12 metres NAC RESULTS : Conners and Turner Jobson reunited
12 METRE NORTH AMERICANS SERVE UP AMERICA'S CUP NOSTALGIA
DENNIS WILLIAMS AND VICTORY '83 WIN PINE BROTHERS TROPHY FOR BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE; DENNIS CONNER/KZ-7 AND ALAIN HANOVER/COLUMBIA WIN DIVISION VICTORIES
All photos courtesy SallyAnne Santos / windlasscreative.com
NEWPORT, R.I. (September 23, 2012) - Each of three racing days at the 2012 12 Metre North American Championships (Sept. 21-23) started out chilly and overcast but gave way to sunshine and wind ample enough to conduct eight races off Newport, R.I., where the America's Cup took place for over five decades and from 1958 to 1983 was sailed in the illustrious 12 metre yachts.
Taking overall victory in the event, with a performance in Modern Division that topped all others from the Grand Prix and Traditional Divisions and earned them the Pine Brothers Trophy, was Dennis Williams (Hobe Sound, Fla.) and his Victory '83 team. Victory '83 won all of its races over Ralph Isham's (New York, N.Y.)/Alex Aursberg's (Newport, R.I.) Courageous and Jack Curtin's (New York, N.Y.) Intrepid, which took second and third in the Modern Division, respectively. In fact, Victory '83 could have sat out the last day's final two races and still won its class, but that would have made for one less day of satisfaction and disrupted the team's "take no prisoners" enthusiasm for the competition.
"We want to be the best boat in the regatta," said Williams, the two-time defending North American Champion and 2009 World Champion in this class, before sweeping clean on Sunday to seal his perfect score line. Upon receiving the Pine Brothers Trophy, he elaborated on his team's performance: "I'm not sure anyone has ever done that (all firsts) in this regatta. The difference was crew work and tactics, which were virtually flawless. It's not by accident those things happen; we spend a lot of time putting this together."
Williams also noted that the (Ida Lewis Yacht Club) Race Committee did "a perfect job," especially on Saturday when the fleet was postponed ashore for two hours while the wind filled in to 12-14 knots on the race course north of the iconic Newport Bridge. "We got three scheduled races in, which I don't think anyone would have believed had you asked them in the morning."
The schedule also was adhered to perfectly on Friday when three kick-off races were conducted on Rhode Island Sound, the same arena that hosted the America's Cup races for 12 editions, starting in 1930 and ending in '83. Interestingly enough, "Mr. America's Cup" himself, Dennis Conner (San Diego, Calif.), was present and skippering KZ-7 (Kiwi Magic) in Grand Prix Division with many of his old Cup team members and a balance of crew comprised of U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadets. (KZ-7 is currently owned by the USMMA Foundation.) By winning two of the three races, he established his lead over Kip Curren's (Newport, R.I.) KZ-5 and James Heckman's/Andy MacGowan's (Washington, D.C./Middletown, R.I.) USA. It was a lead of which he would never let go, and it left his two adversaries to collect second and third, respectively.
"The boats are all pretty evenly matched; whoever gets ahead is hard to pass," said Conner. "We started in front, though, and we know how to stay there."
Conner's return to Newport could have been bittersweet had he let his loss of the Cup here in 1983-a defeat that ended the longest winning streak in the history of sport--overshadow the memories of his four times of winning it (1974, '80, '87, '88)…or his opportunity to sail again with long-time Cup tactician Tom Whidden (Essex, Conn.), who has done eight America's Cups, three of them on Conner's winning team.
"Dennis has done nine Cups," said Whidden. "He said he didn't want to stop, because he always wanted to be one ahead of me. I learned a lot from him. He's a good sailor and that was a good time in my career. I was young and coming up; that's the kind of break everyone hopes they get."
The skipper/tactician combination was a match-up paralleled in star power only by Ted Turner's (Atlanta, Ga.) with Gary Jobson (Annapolis, Md.) here in Traditional Division. Turner, who won the 1977 America's Cup on Courageous with Jobson, chose to skipper the 12 metre he once owned, American Eagle, which sailed under its charity-associated name American Eagle/Hope for the Warriors. Turner's team conceded to Alain Hanover's (Weston, Mass.) Columbia in all but one race over the first two days and turned in two bullets for the last day, but Columbia still won the North
American title with only two points to spare.
"In our division there were only two boats," said Hanover, "so we were doing everything in the book to mess each other up. In half the races the lead changed at least a dozen times; it was a fantastic series, the closest of my life." Hanover recounted one race that thrilled everyone, when American Eagle edged out Columbia by just a hair at the finish line. Turner also referenced the race at the Awards Ceremony. "This weekend was wonderful; it was some of the closest racing ever. Congratulations to Columbia, who won the series, but, by God, we'll get 'em next year."
Tom Whidden praised the owners for what they have done with the 12 Metres. "It's cool to keep the class going," he said, "and I think to have people passionate about it is a great thing. I would hate to see these boats go away."
Courageous crew member John Alexander (Charlotte, N.C.) gave another perspective: "As a racer, you can be on boats that are faster or more high tech, but given the history of these boats and the history of the Cup, there is no higher honor or privilege than to do this. I was here in '77 when Courageous (with Ted Turner skippering) won the Cup; I was 30 years old, thinking I was too old to ever get to sail on one of these, and here I am now racing on a Cup winner."
In addition to the Pine Brothers Trophy, Herb Marshall, Vice President of the 12 Metre Americas Fleet, presented the Gubelmann Trophy for the winner in each division at the North American Championships and the Ted Hood Trophy for the highest points overall for specific regattas during the season (Columbia, Victory '83 and USA each won for their divisions). Ted Turner presented the Ted Turner Trophy for noteworthy contribution on or off the water to David Ray of Newport. Ray owns the Clarke Cooke House and Bannister's Wharf, where the 12 Metres berthed this week, just as they did during the past America's Cups, and has been supporting the Cup and its sailors here for several decades.Regatta Sponsor was Pine Brothers, while Supporting Sponsors were Boston Beer Company, HARBOR TOWN Wine of NZ (partner to the 12 Metre fleet), Sebago and Atlantis Weather Gear. For more information, contact Herb Marshall at ameagle@comcast.net or visit http://www.12mrclass.com.
Results
Name, Sail Number, Skipper, Hometown, Finish Positions, Total Points
Grand Prix - yachts built for the 1987 America's Cup
KZ-7 (Kiwi Magic) ~ KZ7, Dennis Conner, San Diego, Calif.1-1-2-1-1-1-1, 9
KZ-5 ~ KZ5, Kip Curren, Newport, R.I. 3-2-1-3-2-3-2-3, 19
USA ~ US 61, Andy MacGowan/James Heckman, Middletown, R.I./Washington, D.C., 2-3-3-2-3-2-3-2, 20
Modern - yachts built between 1974 and 1983
Victory '83 ~ K 21, Dennis Williams, Hobe Sound, Fla., 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1, 8
Courageous ~ US 26, Ralph Isham (New York, N.Y.)/Alex Aursberg (Newport, R.I), 2-2-3-2-3-3-2-2, 19
Intrepid ~ US 22, Jack Curtin, New York, N.Y., 3-3-2-3-2-2-3-3, 21
Traditional - yachts built between 1958 and 1970
Columbia ~ US 16, Alain Hanover, Weston, Mass. 1-1-1-2-1-1-2-2, 11
American Eagle/Hope for the Warriors ~ US 21, Ted Turner, Atlanta, Ga. 2-2-2-1-2-2-1-1, 13
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DeckCam
DeckCam action onboard Quantum Racing! 52 Super Series, Audi Valencia Cup 2012
Produced by Keith Brash for Quantum TV
ETNZ- The Importance of Fun- Take 2
There has been a quiet project within the walls of Emirates Team New Zealand whcih has caused some tension within the team. Chris McAsey, Commissioner of Social Affairs explains the importance of fun in an America's Cup campaign
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52 Super Series News, Tp52 /soto 40 get ready to heat Valencia Up
Valencia, 18 de septiembre 2012
Light and hazy conditions welcome Audi Valencia Cup competitors
Light and hazy conditions welcome Audi Valencia Cup competitors
Valencia welcomes thirteen TP 52 and Soto 40 grand prix yachts to battle for the Audi Valencia Cup in Mediterranean waters. The regatta is hosted at Marina Real Juan Carlos I, the former Port America's Cup, in Valencia, Spain.
Today was the practice race day for the season finale of the 52 Super Series and the Soto 40 class. Teams woke to hot and hazy conditions in Valencia this morning but finally by late afternoon a light sea breeze broke through to allow one short practice race.
Quantum Racing won the opening salvo from Audi Azzurra Sailing Team chasing them all the way round the course. Audi All4One claimed the final podium spot.
The Audi Valencia Cup is the trophy that closes the 2012 season of the 52 Super Series, and will decide the champion of this new race circuit. Five teams, Audi Azzurra Sailing Team (ITA), Quantum Racing (USA), Ran Racing (SWE), Audi Sailing Team Powered by All4One (GER/FRA) and Gladiator (GBR) will vie for victory in seven races planned.
The TP 52 class are the fastest sailboats in the world in coastal races for monohulls, and their crews are made up of some of the best sailors in the world.
The American team Quantum Racing and the Italian Audi Azzurra Sailing Team arrive separated by only 6 points in the overall standings after 22 races contested in the Trofeo Conde de Godo (Barcelona), the Audi Sardinia Cup (Porto Cervo) and the Royal Cup (Palma). However the season has seen all participants winning races, showing the high level of the fleet
The Soto 40 class commence racing on Wednesday to bring their European season to a close.
The forecast for Wednesday shows a change of direction to the NE/E and an increase in wind speed to around 10 - 15 knots. .
MOD70 European Tour - Tall order for shortest leg
The shortest leg so far of the MOD70 European Tour, Leg 3, cut to just 213 miles is set to endure some of the lightest winds yet.
ROLEX SWAN RESULTS : MISSY THE MISTRAL
Labels: CARLOBORLENGHI, ROLEX, Sailing, sardinia, SWAN, YACHTS
ROBUST RACING, DELICATELY POISED
ROLEX SWAN
PHOTOS BY CARLO BORLENGHI ...A menacing Mistral over northeast Sardinia complicated the Race Committee’s plans during Day 3 of the 2012 Rolex Swan Cup, and ultimately provided enthralling racing for the 55-strong fleet. Winds far more dramatic than forecast led to the postponement of the morning’s competition until conditions abated slightly, allowing all classes to commence coastal courses at 14:00 CEST.
The Maxi Class was dispatched on a near 30-nm course which after an upwind leg round Monaci sent the fleet south via Secca Tre Monti and eventually round the islands of Mortoriotto and Soffi. The remaining classes challenged a shorter version of the course, finishing at Mortoriotto.
Today’s winners were: Highland Breeze (NED) in Maxi; Merel Four (NED) in Grand Prix;Shirlaf (ITA) in Classic while Earlybird (GER) triumphed in the Rolex Swan 45 World Championship.
The overall competition leaders remain unchanged: Bronenosec (RUS) in Maxi; Magical Mystery Tour (GBR) in Grand Prix; Ondine (ITA) in Classic and TalJ (ITA) in the Rolex Swan 45 World Championship.
Bronenosec, a modern Swan 60, continues to lead the Maxi class enjoying a six-point lead over Marco Rodolfi’s Swan 80 Berenice Bis (ITA). However, the pack is closing in. Ben Kolff’s Highland Breeze, a Swan 112, is riding the strong breezes impressively and clawing back positions following a second straight race win. She now has a podium spot.
The leading positions are pitting together some contrasting Swan yachts. A case in point is Willem Mesdag’s Constanter (USA), a ten-year old Swan 62, second today, fourth overall. “Conditions at the start saw a steady 20 knots, we had a nice beat up and remained close to the boats in front of us, which is always a good sign,” explained Mesdag. “The breeze came on really strong during the race, we saw 30-32 knots and on the second last mark we lost our spinnaker pole which was not good.”
“We are here for the boat’s tenth anniversary,” continued Mesdag. “We raced her for three years between 2002 and 2004 when there were many boats the same size. We’ve cruised her ever since and now we’re essentially racing on handicap.”
Constanter has a reputation as an awkward underdog, as Mesdag explained: “We had a nickname given to us. The boat’s name is Constanter, which in Dutch means steadfast. Back in 2004 when we were racing against all the great boats of that era they called us ‘Can’t Stand Her!’ as we were a full on cruising boat built for pure comfort!”
The Spanish crew of Swan 80 Plis Play enjoyed their best day of the competition as boat captain Óscar Ibáñez explained: “We are happy with third place, all went well with no breakages. This boat prefers strong winds and our challenge is focused on beating the other Swan 80s.”
Magical Mystery Tour retains control of the Grand Prix class, today performing better than her nearest rivals Natalia (ROU) and Clem (ESP), with Jean Paul De Vries’ Swan 53 Merel Four claiming victory.
In the Rolex Swan 45 World Championship, Earlybird was top dog, cutting Vittorio Ruggiero’s TalJ’s lead down to three points. “It was a really close race today, we were alternating from second to third place and approaching the finish we had moved into the lead but a slow gennaker change left us in third,” said Ruggiero.
Until today, the Classic division witnessed a faultless week from Marco Gerbaudo’s Ondine.She had to settle for third today as the Sparkman & Stephens 65 Shirlaf reduced Ondine’s lead to four points. “Today, conditions out on the water were dictated by very strong winds compared to light winds two days ago. It means you have to be ready for everything,” explained Shirlaf tactician Paolo Cian.
Tomorrow is a layday at the Rolex Swan Cup, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, enabling the crews to recharge their batteries and conduct any vital repairs ahead of the final two days of racing. As the competition is wide open, a grandstand finish is guaranteed.
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Rolex Swan Cup : Day Two Pic s Carlo B.
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| @carloborlenghi.net |
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