boat park at Takapuna Boating Club. photo 470 Class

27 January
Racing at the 2012 470 Junior World Championship gets underway on Saturday 28 January through until 3 February 2012. Teams from 13 nations and four continents have gathered in Takapuna, New Zealand ready to do battle for the 470 Junior Men/Mixed and Junior Women World Championship titles.

Organized by the 470 New Zealand Class Association, Takapuna Boating Club and International 470 Class Association, the 2012 470 Junior World Championship will match hot favourites alongside relative newcomers to the class. To be eligible to compete, both helm and crew must be aged 21 years or younger in the year of the Championship.

The Pre-Worlds Regatta, which concluded earlier this week, has been an initial indicator of form and included New Zealand’s 470 Olympic representatives who were impressively beaten by the junior team of Matthew and Robert Crawford (AUS). A stunning result which propels the Crawford brothers into pole position as gold medal contenders, whilst Erica Dawson/Vicky Francis (NZL) finished as the top junior women’s team. Not all Junior World racers competed at the Pre-Worlds, and with a few more days of training and race course familiarity under their belts, there is any number of teams who will be leading the fleet and challenging for Championship glory.

“Thirteen years ago, in 1999, was the last time a 470 Junior Championship was held in Oceania and it is a pleasure to return to New Zealand. Looking down the results leader board from the 1999 470 Junior Worlds, many of those names are now well known international sailors. I wish all of you competing at the 2012 470 Junior World Championships a fantastic and memorable event and successful future sailing careers,” commented Stanislav Kassarov, President of the International 470 Class Association. “We are all looking forward to racing in this fantastic location.”

The majority of the teams have participated in the pre-Championship Racing Clinic led by world class coach Nick Drougas GRE), from 24-26 January 2012.

470 Women
The 470 Women’s fleet includes the defending 470 Junior World Champion Annika Bochmann of Germany. Bochmann’s medal winning crew from 2011 is too old to compete, and stepping up to the challenge is Elisabeth Panuschak. 2012 marks Bochmann’s last year eligible to compete in the junior fleet, so she will be on a mission to conclude her junior career with another gold medal. Bochmann’s achievements also include the silver medal at the 2011 470 Junior Europeans, silver at the 2010 470 Junior Worlds and gold at the 2010 470 Junior Europeans. To say she has 470 experience is an understatement. Combine this with a world ranking of #37 and this pair is unquestionably one of the teams to beat.

The Junior Worlds will mark the pair’s third appearance at an international event, and they are firstly delighted to be in New Zealand, as Bochmann commented, “We are happy to be here and it was really worth coming to see the landscape and people as well as the sailing.”

On the racing outcome, the pair are clear, “Our personal goal is to win a medal, but it's hard to know what level we have reached compared to the others until we start racing, but we would be aiming to make the top ten overall.”

Anna Burnet/Fiona Stewart from Great Britain won the medal race at the 2011 470 Junior Worlds, but could not catch up with the Germans, and finished with the silver medal. Last year their score line was peppered with double-digit race finishes, and to secure the gold medal in 2012 they will need to deliver a more consistent score line.

Sitting just two places ahead of Bochmann on the ISAF World Rankings at #35 are Afrodite Kyranakou/Jeske Listers (NED), who are fresh from elite fleet experience and a 30th place finish at the 2011 Perth ISAF World Championships. They finished seventh overall at the 2011 470 Junior Worlds and, with more experience racing together are geared up to challenge for a podium place.

Australian Sasha Ryan secured the bronze medal at the 2011 470 Junior World Championship, with crew Chelsea Hall. As Hall is too old to compete in 2012, Ryan has teamed up with sister Jaime; reminiscent of their 420 racing days together. Sasha has delivered some top results with Hall in the 470, including a 40th at the 2011 Perth ISAF Worlds; experience which will serve the sisters well in New Zealand.

Three 470 women’s teams will keep the host nation’s ambitions alive with Bianca Barbara-Babarich/Julia Francis, sisters Sarah and Emma Berry and Erica Dawson/Vicky Francis competing. Of the three, Dawson/Francis are most probably the most experienced in the 470 and are another team to have competed at the ISAF Worlds in Perth where they finished 43rd. However, Barbara-Babarich is used to the pressure of being a series leader and won the 2009 420 Women’s World Championship as crew. The sibling relationship between the Berry’s has also delivered strongly in the past, including a fourth place at the 2007 420 World Championships in Takapuna.

Much of their success is due to the strength of their relationship, as Emma explained, “It’s really good sailing with my sister. In 2007 at the Takapuna 420 World Championships we sailed our best because we got on ridiculously well and we’re getting along quite well at the moment too.”

470 Women’s teams from Ireland, Japan and the Netherlands are also competing.

470 Men/Mixed
In the 470 Men/Mixed event, one of the favourite teams will be Australians brothers Matthew and Robert Crawford. They have just won the Pre-Worlds regatta, ahead of New Zealand’s 2012 Olympic 470 teams, Paul Snow Hansen/Jason Saunders and Jo Aleh/Olivia Powrie. Whilst their form at the 2011 470 Junior Worlds in the Netherlands was not too impressive with a 25th place finish, they upped their game to finish fourth overall at the 2011 470 Junior Europeans. They have also gained from their experience at the Perth ISAF Worlds finishing 46th in the 80-boat 470 men’s fleet and are looking highly competitive.

The top ranked team competing in New Zealand are the world #52 pairing of Simon Sivitz Kosuta/Jas Farnetti from Italy. They finished just ahead of the Crawford brothers to claim the bronze medal at the 2011 470 Junior Europeans, and secured a bronze medal at the 2010 470 Junior Worlds.

Also on the challenge will be France’s Sacha Pelisson/Nicolas Rossi, who have featured in the top 10 at each of the 2011 and 2010 470 Junior World and 470 Junior European Championships. 2012 could well be their year to move on up and claim a 470 Championship medal.

Five New Zealand teams will challenge for host nation glory, and past form points favourably to Luke Stevenson/Sam Bullock who were one of the top junior teams at the Perth 2011 ISAF Worlds finishing 57th. Another contender is Finn Drummond, who secured the silver medal at the 2009 420 World Championships, and is sailing in a new partnership with Matthew Turner.

Several teams are relatively fresh from converting to the 470 from the 420, including Pablo Völker/Agustín Cunill Martinez who have made the trip from Argentina. They were crowned 2011 420 World Champions in January last year, and made their transfer to the 470 a few months later, finishing 16th at the 2011 470 Junior Worlds and 11th at the 2011 470 Junior Europeans. As reigning 420 World Champions, they are benefiting from the 470 Development Programme, which has awarded them free entry to the 2012 470 Junior Worlds.

Facing off against them will be other 420 protégés, including 2011 Open 420 European Champions Alex and George Kavas (GRE) and 2011 420 Open Junior European Champion crew turned helm Alex Gough (AUS).

Brothers Alex and George Kavas enjoyed a stunning 2011 in the 420, winning the 2011 420 European Championships and finishing third at the 2011 420 Open Junior European Championships, and their rivalry with the Australians will come head to head again in Takapuna. Aged 15 years, Alex is amongst the youngest helms competing and brings an infectious enthusiasm to his sailing. The brothers are an impressive pair, who have uncompromising determination and will be keen to score a podium finish at their first 470 Junior World Championship.

Alex Gough is more familiar with the front of a boat, but with his usual helm Angus Galloway too old to compete at the Junior Worlds, Gough has substituted himself with Scott Cotton on the trapeze. Angus and Alex made their leap to the 470 last year, soon after securing the bronze medal in the 420 at the ISAF Youth Worlds and winning the Open 420 Europeans. They threw themselves into the Perth ISAF Worlds and finished 66th, and we look forward to see how Gough now performs with a tiller in his hand.

There is one mixed team competing, sister and brother pairing, Lucy and Douglas Shephard (AUS). The siblings have moved from the Cadet dinghy to the 420 and now compete together in the 470 at their first 470 Junior World Championship.

Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands also have teams competing in the 470 Men/Mixed event.

The 13 race series includes 12 qualifying/final races and the Medal Race. The official practice race and Opening Ceremony take place on Friday 27 January, with racing getting underway on Saturday 28 January and concluding on Friday 3 February 2012.

The Championship is being co-ordinated by Commodore of the Takapuna Boating Club Eveyln Johnson, with the International Jury led by Nino Shmueli (ISR), Ian Clouston (NZL) as Principal Race Officer and Heinz Staudt (GER) as Chief Measurer.

Monday 23 January, at the Dusseldorf Boat Show, the much anticipated 2012 MOD70 European Tour was unveiled. Starting on 29 August, five weeks of intensive racing will see the six competing MOD70s race nearly 5,000 miles in a mix of offshore competition, and races in the heart of five cities in five countries : Germany, Ireland, Portugal, France and Italy.

The six MOD70s are helmed by skippers with some of the biggest hauls of oceanic medals – Michel Desjoyeaux, Sebastien Josse, Sidney Gavignet, Roland Jourdain, Steve Ravussin and Yann Guichard. The teams will be setting off from Kiel in Germany, on the Baltic Sea, towards the east coast of Ireland, after a rather unfamiliar passage via the North coast of the Shetland Islands which will see the teams reach 60° North – as far north as Cape Horn is south.

After stopping off in the Emerald Isle, the teams will tackle the descent of the North Atlantic, heading for Cascais in Portugal, for an eight-day stopover before heading east.

Beyond the Pillars of Hercules, the MOD70s will cross the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea to tie up at the feet of the Bonne Mère in Marseille (France), while the final leg of the European Tour 2012 will take the MOD70s on a big looped circuit around the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, prior to climbing up to an Italian port looking out onto the Ligurian Sea…

At the end of this tour of Europe, the fleet will have covered 5,000 miles and crossed seven seas and one ocean.

Start : Kiel, Germany, 2 September :
Steeped in maritime tradition, Kiel is the city which played host to the Course de l’Europe during the first edition back in 1985, and again in 1997, for the 4th leg. For this 2012 edition of the MOD70 European Tour, the local authorities were the first to commit themselves wholeheartedly to the project. Alongside KIEL.SAILING CITY, the online gambling company, Betfair, will be present at both the legendary Kiel Week, to be held in June 2012, and the German stopover for the MOD70 European Tour 2012.

Uwe Wanger, Managing Director of Kiel Marketing GmbH : “In collaboration with Betfair, we’re proud to play host to the first leg of the European Tour, an event that forms part of the MOD70 circuit, for their first race in Germany. These spectacular boats represent technology at its highest level – a point they have in common with our new partner Betfair. With this stopover, we’ll be punctuating a series of prestigious sailing gatherings and we’re hoping for between 50.000 and 80,000 spectators at the heart of Kiel to witness the racing.”

Marco Simeoni, President of MOD Ltd. : “Today we’re happy to be able to present the first edition of the race around Europe, aboard MOD70s. Since 2009, we’ve been working on putting together a one-design class and a coherent circuit for racers, boat owners and our partners. With the current economic context colouring Europe, things haven’t been easy but we’ve managed to pull it off. The cities of Kiel, Marseille and Cascaïs are the first three cities to have signed up alongside us and the contracts with the remaining two cities involved in this project will be signed in the coming days. Featuring 5,000 miles, 5 countries, 5 host venues and 5 City races, this MOD European Tour will be the setting for a competitive and cultural oasis! Thanks to the one-design format, which guarantees sporting equity, we’re sure to witness some great on-the-water confrontations between the MOD70 crews competing in this 2012 season.”

Hervé Favre, Event Manager OC ThirdPole : “To organise a European tour is an opportunity to revive the great moments in the history of oceanic multihulls, but it’s also a genuine challenge in every possible way. This is true in logistical terms first of all, as not all the ports in Europe can accommodate 6 or 7 trimarans measuring 22 metres long and 17 metres wide. It’s also true in sporting terms, with the need to construct a balanced circuit and some interesting legs, with around 3 days spent at sea between cities. Finally there’s the marketing aspect, with our desire to select cities whose image and notoriety are recognised on the international playing field, and who are keen to communicate their outward-looking attitude to the sea. We’ve also endeavoured to involve the Teams and their partners, who have guided the final decisions. Launching a new event is never easy, particularly today, but we’re proud of this very fine course, which will support the increase in power of the new Multi One Design Class".

Michel Desjoyeaux, skipper of the MOD70 Foncia: “This MOD70 version of the European Tour 2012 will be the second event of the season. It will be longer and more intensive than the Krys Ocean Race, but I bet you that the crew of Foncia will be very much into their stride! Added to that, the European Tour isn’t a complete unknown for me as I raced aboard Crédit Agricole, the winning boat in the first edition back in 1985. I sailed it again in 1993, aboard La Poste. It’s always a real thrill because there are a number of intriguing passages to be negotiated. The race zone really deserves to be highlighted! Alternating between offshore legs and inshore events appeals to me since it’ll give us the opportunity to show our different guests what the MOD 70 Foncia is all about during the stopovers. These moments of sharing and exchanges aboard our fantastic machines are always rich and interesting.”

Sidney Gavignet, skipper of the MOD70 Oman Sail : “Our MOD70s are capable of covering great distances in a short space of time so they’re really cut out for this type of course around Europe! For my part, I’ve already had the opportunity to compete in European races in 1993 and 1997. I have some very fond memories of them with some great battles on the water. I expect nothing less in this edition.
This European Tour really ties in with the agenda that my partner OMAN had in mind, which involves promoting tourism among the European public across the sultanate.”

Yann Guichard, skipper of the MOD70 Spindrift racing : “I’m more familiar with transatlantic events and this will be my first participation in a European Tour. I’m very enthusiastic about the idea of helming my MOD70 Spindrift Racing over this course, which will enable me to discover the race zones, particularly as regards the first leg between Kiel and Ireland. Another first for me is alternating between offshore and inshore races, especially over the course of a month! It’s going to be raced at a steady pace and we’ll have to be consistent and perform well, whatever the race format.”

Roland Jourdain, skipper of the MOD70 Veolia Environnement: “It promises to be an enthralling sail... Already at the time of the multihull, and also the monohull, all the racers adored the race. On a sporting level, it’s a superb mix of offshore and coastal courses. On a multihull we’re sure to have a ball!"

Stève Ravussin, skipper of the MOD70 Race for Water : “Germany is a great country for sailors, as it has a particularly important place on the map of Europe. As such I’m very happy and proud to be part of this first European Tour in Kiel. Adventure, speed and adrenalin, a mixture of spectacular offshore races and city races on an equal footing… it is the epitome of everything I love about sailing! In addition to the sports competition, I’m delighted to be able to raise awareness amongst adults and children about problems relating to water… Indeed, with the MOD 70 Race For Water, ambassador for the Multi One Attitude Foundation, we’re going to spread this message to the four corners of Europe as well as battling to sail some fantastic races!”

Sébastien Josse, skipper of the MOD70 Edmond de Rothschild Group : "T he European Tour is proposing an ambitious programme and it will be a difficult race. For three weeks we’re going to link together a series of offshore and city race formats at a steady pace and the team will have very little time to catch their breath. This second event of the 2012 season will showcase the crews’ stamina and their ability to adapt to the switches in format. The North-South route of the race is likely to provide us with some highly varied conditions. The northern part may give us some really lively conditions at that time of year, whilst the second part, in southern Europe, should prove to be milder. However, that’s just a hypothesis as the Mediterranean is never short of surprises and could very well dish out an entirely different scenario. The European Tour will be intense with a line-up of six honed crews after the Krys Ocean Race.”


The MOD70 European Tour 2012 in brief :
- First edition of the European Tour in MOD70s.
- 6 competing sailing teams (6 crew members per MOD70)
- 5,000 miles
- 5 countries visited: Germany (Kiel), Ireland, Portugal (Cascaïs), France (Marseille), Italy.
- 5 offshore races and 5 inshore events (city race and speed match)

Stopover schedule :
Kiel (Germany) from 29 August to 2 September
Ireland from 5 to 9 September
Cascaïs (Portugal) from 12 to 20 September
Marseille (France) from 23 to 30 September
Italy from 3 to 7 October

The multihull and the Course de l’Europe :
1985 :
- 1st edition of the Course de l’Europe created by Gérard Petipas with the support of the European Community
- Start on 9 August
- 8 legs: from Kiel (Germany) to Porto Cervo (Italy)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Philipe Jeantot on Crédit Agricole
1987 :
- Start on 12 July
- 8 legs from The Hague (Holland) to San Remo (Italy)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Daniel Gilard on Jet Services
1989 :
- Start on 17 July
- 6 legs from Hamburg (Germany) to Toulon (France)
- Victory for Serge Madec on Jet Services V who won 5 of the 6 legs.
1991 :
- Start on 12 May
- 6 legs from Lorient (France) to Santa Marguerita (Italy)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Laurent Bourgnon on R.M.O, just 93 seconds ahead of Mike Birch
1993 :
- Start on 23 May
- 6 legs from La Rochelle (France) to Stockholm (Sweden)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Loïck Peyron on Fuji
1995 :
- Start on 20 May
- 7 legs from Venice (Italy) to London (England)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Loïck Peyron on Fuji
1997 :
- Start on 1st June
- 5 legs from Cherbourg (France) to Stockholm (Sweden)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Loïck Peyron on Fuji
1999 :
- 2 legs from Genoa (Italy) to Lorient (France)
- Victory aboard a multihull for Loïck Peyron on Fuj

Dates to remember: 2011 / 2012
25 January 2012: Launching of the MOD70 SPINDRIFT RACING
12 april 2012: Launching of the MOD70 OMAN SAIL
January to May 2012: Launching of the MOD70 nr.7

Race Programme: 2012 / 2014
7 July 2012: Start of the KRYS OCEAN RACE
2 September 2012: European Tour
June 2013: European Tour
November 2013 – April 2014: Ocean World Tour (6 stopovers, 5 oceans, 12 racing teams)
August 2014: KRYS OCEAN RACE

photo Rolex / Daniel Forster

22 January
Life in Miami’s always-bustling Coconut Grove neighborhood was punctuated today by the added activity of 529 sailors from 41 countries preparing for tomorrow’s start of US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR. The six-day annual regatta, which will be sailed on Biscayne Bay for its 23rd time, is the second of seven 2011-2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas and, as such, plays host to elite sailors from around the globe, with an emphasis on those preparing for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The day started early with registration at the U.S. Sailing Center, which is serving as the event’s headquarters and staging area for Lasers (One Person Dinghy Men), Laser Radials (One Person Dinghy Women) and 470s (Two Person Dinghy Men and Women). Next door, Stars (Men’s Keelboat) used the Coral Reef Yacht Club’s two two-ton hoists to launch throughout the day for a bit of practice, while another door down, Finns (One Person Dinghy Men Heavy) tuned up at Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. Still farther down the road, but not by much, Paralympic classes (Single Person 2.4mR, Two Person Skud 18 and Three Person Sonar) used the expansive and accessible Shake-A-Leg facilities, while RS:X (Windsurfer Men and Women) sailors spread their sails on the lawn of Coconut Grove Sailing Club, nearest to the “The Grove’s” hub and shopping/dining destination “Cocowalk.” And as if that were not enough host venues to make an organizer’s head spin, across the bay at Key Biscayne Yacht Club and Miami Rowing Club, the Elliott 6m (Women’s Keelboat Match Racing) and 49er (Two Person Dinghy Men High Performance) sailors readied physically and mentally for tomorrow’s out-of-the-gate challenges.

“It’s going to be a great week here in Miami,” said Dean Brenner, Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Sailing Committee. “We’re now into the final sprint for the Games, and for all of the competitors, this World Cup event has many implications. There are ranking implications, both internationally and within each country, and there are funding implications. Each country’s system is a little different, but in the U.S. we have prize money available to our athletes, and every regatta between now and the Games will take on increased importance, because these are the final dry runs before the Olympics in August.”

For 2.4mR sailor Mark LeBlanc (New Orleans, La., USA), this is his last chance to edge out fellow US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.) for a spot at the Paralympics. “ I was eighth to John’s sixth at the 2012 IFDS Worlds,” said LeBlanc, explaining that eight and six also are the number of points each sailor respectively carries into this regatta to be added to points accumulated for final finish positions here. “Those points (whichever are lowest) will determine who goes to the Games for the U.S.,” said LeBlanc, who added that last July he was fourth at the 2011 Worlds, so he “tasted it a little there.”

To see him sail, one would barely notice that LeBlanc is missing his left arm below the elbow. In his 13’ 8” long, one-person keelboat, he attracts attention less because he is disabled and more because his head is the only thing that shows above the boat’s small cockpit, which seems to hug the rest of his body like a glove. He chooses to steer with foot pedals rather than a forward tiller, which is the option most often chosen by paraplegics.

“For me it is easier; at mark roundings, I can steer and have two free arms,” said LeBlanc. “I have spent a lot more time in the boat since I competed here last year, so I’m much more prepared.”

Nine of the top ten teams in the ISAF World Rankings are here to compete in the Women’s Match Racing event, including those that took the gold, silver and bronze medals in Perth at the class’s Worlds: respectively, USA’s Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.) /Molly Vandemoer (Stanford, Calif.) /Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.); Great Britain’s Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/Kate Macgregor; and France’s Claire Leroy/Elodie Bertrand/Marie Riou.

“The competition is going to be some of the best we have seen on the Sailing World Cup circuit,” said Liz Baylis, Executive Director of the Women’s International Match Racing Association. “With all of the top teams coming here fresh from the Worlds and a number of teams fighting for their spot on their country’s Olympic team, there will be no holding back, and the racing should be very exciting.” Baylis also noted that the Rolex Miami OCR will be followed next week by the Women’s Match Racing International Country Olympic Qualifying Regatta at which nine countries will vie for the last three available country berths at the Games. (For both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, a country must qualify itself before it can send a representative.)

The Netherlands match racing team of Mandy Mulder/Merel Witteveen/Annemiek Bekkering have been training here since early January with the American, Russian and Finnish teams, living the ideal that sailors even at the highest levels help each other. “Sally Barkow (another top U.S. contender who sails with Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham and Alana O’Reilly) organized recent races for us, with umpires and all,” said Mulder. “Our goal is to be in the top four. Our Trials are in May, so what happens here doesn’t count, but for our own progress, of course, it is important.”

Other top-five competitors from the ISAF Worlds competing here are Laser Radial gold medalist Marit Bouwmeester (NED) and silver medalist Evi van Acker (BEL); 470 Men’s gold medalists Mathew Belcher/Malcolm Page (AUS); 470 Women’s silver medalists Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark (GBR); and Star gold medalists Robert Scheidt/Bruno Prada (BRA).

Seemingly the underdogs when compared to Scheidt/Prada (who, together, have won two Olympic gold medals), John Foster and his son Johnny Foster have only to mention their own Olympic history to be re-considered a threat by virtue of experience. The 74-year-old father has represented the U.S. Virgin Islands in Star class at five Olympic Games, starting with Munich in 1972 and finishing with Barcelona in ’92, while his 48-year-old son has crewed with him at three of those. (John also competed on his country’s bobsled team at the 1988 Winter Olympics.) The team has been officially designated the USVI’s representative at the upcoming Olympic regatta but first must qualify the USVI for its country berth. The next chance for that is at Hyeres in April and Scheidt/Prada will in no small way be a help in preparation for that.

“That’s why we are here, to match our speed with theirs and come to a conclusion of whether it’s the tune of the boat or our own abilities that are the difference,” said John Foster, who thinks nothing of his age as the oldest here at the Rolex Miami OCR. “Growing old is inevitable; growing up is optional,” he said with a wink.

For fleet racing in the Olympic classes, the Rolex Miami OCR will consist of a five-day opening series (Monday - Friday) and a double-point medal race (Saturday). The top 10 finishers in the opening series of each class will advance to the medal race. For match racing (Elliott 6m), which makes its debut in the 2012 Olympic Games, the regatta will consist of an opening series, a knockout series, and a sail-off for boats not advancing to the knockout series. Competitors in the Paralympic classes will have five days of fleet racing (Monday-Friday) and no medal race.

Medals will be awarded to the top three boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class on Saturday, January 28.

photo by Richard Langdon / Ocean Images

14 January
The final battle for Olympic country qualification in Women's match racing is coming up.

The 2011 Women's Match World Championship qualified 8 countries to send a team to the Olympics. Those countries are (Australia, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, Russia and USA). GBR, as host country, is also given a berth. That leaves 3 open slots.

To qualify those final 3 countries, Sail Sheboygan, WIMRA and Key Biscayne Yacht Club will run the Women's Match Race Country Qualifier. Feb 2-5 will see teams from nine countries come together to compete to qualify their country for one of those final spots. The countries still vying to qualify are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Spain and Slovenia. 7 of the 9 countries have already nominated a skipper, while Canada and Brazil will use the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta to determine their skipper.

Representing their countries will be:
Argentina - Martina Silva, ranked 29th in the latest ISAF rankings
Brazil - Either Renata Decnop, who finished 17th overall at the Perth Worlds, or Juliana Senfft, who is ISAF ranked 16th in the world.
Canada - Sharon Ferris-Choat, currently ranked #36 by ISAF or Jinnie Gordon
China - Ru Wang, currently ranked #32, and finished 21st in Perth
Denmark - Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, a veteran on the women's match race circuit, finishing 16th in Perth, and currently ranked #30 by ISAF
Finland - Silja Lehtinen, 14th in Perth, and ranked #9 by ISAF
Germany - Silke Hahlbrock, ranked #20 by ISAF and finished 18th in Perth
Spain - Tamara Echegoyan, finished 12th in Perth (9th country overall), ranked by ISAF at #8
Slovenia - Vesna Dekleva Paoli, ranked #24 by ISAF, finishing 19th in Perth

The race format will be a single round robin(everyone races each other once), cutting the 9 to 6. Any ties for the cutoff will be determined by sail-offs on the water to make sure the tie breaks are made by racing. After the cut, there will be a double round robin (skippers race each other twice), to narrow the field to the final 4.

The final 4 will then race in a knock-out series to determine the final four places, the 3 countries who will qualify, and the first alternate.

The qualifier promises to deliver spectacular racing. Most of the teams will have just come off 7 days of racing in the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, so they will be at the top of their game and familiar with the boats and the waters.

photo Lloyd Images

10 January
Three time Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie today announced the launch of a new team that will initially compete in the next edition of the America’s Cup World Series along with plans to join ORACLE Racing for the defence of the 34th America’s Cup.

Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) will compete in the 2012/13 America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), following the completion of Ainslie’s London 2012 Olympic campaign in the Men’s Singlehanded Heavy Dinghy (Finn class) event.

The new global America’s Cup World Series circuit attracts some of the best sailors in the world in high speed 45 foot wing-sailed catamarans.

With the announcement of a new team, the triple Olympic gold medallist also set out his long term vision to challenge for the 35th America’s Cup following the conclusion of the 34th Cup in San Francisco in 2013: “I’ve always tried to have a plan of what I’m doing next after the Olympics. The 2012 Olympics has been the focus, but from that has come the opportunity to be able to build a team which we hope can ultimately go on to challenge for the 35th America’s Cup.”

Four time America’s Cup winner and ORACLE Racing’s CEO Russell Coutts fully backed Ainslie’s goal to create his own future America’s Cup team. “With all the things that we are doing to improve the America’s Cup commercially, I think this is a great time for someone like Ben to be laying the foundations for his own team. With the massive improvements to televising the racing and staging it right where fans can see it, there has never been a better arena for stars such as Ben. ”

Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) will be entering the America’s Cup World Series under the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, which has supported the Olympian since the beginning of his career. Ben said: “It’s my home club; it’s where I grew up. I’ve had so much support from the club over the years, it seemed a natural fit.”

The AC World Series will provide a great testing ground and platform for Ben, as will joining ORACLE Racing for their 2013 defence. Ben will be added to an already impressive line-up which includes some of the best sailors in the world, such as James Spithill, youngest ever winning skipper of the oldest trophy in international sport, and Russell Coutts.

It will be the 34 year old Briton’s fourth America’s Cup campaign. After the 2000 Sydney Olympics Ainslie joined the American ‘One World Challenge’. Post-Athens in 2004 he helped ‘Team New Zealand’ lift the Louis Vuitton Cup before joining Sir Keith Mills start-up campaign ‘TEAMORIGIN’ as skipper after his victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

On joining ORACLE Racing Ainslie said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity, I have a huge amount of respect for Russell, Jimmy and everyone involved. I think with the direction the Cup has taken in the last few years, it’s actually really important that ORACLE Racing win again and it continues on the path that it has taken. I’m very excited about it and hopefully I can help the team retain the Cup.”

Welcoming Ben to the America’s Cup, Coutts said: “It’s fantastic for the America’s Cup that we’ve got a three time Olympic gold medallist, four time Olympic medallist, hopefully soon to become five. The America’s Cup without Ben would be a little bit like Wimbledon without Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic.

He’s the number one sailor in the world right now and it’s fantastic to have him involved in our team.”

The iconic America’s Cup trophy was originally awarded in 1851 by Britain’s Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight, to the schooner America. The trophy was renamed the America’s Cup after the boat and was donated to the New York Yacht Club under the terms of the Deed of Gift, which made the Cup available for perpetual international competition.

Ainslie will not rule out another bid for Olympic gold in Brazil 2016, but for now he sees his future with the America’s Cup.

09 January
The Delta Flag was raised at 10.41, meaning that racing would start at 11.41.It didn't take the 210 sailors long at all to get out onto the water. The wind was very mild, around 10 knots, but the sun came back out again.

Protests from yesterday's racing had been processed and when the updated provisional results were published, there was a change on the leadership board. Ryan Lo had to give up his third position to Javier Arribas who was previously fourth.

The first fleet started the race at 1208, but all reaces were abandoned at 1308. The wind was too light for the strong current and sailors were not able to make progress around the course. At 1350 the Race Committee decided to start race 12 again, but at 1427 the very hard call was made to abandon all races for the day which means that the World Championships are over.


The 2011 World Champion Optimist Dinghy Sailing is Kimberly Lim from Singapore.

The provisional leader board (for the individual racing) after 11 races shows
1. Kimberly Lim, (SIN) 70 points
2. Bart Lambriex (NED) 74 points
3. Javier Arribas (PER) 77 points
4. Ryan Lo (SIN) 78 points
5. Francisco Ducasse (CHI) 87 points
6. Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz (MAS) 90 points
7. Wade Waddell (USA) 96 points
8. Gabriel Elstrodt (BRA) 109 points
9. Rodrigo Luz (BRA) 112 points
10. Leonard Takahashi-Fry (NZL) 114 points

Overall Handicap Winner, LOKI crew with Patrick Boutellier, Rolex Australia. photo Rolex / Daniel Forster

30 December
With the wind fading for the smaller boats, so this morning (local time) Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki was announced the handicap winner of the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

At a presentation on board their white four year old Reichel Pugh 63 footer, Ainsworth and his crew were presented with a Rolex Yacht-Master timepiece by Patrick Boutellier of Rolex Australia and the much coveted Tattersall’s Cup, for winning IRC handicap honours, by Garry Linacre, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and Graham Taplin, Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.

“We are elated, it is a fantastic feeling, a huge thrill to win this race,” said a jubilant Ainsworth. “Having done 14 races, I know how hard it is to win this race. I have been trying for a long time. So many things have to go right for you and the wind gods were with us. Our race went extremely well. The aim for the navigators was to avoid stopping and we successfully did that, although we came close a couple of times. Look at what happened to Wild Oats XI - that could easily have happened to us.”

The present Loki was launched three years ago after Ainsworth’s previous boat was lost after she was abandoned in severe conditions when her rudder broke during the 2007 Rolex Middle Sea. The new boat was built for offshore racing and specifically to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart. This was Ainsworth and his crew’s fourth attempt in the latest Loki.

Ainsworth and Loki are one of the most successful teams racing in Australia at present. Last year they won the Australian IRC Championship, the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and this year Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. Personally, this month Ainsworth was voted the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s joint Ocean Racer of the Year.

Typically they sail offshore with 18 crew and of these only one third are professional, led by Irish Volvo Ocean Race veteran, Gordon Maguire. On board typically Maguire helms while Ainsworth trims the main sheet. The other pros on board for the Rolex Sydney Hobart included other much capped round the world race sailors Anthony Merrington, Jeff Scott and sailmaker Alby Pratt, while a regular with Ainsworth is his long term navigator Michael Bellingham.

However, Maguire points out that many of their ‘amateur’ crew are among the most talented sailors in Australia. “We have really good sailors from all walks of life. It is more rewarding when you line up against fully pro crews.”

For the Rolex Sydney Hobart this year, Loki was fitted with a new, bigger mainsail and for the first time they had an on board weather expert to assist Bellingham in the form of British navigator Will Best.

According to Maguire, during the race they were always in contention, but down the east coast of Tasmania the 100ft maxis had stretched away. “They were getting out to 120 miles in front of us and at that distance it was hard to stay in touch on handicap. But they parked up at Tasman Island and that brought us right back into them. We took 60 miles out of them that morning. So the handicap win came when the big boats parked up. We were always very confident that we had time on the boats behind us, particularly with how the weather patterns were going to shape up from halfway down the east coast to the finish.”

Ainsworth said Loki would return to the Rolex Sydney Hobart next year to defend her title.

Slow boats up the Derwent
Meanwhile for today’s finishers the pace had distinctly slowed. Over 11 and a half hours, last night and into this morning, just one boat arrived as the water turned to glass on Storm Bay and the Derwent River leading up to Hobart.

Darryl Hodgkinson, skipper of the Beneteau First 45 Victoire summed it up best: “I thought it was going to be carbon copy of last year’s where we sat in the Derwent. This year we actually camped in Derwent! The last miles from the Tasman Light to the finish typically takes six to seven hours, on this occasion it took 15.

Ed Psaltis, co-owner of AFR Midnight Rambler arrived in Hobart suffering from an infected arm and unhappy with their performance. “It was very disappointing, our race. We made a few wrong choices. Entering Bass Strait we were in good shape against all the opposition and doing well overall, but we found a hole [in the wind] bigger that anyone else did and we sat there for six hours going nowhere. We also had northerly, adverse current in Bass Strait so we did very well going the wrong way.”

Between two scheds AFR Midnight Rambler lost 25 miles, but once the wind turned favourable and they could set the kite on their new Ker 40, they managed to make up the deficit. Then they too had a slow finish. “It was probably the slowest passage I’ve had from Tasman Light to the finish – and this is a pretty quick boat. But that’s how it is,” said Psaltis. “Next year it will be a lot better than it was this year.”

Australia’s solo sailing star arrives
This afternoon the marina of Constitution Dock was packed five deep with spectators waiting patiently for the arrival of 18 year-old Australian solo sailor Jessica Watson. Since 2010 when she became the youngest person ever to have completed a singlehanded voyage non-stop around the world, Watson has become a media sensation in Australia.

In this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Watson achieved her ambition to lead the youngest crew ever to compete in the race. She and her seven crew - among them fellow youth solo round the world sailor, Britain’s Mike Perham – raced in the Sydney 38 class aboard the pink hulled Ella Baché Another Challenge.

“It was really, really good, everything you would expect,” said Watson upon her arrival. “We had three quite bouncy nights on the nose. We didn’t see any severe conditions, but there was some pretty uncomfortable stuff for quite a while there.”

Having previously sailed on her own, Watson was full of praise for her crew. “The crew were awesome. It was the best sailing we’ve ever seen them do. It’s what we have been training for and they did exactly that. Everyone did an amazing job. All credit to them – I just held on for the ride.”

Her round the world voyage also didn’t involve competition, something which she seems to have relished in this Rolex Sydney Hobart. “The last leg in was amazing, some really close racing with the Sydney 38 fleet, changing positions all the time. Then to come in second was just awesome. It was as good as anyone could hope for. We had a really close battle with The Goat.” She added: “The race wouldn’t have been the same if we didn’t have that close boat-on-boat racing.” Watson was especially pleased to have beaten their coaches, sailing on Deloitte As One.

Since lunch time, boats have been flooding into Hobart, with 26 arriving between 13:23 (local time) and the latest arrival at 17:24 of Tony Warren’s Kiss Goodbye to MS, the 49th finisher. 28 boats remain still racing with John Bankart’s Eressea, bringing up the rear, some 137 miles from the finish.

Line Honours Winner INVESTEC LOYAL's crew. Rolex / Daniel Forster

29 December
Following a three hour hearing at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania before the International Jury, the Race Committee’s protest against Investec Loyal was dismissed and Anthony Bell and the crew of his 100ft maxi were finally declared the line honours victors in the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

This afternoon at the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2011 prizegiving, held in front of a crowd lining Constitution Dock, CYCA Commodore Garry Linacre, Lord Mayor of Hobart, Damon Thomas, and Patrick Boutellier of Rolex Australia presented Anthony Bell with the JH Illingworth Trophy and a Rolex Yacht-Master timepiece for the line honours victory.

“It is the long way around in some ways,” said a delighted Anthony Bell. “It is very relieving to get to this point. There are rules in every sport and, while it wasn’t ideal to go through this, I think that ultimately it gets beyond any question and whatever those questions that were asked have been properly answered.”

As to their victory, when yesterday Investec Loyal beat Bob Oatley’s five time Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours winning maxi Wild Oats XI to the Hobart finish line by a margin of just 3 minutes 8 seconds, Bell said: “We have come second to Wild Oats quite a lot. We came second last year to them and we kept coming second to them at Hamilton Island. It is an against-the-odds victory for us....I am still waiting for one of my crew members to wake me up and say you’re on watch!

“The buzz is made best by the fact that Wild Oats XI is such a fantastic, professionally-run campaign by the Oatley family and, to have them compete so fiercely, it accelerated and heightened the value to us to go down the wire against a raceboat team like that. They are the benchmark of supermaxi racing, not just in Australia, but in the world.”

Bell explained that the query to the ABC helicopter pilot about Wild Oats XI’s sails had been made by their tactician Michael Coxon. Coxon is also Managing Director of North Sails Australia and, after the strong winds of the first night at sea, he had been concerned about Wild Oats XI’s mainsail, made of their new product 3Di and believed to be the most expensive sail of its type in the world.

“One of the things that they did take was that Michael Coxon’s question was not to gain any advantage for our boat at all, but more to test how his business client’s product, that they bought off him, was going,” said Bell of the international jury’s decision.

10 boats home
To date ten boats of the 77 still racing (out of 88 starters) have arrived in Hobart, the latest being Syd Fischer’s modified TP52 Ragamuffin. Of the boats now docked, Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel Pugh 63 Loki is currently favourite for the overall IRC handicap prize in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart. However still ahead of her on handicap is Roger Hickman’s 26 year-old Farr 43 Wild Rose. Still racing, she must finish before 08:12 local time tomorrow (30 December) if she is to beat Loki’s time under handicap.

Currently lying fourth under handicap is Michael Hiatt’s Farr 55 Living Doll, which was the sixth boat to reach Hobart, arriving at 08:46 local time this morning. Hiatt believes they lost a vital 15 minutes to Loki coming up the Derwent River on the approach to the finish. “It got back up to 30 knots and then we had a nice run up here, but it faded at the end of the Derwent,” he said.

Unlike the maxi boat leaders, which, from time to time, parked up over the latter half of their race, Hiatt said that on Living Doll they never stopped.

On the breezy first night at sea, they had seen 40 knots in the gusts. “It was really tricky. Some spooky breezes came in and they were pretty fierce. It would drop off to nothing and all of a sudden we’d get a lot more, so we had to handle that, but all of the transitions were really good. We just needed a tweak more speed.”

Hiatt sailed the race with a formidable crew including round the world race winners Steve Cotton and Noel Drennan and even had their own meteorologist on board in the form of Canadian Eric Holden.

Seventh home this morning, 12 minutes after Living Doll was Matt Allen, former Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the Rolex Sydney Hobart organisers, aboard his first generation Volvo Open 70, Ichi Ban.

Ichi Ban had suffered a few issues during the race. On the first night the lock jammed, holding their main halyard, and in the strong conditions they were forced to spend the rest of the night sailing with three reefs. It was only on the following morning they were able to send a crewman aloft enabling them to hoist the sail fully once again.

“That meant we had a really poor first night and it was really hard to recover from there,” said Allen. “We also broke one of the D4s [rigging on the mast], but luckily we picked it up before, otherwise we would have lost the mast.”

Allen said that in 22 Rolex Sydney Hobarts, he had never previously seen such big wind shifts, especially coming down the coast of Tasmania. During the race they ended up using all the sails on board, with the exception of the heavy running spinnaker. “It was hard work for the navigators, but we had nice sailing for the last 24 hours, good reaching spinnaker work – it’s been really enjoyable. The run we had from Tasman Island to the finish was probably the best run I’ve ever had in my entire life.”

INVESTEC LOYAL. photo Rolex / Kurt Arrigo

28 December
The closest finish in the last 29 years of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race took place this evening when Anthony Bell’s maxi Investec Loyal fended off repeated challenges from Bob Oatley’s perennial line honours victor Wild Oats XI to win by just 3 minutes and 8 seconds, after 2 days 6 hours 14 minutes and 8 seconds of racing on this classic 628 mile course.

The competition for line honours in this race was one of the closest in its 67 year history with the two Australian maxis gunning for each other from the moment the canon was fired on Sydney Harbour on Monday afternoon. Wild Oats XI led until 20:00 local time (09:00 UTC) on Tuesday when they were becalmed.

“They [Investec Loyal’s crew] were keeping track of how we were doing and the moment we stopped under a cloud with no wind under it, they basically sailed right around the outside of this large hole we were stuck in and came back above us. It was good work on their part,” described Wild Oats XI’s co-navigator, Ian Burns.

Fortunately the wind filled in soon after for Wild Oats XI and they were able to resume the fight and, from this point on, the event became truly a gloves-off match race between the two 100 footers.

Finally this morning at 07:30 local time, Wild Oats XI regained the lead. With rarely more than two miles separating the two boats, it was not until Wild Oats XI was becalmed again just short of Tasman Island and the entrance to Storm Bay, that Investec Loyal managed once more to skirt around the wind hole. This time they took up residence directly ahead of their opponent and from that point, despite the best efforts of the Wild Oats XI crew led by Mark Richards, Investec Loyal was not going to be passed.

Much to the delight of spectators thickly lining Hobart’s Constitution Dock, the two ocean racing giants came into sight up the Derwent River, but it was Investec Loyal and her crew, including sports stars, such as Australian rugby union internationals Phil Kearns and Phil Waugh, which was first home. They arrived at 19:14:18 local time, their elapsed time for the course being 2 days 6 hours 14 minutes and 18 seconds.

“It was one of the great experiences in my life,” said Anthony Bell, Investec Loyal’s owner and skipper with a beaming smile. “The whole thing from the very start, right through to the finish line was exhilarating. It was a really tough fought out race, but the crew believed in the boat and the cause right from the start and we are so happy to have got past the finish line first.”

Michael Coxon, tactician on Investec Loyal shared his thoughts on their win: “It has a very competent professional crew and a great owner who does it all for the right reasons. It is like a fairy tale – a boat that supports charity. This boat raised Aus$ 1 million this year for charity. That is the way it should happen. I am very happy for Anthony Bell. We sail with people who have never gone sailing before and they did a really good job.”

In what was principally a tactical victory for the older Investec Loyal, Coxon paid tribute to their American navigator. “The difference is a gentleman called Stan Honey,” he said. “He is an absolute legend - just amazing. His knowledge of weather and weather routing and the information he provides to me...at the end of the day he is just so good.”


Anthony Bell, owner of INVESTEC LOYAL, at Constitution Dock, Hobart. photo Rolex / Daniel Forster

Investec Loyal – provision winner at this stage
However at present Investec Loyal’s line honours victory in the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart is provisional. The event’s Race Committee, led by Tim Cox, is protesting Anthony Bell’s boat over a believed infringement of Racing Rule of Sailing 41 entitled ‘Outside Help’. This involved the audio recording of a conversation that took place at 06:30 local time on 27th December between the pilot of an ABC TV station helicopter and an Investec Loyal crewman seeking information on the sail plan in use on Wild Oats XI - in particular whether she was flying a trisail. “This is assessed to breach Rule 41 by soliciting help from an outside source,” explained Garry Linacre, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, organiser of the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

photo PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race

27 December
Finishing in fourth place this Tuesday morning at 3h04'19 (UTC), the crew of Groupama 4 were understandably frustrated after a fine tactical coup which had taken them up into the lead of the fleet on entering the Doldrums. Franck Cammas reviews the past intense fortnight at sea in what proved to be a complicated forecast...

What are your first thoughts about this first part of the second leg?
"The last four days have been really terrible: we were in a very good position to win the leg. It's not easy to have lost so many places in two weather situations. They were certainly complicated, but we should have been able to traverse them better. However, even in hindsight, to traverse the Doldrums, it would have been hard to tackle it in any other way. We were happy with the first part of our race, with a start in light airs, where we managed the conditions well. As we passed the Agulhas Cap and again during the following night we sailed well by being the first to dip South. We were always surprised to see that no other boat struck out to the South in the way we did."

But you really covered a lot of ground across the race zone!
"That's true but we didn't take a lot of risks in the sense that everyone was stuck on a North-South axis. We waited for the right time and the right place to attempt our option, but it wasn't quite the blinder we'd hoped for as it took us some time to edge our way around the high pressure zone."

Have you overcome your failure in the first leg?
"Following the first leg we had a bit of a complex and weren't keen to go off on our own again away from the fleet. Ultimately though we took up our strategy again: when you're sure a move will work, you've got to go for it! Afterwards, there were some hybrid zones where luck wasn't on our side. The Doldrums were fatal for us. However, we were in a special situation as we had a lead of around a hundred miles..."

So why were the Doldrums so fatal for you?
"We quickly entered into it but midway through our route was barred. Basically, we benefited from an easterly wave which our pursuers weren't able to hook onto and, if everything had gone to plan, we should have been able to traverse it on a single tack. Once we were committed to that option, it was impossible to control the fleet who set off to the East. The entrance was very good at that point and we even came close to making good our escape at pace as we latched onto some north-westerly wind just hours before getting stuck. Unfortunately, the exit closed shut when the Doldrums shifted northwards and caught up with us."

Was there no other choice?
"It's said that you have to head to the East for the Indian Doldrums, whilst in the Atlantic you have to traverse it to the West at around 30° West. But what does heading to the East mean? There isn't a lot of data, no established rules, no statistics to indicate one route over another. We were on a direct course! And we had wind..."

From shore though, we can see that two boats made considerable changes to their course...
"At that point, we were already within the system, even though we were then making 15-18 knots, at the edge of a mini depression. To the East, there was a windless zone of high pressure and it had become impossible to head back that way, whilst Camper and Telefonica had rounded this zone of high pressure a lot further offshore. As such we were above the zone of high pressure which Puma then fell into. The problem is that the Doldrums were climbing and had we been a few hours down the track, within twenty miles of where we were, we would have got free. Gaps open up extremely quickly!"

And how do you explain the end of the course?
"Our spirits had taken a knock and we weren't at all happy to have dropped down to third place. As such we tried one last option by going around the other side of an island. There was no more than three knots of breeze and the leaders had come to a standstill with two knots of current carrying them to the East. However, the wind kicked back in a bit too early and we weren't able to create enough separation."

Then you dropped another place!
"I don't know if we lost it at that very moment as the Americans were already within sight astern of us and were faster in these light conditions. Puma is impressive in the light airs as we observed during the first part of the leg: she really moved up through the fleet very quickly! I know that looking at the situation from the outside, it's not pretty to watch, but this final option didn't change much: their consistent performance would have seen them overtake us anyway."

It would seem that you play what is essentially a meteorological strategy while the other competitors play on tactical positioning.
"Our adversaries are certainly more conservative, essentially opting for the direct route each time. However, our southerly option in this second leg paid off! There's no taking that away from us... Especially as it wasn't thanks to a radical trajectory, it was just down to our separation. At sea, you don't know exactly where your competitors will go: you really have to take initiatives and not constantly stick to the pack if you want to win..."

As regards Groupama 4's performance, can you draw any lessons because, in contrast to the first leg, you were a lot more in contact with the others in some similar weather conditions?
"There weren't a lot of stable conditions and in the very light airs (less than five knots), it's hard to form an opinion. However, I think that we are very quick with over fifteen knots of true wind on the beam. We're not so at ease in the light airs (six-eight knots), especially against Camper. We're going to work on the shape of the sails."

What do you think of the other teams after these two oceanic legs?
"The Spanish manage to get themselves out of some complicated situations and they are quite successful at it. They've won three races: congratulations! Unquestionably they're very quick when they're in contact with the other boats. However, their trajectory remains very conservative. I'm more impressed by Puma which is also very quick, but has some more honed objectives: I think they're the strongest team but they haven't been very lucky in these first two legs. Telefonica is clearly dominating! Camper has an excellent crew who can exploit the true potential of their boat, which manoeuvres brilliantly, but I think that their boat lacks a certain something at high speeds. However, it is fearsome in light airs... Basically, everyone can win one leg!"

And Sanya's northerly option?
"It was very interesting as the routing was logical two to three days before they took the decision to mark their rivals. The option had even more appeal as the boat was the furthest North, like Telefonica, which was perfectly positioned! However, there was some uncertainty about the behaviour of the tropical depression... When Sanya set off, she came level with us offshore of Réunion Island, but if she'd gained some separation earlier, 24hrs to 30hrs before, she would have been way ahead of us, though she did have to endure very difficult seas!"

We can imagine that there was a huge amount of frustration when you saw that three boats had overtaken you!
"It's not a highlight but you just have to put up with it. As regards Puma getting past us, everyone agreed that we didn't have a lot to lose and maybe a lot to win. We weren't content with third place and we always hoped we'd be able to make a comeback. Of course we're questioning our logic and we're learning a great deal."

Was it a collective decision to take an option?
"The whole crew is constantly updated about our decisions so they can be collectively taken into account. Jean-Luc and I spend a lot of time explaining and debating our options. However, each person has their own role because the strategic choices take a huge amount of time at the chart table. The crew also has to trim the sails and manoeuvre... Not everyone can do everything. As such it's primarily down to regular explanation and communication."

Next on the agenda is a short leg of just a hundred miles or so and an `in-port' race: have you made progress with this format?
"We probably aren't the most well-equipped crew for this type of race, even though we have nothing to be ashamed about in our manoeuvres. Other teams like the Americans and the New Zealanders are really very at ease in this format. We still have a way to go... Instead we have a team with a good spirit, which is very good offshore and is tough. The races are tight and a lot could happen. It's not the Spaniards' strong point either and yet they won in Cape Town and they're leading the overall standing..."

What are you going to work on to make up this deficit during light air and contact racing?
"The light airs aren't favourable for us on paper. Camper is unquestionably the best performer. As such we're going to try to make gains in strength with the sail plan so as we can still power up in under eight knots of breeze. We're also going to modify the positions of the weight aboard, since we were more geared up for medium breeze. We're also going to work on refining certain trims. That doesn't mean we're going change the boat! If we can improve our performance in light airs, we'll have a highly versatile boat as we're at ease in the breeze. For the time being, the first two legs have had predominantly light airs, in contrast with statistics."

How is this second part of the second leg shaping up?
"Its a direct course between Sharjah and Abu Dhabi: 75 miles. It may involve a long reach in medium airs or light airs close-hauled... However, it may also be windy!"

What's the programme for the coming days?
"We're going to get to Abu Dhabi as soon as possible and wait for the boat which should make Sharjah in early January. The day after the boats are unloaded, there's a coastal course."

Are you in good shape physically?
"We're all a bit tired, but it's all in proportion. Clearly reaches tire you out! Fortunately, we make fast headway. Indeed it's very uncomfortable on these boats: it's incredibly wet, you get shaken about a lot and it's soaking down below. Three days of reaching at an average of over twenty knots is not something that you can take with a pinch of salt: it's intense!"

Provisional standing for the first part of the second leg:
1-Telefonica (Iker Martinez) 24 points
2-Camper (Chris Nicholson) 20 points
3-Puma (Ken Read) 16 points
4-Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas) 12 points
5-Abu Dhabi (Ian Walker) 8 points
6-Sanya (Mike Sanderson) 0 point

Provisional overall standing after the first part of the second leg
1-Telefonica (Iker Martinez) 1+30+6+24 = 61 points
2-Camper (Chris Nicholson) 4+25+5+20 = 54 points
3-Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas) 2+20+2+12 = 36 points
4-Puma (Ken Read) 5+0+4+16 = 25 points
5-Abu Dhabi (Ian Walker) 6+0+3+8 = 17 points
6-Sanya (Mike Sanderson) 3+0+1+0 = 4 points