AsianYachting
March
2006
News and Views
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CONTENTS
1.
Editorial - Dame Ellen MacArthur and Olivier de Kersauson to set new Asian
records
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" -
Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss - Clipper
woes in Philippines
3. Austral
- Asian News - Next up China
Sea Race -
President's
Cup - Borneo
Cup Yachting Challenge
4. International News - BRAZIL
SAILING CUP first up on WMRT
5.
World Speed Records - ABN
AMRO TWO A whopping 563nm in
24 hours
Goto Archived AY News & Views and Race Reports 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 98-99
1.
EDITORIAL
Over the next couple of months Asian sailors will get the opportunity to experience America's Cup racing in Hong Kong, Russell Coutts 44 match racing in Dubai and blessed with the company of Dame Ellen MacArthur's 75-foot trimaran B&Q and Olivier de Kersauson's giant trimaran Geronimo coming to establish a series of crewed record times between key Asian ports that can be challenged in the future by other sailors. For dates and more info goto Asian and World Speed Records sections below.
The
local racing scene saw Aussie Ray Roberts skippering Ulumulu Quantum
Racing sail away with the trip to the BMW Oracle Racing Team in Valencia
at the Royal
Langkawi Int Regatta and Frank Pong's 70ft Boracay
smashed the race record on the 4th Standard
Insurance Manila
to Boracay Race in the Philippines.
This sees Ray Roberts add a further 3 points in the AY GP Skipper of the Year award but still trails Neil Pryde by 5 pts. Robert Knight's DK 46 Drumstick climbs up in the Boat of the Year rankings after the RLIR to close in on Hi Fi Team Pryde. The RMN Zurah skippered by Malik Sulaiman and Thomas Blixt's V60 Ericsson enter the rankings for the first time. Follow your favourite teams progressive tally or rankings at: http://asianyachting.com/news/AYGP05-06.htm
As racing now switches over to the South China Sea, March is devoid of
any major regatta's which gives yachts time to relocate themselves but
racing resumes in April with vengeance. The classic China
Sea Race from Hong Kong to the Philippines starts
on 13th April and is closely followed by the President's
Cup from the 18th - 22nd April.
The relatively new
Borneo
Cup Yachting Challenge welcomes cruisers visiting
the region to join in the fun and share in a unique cultural experience
from duty-free Labuan, East Malaysia and finishing up in Miri
Marina in Sarawak. As an added incentive organisors will
give US$500 to the first fifteen entries to help with boat and crew expenses
during the event. So if your looking for somewhere new to sail make sure
you check out the Asian
Calendar as we can assure you plenty of variety and excitement
in the Asian region.
Happy sailing for now
Capt Marty
2. "Unluckiest sailors of the month"
HUGO
BOSS DISMASTED
On Monday 20th Feb, Alex Thomson, skipper and owner of [the Open 60] Hugo
Boss, informed his shore crew that they have been dismasted in the
Southern Ocean with himself and 4 crew onboard. The boat was sailing on
a broad reach in 25 knots of wind with one reef and solent up, on a crossing
from Melbourne to Uruguay to continue its corporate program for sponsor
Hugo Boss in the USA. Nobody was injured in the incident, and within a
few hours the boat was sailing under jury rig. Preliminary investigations
by Alex and boat captain Simon Clarke, suggest there is only minor additional
damage and the boat is now making reasonable speed, heading for South
America. Alex has plenty of water and provisions on board and the yacht
is now expected to reach Chile during the next week.
Clipper
woes in the Philippines
On Sat 4 Feb Glasgow
reported loose keel bolts and after carrying out further inspections,
Victoria and Durban also reported movement. The decision
by Clipper Ventures PLC to abandon Race 6 from Singapore to Qingdao and
divert all ten Clipper 68s to Subic Bay in the Philippines for full investigation
and whatever remedial work is necessary. As repairs are expected to take
over a month the crews will travel home or receive the cost of flights,
in lieu.
The surveyor has finished work on the Ed Dubois designed boats built by
Double Happiness Yachts in Shanghai. Meanwhile work has already started,
rigs have been removed, yachts slipped from the water onto shore cradles,
keels unbolted and removed, exposing the internal area to give full access
for repairs to be carried out. The situation should be further clarified,
with crew and stop-over cities awaiting news and new schedules will be
published once a firm date for the completion is known. Updates at http://www.clipper-ventures.co.uk/2006/
3. Austral - Asian News
3.1
Hong Kong gets a taste of the America's Cup
China Team and the Chinese Yachting Association (CYA) aim to develop sailing
and racing in China over the next two America’s Cups. To help achieve
this goal and make the most of building a high profile and innovative
team they will be racing in Hong Kong this month. The program includes
a week of match-race training at Longcheer (in Magic 25s), a visit to
the UK-Halsey sail loft, and a Speaker Dinner at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht
Club on 3 March conducted by Xavier de Lesquen, Executive Director and/or
Pierre Mas, Sailing Manager-Skipper. Members of China Team have also volunteered
to crew for RHKYC members in the Club’s regular Saturday afternoon
class races. The Grand Finale over 11-12 March, China Team will spend
two full days match racing Frank Pong’s two 70-footers – Jelik
and Boracay – in Hong Kong harbour. More at Sail-world.com
http://www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=21904
3.2
Dubai set to debut new Russell Coutts 44
On March 16-17 in Dubai, UAE, Russell Coutts and Jes Gram-Hansen will
do a match race series on the new Russell Coutts 44s. The Dubai Match
Race Challenge will feature six 20-minute matches on a course set between
Dubai International Marine Club, its beachside Le Meridian resort hotel
and the Palm Jumeirah breakwater, giving spectators a close-up view of
the action. The RC 44 boats will also be used in a fleet racing series
staged in Dubai from March 11-18. Check out www.dimc-uae.com/sailing
3.3
Dame Ellen MacArthur kicks off on Asian Record Circuit
Nearly a year to the day that Ellen MacArthur made history in breaking
the solo round the world record onboard her 75-foot trimaran B&Q,
she is embarking on the Asian Record Circuit. The objective is to establish
a series of crewed record times between key Asian ports [or gates] including
Japan, South Korea, from the north-east to the south-western tips of the
Chinese mainland and Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. The aim
is to set 12 benchmark times that can be challenged in the future by other
sailors. CMA-CGM Shipping has loaded the trimaran B&Q onto a container
ship for the 10,526 mile journey to Hong Kong. The two-month long record
circuit kicks off on the 25th March, ending mid-May including stopover
time in each port. Download map of Asian Record Circuit http://www.teamellen.com/asiamap.gif
or keep up with the news at: http://www.teamellen.com/en/asia2006.asp
3.4
Warning to all offshore racers.
DK
Yachts are warning all offshore racers to watch out for when
one of their Mum 30, Farr 36, 40, 52, 520 or Mills DK46 lines up on your
starting grid. Ray Roberts recent success at the King's
Cup in Thailand, Rolex Challenge in Sydney, Skandia Geelong
Week and Royal
Langkawi Int Regatta, it's no wonder that the DK46
was acclaimed the outstanding boat of the series. More and more boat owners
are knocking on the doors of success and proudly standing high on the
podium. One to watch in Asian waters is the 52OD Hi
Fi Team Pryde
who have already notched up wins at the China Coast Regatta, RMSIR
and SSR
06 Serious Yachts
for Serious Sailors can
be found at http://www.dkyachts.com
3.5
Head for the Top of the
Gulf in sunny Thailand
Building onto the success of the inaugural Top
of the Gulf Regatta Ocean Marina's
very
active sailing Group in Pattaya, Thailand are eager to attract
serious racing yachts from May
4th to 7th Held two weeks before the Koh Samui Regatta
sailors can race in two top class regatta's in succession and in between
take full advantage of the great cruising grounds the Gulf of Thailand
has to offer. For more
info contact info@topofthegulfregatta.com
3.6
Langkawi gets new sailing sports complex.
Kedah Yachting Association (PPLK) President Datuk Abu Bakar Taib announced
Langkawi had been chosen as one of the locations for the Malaysian Games
(Sukma 2006) yachting event starting May this year. Abu Bakar is also
the Langkawi Member of Parliament said a sailing sport complex was currently
being built at Pokok Asam and is was confident that it could be used at
the Sukma 2006.
3.7
A New Year and a New Base
CHINA TEAM, the first Chinese challenge in the history of the America’s
Cup, celebrated the Chinese New Year at the Saint-Ouen offices of Neocles.
The high point of the evening was provided by Françoise Raynaud,
architect and director of the “Loci Anima Architectures” in
Paris, who unveiled to the press and CHINA TEAM’S partners the project
for the new base in Valencia, Spain. “Whether approached from the
quayside or the road, the base is completely transparent, designed to
look like a large shop window. The boat and all marine activities can
be seen by the public from the paths and the gangways leading to the terrace.”
said Raynaud. The base is situated at the most southern tip of Darsena
and expected to be up and running before the Louis Vuitton Acts 10 and
11, which will take place between 11 and 21 May 2006. website http://www.china-team.org
3.8
Sunsail Asia opening up new destinations...
Sunsail is the biggest charter
yacht company operating in the
world. Sunsail Asia
are leading the way in opening up new Asian destinations and proud to
give you a chance to discover some of the most intriguing and unspoiled
countries in the South East Asian region. So do it soon! After a very
successful 2005 season they are also expanding both Flotilla and bareboat
charter yacht fleets and ask interested clients to check out their weekly
RYA Courses
or latch onto one of their great value MileCatcher
Voyages by Calling +66 76 239057 Fax: +66 76 238940 Email:
sales@sunsailasia.com or visit
http://www.sunsailasia.com
3.9
Asia Pacific Laser Championship 2006 (09 – 14 June)
The Organising Authority is The Singapore Sailing Federation and the event
will be held at The National Sailing Centre (NSC). Sitting on 2.4 hectares
of land off East Coast Parkway, the facilities at NSC includes a large
berthing area for boats, a two-story administration block that houses
the Singapore Sailing Federation, a multi-purpose sports hall, canteen,
dormitory that can accommodate up to 60 persons. Updates and full results
can be found at: http://www.sailing.org.sg/
3.10
New cat to be built in Malaysia
A newly designed catamaran is due to go into production this month in
Langkawi, Malaysia. The alloy Silkline 510 - (15.4m / 50ft 6in) is a joint
effort by Australian and British designers. The design is specifically
for those who want a tough, strong cat that goes to windward, can perform
in light wind conditions and can cover ocean passages at average speeds
of 10 knots plus with ease, comfort and safety. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0123.htm
3.11
AY
Gloves for
all occasions..
Whether your sailing in the depths of the Southern Ocean or the hot balmy
tropics, we have got a pair of sailing gloves to suite you! Check out
the fashionable two and five finger cuts plus the tropical full finger
(good for mastmen to bounce halyards) or our signature cold climate protective
gloves which earlier this year became the fastest round the world. Just
ask Bruno Peyron! They can be purchased individually or in bulk (Min 60
pairs - your choice of colours and logo) which event sponsors are finding
good value and memorable promotion items, that won't break the budget.
Take a look in the AY
Shopping
Arcade or go directly to: http://asianyachting.com/Mall/AYGloves.htm
3.12
Looking for a tropical retirement home in
SE Asia?
Raimon
Land is a Bangkok-based
property company that have an excellent track record of delivering quality
residential projects in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, who achieve high
yield holiday rentals through their professional asset management team.
They are also the main sponsors
at the Top
of the Gulf Regatta, Evason
Phuket
Race Week 2005 and Thailand's prestigious Phuket
King's
Cup Regatta and known
to host the more lively and entertaining parties at their sponsored events.
More at: www.raimonland.com
or goto AY
Real-Estate page...
3.13
Did Zheng He discover the world?
"Zheng
He's integrated map of the world, 1418," owned by Mr Liu Gang, was
unveiled for all to see on 16th January 2006. This momentous event took
place at the Bookworm Club, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Gavin Menzies
author of 1421 The Year China Discovered the World delivered a lecture
discussing the importance of this and other maps, to the Friends of the
National Maritime Museum. "...On the 8th of March, 1421, the largest
fleet the world had ever seen under the command of Emperor Zhu Di's loyal
eunuch admirals sailed from its base in China. Does this newly discovered
map, if authentic mean that Chinese ships had reached America seventy
years before Columbus and circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan?
Also did they discover Antarctica, reached Australia three hundred and
fifty years before Cook and solved the problem of longitude three hundred
years before the Europeans..." It certainly brings a new meaning
to navigating by using the laminex tabletop map of the world and imagine
how far further along Chinese sailing would be if Zhu Di had not lost
control and they not entered a long and self-imposed isolation from the
world that they claim to have discovered.
3.14 Featured AY Brokerage Listings...
Adams
- Radford 11.9m Specs:
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Now
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good speeds with little effort, making her a joy to sail can be found
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Advice
on running a full
blown racing campaign during the AYGP
Season
can also be obtained from: info@asianyachting.com
4.
International News
4.1 BRAZIL SAILING CUP first up on WMRT
Angra Dos Reis, Brazil: The first event of the newly minted World Match
Racing Tour (successor to the Swedish Match Tour) is scheduled for March
14-19. It is the first Grade 1 match-race regatta to be held in South
America and boasts a lineup that includes the top three on the World Tour
leaderboard and five of the top eight overall. The Brazil Sailing Cup
is the fifth of nine-scheduled events on the World Tour calendar. After
Brazil the World Tour stops in Split, Croatia, for the 20th anniversary
ACI H1 Match Race Cup (May 23-28). The 10th anniversary Match Race Germany
(June 1-5) follows on Lake Constance off Langenargen, Germany. The Swedish
Match Cup is Stage 8 (July 4-9) and the Tosana Elba Cup (July 11-16) wraps
the seventh season. http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com
4.2 First solo-double handed 40 and 50 footers around the world
Global Ocean Sailing Ventures (GOSV) announced the creation of the Global
Ocean Challenge 2007/08, the first ever solo-double handed around-the-world
yacht race. The event, open to 40 and 50 foot monohull sailboats only,
will start from a major European port in September 2007 and circumnavigate
the world stopping in South Africa, New Zealand, South America and the
United States before finishing in Europe in May 2008. The course will
have "gates" where competitors accumulate points. The gates
will ensure that the fleet remain closer together and also restrict the
yachts from sailing too deep into the Southern Ocean. -- http://www.globaloceanchallenge.com
4.3
Legend of America’s Cup finally honoured
Ben Lexcen 1936-1988 (born Robert Miller) has finally become an inductee
to the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. It is 23 years since The Cup
sailed away on a winged keel from its bolted down mooring on 44th Street
in the NYYC! Past inductees exemplify the best in design and tactical
aspects of Cup racing have been honored but Blinky Bob or Ben Lexcen has
unexplainably remained off the list. Many sailors (not just Aussie's)
believed that the America's Cup Hall of Fame had lost all credibility
by not including Ben Lexcen. The man whose name is synonymous with the
winged keel and the most prolific Cup designer over a five-match period
from 1974 through 1987, designed Australia II to be the first
challenger ever to win the America’s Cup in over 100 years. Skipper
John Bertrand and owner Alan Bond have been honoured, so why has it taken
so long? Some say because the New York Yacht Club claims he didn't design
Australia II alone and others simply because he designed the
boat that took the cup away from America.
5.
World Speed Records
5.1 The Pacific campaign continues
After smashing Bruno Peyron's record by half a day between Los Angeles
and Honolulu last November, Olivier de Kersauson and his trimaran decked
out in the colours of CapGemini/Schneider Electric are soon to tackle
the records for the two Pacific crossings between San Francisco/Yokohama
in Japan and the return stretch. Before setting out on the return leg
across the Pacific, Geronimo will be establishing a new record route in
Asia between Yokohama to Hong Kong. Invited by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht
Club, the French trimaran will stay for a few days in the bay before heading
back off to Japan. More at: http://www.rivacom.fr/index.php?page=event&event=geronimo
5.2
A whopping 563nm in 24 hours
The WSSR Council has ratified a new World Record for the greatest distance
sailed by a Monohull in 24 hours. Sebastien Josse with 9 crew onboard
ABN AMRO TWO, covered 562.96nm at an average speed of 23.45 knots
on Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race between Capetown and Melbourne. Website:
http://www.volvooceanrace.org
-----------------------------------------------------
Come
on girls, lets go shopping!
As the South East Asian
region is expected to turn into a world-class yachting tourism destination,
AY
is expanding the Shopping
Mall to include a Charter
Yacht page for the popular "Fly
in, have fun, fly out" sailors with Sabah's recent
award winning Touchdown
Charters Plus a Real-Estate
page to promote the ever increasing residential
Condominium, Resorts
and Marina developments the region has on offer. Browse the full
AY
advertising
rates and find other things for-sale including the Fastest
Sailing
Gloves on the Planet in the AY
Shopping Arcade here...
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