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The Year 2019 in Sailing (video)

2020-01-01T21:46:00.000+01:00

2020 Coronavirus Updates:

Cancellations of regattas: go to links on the Calendar page.

See also cruise refunds and cancellations info.

2019 - The Year In Sailing

World Sailing video above published Jan 1, 2020.

📺 This year's @rshyr #RolexSydneyHobart Yacht Race 🇦🇺 saw another close finish 😲

Who held their nerve to take the 2019 line honours title? 🎉

📰 https://t.co/u21nm9f5zg pic.twitter.com/1vmy4VpabB
— World Sailing 🌎⛵️ (@worldsailing) December 29, 2019

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 LIVE Feed

2019-12-26T00:00:00.000+01:00

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 - Tattersall Cup Winner Ichi Ban

In winning the 75th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and lifting the Tattersall Cup for a second time in three years, Matt Allen and the crew of Ichi Ban, overall winners of the 2019 race, have joined an elite group; those whose dedication and passion are as enduring as this great race itself. Prevailing from an international fleet of 157 yachts is a remarkable achievement. The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is one of the world’s legendary contests. In winning it twice, the Ichi Ban crew has comprehensively affirmed that the preparedness, determination, endurance and skill required to succeed in the discipline of offshore racing are deep-seated characteristics.

See also the #RolexSydneyHobart overall-honours battle livestream (replay).

Maxi yacht Comanche - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 Line Honours

For a second time in three years, Jim Cooney and the crew of the 30.5-metre (100-foot) Maxi yacht Comanche won the Line Honours trophy at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. After an intense battle, eventually resolved during the final night, a precision-led move to sail well east of the rhumb line in the Bass Strait placed Comanche in a commanding lead ahead of the last leg up the notoriously fickle Derwent River. Comanche missed out on bettering her own race record, set in 2017, by some six hours, but by finishing the 628nm course in one day, 18 hours, 30 minutes, Comanche finished ahead of four similar-sized rivals.

See also LIVE Replay video of the 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart line-honours finish. The 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is the 75th edition of this historic offshore race!

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 Live Broadcast Replay

Live broadcast of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019. See also the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 Preview video. Over the past three-quarters of a century, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has developed a rich heritage and a revered status as one of the world’s toughest ocean racing contests. Organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, the race has started from Sydney Harbour on 26 December each and every year since the very first in 1944.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts 1:00 pm, December 26 (Boxing Day) in Sydney, Australia, which is December 25, 9pm EST in the U.S. The start of the race will be broadcast live on the official race website – rolexsydneyhobart.com.

LIVE Tracker

Weather Briefing - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 (video)

Race Briefing (video)

Line Honours Contenders press conference (video)

Overall Contenders press conference (video)

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 LIVE Twitter Feed: Tweets by rshyr

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Super Maxi BlackJack Pre- Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (video)

2019-12-25T00:00:00.000+01:00

Onboard Super Maxi BlackJack Pre- Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

North Sails video published Dec 23, 2019: Super Maxi BlackJack skipper Mark Bradford is spending the days leading up to the 2019 Sydney to Hobart running through a pre-race work list, putting the boat’s new North 3Di sails through their paces before heading offshore.

Here are the highlights of what North Sails learned from a team that is always pushing boundaries.

3Di Carries Across the Range: BlackJack’s mantra is to be fast in light air, and the new lightweight 3Di sails have improved the boat’s performance under 8 knots. BlackJack has recently added Helix, further increasing the versatility of its inventory. Durability Matters: 3Di improves both strength and durability. “The miles and hours that we can put on the sails these days are just far superior to what we have seen in the past and what competing sailmakers can offer,” Bradford says. “North Sails engineering and manufacturing processes are second to none, and our confidence is extremely high that the failure rate will be next to nothing.”

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is organized by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia with the co-operation of Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and starts 1:00 pm, December 26 (Boxing Day) in Sydney, Australia (which is Dec 25, 9pm EST in the U.S.).

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ALIVE Boat Tour Video - Rolex Sydney Hobart 2019

2019-12-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

ALIVE Boat Tour - Rolex Sydney Hobart 2019

Tour the 2018 Tattersall Cup-winning yacht ALIVE who are back to take on the 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in its 75th year. Will she go back to back? CYCATV video above published Dec 22, 2019.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is organized by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia with the co-operation of Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and starts 1:00 pm, December 26 (Boxing Day) in Sydney, Australia (which is Dec 25, 9pm EST in the U.S.).

More info: https://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/the-yachts/2019/alive/

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Clipper Race 2019-20 - Race 5 What to Expect (video)

2019-12-23T00:00:00.000+01:00

Clipper Race 2019-20 - Race 5 What to expect

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race: Clipper Race Director, Mark Light, shares what crew can expect from Race 5, the 3,400nm race from Fremantle, Australia, to the Whitsundays.

See also: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2019-20, LIVE Feed

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Clipper Race 2019-20, Whitsundays Clipper Race Carnival (video)

2019-12-22T00:00:00.000+01:00

Clipper 2019-20 Race | Whitsundays Clipper Race Carnival

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race video above: The Clipper Race will once again stop in the wonderous Whitsundays, take a look back at the Whitsundays Clipper Race Carnival from the 2017-18 edition for what is in store for the crew and supporters during the stopover at the end of the 3,400nm race from Fremantle. The fleet is expected to arrive into the Coral Sea Marina | Resort in Airlie Beach between 9-12 January 2020.

See also: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2019-20, LIVE Feed

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The Ocean Race 2021-22 Coming to Shenzhen, China (video)

2019-12-21T00:00:00.000+01:00

Coming to Shenzhen! | The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race will return to China for the fifth time in five editions in 2021-22 with a landmark visit to Shenzhen!

More at: @theoceanrace and theoceanrace.com.

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The Ocean Race 2021-22 Heading back to Auckland (video)

2019-12-20T00:00:00.000+01:00

Heading back to Auckland! | The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race will return to Auckland, New Zealand in 2021-22 for a 12th visit in 14 editions!

More at: @theoceanrace and theoceanrace.com.

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The Ocean Race Coming back to Cape Town in 2021-22 (video)

2019-12-19T00:00:00.000+01:00

Coming back to Cape Town in 2021-22! | The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race will return to Cape Town, South Africa in the 2021-22 edition – a 12th stop in the Gateway to the Southern Ocean! The city has been part of the Race since the very first edition back in 1973, and has hosted the fleet in all but two iterations of the Race.

More at: @theoceanrace and theoceanrace.com.

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The Ocean Race 2017-18: Two Years On (video)

2019-12-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

The Ocean Race 2017-18: two years on | The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race 2017-18:

Seven teams, world-class sailors
12 incredible Host Cities on six continents
The closest Race in history

Two years since the start of The Ocean Race 2017-18, here's a look back at why the 13th edition and why it is one that will live on in the memory for many years to come.

More at: https://twitter.com/theoceanrace/ and https://www.theoceanrace.com.

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World Sailing Trust Partnership with SailGP Inspire (video)

2019-12-17T00:00:00.000+01:00

Partnership with SailGP Inspire | World Sailing Trust

The World Sailing Trust and SailGP Inspire are joining forces to help more young people get into sailing.
Tweets by WSailingTrust

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GC32 Racing Tour 2019 - TV Episode #5 (video)

2019-12-16T00:00:00.000+01:00

GC32 Racing Tour 2019 - TV Episode #5

26-minute documentary from the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour as the hydro foiling GC32 catamaran fleet takes to the waters of Muscat Oman for the grand final of the season.

More info: gc32racingtour.com

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Défi Azimut | Best of des IMOCA à foils (video)

2019-12-15T00:00:00.000+01:00

Défi Azimut | Best of des IMOCA à foils

IMOCA Globe Series video.

More info: imoca.org/en/races/imoca-globe-series

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Alex Thomson Interview re: Transat Jacques Vabre Race

2019-12-14T00:00:00.000+01:00

Alex Thomson Interview

Dec 12, 2019 video from Alex Thomson Racing: Skipper Alex Thomson reflects on the Transat Jacques Vabre race, in which he and his co-skipper Neal McDonald hit an unknown object submerged in the water and were forced to abandon the race, and sail 800 miles without a keel to safety.

HUGO BOSS returns to the UK

HUGO BOSS arrives back to the UK from Cape Verde. Next step? A full assessment of the boat, and the damage sustained during the Transat Jacques Vabre 2019.
Tweets by ATRacing99

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RORC & IMA Transatlantic Race, Lanzarote to Grenada

2019-11-23T00:00:00.000+01:00

Kali completes 2019 RORC Transat - Dockside interviews, Grenada

Dec 12, 2019: Benedikt Clauberg's Swiss First 47.7 Kali finished the RORC Transatlantic Race on 11 December, completing the 3,000nm race in 18 days 08 hours 28 mins and 18 secs. Kali was competing for the second year in a row and beat their finish time for 2018 by nearly 18 hours.

“It feels great to beat our time from last year as we have been working hard on the performance of the boat,” said Kali's Benedikt Clauberg. “This year was much harder due to a lot of squalls, but we have a very enthusiastic team who wanted to change sails even when they were tired, and that made a difference. It feels like coming home when we arrived in Grenada because we know Charlotte (Fairhead) and all the C&N Port Louis Marina staff.”

2019 Dec 10: Jangada IRC Overall winner of RORC Transatlantic Race 2019:

Jangada, Richard Palmer's JPK 1010 racing two-handed with Jeremy Waitt, crossed the finish line outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada on Tuesday 10th December, 2019 at 21:11:06 UTC. Their elapsed time was 17 days 10 hours 11 mins 06 secs. See all results here.

Pata Negra dockside interviews, Grenada

Andy Lis and the young crew on board Giles Redpath's Pata Negra completed the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race in 15 days 22 hrs 58 mins 13 secs. On arrival at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, they were interviewed about their experience by RORC Race Reporter, Louay Habib. “That was quite an adventure,” commented Skipper, Andy Lis. “Besides myself, this is the first time in the Caribbean for the rest of the crew. The most memorable moment for me was the boat flying through a squall - it was bucketing with rain and the sea went from a 4 metre swell to nothing, with the breeze pumping.”

Interview dockisde, Grenada: Andre Auberton-Herve/Dark Shadow

French Wally 100 Dark Shadow finished the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race on Friday 6th December in an elapsed time of 13 days 9 hours 11 mins and 3 secs. Dark Shadow was sailed by Andre Auberton-Herve (FRA) and skippered by Yerin Hobson (AUS). "I did the transat almost 12 years ago with the almost the same team. This time it was great, but we had tricky winds and still enjoyed it," commented Andre Auberton-Herve. "Racing with the RORC means great organisation at the departure and a great reception here. The transat was perfect, we loved it - Dark Shadow was flying! We reached 25 knots finally and that was very nice. It was great to put the team back together - The Expendables Transat!" Dark Shadow crossed the finish line outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada on Friday 6th December, 2019 at 20:11:03 UTC.

See also Bouwe Bekking, Skipper Childhood 1 - RORC Transatlantic Race video. Skipper Bouwe Bekking (NED): "It's always nice to start building a team from scratch. This is the beginning of it. There's a couple of really interesting young crew members who have a lot in them. I was pleasantly surprised. It's really nice to be here in Grenada, I've never been here before. The Marina is splendid, and that is one of the things you wonder when coming across, and this is really nice, and a really warm welcome. Thank you Grenada."

Childhood 1 Wins the IMA Trophy | RORC Transatlantic Race (video)

Swedish VO65 Childhood 1, skippered by Bouwe Bekking, has taken Line Honours in the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race. Childhood 1 crossed the finish line outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada in an elapsed time of 11 days 11 hours 34 mins 49 secs. The International Maxi Association Secretary General, Andrew McIrvine, presented Bouwe Bekking and the team with the IMA Trophy for Monohull Line Honours in the RORC Transatlantic Race. With cold beers and big cheers Childhood 1 was welcomed by Charlotte Bonin, Marina Manager and the team at Port Louis Marina. Nikoyan Roberts presented a basket of Grenadian goods on behalf of the Grenadian Tourism Authority.

RORC Transatlantic Race 2019 LIVE Tracker 04 Dec 2019 23:00: Childhood 1 Finish & Line Honours - 11d 11h 39m 49s.

Dec 1, 2019: with less than 1200nm to the finish at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada, leading the fleet is the Swedish VO65 Childhood 1. All of the competing yachts are south of the rhumb line but there is over 900nm of latitudinal separation in the fleet. Jangada is furthest north and Childhood 1 furthest south. Childhood's deep dive south has paid dividends to take the lead for line honours, Jangada leads the race overall after IRC time correction and Pata Negra have come from behind to overtake Kali. After nine days at sea the RORC Transatlantic Race fleet are now well offshore in the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean - the next sighting of land will be the Caribbean. More news here.

Day 5 Update, Nov 27: Wally 100 Dark Shadow Satellite Phone Call (video): After five days into the RORC Transatlantic Race the international fleet is experiencing shifty conditions with a light to moderate wind oscillating between nor' east and east. All of the teams are south of the rhumb line but different strategies are producing a range of tactics in the 3,000nm race to Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada. Richard Palmer, competing Two Handed with Jeremy Waitt on his British JPK 10.10 Jangada are currently provisional overall leader after IRC time correction. French Wally 100 Dark Shadow is 2,285nm from the finish and leading the fleet for line honours. Swedish VO65 Childhood 1 has sailed the most miles (945nm) and is the furthest south. Pata Negra is back in the race having made a pit-stop in El Hierro. More news here.

LIVE Tracker here.

Nov 26: Fleet leaders Childhood 1 & Dark Shadow take a deep dive southward (LIVE tracker).

Nov 24, 2019 -- RORC Transatlantic Race 2019: As expected, Swedish VO65 Childhood 1, skippered by Bouwe Bekking, is firmly in front having raced 251nm in the first 24 hours. The fleet are currently experiencing downwind conditions, however the nor’easterly gradient wind is far from stable as frequent rain squalls, combined with land effects, have dramatically changed both the wind speed and direction. Childhood 1 gybed south of the rhumb line shortly after sunrise this morning, indicating that the team may well be turning south after negotiating the wind shadow of El Hierro - the last sight of land that they are likely to see for many days.

After noon on day two of the race, the Wally 100 Dark Shadow also gybed south having raced 240nm in the first 24 hours. Dark Shadow's David Martriano commented via satellite phone. “All is well on board and we are currently sailing in about 15 knots of breeze from the northeast. The conditions are beautiful and we are enjoying some fantastic fresh food prepared by Annina (Zaini). Last night the breeze was up and down, which kept us busy with quite a few sail changes. This morning we got into a light patch of wind north of Tenerife, but we are now in good breeze and looking forward to some great sailing ahead.” More here.

RORC Transatlantic Race 2019 Start Nov 23 (video): Farewell Lanzarote! The RORC Transatlantic Race gets underway! The 6th edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race got underway on time with the fleet starting from outside Marina Lanzarote at 1100 UTC on Saturday 23 November, 2019. After months of preparation, the international fleet have started one of the most iconic offshore races with a stiff breeze gusting up to 25 knots. Read more at http://rorctransatlantic.rorc.org/news/

See also: Jangada & Dark Shadow Dockside | RORC Transatlantic Race RORC video published Nov 22, 2019. 6th RORC Transatlantic Race Start: Saturday 23rd November 2019 - Marina Lanzarote; Notice of Race (pdf) and here (pdf), course: Lanzarote, Canary Islands, to Grenada, Caribbean. Approximate Distance: 2995nm.

Official website: rorctransatlantic.rorc.org and LIVE Tracking

Tweets by RORCRacing

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SailGP – A Revolution in Yacht Racing (video)

2019-11-22T00:00:00.000+01:00

SailGP – a revolution in yacht racing

In SailGP, five-member crews representing six countries race identical F50 foiling catamarans in the world’s most famous harbours. Complex control systems and high-end carbon-fibre materials, combined with supreme teamwork and athleticism, enable the boats to skim the water at exhilarating speeds. Australia won the inaugural SailGP title in 2019. After topping the table through five regattas, the team helmed by Tom Slingsby then beat Japan in the deciding match race in Marseille. Rolex is the Presenting Partner and Official Timepiece of SailGP. #Rolex #SailGP #Perpetual

See also Marseille SailGP 2019 Sep 20 - 22 LIVE and sailgp.com.

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Pata Negra - RORC Transatlantic Race Preview (video)

2019-11-21T00:00:00.000+01:00

Pata Negra | RORC Transatlantic Race

On board Giles Redpath's Lombard 46 Pata Negra ahead of the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race.

The 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race will start from Marina Lanzarote in the Canary Islands on Saturday 23 November 2019, bound for Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada.

#RORCTransatlanticRace

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 Preview Video

2019-11-20T00:00:00.000+01:00

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019 Preview

Over the past three-quarters of a century, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has developed a rich heritage and a revered status as one of the world’s toughest ocean racing contests. Organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, the race has started from Sydney Harbour on 26 December each and every year since the very first in 1944. Rolex’s partnership with the 628 nautical mile offshore race began in 2002 as part of the company’s six-decade-long involvement in yachting. The event encapsulates a continuous quest for excellence and willingness to push the boundaries of human endeavour and achievement. 2019 marks the 75th edition with around 170 yachts entered. More here.

Official website: rolexsydneyhobart.com
Tweets by rshyr

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44Cup Palma Best Shots & Team CEEREF (video)

2019-11-19T00:00:00.000+01:00

Best shots - 44Cup Palma

All the best shot from the 44Cup Palma thanks to the team at Icarus Sports.

Team CEEREF - 44Cup Palma and 2019 Tour champions

Team CEEREF celebrate their double win on the dock!

See also: 44Cup Palma, Nov 13 - 17, Palma de Majorca, Spain (video)

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44Cup Palma, Nov 13 - 17, Palma de Majorca, Spain (video)

2019-11-12T00:00:00.000+01:00

Day 4 - 44Cup Palma 2019 - Far Behind Victory Decides 2019 44Cup

Nov 17, 2019, Day 4 (final day of racing): It was supposed to be a heavyweight bout between Chris Bake’s Team Aqua and Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika. These two, among the oldest, most successful teams in the high performance one design monohull class, started the 44Cup Palma, the final event of the season, separated by just one point at the top of the 2019 44Cup leaderboard. Behind them Igor Lah’s Team CEEREF went into the 44Cup Palma five points off the lead with Aleph Racing of Hugues Lepic a further point behind.

However this non-discardable final event of the season was to prove surprisingly dire for both the leaders who, against all expectation, began today’s final day of racing in last place. Meanwhile, two other teams were excelling – Nico Poons’ Charisma, the 2018 defending 44Cup champion, and Igor Lah’s Team CEEREF, winner in 2016-17, who prevailed once again.

Official results & rankings.

Day 3: 44Cup Palma 2019 - CEEREF Could Turn 44cup On Its Head

Nov 16: If Charisma and Aleph were the stand-out teams yesterday, today, the penultimate day of the 44Cup Palma, belonged to Igor Lah's Team CEEREF. In a return to their 2016-17 season-winning form, the Slovenian team won both of today's races. This elevated them to second overall astern of Nico Poons' Charisma which had another solid day leaving them with a six point lead going into the final day.

Day 2 44Cup Palma - Two Bullet Day for Charisma, but Aleph Leads

44Cup Nov 15, 2019: Yesterday racing was canned with the breeze gusting to 40 knots. Today, despite a large residual swell, conditions appeared more sailable, but for almost two hours the wind failed to settle, its direction pulled around due to the giant clouds crossing the Bay of Palma race area. Although light to moderate, the wind randomly shifted between southwest and northwest and back before finally settling close to the former when, on their fifth attempt, the race committee was able to lay a course successfully.

DAY 1 44Cup

Nov 14, 2019: Winds gusting up to 40 knots and a heinous seastate out on the Bay of Palma, kept the 44Cup fleet at the dock on the opening day of the 44Cup Palma. The wind began veering and dropping mid-afternoon but the left-over sea state precluded the deciding round of the 2019 44Cup from getting underway.

“We had a steady 23-25 knots of wind, but the sea states was such, coming from various directions, that it was basically like a cauldron,” reported PRO Peter Reggio. “That combined with the velocity being at the upper end means it wouldn’t have been good racing at all. Fortunately the forecast for the next few days is looking better than it did this morning."

The secrets behind a tactician and his coach (video) features Artemis Racing's tactician Andy Horton and coach Tom Burnham on what makes their relationship work.See also 44Cup Preview (video).

44Cup Palma, Nov 13 - 17, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Palma de Majorca, Spain. The grand final is in Palma, Majorca, the fifth and final event of the 2019 season. Expect to see a a heated fight for the podium between the top three teams. Chris Bake’s Team Aqua currently leads the fleet, after the World Championship win in Marstrand Sweden during the summer which they followed up with a win in Cascais, Portugal last month. Having been at each other’s throats for the entire season Team Aqua’s biggest threat is Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika with three second place event finishes this season and desperate to take an event win.

Official website 44cup.org and official results & rankings.

44Cup Cascais 'Best Shots' video:

The best moments from the 44Cup Cascais. See also 44Cup Cascais 2019 highlights video (Oct 3-6), as Team Aqua mastered the large Atlantic swell to take their second event win of the season. For more on Cascais: 44Cup Cascais Oct 3 - 6, Cascais, Lisbon District, Portugal.
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GC32 Oman Cup 5-9 November 2019 (video)

2019-11-06T00:00:00.000+01:00

GC32 Oman Cup - Best shots

GC32 Racing Tour video of all the best shots from the GC32 Oman Cup!

Day 4 GC32 Oman Cup - Clean Sweep for Alinghi

Nov 9: In yet another flawless display by the world’s top catamaran sailing team, Alinghi today won the GC32 Oman Cup and the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour. This Ernesto Bertarelli’s Swiss team adds to their GC32 World Championship title and victory in their own domestic D35 catamaran circuit.

Coming into the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour’s final event, Alinghi was tied on points with the Adam Minoprio-skippered Oman Air. This made for a simple battle: Whichever team won here in Oman would claim the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour.

Ultimately Alinghi never missed a beat, leading from the outset, although surprisingly her main competition here was Erik Maris’ Zoulou.

Day 3 GC32 Oman Cup

Nov 8: While it may have been their turn to be top scoring boat on day three of the GC32 Oman Cup, the math is not looking great for Oman Air in their fight with Alinghi to become 2019 GC32 Racing Tour champions. Going into the final day tomorrow, the team that comes out on top will win the big prize. Currently the local heroes, led by Adam Minoprio, are 10 points adrift of the formidable Swiss with potentially five races still to sail tomorrow and with the fleet down to five now following Argo’s untimely breakage yesterday. See also Day 2 and Day 1 videos.

GC32 Oman Cup Day 2, Nov 7: Undisputed winner of the day was Zoulou, which, with French ace Gurvan Bontemps standing in on the helm for owner-driver Erik Maris (who arrives tonight and will take over tomorrow), put in a 1-2-2-2-1 scoreline, that was impressively consistent given the sea state and gusty conditions.

GC32 Oman Cup Day 1 - Alinghi on winning formNov 6, 2 019: with a light forecast, the opening day of the GC32 Oman Cup looked like it might be marginal. However in the end four out of five of the scheduled races were sailed just north of the Al Mouj marina with a challenging set of wind conditions at times enabling the GC32s to fly fully, sometimes to hull fly only and at other times leaving the ultra-high performance catamarans with both hulls firmly ‘low-‘riding in displacement mode.

GC32 Racing Tour results.

GC32 Racing Tour 2019 - TV Episode #4 (video): Icarus Sports documentary as the hydro foiling GC32 catamaran fleet took to the waters in the iconic sailing destination of Riva del Garda for the fourth event of the 2019 season. (Video published Oct 29, 2019, by GC32 Racing Tour.)

GC32 Oman Cup November 5-9, 2019 (Nov 5 practice race day): Oman is host of the final and deciding event of the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour, and the Oman Air team well placed to secure the overall Tour title on home waters. Muscat extends a warm welcome to the fleet of high-performance foiling catamarans as they race for the Oman Cup. The teams are based in and racing on the open waters off Al Mouj Marina in the heart of the city.

Official website: gc32racingtour.com

Overall Rank, Team, Total Points, prior to Oman Cup:
1 Alinghi 6
2 Oman Air 6
3 Red Bull Sailing Team  13
4 Zoulou 17
5 Argo  20
6 Black Star Sailing Team  23

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Transat Jacques-Vabre starts Sunday, October 27, 2019

2019-10-26T00:00:00.000+02:00

TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE 2019 Nov 13:

HUGO BOSS onboard update: skippers safe and heading to Cape Verde Islands

Nov 4: Alex Thomson and Neal McDonald recount the moment that the HUGO BOSS boat hit an unidentified object submerged in the water and they were forced to free the keel from the boat, during the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre race.

Despite their very best efforts, it became clear that keeping the keel attached would put the boat at great risk. With the keel attached only by the hydraulic ram, and in an unstable position, there was a serious risk of significant damage to the hull. We did everything that we could to preserve the keel but collectively we determined that it was far too dangerous to keep it in place. Therefore, with guidance from our team shore-side, Alex and Neal set about cutting the hydraulic ram to free the keel from the boat. After many hours, they were successful in their efforts and the keel is now no longer attached to the boat. Alex and Neal have filled the ballast tanks onboard and fully extended the foils in order to keep the boat as stable as possible. They are currently in light winds and a slight sea state, and we are comfortable that there is no immediate risk to the boat or the skippers. More news here.

Transat Jacques Vabre LIVE: Map & Ranking

Alex Thomson Racing Behind the Scenes:

Alex Thomson Racing: Transat Jacques Vabre Race Start 2019

3 Nov 2019: Alex Thomson Racing's HUGO BOSS withdraws. Alex Thomson and Neal McDonald are working on the safest place to navigate their damaged 60ft monohull, HUGO BOSS, after announcing their withdrawal from the 14th edition the Transat Jacque Vabre. Earlier in the day they informed the race office that they were withdrawing from the race with the keel of their brand new 60ft monohull attached only by the hydraulic ram after hitting something in the water while underway at around 25 knots, 09:57 UTC. HUGO BOSS had completed just over a third of the 4,350-mile course of this biennial double-handed race to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, and it will be of little comfort to Thomson that his situation would appear to be better than when he was helicoptered to safety after capsizing his previous boat in 2015.

At the front of the race, the leader, Charal, which has now completed half the race distance, was the only one of the leading group of 11 IMOCA to risk the wind shadow of the Canary Islands, threading between Tenerife and Gran Canaria. More news here.

Nov 1: The fascinating split in the IMOCA fleet is beginning to play out and the weather files continue to suggest it is going to be a tough weekend for the six westerners as they watch the southerners escape on the trade winds. The leaders in the south look to definitely be the leaders now given the evolution of the depression (metaphorical and literal) in the west. If there is less surprise at the identity of the two leading 60ft monohulls - Charal and Apiviaare both latest generation foilers - the speed of Britain’s Sam Davies and her French co-skipper, Paul Meilhat (Initiatives-Cœur) continues to impress. Likewise, that of the 29-year-old Frenchwoman, Clarisse Crémer and Armel Le Cléac’h (Banque Populaire IX), who is just over five miles ahead in the third place. Initiatives-Cœur. Both boats are two generations and almost ten years older than those ahead of them, but the upgraded foils have given them a new lease of life.

Transat Jacques-Vabre video below published Oct 31, 2019:

Day 4: HUGO BOSS onboard update

Alex Thomson's call with the Transat Jacques Vabre team, in which he provides an update on the performance of HUGO BOSS and how he and co-skipper Neal McDonald are managing life onboard.

Oct 31, 2019, Alex Thomson: “Yes, the routing doesn’t look very good now; it looks terrible actually, but with regard to what we’re trying to do, things are going very well really, couldn’t be happier. It’s a bit of a shame that this western option doesn’t look very nice anymore, but c’est la vie.”

Overnight from Wednesday to Thursday the odds lengthened dramatically on the bet in the west. Not only is the ridge of high pressure around the archipelago of Madeira looking much easier to negotiate for the southerners, but after emerging from a torrid low-pressure system, the westerners look like facing their own ridge. More Transat Jacques Vabre News.

Transat Jacques Vabre video:

Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss.

Oct 30: IMOCA: An upside down leaderboard? The extraordinary split in the IMOCA fleet continued yesterday with a band of five mavericks fully investing heavily in the west and heading into the large low-pressure system which they hope will slingshot them into the trade winds faster than the southerners. If they are right we will almost have to turn the leaderboard upside down as it currently shows Hugo Boss in 22nd place in the 29-boat fleet, 171 miles behind the new leader, PRB. Thomson said today (Wednesday) that heading west was not a strategy but had been forced upon he and co-skipper, Neal McDonald by sail damage – but that it might still pay off. “... at Ushant we had some sail damage. One of our reaching sails, the tack loops of it ripped off the sail for some reason so that was a bit of a pain. And hence we lost a load of miles and basically it stopped us from following the south route hence our push the west, which may still work out." With Thomson in the west are Boris Herrmann (Germany) and Will Harris (Britain) on Malizia II Yacht Club de Monaco; and three French boats, Bureau Vallée II, Maître CoQ IV, and Prysmian Group. The weather files show 35 to 40 knots and a very confused sea state for ten hours awaiting them. More news here.

Oct 29: The bulk of the fleet tacked on Monday night, led by Davies, who were the first to turn onto the more direct road to Salvador de Bahia. They were quickly followed by the bulk of the fleet. Was that a dilemma for the leader, Charal? Follow their route to south or join Hugo Boss looking for a western dividend?

Departure Oct 27, 2019, another view:

UPDATE 2019 Oct 28: overnight leaders Luke Berry and Tanguy Le Turquais suffered a dismast to their 40ft monohull, Lamotte – Module Creation. Both sailors are safe, arriving with their boat at Roscoff, on the north coast of Brittany, 16:00 (French time). The incident came just 18 hours after the start yesterday at 13:15 (French time) from Le Havre in what appeared not to be boat-breaking conditions.

“Around 07:00 (French time), before sunrise, we were downwind in an easterly wind under medium spinnaker with two reefs, we were not overloaded, and we were in manageable conditions,” the 33-year-old Berry said. “We pitched a few times before the last one…I was in the bunk, Tanguy (Le Turquais, co-skipper, 30) was at the helm. We don’t understand it, the conditions weren’t terrible. We recovered everything, we left nothing in the sea, the top of the mast went, then it broke in half. We managed to get everything back in the boat. We’re on our way to Roscoff. We ‘re really disappointed for everyone (involved in the project) especially since we were in the lead at that time.” More news here.

Transat Jacques Vabre: Race Preview

On Sunday, October 27th, Alex Thomson and his co-skipper Neal McDonald will race for the first time onboard the new HUGO BOSS boat. Thomson is interviewed prior to the race start in Le Havre, France.

Transat Jacques-Vabre started Sunday, October 27, 2019, 13:15 local time @LH_LeHavre. Official website: transatjacquesvabre.org. The 14th edition of the 4,350-mile bi-annual two-handed race starts from Le Havre, France, and takes the crews across to the Equator to the finish in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. The Route du Café traces the historic coffee trading routes, and is the longest and toughest transat on the racing calendar. Having two skippers per boat allows each team to push the boats designed for one, to the limits. The Transat Jacques-Vabre, otherwise known as the "Coffee Route" or double Transat, is a double transatlantic race (two sailors on board). This race has been held every two years since 1993.
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Rolex Middle Sea Race 2019 Starts October 19 (video)

2019-10-19T00:00:00.000+02:00

UPDATE Oct 24, 2019: 54 yachts have completed the course, 17 yachts officially retired, 42 are still out on the course. The wind in the Sicily channel finally started abating today and a transition zone is moving eastwards from the western Mediterranean. Later tonight a north-westerly flow will start to dominate.This afternoon, at 16:30 CEST, the Maltese First 45 Elusive 2 was announced as the overall winner of the 2019 Rolex Middle Sea Race. More here.

Oct 22, 2019: George David’s American maxi Rambler takes Monohull Line Honours! Rambler crossed the finish line of the 40th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race at 08:13:00 CEST on Tuesday, October 22nd, completing the 606nm course in a time of 2 days 19 hours 43 minutes. "Rambler 88" has now taken Line Honours in the Rolex Middle Sea Race five years in a row, a feat unsurpassed in the 50-year history of the race.

Rambler Crew: George David, Brad Butterworth, Andrea Visintini, Rodney Ardern, Will McCarthy, Dean Phipps, Stuart Wilson, Mark Newbrook, Jan Dekker, Brian Giorgio, Scott Beavis, Simon Daubney, Peter van Niekerk, Joca Signorini, Curtis Blewett, Antonio Cuervas Mons, Jerry Kirby, Anthony Nossiter. More info here.

UPDATE Oct 23: "The fifth day of the 40th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race has been a bountiful one on the docks of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, as yachts start to finish in numbers and tales of the race are shared. The strong winds to the west of Sicily have, as predicted, begun to affect the contest for the overall prize. Rambler’s near 24-hour tenure at the top was ended by Black Pearl’s arrival early this morning. The turnovers then came thick and fast and, at press time, the ClubSwan 42 BeWild is sitting atop the pile. With 84 yachts on the course, including three yet to round Favignana at the halfway point of the racetrack, there is plenty of racing left." More info here.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race 2019 Start

Oct 19, 2019, video: Kenneth Abela, ZONA SPORT ONE TV

Oct 21: George David’s American maxi Rambler powers south towards Lampedusa, the only yacht so far to have escaped the clutches of the great Sicilian wind shadow, formed off the northern coast. Rounding Favignana this morning at around 09:30 CEST, the maxi sped to Pantelleria at 15 knots passing the island at 15:10 CEST. Rambler is now marching on to the southernmost corner of the racecourse and is now the overall leader of the race under IRC. Behind Rambler, the competitive juices still flow strong despite the struggle, all competing yachts are through the Strait of Messina and more than half the fleet have rounded Stromboli. LIVE tracker.

Rolex Middle Sea Race 2019 – Preview:

The Rolex Middle Sea Race, one of a number of 600 nautical mile bluewater classics Rolex has supported since the early 2000s, celebrates its 40th edition in 2019. Organised by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, the start is set for Saturday 19 October from Valletta’s Grand Harbour. An international fleet in excess of 100 yachts will grace this popular and demanding offshore race which takes in some of the Mediterranean’s most dramatic scenery including two active volcanoes and scores of rugged islands. The quest for overall race victory and the pursuit for line honours are always compelling facets of a race which continues to draw significant participation from both professional and Corinthian crews. Rolex has supported offshore racing for over half a century and its commitment to this element of the sport, through partnerships with races of the calibre of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, is both long-standing and forward-looking.

Official website: rolexmiddlesearace.com and tracker.

Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races, such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting new SailGP series, where national teams race in supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the likes of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Royal Ocean Racing Club, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
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Sailing & Sustainability - 52 Super Series & SailGP Videos

2019-10-18T00:00:00.000+02:00

Leading by Example – 52 SUPER SERIES 2019

52SuperSeries video Oct 14, 2019.

Sailing Tech Meets Sustainability // Journey to Zero Carbon Emissions // SailGP

Oct 11, 2019: As part of a journey to net zero carbon by 2025 and delivering on the UN Sport for Climate Action, SailGP is testing new low carbon technologies both on and off the water. The SEAir foiling RIB is one example of this, using up to 30% less fuel than a traditional powerboat.

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The Clipper Race Fleet Arrive in Punta del Este, Uruguay (video)

2019-10-17T00:00:00.000+02:00

The Clipper Race Fleet arrive in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race Oct 15, 2019, video.

See also:

clipperroundtheworld.com;

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2019-20, LIVE Feed.

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