Nord Stream Race : America's Cup veteran to skipper Team China

Lorenzo Bortolotti will be racing onboard Team China © Nautor's Swan

by Cailah Leask

Team China is on track after a short build programme to take part in their first ever Nord Stream Race. This will be the most progressive entry to the Gazprom Swan 60 Class since its inception three years ago. The team will race on board the newly launched Swan 60, named Windward, which will be skippered by America’s Cup Veteran, Lorenzo Bortolotti.

Lorenzo Bortolotti, Skipper on board Team China spoke ahead of the race scheduled to start on the 30th May, this marks the first official competition for the Asian Swan 60. “The owner of Windward, Mr Fan, has set very ambitious targets for the 2014 sailing program involving a combination of competitive top-level racing. We are very happy to have been given this important challenge and are very satisfied with the results achieved during the preparation. I have a very strong team to race with and I am expecting great results this year in both the Nord Stream Race and throughout the rest of the Gazprom Swan 60 Circuit.”

Team China face a sophisticated line up of yacht racing names for this year’s Gazprom Swan 60 circuit. Team China will have studied past Swan 60 campaigns including Team Europe and current Gazprom Swan 60 World Champions, Team Russia. The success of Team Russia in 2013 has inspired Saint Petersburg Yacht Club to develop a second Russian team through an impressive youth development programme, the Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge.

Swan 60 Windward at Oy Nautor Ab © Nautor's Swan Eva-Stina Kjellman

Igor Frolov, Skipper of Team Russia and Executive Director, Saint-Petersburg Yacht Club, Russia welcomes the unknown opponent, Team China, to the global mix of Swan 60 teams. “The new Asian contingent has definitely shaken up the Swan 60 fleet this year; it will be interesting measuring ourselves and the new Russian Youth Sailing Team against this unfamiliar international crew. I am hoping that our top flight experience within the core crew that has remained consistent through the racing evolution of the Gazprom Swan 60 Class will be sufficiently challenging again for 2014”.

Racing a Swan 60 for the third consecutive year will be Tim Kröger (GER) with his Team Europe. Tim has instructed multiple Volvo Ocean Race sailor and accomplished match racer, Magnus Woxén (SWE) to join his team again, Magnus provides the ultimate Nord Stream Race mix of offshore performance with inshore match racing skill. Tim will have additional back up on the longer overnight legs from Christian Scherrer (SWI), watch captain during the 1993/94 Whitbread Round the World Race and during the short in shore racing at Helinski, ISAF match racing World Champion, Piotr Przybylski (POL) mentored by the famous Karol Jablonski, will provide essential input.

The Swan 60s christen the start of the 2014 Gazprom Swan 60 Circuit on the 30th May racing 150 nautical miles offshore from Saint-Petersburg, Russia to Helsinki, Finland concluding leg one of the annual Nord Stream Race.

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Race tracker http://www.nord-stream-race.com/eng/race-tracker

Gazprom Swan 60 Class

The Gazprom Swan 60 Class was awarded ISAF Class status at the end of 2012 and the first official Class Circuit took place in 2013, incorporating the inaugural Gazprom Swan 60 World Championship into the circuit. The long term mission for the Gazprom Swan 60 Class is to grow and promote the Swan 60 as the best one-design racing option within the maxi size range that is also able to offer a family friendly comfortable cruising solution as required. www.gazpromswan60class.com

Nord Stream Race

Nord Stream Race 2014 is made up of two legs going across the whole of the Baltic Sea from Saint Petersburg (Russia) to Rostock-Warnemünde (Germany) stopping once in Helsinki (Finland). Just as last year the race is open to the Gazprom Swan 60 class and yachts under ORC handicap. The start for the 150 nautical mile medium-distance race from Saint Petersburg to Helsinki is on 29th of May 2014. In the Finnish capital the Swan 60s will compete in a match race series and the ORC yachts will have inshore races on their programme. On 2nd of June the fleet will leave for the 600 nautical mile long-distance race to Rostock-Warnemünde. The route then passes Gotland and Bornholm following the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the eponym of the regatta. Depending on wind strength and direction the boats will arrive at the finish in Warnemünde between 5th and 6th of June. Organisers of the top-class event are the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein together with Saint Petersburg Yacht Club in cooperation with Helsingfors Segelklubb. The Nord Stream Race was initiated in 2012 in order to connect the countries around the Baltic rim on a sporting level.

IMOCA New York - Barcelona : Gaes under the Spotlight

Neutrogena trails Safran, as seen from Gaes. Image copyright Christophe Favreau

by Leslie Greenhalgh

For someone who is not a professional sailor, to go on a trip on an IMOCA 60 is a rare privilege. Charlotte Guillemot and Christophe Favreau, two of the communications team members of Open Sports Management (OSM), event organisers of the IMOCA Ocean Masters New York to Barcelona Race, were both able to take part in the prologue race between Newport, Rhode Island, and New York.

Anna Corbella on Gaes. Image copyright Christophe Favreau

For Guillemot (daughter of Safran skipper Marc's cousin) and Favreau, this provided them with a clearer idea of the work of the on board ‘media crewmen’ who, for the transatlantic race, are charged with writing and sending in blogs, taking great photos and video footage and then transferring these across to the comms team back ashore in Barcelona. During the race the media crewmen will also answer any specific team and media requests made during the race - the first time the IMOCA Ocean Masters circuit has featured a dedicated on board media person during a major offshore race. Their objective is clear: to use the various media to provide followers of the race a glimpse of what life is like on board these extreme yachts as they experience ‘life on the inside', something that the skippers sometimes struggle to achieve while they focus on trying to race their boats as fast as possible.

Anna Corbella and Gerard Marin, GAES Skippers study the routing. Image copyright Christophe Favreau

French video reporter Charlotte Guillemot, was on board Safran for the Prologue race :

‘Watch and film, be everywhere, without interfering in anything’. If I had a motto for the media person, that would be it.

For me, to be in the right place at the right time, my sailing experience is always a great advantage : To know the boat well, its way of moving, understanding the different manœuvres, hoisting sails, understanding the crew intentions, in short pretty much becoming part of the team.

Skyscrapers in New York with IMOCAs beneath. Image copyright Christophe Favreau

The technical terms used during sailing can be complicated and in the height of a race there is no time to explain to you what is going to happen with each move. It is up to you to be in the place you need to be and absolutely vital that you don’t get in the way. While capturing footage you absolutely mustn’t get in the way.

The media man is not allowed to get involved in any of the racing, but that does not alleviate the fact that life on board an IMOCA 60 at times is very uncomfortable. These are tough spartan boats that are built for speed, with no creature comforts and you feel that – even as the media guy. You have to share a communal bunk, eat freeze dried food, and the facilities for washing and the toilet are basic in the extreme!

Morgan Lagraviere on the bow of Safran. Image copyright Christophe Favreau

But even given all that, this trip on Safran was a privilege for me. To be part of this great team, to feel almost like a proper part of the crew, but in particular to be the eyes of the people who will see the footage I shoot - this was an incredible experience."

I’ve had a taste of offshore sailing, while doing my filming job and I want more !!

IMOCA Ocean Masters New York to Barcelona Race

Volvo Ocean Race : Team Brunel Selects its Crew - Those with a Winning Spirit!

GerdjanPoortman, Pablo Arrarte & Jens Dolmer on selection trials for Team Brunel


Team Brunel
Volvo Ocean Race

Spindrift 2 en route to Newport; D35 Ladycat leads Vulcain Trophy overall

Spindrift 2 leaves Brittany for the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Image copyright E. Allaire/Spindrift Racing

by Spindrift Racing media

After a D35 podium finish this weekend, which put Ladycat top of the Vulcain Trophy 2014 rankings after two rounds, the Spindrift racing team are switching to offshore mode. Spindrift racing’s maxi-trimaran, Spindrift 2, left La Trinité-sur-Mer at 1400hrs (French time) on Monday, heading to Newport, Rhode Island in the United States. They will be on standby from the start of June, waiting for a favourable weather window to attempt to break the crewed North Atlantic record.

Gold symbolises winning, as Dona Bertarelli says, and the new colours of the D35 Ladycat this year are matched by her leading the Vulcain Trophy overall after two events. Image copyright Chris Schmid/Spindrift Racing

With eight days at sea in the programme, the team will obviously take advantage of this transatlantic delivery, as skipper Yann Guichard explained. “The shortest route would be upwind, into the wind and the lows, which is not very smart when we’re preparing for a record that will be downwind,” Guichard said. “We will tailor our best route to have the most time downwind and reaching. The aim is to get as close as possible to the sailing conditions we need for the record, so that everyone gets their bearings, especially at the helm. I cannot wait. Although we have had ​​several long voyages from La Trinité, there’s no substitute for ocean mode, both on the technical and human side.”

The dress rehearsal

On board, the set up is the same as it will be for the record. Two five-strong watches will take turns on deck, while Guichard and Erwan Israel, the navigator, stay outside the watch system. “The weather looks very varied and even more unstable at the end of the delivery,” Israel said. “We will go south in medium conditions down along the coast of Portugal, before circling underneath the Azores anticyclone. Then we will climb back up to to Newport in a low pressure system and wind should strengthen at the end.”

Therefore, the crew are preparing to make a lot of manoeuvres to keep getting the best out of the boat, while at the same time maintaining it and taking all due care not to break anything. “We will face a wide range of wind strengths which is great to continue the calibration of our navigational aids,” Guichard said. “The important thing is that everyone gets the measure of this trimaran on a transat and feels good on board.”

Improved menus

Xavier Revil is responsible for feeding the Spindrift 2 crew. Eating well is always important for both the physical energy needed day and night and to keep mentally sharp. When conditions are difficult, sharing a good time with the sailors on your shift is one of the things that keeps you going. “Like on land, we have a breakfast and two hot meals,” Revil said. “On the record, we only have freeze-dried food. Here, for the delivery, we have mixed them with ready meals, which allows me to slightly vary the menus more. It’s a choice of porridge or cereal in the morning. Then we have the choice between risotto, paella, couscous and petit salé aux lentilles (cured pork belly and lentils) – all the classics. We also added some charcuterie, cheese, cereal bars and enough fresh fruit for the first four days. I know they also love Chinese soups to warm up and as a change from the traditional coffee, tea and hot chocolate. In general, the dishes are prepared in one go for everyone, usually before the 0130hrs watch change, like that you don’t lose any time. At midnight, you have to heat up five to six litres of water. That is then used to fill the insulated bowls that keep portions warm for three hours. Like that those finishing their watch eat when they come down while the others go up on deck with a full stomach.”

Spindrift Racing

Spindrift racing series : “40 metres solo” - Happy 40th Birthday, Yann Guichard!

Spindrift 2. Image copyright Spindrift Racing

by Spindrift Racing media

Not for Yann Guichard any crisis on turning 40. The skipper of Spindrift 2 celebrates his birthday today and just feels happy, surrounded by his loved ones and at the top of his sporting career. We caught up with him on the dock at La Trinité-Sur-Mer, Spindrift racing’s home port.

Guichard has sailed on almost all types of multihull on the professional circuit. From the Tornado (the 6-metre Olympic catamaran) to the 40-metre maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2, Guichard’s life has been played out balancing between air and water.

At 10 years old: Ile-aux-Moines, La Rochelle, Optimist Competitions

With three boys and three girls, the Guichard tribe is a large one, which has enjoyed moving around a bit. Settling in Paris, then Perros-Guirec and La Rochelle, the family liked to come together in the holiday home of the Ile aux Moines, in the heart of the Gulf of Morbihan. Between each cruise on his father’s boat, the children spent their time on the water. An independent spirit, Guichard followed his big brother into Optimist competitions. Jacques, the younger brother, chose windsurfing. He now designs the sails for Spindrift 2 and sails on board the maxi-trimaran. In sport studies from the 6th grade to the final year at school in La Rochelle, Guichard took the classic route and quickly shone.

At 20: In the 470 and then the Olympics in the Tornado

He got used to his oilies in the Optimist and then the 420. He learned his trade well. In 1994, he became vice-champion of the world in the 420 in Plymouth with his teammate Pierre Pennec. On their return, the duo did not want to continue on to the 470, they were looking for a boat that was more fun, one that could ‘glide’. There was a Tornado at the sailing club. One test was enough. Guichard and Pennec joined the ENV (France’s national sailing school) in Quiberon with the French team and began preparing for the Olympics, which concluded with a fourth place at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

At 30 : The golden age of the ORMA class and the first records

Again, the return to France was the prelude to another change of direction. Marc Guillemot offered Guichard a place as tactician on board the 60-foot trimaran La Trinitaine. Guichard had a desire to go off shore and to discover other fast multihulls, while also preparing for the next Games in the Tornado with Christophe Espagnon. Over the next ten years, the adopted Breton led from the front in competitions off shore and those around three buoys. He did the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre with Guillemot, Fred Le Peutrec and Lionel Lemonchois. In 2006, he sailed with Bruno Peyron on board Orange II and broke the record for the North Atlantic. That was a significant moment. They had just crossed the starting line, and despite rough seas and strong wind, Peyron entrusted the helm of the 37-metre catamaran to his new teammate. A man for challenges, Guichard came of age during that intense experience, which he repeated a year later with Franck Cammas, on board Groupama 3. The crewman then became the skipper for the 2010 Route du Rhum with the Gitana Team.

MAXI At 40: Team leader of Spindrift racing and skipper of Spindrift 2

Guichard has sailed with an incredible number of sailors from different backgrounds who have helped build his experience. With Dona Bertarelli, he shares the pleasure of competing at the highest level, the drive for perfectionism and the idea that you can always push the limits a bit further. As co-founder of Spindrift racing, the skipper has been strong presence at the head of a team of 30 people and a fast-growing business. He has learned how to delegate and knows how to surround himself with good people. On board, his teammates know that everyone has an equal voice. The skipper listens to his gut feeling and does not give his trust lightly. The team leader on the ground, and skipper at sea, Guichard has earned his stripes and the respect of his peers. For the record attempts on board Spindrift 2, he now has the responsibility of a crew of more than ten people and a trimaran of extreme dimensions. In November, the spotlight will turn to the soloist who will race the Route du Rhum alone on this huge boat. But once again, this is no whim, rather a mature, well-planned project. Nevertheless, at the foot of the ramparts of Saint-Malo, there will be some nerves. But for Guichard pressure does not inhibit, instead he uses it to gain confidence, because the harder the challenge the more he wants to complete it.



CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Born May 23, 1974

2014
-2nd in the Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs, D35 Ladycat powered by Spindrift racing

2013
-Record for the Discovery Route; 6 days, 14 hours, 29 min and 21 sec. Spindrift 2
-Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race Spindrift 2
-Winner of the Tour de Belle-Île MOD70 Spindrift
-3rd in the Route des Princes, MOD70 Spindrift

2012
-3rd in the 2012 Vulcain Trophy, D35 Ladycat
-Winner of the MOD70 European Tour, MOD70 Spindrift
-4th in the Fleet Championship in the ACup World Series, San Francisco and Naples, AC45 Energy Team
-Winner of the Krys Ocean Race – MOD70 Spindrift
-2nd in the Open de Versoix and the Genève-Rolle-Genève, D35 Ladycat

2011
-America’s Cup World Series San Diego: 2nd in the Match Racing and the 3rd in the Fleet Championship, AC45 Energy Team
-Winner, Extreme Sailing Series, Almeria, Alinghi
-3rd in the Extreme Sailing Series, Nice,Alinghi
-3rd in the Grand Prix Beaulieu-sur-Mer, D35 Ladycat
-3rd in the Extreme Sailing Series, Cowes, Alinghi
-Winner of the Grand Prix E-GESTION de Gradson and 2nd in the Bol d’Or, M2 Safram.

2010
-4th in the Route du Rhum - Gitana 11 - Edmond de Rothschild Group
-2nd in the Extreme Sailing Series – Gitana, with victory in two rounds (Sète and Kiel)
-Record SNSM on Gitana 11 (19h 39min)
-Winner of Bol d’Or Mirabaud and in the Grand Prix de Genève, M2 Safram

2009
-2nd in the iShares Cup, Gitana, with two victory in two rounds (Venice and Amsterdam)
-Winner of the Genève-Rolle-Genève, M2 Safram

From 2005 to 2008:
-Olympic training in the Tornado
-France Olympic Team, reserve for the 2008 Beijing Olympics
-3rd in the Tornado World Championships and European Championships, 2008

From 2001 to 2004:
-Olympic training in the Tornado, reserve for the 2004 Athens Olympics
-Third in the Tornado European Championships

Spindrift Racing

America's Cup : ORACLE TEAM USA moves to a Foiling Cup in Australia

ORACLE TEAM USA
America's Cup

Le Havre Allmer Cup : Une 4e manche lancée à mi-épreuve

Gildas Morvan, on Cercle Vent, wins the 4th race of the Le Havre Allmer Cup. Image copyright Alexis Courcoux

par Le Havre Allmer Cup media

Les jours se suivent mais ne se ressemblent pas sur l’édition 2014 de la Le Havre Allmer Cup et c’est dans un souffle de vent très léger que la 4e manche a été courue, puis écourtée, ce dimanche matin. Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert), champion de France en titre, remporte l’unique parcours banane de la journée devant Charlie Dalin (Normandy Elite Team) et Corentin Horeau (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Performance). Avec cette 2e place, Charlie Dalin, le skipper local confirme sa place de leader au classement général à mi-épreuve, devant le skipper de Cercle Vert, et Paul Meilhat sur SMA.

Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert), vainqueur de la manche n°4 :

« Je prends un bon départ, avec une bonne vitesse que je conserve sur un long tribord. J’arrive à protéger mon positionnement en passant la 1ère bouée en tête, donc c’était positif. Après, c’est du petit temps, donc ce n’est pas facile mais j’arrive à tenir la situation jusqu’à l’arrivée. Venir de l’olympisme donne quelques avantages sur ces parcours techniques dans le petit temps, il faut quelques automatismes de régatier en jouant avec les bascules et être agile sur le plan d’eau. Il faut toujours penser au positionnement du bateau ! En venant sur cette épreuve, mon objectif était de régler le mât comme il faut, de naviguer au mieux et de reprendre confiance. Cet objectif est déjà quasi –rempli ! Ensuite au niveau du classement général, je trouve ça assez sympa d’être 2ème derrière Charlie au provisoire, car on a vécu la même misère sur la Transat AG2R La Mondiale au mois d’avril donc c’est une belle revanche jusqu’à maintenant. »

Corentin Horeau (Région Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Performance) 3e de la manche n°4 :

« La manche de ce matin était un peu aléatoire, même s’il fallait bien gérer sur le premier bord de près. En revanche sur le bord de portant, ça revenait beaucoup par derrière. Je suis content de ne pas avoir craqué en voyant tout le monde revenir, et je passe 2e à la bouée sous le vent. Il restait un petit bord de près, qui a été réduit et je finis 3 avec Charlie qui a réussi à me passer. Je suis content car les conditions étaient telles que l’on pouvait vite se faire doubler et cette place confirme ma bonne forme sur les parcours bananes. Je vais faire tout mon possible pour continuer à faire des belles manches et être le plus régulier possible. Malheureusement mon hors-temps d’hier me coûte cher au classement général, mais l’épreuve est loin d’être terminée. »

Light breezes on Day 3. Image copyright Alexis Courcoux

Pierre Grosso (Directeur de la Société des Régates du Havre) :

« Du point de vue de l’organisation, nous sommes satisfaits de la journée d’aujourd’hui. Nous attendions des conditions de vent un peu délicates avec un peu d’air ce matin qui s’est rapidement évaporé. Nous avons toutefois réussi à lancer une manche et la laisser courir pour cette troisième journée de championnat. Bien que cette manche était techniquement compliquée, je pense qu’elle était assez équilibrée et le jeu ouvert. Je n’ai pas de pronostic pour le podium de cette deuxième édition de la Le Havre Allmer Cup. Ils sont une dizaine à pouvoir prétendre au titre. Ensuite j’ai une légère préférence pour le skipper Havrais Charlie Dalin et je crois assez fort à Paul Meilhat qui connaît lui aussi très bien le plan d’eau. »

Light winds caused pile-ups on Day 3. Image copyright Alexis Courcoux

Classement général provisoire après 4 courses:

1 - Charlie Dalin (Normandy Elite Team) 13 pts
2 - Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) 18 pts
3 - Paul Meilhat (SMA) 23 pts
4 - Adrien Hardy (Agir recouvrement) 28 pts
5 - Fabien Delahaye (Skipper Macif 2012) 28 pts
6 - Xavier Macaire (Skipper Hérault) 38 pts
7 - Vincent Biarnès (Guyot environnement) 46 pts
8 - Nicolas Jossier (In Extenso) 52 pts
9 - Corentin Horeau (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Performance) 57 pts
10 - Sam Goodchild (Team Plymouth) 60 pts
11 - Alexis Loison (Groupe FIVA) 72 pts
12 - Frédéric Rivet (DFDS Seaways) 82 pts
13 - Damien Guillou (La Solidarité Mutualiste) 83 pts
14 - Aymeric Arthaud (REEL) 83 pts
15 - Joan Ahrweiler (Région Basse Normandie) 88 pts
16 - Sébastien Simon (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Espoir) 89 pts
17 - Jean-Paul Mouren (Groupe SNEF) 90 pts
18 - Simon Troel (Adopte un figariste) 92 pts
19 - Yoann Richomme (Skipper Macif 2014) 97 pts
20 - Henry Bomby (Rockfish) 101 pts
21 - Gwénolé Gahinet ( Safran - Guy Cotten) 101 pts

Le Havre Allmer Cup