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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1527 - 3 JUNE

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

ALMOST THERE... ICAP Leopard, the 100 foot super maxi yacht owned by Mike Slade, is currently on course to break the transatlantic speed record overnight on Tuesday 3rd June. Having crossed the official start line off Ambrose Light, New York, at 00:01 GMT on Tuesday 27th May, ICAP Leopard must complete her 2,925 nautical mile crossing by 04:30 BST on Wednesday 4th June, in order to break the current record held by Phocea. Having negotiated icebergs, freezing sea temperatures and sleeping whales thus far, ICAP Leopard looks set to smash the record which has stood for the last 20 years; a second record for the Farr designed maxi yacht, which broke the Rolex Fastnet Race Record last year.

It has been an eventful week for the crew aboard ICAP Leopard. They had a fantastic start, averaging between 20 and 30 knots for the first few days. As ICAP Leopard headed north-east, she soon entered iceberg territory and it was an iceberg sighting by another vessel that threatened to scupper the record attempt. Spotted almost 100nm to the south of their track during the hours of darkness, the crew decided to alter course. Whilst this could have jeopardised the record attempt, the crew's safety was top priority and the navigators worked on re-routing the boat around the potential hazard.

Once safely past, ICAP Leopard enjoyed boat speeds of up to 34 knots in brilliant sunshine – perfect record breaking conditions. However, on Saturday 31st May she hit a large sunfish which became wrapped around the rudder. Fortunately the rudder was undamaged, but the crew had to stop the boat, take down the sails and remove the sunfish before they could continue.

The record ICAP Leopard aims to beat is eight days, three hours and 29 minutes, the 2,925 nautical mile World Sailing Speed Records Council (WSSRC) monohull record for a yacht with power-assisted winches, set by 246 foot yacht Phocea in July 1988.

http://www.leopard3.com

AUDI MEDCUP - MARSEILLE PRACTICE RACE After winning the opening regatta of the Audi MedCup Circuit two weeks ago in Alicante today's warm-up contest, raced in 8-10 knots of Southerly breeze amidst a spectacular Mediterranean amphitheatre bound to the east by L'Ile Maire and the Montagne de Marseille Veire, signaled a clear warning that Peter De Ridder's Mean Machine team will be the crew to beat here.

Platoon powered by Team Germany, skippered by three times Olympic gold medallist Jochen Schuemann proved that their hard work in Valencia, tuning their new Rolf Vroijk designed boat and a hard week of crew training, may reveal a dividend this week. They were quickest off the start line and made the best tactical call to lead the race all the way until the last 400 metres, but showed very good speed, especially downwind.

The maiden race outing for USA-17 saw Larry Ellison enjoy his first sail on the TP52. With Russell Coutts (NZL) and James Spit hill (AUS) orchestrating the tactical decisions at the back of the boat, USA-17 was seventh at the first windward mark, four seconds behind sister-ship Artemis, and finished ninth.

While it was a gentle introduction for Ellison, Coutts and co to their new boat and the rest of the 14 boat fleet, local forecasters and team navigators are predicting at least 20 knots of Mistral breeze for tomorrow's opening races.

The first of ten races of the Marseille leg of the Audi MedCup will start at 13:10 local time on Tuesday 3rd June. The winner of this stage of the Audi MedCup will be awarded the City of Marseille Trophy on Saturday afternoon. The 2008 Audi MedCup Circuit will then move on to Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy (30 June - 5 July), Puerto Portals, Majorca, Spain (21 - 26 July), Carthargena, Spain (25 - 30 August), before closing the season in Portimao, Portugal (15 - 20 September).

Practice Race - Top ten finishers 1. Mean Machine, MON 2. Platoon by Team Germany, GER 3. Mutua Madrilena, ESP 4. Matador, ARG 5. El Desafio, ESP 6. Quantum Racing, USA 7. Rusal Synergy, RUS 8. Artemis, SWE 9. USA-17, USA 10. CxG Caixa Galicia, ESP

http://2008.medcup.org

AIRX SPINNAKER FABRICS FROM BAINBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL In 1998, Bainbridge International redefined the standards in spinnaker fabrics with the introduction of AIRX, a range of spinnaker fabrics that combine unprecedented strength, performance and quality. Since then, AIRX spinnakers have won some of the highest profile events, been used by the highest profile syndicates and have been used exclusively by the world's top sailmakers. All styles feature exceptional burst and tear strength, allowing lighter sails to be used in higher wind ranges.

Contact us for more information and for your free style and colour samples - info@bainbridgeint.co.uk

http://www.bainbridgeint.co.uk

ROYAL BERMUDA YC INVITES ENTRY IN THE ANNIVERSARY REGATTA If you have entered the 2008 Newport Bermuda Race and are planning to sail to Bermuda or if you have a boat in Bermuda with an IRC certificate, why not consider entering the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club's Anniversary Regatta on Friday June 27th, after you finish the Newport Bermuda Race. Entry is easy. Simply access the process through http://www.rbyc.bm or through the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta entry at http://nyyc.org/154annual/

All boats over 25 feet LOW with an IRC certificate are eligible to enter. Onion Patch Series entries must qualify for all of the events of that series. The Anniversary Regatta is the third stage of the Onion Patch Series, however you do not have to enter the Onion Patch Series to enter our 2008 Anniversary Regatta.

The Anniversary Regatta consists of two races sailed on June 27th, the Friday after you finish the Newport Bermuda Race. The first race is windward-leeward in Bermuda's Great Sound. The second race is 'around the cans' with the start in the great Sound and the finish off of the RBYC marina in Hamilton. In between, you will race a challenging, but scenic course in Port Royal Bay, Granaway Deep, through Two Rocks Passage and into Hamilton Harbour.

If you decide to enter the Anniversary Regatta after you arrive, you may fill out a form available at the Newport Bermuda Duty Desk. The fee for early entry is $125 and entry at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club after the race from Bermuda will be $150.

For more information, go to http://www.rbyc.bm

SIRIUS EVENEMENTS - DEAUVILLE INTERNATIONAL SAILING WEEK Sunday 1st June rounded off the 3rd edition of Deauville International Sailing week on a high note: 2 races were run in glorious sunshine prior to a return to the quayside late morning, thus bringing the total number of races validated from 10 to 12 according to the series.

Nevertheless, the week began in a difficult context with a strike movement by fishermen stretching right the way across the English Channel. However a constant and responsible dialogue with the local representatives of the Trouville / Deauville fishing committee enabled any disruption in the sequence of events to be avoided. Furthermore, it was also an opportunity to renew the support of the pleasure boat industry for that of fishing.

The almost ideal weather conditions characterised by sun and 10 to 18 knots of breeze, quickly replaced the storms from the start of the week and provided racers with four days of intense racing and enjoyment, as the red faces on the quaysides at the end of the competition bore witness.

The 2008 Winners: 747 OD (National): Les Loustics - Vincent Flautre (France) J 80 (French Cup): Imprimerie Lecaux Ocep Marine Cherbourg - Fabrice Simon (France) FC.7.5 (Trophee Cbs Outdoor): Haboob - Christophe Jomier (France) J 109: (J 109 Eurocup) Firestorm - Jon Perry (United Kingdom) Mumm 30 (French Crewed Championship): Nouvelle Caledonie - Bernard Mallaret (France) Sportsboats: Port De Caen Ouistreham- Fabien Delahaye (France) IRC 1 (Trophee Manche (Channel Trophy) Uncl): Weerga: Wessel Liezenga (Holland) IRC 2: (Trophee Manche (Channel Trophy) Uncl) : Astarte - Nicholas Jones (United Kingdom).

http://www.deauville-week.fr

MAGNUS OLSSON SET FOR ANOTHER LAP Sweden's Magnus Olsson has signed up as a crew member for Ericsson's Nordic entry in the 2008-09 race – his sixth Whitbread Volvo – at the age of 59. His first Whitbread was on board Drum in 1985-86. Subsequent races included 1989-90 (The Card), 1993-94 (Intrum Justitia). In 1997-98 he was a winner aboard EF Language and finished second with Assa Abloy in 2001-02.Here he talks about how the race has changed from those early days and about the challenge that lies ahead.

Q: What draws you back to the Volvo for a sixth time at the age of 59? A: I love this race. I think it's the most wonderful yacht race there is. I did my first race with Drum (1985-86). I really liked it and I wanted more. With Drum, half of the team were really good yachtsmen and the other half were adventurers. But they were tough guys and they wanted to go out into the oceans of the world and flex their muscles. It was a great mix and a lot of fun. For me personally, I look at my selection for the Nordic crew this time round as another chance and I'm going to grab it with both hands. If you love sailing like I do, you cannot complain because you're sailing 24 hours a day for weeks on end. Motivation is not a problem for me. I hate losing.

Q: How has the race changed from those early Whitbread days? A: It's a different race mentally and it has become much more professional. The boats are a lot faster, the sailing is a lot wilder and it has moved on considerably in the areas of technology. We have set up a big data base so you know instantly how well you are sailing the boat. Now we have so many technological tools at our disposal we can push the boat so much harder. But when you are pushing so hard its easy to burn out people. You start out hard and after three or four days everybody's tired and grumpy so you have to monitor that and choose your moments to push. The pace of these Volvo Open 70s is so high that it's not a marathon race anymore it's a sequence of 100-metre dashes.

Q: How are the Nordic crew members progressing? A: They are getting better and better. Obviously, we lack quite a bit of ocean racing experience. We have a lot of good sailors but none of them have done a Volvo before. My job is to make them realize that there is more to the job than just the sailing part of it. Coaching them these days means helping them to understand what's going to happen during the stopovers for instance. Its one thing to sail the boats but there is a lot more to the event as a whole. To do a Volvo race you also have to be an ambassador for the sport for high-level ocean racing and for your sponsors. That's part of the job these days. As for ocean race conditioning, we are planning a few long ocean trips before the start. Its one thing to speak about it but it is much better to experience it.

Q: Based on your previous race experiences, what have you been telling them about life on board? A: I am trying to get them used to the idea that some days can be really gruesome. You do a lot of manoeuvres, you are being woken up all the time, you're tacking, you're gybing, all the gear has to be moved from one side to the other and you're completely worn out after 24 hours. You're about to meltdown and you've only got an ounce of energy left and you have to take care of that last drop of energy. Then you get a position report which says you have gained two miles and even though you are dead tired you get a lift. At the other extreme, you have fairly steady conditions, you get your sleep and you don't have to go up on deck in the middle of your watch. But those days can be tough mentally. It varies so much. Even on a comparatively 'lazy' day you are still pushing the boat 100 per cent. This race has everything.

Q: What is your view of the new route and innovations such as in-port racing? A: The in-port racing is a success. It gives people a chance to watch the boats racing hard at close quarters. The route has changed quite radically but it still means we have a lot left to do in the southern ocean. That's still a big part of it. Overall I believe the new course is a great challenge. The leg form Singapore up to Qingdao for instance is going to be an enormously tough challenge. Tougher than even some of the legs in the southern ocean in the old days.

http://www.volvooceanrace.org

CONTENDER EUROPEAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 120 boats will take off from the beach to compete on the regatta area staked out in the Gulf of Follonica by the organizing committee. Other sailing clubs in the area and the Committee of Sailing Clubs Costa Etrusca will lend a precious hand to the organizing committee (Cala Civette Sailing Club, Italian and European Contender Classes) with logistical assistance and transport at sea. During the five day event, participants from the UK, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Denmark and, of course, Italy (67 participants) will challenge each other with daring maneuvers on these fast hulls.

Last weekend (May 23-24, 2008), during a warm-up regatta, two sailors stood out: Andrea Bonezzi (ITA 11) and Marcus Hamilton (AUS 2323). They were always in the front (the Italian eventually won) during the five heats with gusty sirocco winds and calm waters (ideal conditions for these boats). They competed in a regional regatta organized by the same sailing club on the same waters.

The first qualifying heats for the European Open Championship are Tuesday 3 June.

Event website: http://www.contender.it/euro2008

BOAT U.S. SANTA MARIA CUP WOMEN'S MATCH RACING CHAMPIONSHIP After four sunny days of racing in the Chesapeake Bay, US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wisc.), Carrie Howe (Grosse Point, Mich.) and Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.) won the Boat U.S. Santa Maria Cup Women's Match Race Championship hosted by Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis, Md. Team Seven was joined by trimmer Annie Lush (Poole, Dorset, UK) who campaigned for the Yngling in Great Britain with Shirley Robinson, and frequently joins Barkow and crew on bigger boats. This team of four has won many events together including the 2003 and 2005 Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championships.

This is the team's third win at this International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 event after having clinched the title in 2004 in 2007. Racing against nine other teams, Barkow, Howe, Capozzi and Lush won 20 of their 23 matches that took place in the two round robins, semi-finals and finals.

The Santa Maria Cup has been hampered by light wind over the past few years, and the organizers and race committee were thrilled to host the event with ideal mid-range breezes for most of the regatta, which took place from May 28-31. The final round between team Barkow and team LeBerre (FRA) was unfortunately cut short due to impending storms, so Barkow took the title after just one win in the finals.

http://www.santamariacup.org

LOMBARDINI MARINE 1000-MILE DOUBLEHANDED RACE After weeks of preparation twenty doublehanded crews can finally compete in one of the most challenging races on the northernmost North Sea: the Lombardini Marine 1000-mile Doublehanded Race. The race will start in Scheveningen on Sunday 8th June at noon and can be followed on the internet. The winner will be the yacht with the best IRC results in 4 out of 5 legs.

The competitors will sail the 1000 miles with a 2 person crew where, in other races, a full crew of six to eight sailors is permitted. This makes the race a bigger challenge for most of the participants of which many of them are experienced solo sailors. The twenty yachts that will battle for the overall victory are from Norway (7), The Netherlands (7), Great Britain (4) and Belgium (2).

The Lombardini Marine 1000-mile Doublehanded Race consists of five legs: 1. Scheveningen - Newcastle (08 June 2008) 2. Newcastle - Bergen (12 June 2008) 3. Bergen - Lerwick (18 June 2008) 4. Lerwick - Bergen (22 June 2008) 5. Bergen - Newcastle (25 June 2008)

In leg three and four the competitors will join the Bergen-Shetland-Bergen races. The overall winner will be the yacht with the best results on IRC handicap in 4 out of 5 legs.

All yachts will be supplied with a STAR Tracking-tracer that will transmit positions, speed and direction every two hours. The positions will be transmitted to a map on the race website http://www.1000mile.org where visitors can follow the race.

THE RECORD BOOK The WSSR Council announces the ratification of a new World Record:

Record: 60ft Monohull 24 Hour World Record Yacht: Hugo Boss Open 60. Names: Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape Dates: 6th to 7th December 2007 Start position: 42° 04.83'S; 5° 58.56'W at15.30 on 06/12/07 Finish position: 43° 58.82'S; 5° 09.80' E at 15.30 on 07/12/07 Distance sailed: 501.3 nm Average speed: 20.9 kts

Previous record: 2003 "AT Racing" 60ft, Alex Thompson, GBR, 468.72nm. 19.5kts

This record was established during the Barcelona Double handed World Race 2007, but has only been recently claimed

John Reed Secretary to the WSSR Council

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Sebastien Destremau: In keeping with my opinion, let me take this opportunity to reflect on Peter's note re: "Paul Elvstrom../something about if in winning the race you've lost the respect of your competitor's, you've won nothing..."

This is a great sentence from Mr Elvstrom indeed - Just wondering how BMW Oracle must feel about winning the right to compete in the America's Cup at the expense of all the other potential challengers? What has BMW Oracle won? ... nothing then?

Besides: Reading the great Valencia Sailing report on the BMWO show the other night in Valencia, the one thing that Tom Ehman forgot to say was that regardless of whether you like the Protocol or not there is only one reason why so many people are out of work in the America's Cup community and that includes the many residents of Valencia providing services to America's Cup teams. The reason of course is the selfish actions of some at BMW Oracle. Perhaps Tom Ehman and his mates should take some time to explain that to the people of Valencia?

* From Chalkie White: I last saw Opposition in Dun Laoghaire Harbour in July 1984, where her then owner Kenny McKinnon had re-christened her "The O Position". It is good to here she is about again as she was absolutely fantastic in her day.

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Lewmar CQR anchor with chain & warp. Nordic mast new in 2006. Rod Standing rigging replaced 2006. Dynema halyards replaced 2006. New kicker 2007. Harken blocks. Winches: 4 x Harken 40ST, 2 x Harken 16ST. Spinnaker Pole. Harken twin groove foil. Barford Sails : Carbon main & No.1 - 2006. North: Dacron No.2 & No.3 - 2007. North: 3DR's No.2, No.3 & Main - 2007. Barford Sails: Spinnaker - 2007. North: Spinnaker - 2007. UK Sails: Spinnaker - 1996. Original Dacron Main. Storm Jib & Trisail.

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THE LAST WORD Well I'm getting happier all the time, which is very nice. -- Ringo Starr

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