
Bow Sam Molesworth

8. Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Auckland, New Zealand
Helm Codie Banks
Main Daniel Pooley
Trim Benny Butcher
Bow Jamie Dawson

RNZYS