RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup, Fleet Racing Final Day, Sailing Videos

Day 4 Fleet Racing - RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup - Published on Nov 29, 2015: Artemis RC44 wins in Virgin Gorda as Team Nika clinches 2015 title

Artemis Racing today won the fleet racing at the RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup, with a four point margin over Peninsula Petroleum, having led from the outset of the four day regatta. While this was close, the outcome of the 2015 RC44 Fleet Racing Championship was far closer, only decided in the last seconds of the final race, followed by some intense mathematics and the breaking of a tie. 

For Torbjörn Törnqvist’s Swedish team this win represented a late charge this season, achieving their first RC44 regatta victory since the Austria Cup in 2012.

The 2015 Fleet Racing season for the one design 44ft race boats ended up a two horse race between Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika and Vladimir Liubomirov’s Bronenosec Sailing Team. The two teams had either won or come second in the two previous events and, in the championship, Team Nika was one slender one point ahead of her rival going into the RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup. 

Ahead of the final races today, Bronenosec was lying third, one place ahead of Team Nika, but needed another boat to finish the regatta between her and Team Nika to win the Championship. Initially this seemed all but impossible, but with the leaders doing badly in the first of day’s three races, by today’s last race overtaking second placed Peninsula Petroleum had became a real prospect for Bronenosec. In fact they had comfortably achieved this going into the final leg of the last race when a squall bringing with it torrential rain and 30 knots turned the leaderboard on its head. Because of this Peninsula Petroleum maintained second and while this left Bronenosec and Team Nika tied on points at the top of the 2015 leaderboard, Team Nika won on tiebreak – the closest ever finish to an RC44 championship. For more info: http://www.rc44.com/   #RC44VirginGorda


Jules Verne Trophy - Day 8 - Retour de la vitesse / Return to speed - more info: http://www.spindrift-racing.com/ #julesvernetrophy

RORC Transatlantic Race Update: On the third day of the RORC Transatlantic Race, the duelling MOD 70s are locked in a high speed battle approaching the Cape Verde Islands. 800 miles to the north, Zed 6 is cutting a cold lonely figure and Tales II is back in the race after a pit stop in Tenerife. The trio of powerful maxis have played their first tactical battle and further back in the fleet, there is a very different standard of cuisine aboard Nunatak and Aloha. On the second night at sea, Lloyd Thornburg's Phaedo3, skippered by Brian Thompson was still leading the charge south, but only just. Tony Lawson's Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield - re-branded Ms Barbados - has significantly closed the gap... more info: http://rorctransatlantic.rorc.org/ #rorctr

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RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup Videos, RORC Transatlantic Race Update

Day 3 Fleet Racing - RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup - Conditions on the penultimate day of the RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup turned volatile, with 30 knot gusts and intermittent torrential downpours causing dramatic fluctuations in the wind. As a result just two races were held before a bigger, more intense deluge dumped its load on the North Sound race course causing racing to be abandoned for the day. Despite the tricky weather, star performer today was John Bassadone's Peninsula Petroleum with a 1-2, elevating them to second overall, five points behind the ever-consistent leader, Artemis Racing. But all eyes are also on the RC44 Fleet Race Championship which will be decided tomorrow. At present Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika, leader going into this regatta is in danger of losing the championship to Bronenosec Sailing Team. (Published on Nov 28, 2015)



Match Racing Highlights - RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup -Published on Nov 25, 2015
Vladimir Liubomirov’s Bronenosec Sailing Team prevailed today at the conclusion of the 2015 RC44 Match Racing Championship held on the idyllic waters of Virgin Gorda’s North Sound in the British Virgin Islands. More info: RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup

All Results: RC Forty Four RESULTS
Artemis Racing wins the RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup and Team Nika the overall 2015 RC44 Fleet Racing Championship!

RORC Transatlantic Race: Tactics, Speed and Damage:

Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the International Maxi Association and supported by Marina Lanzarote, Camper & Nicholsons Marina, Port Louis Grenada and Grenada Tourism Authority.

Only the second day into the RORC Transatlantic Race and race tactics, unbelievable speed and boat damage have already added to the story. Gonzalo Botin's Spanish Class 40, Tales II, diverted into Tenerife last night. All four crew are fine but they have sustained damage to their port rudder and need to weld the problem before the Spanish team continue racing. Meanwhile Mike Gascoyne's British Class 40 Silvi Belle 2 has been eating up the miles. Mike knows all about unplanned pit-stops having spent 30 years in Formula One and expects Tales II to come roaring out of Tenerife. Tales II showed extraordinary pace at the start and will be looking to chase down Silvi Belle 2 once they get back out on the race track.

Despite the northerly route looking to be the most favoured option at the start, the two MOD 70s, Phaedo3 and Concise 10 turned south after passing Tenerife shortly after dusk on the first day, Lloyd Thornburg's Phaedo3, skippered by Brian Thompson chose a line to stay off Tenerife, whilst Tony Lawson's Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield gybed south earlier and played the Tenerife coast, presumably looking for acceleration in the wind.

Acceleration is an apt word to describe these two ballistic MOD 70s as both trimarans have averaged over 20 knots and have hit top speeds of over 30 knots. They are likely to have covered an astonishing 600 miles in the first 24 hours. On board it will be full on and whilst the MOD 70s are built to take on the Atlantic Ocean, there are no creature comforts on board and the incessant noise and motion means that sleep is almost impossible.

However, at around 1200 GMT on Day Two the two MOD 70s will negotiate a high pressure ridge located off the West African coast which will slow their progress. The big decision will be when to gybe west. Phaedo3 sporting a new set of sails and a more experienced crew holds a 40 mile advantage and the weather gauge, as they are further west than Concise 10. It will be interesting to see who gybes first and what the reaction will be.

There is a different opinion towards tactics amongst the three powerful Maxis taking part in the RORC Transatlantic Race. Jean-Paul Riviere's French Finot Conq 100, Nomad IV was in her element last night, blast reaching across to Tenerife in Atlantic swell and by 0900 GMT on Day Two the French Maxi had opened up a 40 mile lead on Southern Wind 94, Windfall, skippered by Irish Olympic sailor Timothy Goodbody. In the early hours of Day Two, Will Apold's Canadian Swan 78, Valkyrie chose a different option to the other Maxis. Leaving La Palma to starboard, Valkyrie looks to be taking the southerly option chosen by the two MOD 70s. Valkyrie is narrower in the beam than Nomad IV and Windfall and has better upwind performance, especially to her IRC Rating. Perhaps Valkyrie is looking to punch through the high pressure ridge to the south. Their course displayed on the YB Tracker page will reveal all.

Gerald Bibot & Michel Kleinjans contacted the RORC Race Team this morning to report their position by satellite phone from Zed 6. The Belgian catamaran is the most northerly of the fleet and after less than 24 hours racing, there is 300 miles of weather gauge between Zed 6 and the MOD 70s to the south. The two extreme tactics will play out interestingly as their courses converge on the other side of the ocean and time correction is applied for Gerald's smaller, less powerful boat.
For more information visit the dedicated event minisite: http://rorctransatlantic.rorc.org/

Follow the progress of the race via the fleet tracker: The RORC Transatlantic Race started at 1200 local time (GMT +0) from Marina Lanzarote bound for Grenada. The RORC Transatlantic Race YB Tracker is now LIVE! http://rorctransatlantic.rorc.org/tracking/2015-fleet-tracking.html

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RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup, RORC Transatlantic Updates, Sailing Videos

Day 2 Fleet Racing - RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup: Despite the wind gods repeatedly throwing curve balls at competitors, Torbjörn Törnqvist and his Artemis Racing crew firmly consolidated their lead in the RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup regatta today. The Swedish team led going into the day and promptly won the opening two races and followed this up with a 6-2, making them top scoring boat of the day, eight points clear of Vladimir Liubomirov's Bronenosec Sailing Team in second overall. Bronenosec Sailing Team survived best in race three when a small squall passed through North Sound. Now second, while Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika has dropped to fourth, Bronenosec is currently favourite to win the overall RC44 Fleet Racing championship. John Bassadone's Peninsula Petroleum finally came good in the last race, while a solid 2-2-1 in the final three races elevated the Gibraltar-based team to third overall. Published Nov 28, 2015. More info: RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup


MOD70 Delivery down to Lanzarote for the RORC Transatlantic Race - Sometimes the hardest part of a race is getting to the start line! Team Concise's MOD70 makes her way down through tough conditions to the start of the RORC Transatlantic race. Published on Nov 26, 2015.

The @RORCRacing Transatlantic Race #rorctr has started! Keep track in real time with the 2015 Fleet Tracker: RORCracing Transatlantic Tracking

See also: Race Updates and JohnTheCrowd | Sailing News: 2015 RORC Transatlantic Race, Nov 28 Start, Lanzarote to Grenada and

2015 Race Updates | News: "The second edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race got away as scheduled from Marina Lanzarote with the fleet enjoying a reaching start in Atlantic swell and a solid 15 knots of breeze from the north east. Close battles are expected within the fleet for the next 3,000 miles before the yachts reach the finish at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada. "A fantastic start," enthused Eddie Warden Owen, Chief Executive of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. "Beautiful conditions for the fleet which all got away extremely well under full sail. Every single yacht competing in this race has been so well prepared and they are all expecting a very competitive race across the Atlantic...."

RORC Transatlantic Race Tracking - Route Destination: Grenada

Northerly Route Likely for the Start | 2015 Race Updates | News: "... Gerald Bibot's Belgian 42ft catamaran, Zed 6 is likely to be one of the first yachts to finish the 3,000 nautical mile race and will be hoping to win the Multihull Class after MOCRA time correction. Racing with Gerald will be Michel Kleinjans, who has set numerous world records, including the Round Britain and Ireland and Round Ireland races. Gerald Bibot is the founder of Great Circle which produces the revolutionary weather prediction and routing programme Squid. One of the features of Squid is Ensemble Modelling, running 20 related but different analytical models and then synthesizing these results into a single spread in order to improve the accuracy of predictive analytics...."

Other SAILING News:

Regatta cancelled after shipping blunder | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda Sailing: "The Flying Phantom Series finale has been cancelled. The regatta featuring 18-foot foiling catamarans, which was scheduled to take place on the Great Sound next week, was supposed to start on Sunday. However, the start was postponed after a container housing ten Phantom catamarans from Europe arrived on the Island on November 16 on the Oleander cargo ship, but was mistakenly then shipped to New York the following day. Despite efforts to salvage the event, including having the boats returned to the Island by Monday, the decision has been made to cancel the regatta."


Scuttlebutt Sailing News
Giles Scott secures third Finn Gold Cup
About Scott's performance he said, “Giles was just sailing in a different league to us this week. Not making any mistakes, he has no big scores so ...
Scott wraps up early victory at Finn Gold Cup - Eurosport.co.uk
Giles Scott: GB sailor wins third Finn World Championship title - BBC News
Finn Gold Cup: Scott sweeps to early World Championship victory - BYM News (press release)


Scuttlebutt Sailing News
Para World Sailing Championship Gets Underway
Melbourne, Australia (November 28, 2015) – In perfect conditions on Melbourne's Port Phillip, the first two races of the Para World Sailing ...
Para World Sailing Champs - Australian sailors ready for the challenge - Sail World (press release)
Para World Sailing Championships - Aussies and Brits shine in Melbourne's sun - BYM News (press release)
Ireland Lying Mid–Fleet at Paralympic Worlds – Day One - Afloat


3News NZ
Burling, Tuke win NZ sailing award
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have won New Zealand's top sailing award for a third consecutive year. The world championship-winning 49er crew were ...
Burling and Tuke make history with NZ Sailing's Top Honour - Scoop.co.nz (press release)
Sailing: Burling and Tuke scoop top yachting prize - New Zealand Herald

Prestigious sailing prize for the fabulous Baker boy
Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland's most talented sailors and dedicated volunteers have been honoured in celebration of their huge contribution to sailing and boating ...

Club reminisces about sailing days
Chronicle
DARLING Downs Sailing Club commodore Peter Mullins said it was outstanding to see so many boats on the water and to see so many past members ...

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