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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1573 - 28 JULY

Brought to you by Boats.com Europe ( http://www.boats.com ) and Yachtworld.com Europe ( http://www.yachtworld.com ) Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to editor@scuttlebutteurope.com

TWO IN A ROW Just as they did in Cagliari earlier this month when they won the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy, Quantum Racing proved the dominant force in Peurto Portals, Mallorca when they added the 14th Breitling Regatta trophy, winning this fourth regatta of the Audi MedCup Circuit 2008.

Terry Hutchinson (USA) and the crew became the first team since 2006 to win back-to-back MedCup regattas when the AP over A flags were finally hoisted.

A breeze which was just too light and too unsettled across the race area to allow any competition before the 1600hrs time limit meant Quantum Racing (USA) returned to the dock victorious, winning by 14 points over Alberto Roemmers' second placed Matador (ARG). Just as it was the 2007 build Matador's first podium result of the season so third place here for Jochen Schuemann (GER) and the crew of Platoon Powered by Team Germany, was, like Matador"s also their best regatta yet this season.

Quantum Racing arrived in Mallorca with a lead of 6.2 points on the overall Audi MedCup Circuit 2008 standings, and leave the chic, compact marina town having built a cushion of 30 points.

Moving up to second place in the overall standings are the reigning 2007 MedCup Champions Artemis (SWE). Torbjorn Tornqvist's team which has John Kostecki (USA) calling tactics finished fourth here in Portals.

Consistent Quantum Racing underpinned their winning performance at the 14th Breitling Regatta when they won both sections of the 34 mile coastal race across the Bay of Palma on Thursday, winning one race yesterday and counting five second places from the nine races.

Early in the regatta, the 2006 champions Mean Machine looked like they had bounced back from a maximum points coastal race disqualification in Marseille and were making ready to give Terry Hutchinson and the Quantum Racing Team a run to the finish of the season, but a disastrous Coastal Race when they collected 29 points from a maximum of 30, and then compounded their dismay by adding another 14th on Friday's first race, leaves Peter de Ridder (NED) and his team with a mountain to climb.

But their travails serve as a salutary reminder of just how competitive this Audi MedCup Circuit fleet is, and the standard simply gets higher with each event.

Final Results, 14th Breitling Regatta, Puerto Portals, Mallorca, after nine races:

1. Quantum Racing, USA, 32 2. Matador, ARG, 46 3. Platoon powered by Team Germany, GER, 52 4. Artemis, SWE, 54 5. Mean Machine, MON, 66 6. Mutua Madrilena, ESP, 68 7. Bribon, ESP, 74 8. Audi Q8, ITA, 91 9. Rusal Synergy, RUS, 92 10. El Desafio, ESP, 94

Audi MedCup Circuit 2008 Standings after 34 races in Alicante, Marseille, Cagliari and Mallorca

1. Quantum Racing, USA, 161 2. Artemis, SWE, 191 3. Bribon, ESP, 209.2 4. Mean Machine, MON, 224 5. Matador, ARG, 238 6. Platoon by Team Germany, GER, 242 7. Mutua Madrilena, ESP, 268.4 8. El Desafio, ESP, 301 9. CxG Corporacion Caixa Galicia, ESP, 328.6 10. Audi Q8, ITA, 357 http://2008.medcup.org

LACK OF WIND FORCES RACE COMMITTEE TO SHORTEN FIRST LEG OF FIGARO The light conditions felt over the Bay of Biscay over the past two days have forced the Race Committee and Race Director to come to a unanimous decision to shorten the 450 mile leg from La Rochelle in Vigo by some 130 miles. The 2006 winner, Financo, continues to make gains over his 49 rivals increasing his advantage to nearly 60 miles over last placed Fabrice Amadeo (Aquarelle.com).

The decision to shorten the course was announced by Jacques Caraes, the Race Director, over the VHF to the 50 competitors this afternoon at 17:30 local Spanish time. The new finish line is to be set just East of Cape Ortegal in Santa Marta Bay. Security checks will be carried out after the finish line before the skippers motor to the Galician port of Vigo, hosting the first race stopover.

Jacques Caraes explains why the race course is shortened: "The reason is simple, with little wind and the current weather forecasts over the whole of the course, the last of the competitors would not have reached the finish before Thursday, which is the start day for the second leg. Together with the Race Committee and the whole Race Office team it made the most sense to use to reduce the course and now is the right time to do so. The finish line will be set just East of Cape Ortegal, a choice which will not benefit one or others on the option taken to the North or South. Basically the first boats should arrive Monday night and then motor to Vigo. The skippers have been informed of this decision. The three official support boats as well as the French Naval Patrol ship assure us that the whole fleet has received the message."

The light conditions experienced over the past twenty-four hours have evolved and the freshening breeze, fifteen to twenty knots, has come in from the South, which means that those well positioned towards the front of the fleet, will make the most gains. The wind is due to then veer to the Southwest, and then west, before weakening. This is not going to make life any easier for those towards the back end of the fleet.

The gains Nicolas Troussel has made throughout the day are as a result of getting to this breeze first and his advantage only increases on each position report. Christian Bos on Region Midi Pyrenees trails by just over 10 miles in second place and Frederic Duthil (Distinxion Automobiles) in third 15.9 miles behind. The gaps are then significant with half the fleet within 30 miles of the leader and the second half spread out 57 miles behind. -- Sabina Mollart-Rogerson

Top ten at 1530 July 27:

1. Nicolas Troussel, Financo 2. Christian Bos, Region Midi Pyrenees 3. Frederic Duthil, Distinxion Automobile 4. Christopher Pratt, DCNS 97 5. Erwan Tabarly, Athema 6. Antonio-Pedro Da Cruz, Baiko 7. Jeanne Gregoire, Banque Populaire 8. Nicolas Berenger, KONE Ascenseurs 9. Gildas Morvan, Cercle Vert 10. Thomas Rouxel, Defi Mousquetaires

http://www.lasolitaire.com

SAIL FOR GOLD BAR - COWES PARADE, AUGUST 1ST : 9TH Show your support for British sailing at the Sail for Gold Bar on Cowes Parade - the best spot in Cowes to watch all of the action!

Once again the bar will be packed with great people, fantastic food, and of course plenty of Heineken. With no entry free, ample seating on our beautiful deck overlooking the Solent and fantastic entertainment on the Stage from midday, the Sail for Gold Bar is the place to soak up all of the atmosphere of the regatta.

Find us on the waterfront or take a water taxi to Trinity Landing on Cowes Parade. The Sail for Gold Bar on Cowes Parade: great food, great people and a great view!

http://www.sailforgoldbar.co.uk

UPSETS IN THE OPEN OCEAN Whilst the 7th Transat Quebec-Saint Malo was changing both the rhythm and the setting as the fleet made it into the Atlantic, the news fell early this afternoon: the trimaran Laiterie de Saint Malo, racing at pull pelt at over 20 knots, hit a whale and broke its only rudder. Amongst the multihulls this transatlantic, still led by Crepes Whaou!, has changed tone in light of the number of collisions with sea creatures. In the Class 40 category, the pace has picked up in the downwind conditions supplied by 20 knots of breeze. A high intensity drag race is the order of the day now, as the fierce duel at the front of the fleet between Telecom Italia (Giovanni Soldini) and Pogo Structures (Halvard Mabire) testifies...

Victorien Erussard and his crew have been forced to return home by their own means using a spare appendage. The Atlantic remains scattered with pitfalls and obstacles and the list of collisions just continues to grow. The catamaran Delirium also suffered a similar misfortune in the form of a defunct port rudder. 600 miles behind Crepes Whaou!, skipper Herve de Carlan and his crew are today bringing up the rear of the 50 foot multihull fleet off Cape Race. They have been joined by the IMOCA monohull Cervin ENR. Yannick Bestaven and his men are now back in the race after a 24 hour pitstop to the south of Newfoundland to repair the port rudder bearing, that too damaged by an encounter with another whale.

Amongst the 40 footers which have made their entrance to the open ocean, the transatlantic is being raced in quite another style. After a coastal regatta with numerous upsets, some intense drag racing is now par for the course, flat out under spinnaker. Aboard the 40 footers, the sailors are unable to hide their satisfaction at having caught a favourable breeze in their sails. After the passage of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon in a thick veil of fog and often evanescent breeze, the crews are tasting the pleasures of being able to slip along at speed. Right across the fleet, the speedometers are displaying double figures in conditions which favour acceleration.

The banks of Newfoundland in their wake, the students of this class are now strewn about the ocean. The deficits are now stretching latitudinally for the 17 yachts. Still holding onto their lead, Giovanni Soldini and his Italian crew (Telecom Italia) are setting an infernal pace, yet Halvard Mabire on his latest generation Series Pogo is still managing to shadow them, 2 miles to the north. The latter has covered 260 miles in 24 hours in these favourable downwind conditions

http://www.quebecsaintmalo.com

THE TALL SHIPS' RACES UPDATE As expected last night saw Alba Explorer (UK) cross the finish line at 03.27 GMT. The next finishers are expected sometime shortly after midday today, including Spaniel (Latvia), Mir (Russia) and Dar Mlodziezy (Poland). Meanwhile a number of changes have occurred overnight. In Class A on corrected time Christian Radich maintains the lead but now Alexander von Humboldt (Germany) has moved into second place with Stavros S Niarchos (UK) now in third.

Class B on corrected time is now being led by the Norwegian Stina Mari, clearly heading for home with a final burst of energy. Behind her is Jolie Brise (UK) and Far Barcelona (Spain). Alba Explorer may have crossed the finish line first but Black Diamond of Durham (UK) is now in the lead in Class C on corrected time with Alba Explorer second and Ocean Spirit of Moray (UK) back up into third. Class D is also undergoing a shake up with Assarain II (UK) taking the lead, St Barbara V (UK) in second and Lietuva (Lithuania) in third.

Winds closer to the Norwegian coast are lighter which means many of the vessels are slowing down considerably and taking longer to reach the finish line. For those vessels still crossing the North Sea, winds should remain moderate.

To see the positions of the fleet via the fleet tracking, http://www.tallshipsraces.com/mapping To see the full list of the positions with average speed and distance to go, http://www.tallshipsraces.com/results

* While the battle for the race continues apace with a number of vessels pulling out all the stops to win, the spirit of The Tall Ships' Races is also alive and well. International Friendship and Understanding are the key words when it comes to the ethos of the event and this was very apparent today when one of the vessels reported a problem.

This morning, Toby Marris, the captain of Jolie Brise (UK), one of the leading vessels in the fleet on corrected time, realised that he had electrical charging problems on board and would soon not be able to provide his twice daily position reports to the Communications Team, who are escorting the fleet aboard HMS Mersey.

Close at hand was Stavros S Niarchos (UK) who advised the Communications Team that they had a spare battery charger. The Royal Navy then stepped into the breach to help out, going along side Stavros S Niarchos to take the charger while allowing the vessel to continue on her course under sail. A Shetland Coastguard helicopter was then deployed to pick up the charger from HMS Mersey and then take it and drop it via a hi-line to Jolie Brise.

This wonderful joint effort between competing vessels and the Royal Navy has meant that Jolie Brise can now continue to report her position and carry on racing.

The race organisers, Sail Training International, are extremely grateful to the Royal Navy for their unflinching support for The Tall Ships' Races.

UK-HALSEY CUSTOMERS WIN 5 OUT OF 16 CLASSES The 630-mile 2008 Newport-Bermuda Race put a premium on sailshape and concentration. UK-Halsey customers had the best of both, led by the smallest boat, Julien Dougherty's Beneteau 36.7 Tenacious, which crushed the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse division by more than two hours under both IRC and ORR. Second and third were also UK-Halsey customers: Thomas Carroll's J/133 SirenSong and Mark Hansen's J/145 Sweet Lorraine. Richard duMoulin won the Doublehanded class (fourth time). Class-2 went to Andrew Kallfetz's Tartan 41 Aurora, Class-4 to Randy Baldwin's Taylor 42 Cabady and Class-6 by John Levinson's J/46 Tabasco.

Great sails: great results. 800-253-2002. http://www.ukhalsey.com

COPA DEL REY AUDI MAPFRE Palma de Majorca, Spain: The Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre is already under way and the starting gun for the Mediterranean's most important regatta will be fired on Monday, July 28th. A total of 113 yachts from 15 countries will be on the starting line; Spain (52 boats), Italy (22), UK (10), Netherlands (8), Germany (7), France (3), Switzerland and Russia (2) and finally Portugal, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Estonia Chile and Japan with 1 yacht each.

It is, without the slightest doubt, this year's showcase event and the best Spanish and foreign crews will take part in seven classes: TP52, GP42, IRC, ORC 570, ORC 670, Swan 45 and X-35.

The fleet will be competing in three race areas inside the Palma bay and for the first time ever all classes will compete in all race areas, as they will be rotating daily.

Four boats will return to Palma in order to defend last year's titles. They are Alberto Roemmers' Matador from Argentina, winner in the TP52 class, Laureano Wizner's Desafío, winner in the GP42 class last year under the name Quebramar-Chrysler, Ícaro in ORC 570 and Plis Play in IRC.

The TP52 fleet consists of eleven yachts and the Spanish will play an important role, since no team will miss this regatta: His Majesty's Bribon, Desafío helmed by US star Terry Hutchinson, Roberto Bermudez de Castro's CxG, Jose María Torcida's el TAU-Andalucía, Inaki Castaner's ONO and Mutua Madrilena, skippered by Vasco Vascotto. The foreign fleet will include Riccardo Simoneschi's Italian Audi Q8, Jochen Schuemann's German Platoon, John Cook's Cristabella from the UK and the Russian RUSAL-Synergy, a last-minute entry.

The GP42's will be racing for the fourth event of the international QUEBRAMAR Cup and the third one of the Spanish Championship.

Racing starts on Monday, July 28 for the IRC, ORC, Swan 45 and X-35 classes, while the GP42's and TP52's will carry out their practice race. Starting Tuesday, July 29, all yachts will be racing in the three rotating race areas, Alfa, Bravo and Charlie, giving every participant the chance to sail throughout the Palma Bay. -- Pierre Orphanidis

http://www.copadelreyaudimapfre.com

RORC CHANNEL RACE The Channel Race started in a very light south westerly breeze of about four to six knots, and the race was to prove highly tactical. Tidal strategy was of course vital, but wind strategy was at least equally important. It was a day for keeping your head out of the boat.

Inevitably some boats parked up for a while, but the fleet enjoyed some sparkling sailing with the breeze getting up to about 12 knots on Saturday afternoon in beautiful sunshine and a wonderful night sail, in the Channel, under a carpet of stars. The breeze held out for the majority of the fleet through to Sunday morning.

Nick and Suzi Jones had a terrific race in their First 34.7 Astarte winning Class Three, Two Handed and the overall IRC Prize.

In Super Zero the young crew form the RYA Keelboat Programme, racing TP52, John Merricks II flourished in the light conditions, beating Piet Vroon's Lutra 56, Formidable 3 into second place for the second year running. Derek Saunders' Custom 60,Venomous was third.

In Class Zero, Mike Greville's Ker 39, Erivale III, scored yet another class win which sees them back on top of the Overall RORC Season's Points Championship. French Rolex Commodores' Cup entry, Jean-Claude Nicoleau's IMX 45, Codiam was second and Ric Searle's Stimson 42, Global Yacht Racing was third.

Phillipe Falle and his Puma Logic crew have only just returned from ACC Bank Cork Week but the sailing school's Reflex 38 was in good form, sailing well, to take Class One from Philippe Delaporte's J/122 Pen Azen. The Army Sailing Association's Archamboult 40, British Soldier continued their consistent form with a third place. Harry Heist's and his crew on S&S 41, Winsome were delighted with a class win, as one of the heaviest boats in his class, the light airs conditions would have not been favourable for the team from Holland. Harry Heist commented: "It was an innovative course but I think it was the correct decision. If we had continued sailing west in the Solent further than Lymington, many of the competitors would have started to go backwards on the tide. By turning back towards the west, all of the boats left the Solent in a correct manner with several different tactical options available. If we had started later, there was the possibility that the there would have been no wind in the Solent to get out into the Channel.. In second place in Class Two was John Loden's HOD 35 Psipsina who was also sailing two handed and in third was Robin Taunt's J/105, Jibe taking their first podium finish of the year. -- Louay Habib http://www.rorc.org

DUBARRY'S NEW SIERRA SHORTS: HARD WEARING, QUICK DRYING, GOOD LOOKING A season of sun, seawater and sandpaper decks can take its toll on sailing shorts, and there are certain standards of decency to be observed. If yours are approaching that 'peek-a-boo' stage, save them for the bedroom and get yourself a pair of Dubarry's new Sierra shorts instead. With SPF40 UV-resistant fabric and tough, high-twist fabric reinforcement in the hardest-working areas, they're built to last. With a flip-up multitool pouch that won't dig in on the rail, a splashproof thigh pocket and button fly, everything you need is easily accessible.

Dubarry's Sierra Shorts: Same Rules. New Collection.

http://www.dubarry.com

SHORT TACKS * There is video of Friday's British Classic Yacht Club RegattaClass 1 race 4 at http://www.malcolmdonald.com

* A live webcast of a memorial party for Mark Rudiger at the San Francisco Yacht Club in Northern California is scheduled Tuesday, 1-4 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, at http://www.rudimemorial.org . Rudiger, 53, died July 17 after a relapse of lymphoma at the height of his career as one of the world's top ocean racing navigators. The webcast will feature friends and family offering tributes and anecdotes. -- Rich Roberts

* A video of the TP52 "CAM" sinking at http://www.sailkarma.com/2008/07/new-video-on-sinking-of-tp52-cam.html

* Pix of J/24 sinking at J/24 Nationals in Weymouth http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080607095336pboyacht.html

* The sixth edition of the Rolex Baltic Week will be featuring the Star Class European Championship for the second time. After the 2006 event, the oldest Olympic class will once again be carried on the Baltic Sea in Germany. The regatta will take place from 5 to 12 July 2009 in the modernized Olympic sailing centre in Kiel-Schilksee. The news were delivered by Dierk Thomsen, Vice Commodore of the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association (ISCYRA) and Vice Chairman of the Kieler Yacht-Club (KYC) during this year's Star Class European Championship on Lake Balaton in Hungary.

* The Notice of Race for the sixth annual C. Thomas Clagett Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta, scheduled for August 17-21, 2008, is now available online at http://www.ussailing.net/Clagett/ along with registration and additional event details.

Open to both U.S. and foreign competitors and hosted at Sail Newport, Rhode Island's Public Sailing Center, the event has grown from sailors with disabilities competing in Sonars (2003-2004), to include 2.4 Metres (2005), Skud-18s (2006), and J/22s (new for 2008). The J/22s will be raced by blind sailors who will join this event for the first time as they compete for the 2008 Blind Sailing National Championship.

Prior to racing, the 2008 Clagett Regatta offers a one-day clinic (August 18) that has become the hallmark of the event. Racing will take place August 19-21 in the single-person 2.4 Metre, two-person Skud-18, and the three-person Sonar -- the classes selected for the Paralympic Games. The blind sailors will race just two days (August 19-20) in Sail Newport's fleet of J/22s.

* The nineteenth edition of the Trophee Clairefontaine des Champions de Voile will take place in the Marina Real Juan Carlos 1er, i.e. inside the port which has welcomed the base of the competitors for the America's Cup 2007. The Trophee Clairefontaine de Valencia will be raced on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September on this natural nautical stadium known worldwide. Eight great champions will be present. -- http://www.tropheeclairefontaine.com

FEATURED BROKERAGE 1994 60' Trimaran, 86,000 Euros, Located in France.

Designer: Nigel Irens. New hull paint in 2002. One of the lightest 60' ever built. Still needs some work, mostly for rigging/deckgear, but it is now a magnificient base (the structure has been checked by Nigel Irens himself ).

Brokerage through Multi Sailing: http://www.yachtworld.com/multisailing/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at http://uk.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatFullDetails.jsp?boat_id=1810324

THE LAST WORD The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. -- Albert Einstein

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