Coutts' Cup Capers...curiouser and curiouser ...Sliding to Southport

by Rob Kothe and Richard Gladwell on 30 Jul 2014 The America's Cup seems to be never far from the headlines, which is fair enough when there is something to report, but the Joint Statement by the four European Challengers had all the traits of a media beat-up and the latest meeting seems to be along the same vein.

Then a second Competitor Meeting was just two weeks later - with a week to run until Entries close for the 35th America's Cup.

And one of the longest standing competitors in the history of the America's Cup is excluded?

The whole charade should be seen for what it is - having as much substance as a cup of fluffy coffee.

It is surprising to see that teams which are supposed to be serious about competing in the America's Cup have the time to indulge in these childish antics. One would have thought the hunt for sponsors, the best of design talent and getting on with life would have had a far greater priority.

Harden up, guys. And while you are at it, as Sir RC to look seriously at the alternate proposal from San Francisco.

Here in Australia one of the key events on the offshore calendar has been sailed – the Land Rover Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race has been sailed with an eclectic mix of yachts starting the 380nm race from Sydney to Southport.

55 yachts competed in this years event - down on the 70 to 80 boats that have sailed in the previous editions – but still a very good field all the same.

The race is seen as second only to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race in stature, and some familiar boats were scattered through the fleet.

Leader from start to finish was Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI, which finished third on IRC. Third to finish, and second overall was the Volvo 70 Black Jack. Winner on corrected time was the Rogers 46 Celestial, who was eighth to cross the finish line off Southport.

The race was a downwind slide all the way, after the fleet took 90 minutes to clear Sydney Heads in the calm conditions that prevailed after the start. But thereafter it was an easy sail, but with some position changing. Two Cookson 50’s Pretty Fly III and Sydney Hobart winner Victoire finished in fifth and seventh place overall, separated by a TP52 formerly Bob Steele's Quest now Paul Clitheroe's Balance.

From Southport the fleet will make its way north for Brisbane to Keppel Race (31 July), Vision Surveys Airlie Beach Race Week (8-15 August), Audi Hamilton Island Race Week Aug 16-23) and SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (Aug 28 to Sept 2).

We have full coverage of the Gold Coast Race in this edition and will be carrying full coverage of the other four major races and regattas in August.

Great to see Nathan Outteridge impressively back atop the Moth Worlds podium last week, backing up from his 2011 Worlds win in Belmont in 2005. No bad for a kid who failed to get his first sailing certificate as a nipper, he could not swim the required distance and then lost an argument with a tree north of Albury back in 2005, of course he has done a few other things since as well.

our Sail-World team will be in Santander Spain for next months ISAF Olympic class World Championships and we are trusting that Nath and Goobs will be on song to wrestle back their 49er title from the Kiwis.

Stay tuned to our website www.sail-world.com for the latest news and developments in the sailing world. We re about to provide links to our Beta releases of our 31 sailing sites, so look out for that!!