Excitement, tragedy and decisions ahead

Brendan Casey (Finn) - Semaine Olympique Francaise 2012  Thom Touw ©

86 days until the Olympics - Yesterday we talked to an excited Brendan Casey, 35 year old Queensland sailor who qualified for London with his World Cup win on the weekend.

US offshore sailing has had a tragic last year. Two deaths from the Kiwi 35 Wing Nutz in the 2011 Chicago Mackinac, five in the Crewed Farallones race out of San Francisco with Sydney 38 boat Low Speed Chase in the surf break and now four dead in from the Hunter 376 Aegean in the Newport to Ensenada Race with latest evidence pointing towards an island collision.

Our thoughts go out to all the families.

U.S. Sailing is organising two more inquiries and organising Clubs will have to look harder at a whole range of elements of these races, as has happened in Australia.

The Volvo Ocean Race leg into Miami is proving exciting. Be interesting to see just how big the crowds are for this stop-over.

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, skippered by Chris Nicholson from Australia, powers up at the start of leg 6, from Itajai, Brazil, to Miami, USA, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. (Credit: PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race)  Paul Todd/Outside Images ©

In the Global Ocean Race, the Kiwi-Australian duo of Conrad Colman and Scott Cavanough took first place in Leg 4

Critical discussions at ISAF Mid-Year Meeting – with reports from the 2016 Evaluation trials, both the Womens skiff is generating some heat with the Kiwi promoted FX – the 49er with a cut down rig, battling the British designed, Thai built RS900. The Nacra 17 seems to be favoured over the Aussie promoted Viper multihull, but time will tell.

Skipper of Emirates Team NZ Dean Barker called MarineBusiness-world's Jeni Bone this week to talk about the brave new multi-hull world of the America's Cup. Richard Gladwell revealed last week we might see a preview series with the AC72's in Auckland.

Emirates Team New Zealand, day one of the America's Cup World Series regatta in Naples, Italy. 11/4/2012  Emirates Team New Zealand / Photo Chris Cameron ETNZ ©

Clipper Round the World Race - Eighth victory for Gold Coast Australia. With constant crew changes on all the boats, this is not a fluke just a bloody good Tasmanian skipper Richard Hewson.

We really appreciate all the Clubs, Events and sailors who submit stories, news and images directed to Sail-World via the Submit buttons on the top of each page of our sites..

Posting on Sail-World guarantees you and your sponsors maximum visibility in the sailing world all around Australia.

In this newsletter there is a story on ‘How To' – guidelines for contributors. We look forward to hearing from you – from even more of you, and more often!

Australian Olympic Team: Brendan Casey - A Long Road to London 2012 Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team, Queensland Finn sailor Brendan Casey is heading to London 2012 after winning the French World Sailing Cup event Finn class event in Hyeres on the weekend. Sail-World interviewed him yesterday.... [more] Share this story

Weather set to test 32nd Bay to Bay fleet Ian Grant, A wet and windy forecast promises to provide the 32nd Bay to Bay fleet exciting sailing conditions on The Great Sandy Straits this weekend. This classic two day race is from Tin Can Bay to Hervey Bay (Qld), with an overnight stop at Garry's anchorage on Fraser Island.... [more] Share this story

Olympic Contender - Viper strike Viper Class Association, Vaireaux and Audinet were thrilled after returning to the harbour and realising they had beaten more than 300 teams in the Eurocat long distance raid.... [more] Share this story

Antigua Sailing Week day 3 - Smashing through the start line Louay Habib, On day three of Antigua Sailing Week similar conditions to the previous two days prevailed. The sizeable yachts in CSA 1 were an awesome sight today, smashing through the start line to windward through the Caribbean surf and after coming off the wind at the Ocean mark, the yachts speared off downwind, bow up, accelerating off big waves to surf at speeds of 20 knots plus.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Combat continues for Puma Volvo Ocean Race, In the Volvo Ocean Race, after 36 hours of constant attack from Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP), Leg 6 leader Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg (Ken Read/USA) are facing another night of combat - but tonight the distances are vastly reduced.... [more] Share this story

PWA Surf World Cup Podersdorf event summary PWA, The 2012 PWA Surf World Cup Podersdorf certainly didn't disappoint, with unbelievable action both on and off the water. Monumental crowds gathered on the shores of Neusiedler See, and they were treated to extreme freestyle action day and night with the Chiemsee tow in event running alongside the PWA event each evening.... [more] Share this story

US Sailing to conduct independent review of Crewed Farallones Race Amy Larkin, The United States Coast Guard has requested that US Sailing, the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing, conduct an independent review of the sailing accident that occurred during the 2012 Crewed Farallones Race from San Francisco, CA that resulted in the deaths of five sailors.... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race - Cessna Citation takes Leg 4 victory Oliver Dewar, In the Global Ocean Race, the Kiwi-Australian duo of Conrad Colman and Scott Cavanough took first place in Leg 4 from Punta del Este, Uruguay, to South Carolina with Akilaria RC2 Class40 Cessna Citation, crossing the finish line off Charleston at 05:45:00 GMT (01:54:00 local) on Tuesday morning.... [more] Share this story

Critical discussions at ISAF Mid-Year Meeting ISAF, The eyes of the sailing world are focusing on Stresa, Italy for the ISAF Mid-Year Meeting which is set to take place there from 3-6 May 2012. Following the Equipment Committee meeting on 28 April in Southampton, Great Britain, the Audit, Events and Executive Committees will gather along with the ISAF Council.... [more] Share this story

Emirates Team New Zealand Dean Barker talks 2013 America's Cup Jeni Bone, The contest is 160 years old and in contention is the world's oldest international sporting trophy, the America's Cup, which will be hosted in San Francisco in 2013. Dean Barker, Skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand's challenger speaks with Jeni Bone about the brave new multi-hull world of the America's Cup.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Race - Eighth victory for Gold Coast Australia Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - With this morning's confirmation of Gold Coast Australia's eighth victory, the battle for the final podium positions in race ten continues. 'I am ecstatic with my crew's performance in light fickle winds and extreme heat,' reveals Gold Coast Australia skipper, Richard Hewson, after his team crossed the finish line at 0844 UTC.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Puma Ocean Racing plagued by clouds + Video Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 9 of Leg 6. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: We still hate clouds. We hate them, and even the pretty ones too. They ruin our days and plague our nights, and they've just done it again. One massive, unavoidable green glob on the radar and an ominously dark splotch of horizon indicate imminent doom... [more] Share this story

Pittwater Cup at Royal Prince Alfred YC Lisa Ratcliff, The Pittwater Cup, sailed last Saturday, attracted 31 class yachts of various sizes to the annual Sydney northern beaches fray. Two Beneteaus were so keen to make the start line there was a port/starboard incident prior to leaving the dock and eventual spinnaker division winner, Gerry Hatton's First 40.7, Bushranger, pulled up fenders and left the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club minus a headsail.... [more] Share this story

Expressions of Interest: Match Racing World University Championship Craig Heydon, The regatta will comprise two events, the World University Men's Match Racing Championship and the World University Women's Match Racing Championship.... [more] Share this story

PWA Surf World Cup Podersdorf - Beautiful frustration Chris Yates, In the opening heat oOn the penultimate day of the PWA Surf World Cup Podersdorf, local boy Max Matissek (Fanatic / North) made the most of the light winds. The Austrian was able to land a sick air flaka, which he then bettered by landing a brilliant shaka flaka.... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Liveline wins Emmy for technical innovation Sail-World, America's Cup groundbreaking use of Liveline, the technology that makes competitive sailing accessible to home viewers worldwide, has been awarded an Emmy for extraordinary technical innovation. LiveLine technology, which is used for American football and NASCAR car racing broadcasts, is being recognized for making the sport welcoming to new fans and providing precise data for race management.... [more] Share this story

FX Rig Designer explains the working of the Fathead Rig + Video Richard Gladwell, Mackay Boats' John Clinton explains how the Fathead Rig works using video taken from a test sailing session in the FX on Auckland Harbour on Saturday, when winds gusted to a recorded 31 kts. Fathead rigs had their origins in 12 and 18ft skiffs and have been adopted by a variety of classes, right up to America's Cup level, because of their ability to carry extra sail area high up in the rig... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Puma corrects the error of their ways Sophie Luther, In the Volvo Ocean Race, Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg lead the fleet into the Doldrums for the fourth and final time during the 2011-12 edition, having crossed the Equator earlier today. After failing on Leg 1 to supply King Neptune with the correct libations, something to which the crew attribute their subsequent dismasting, they were this time careful to correct the error of their ways... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race leaders pick up speed Oliver Dewar, Tthe Global Ocean Race fleet leaders Conrad Colman and Scott Cavanough on Cessna Citation are gradually picking up speed with less than 100 miles to the finish line in Charleston as the main trio of Class40s dig into the Gulf Stream. Leading the pursuing pack in second place, Marco Nannini and Sergio Frattaruolo on Financial Crisis held a 62-mile lead over the duo on Phesheya-Racing... [more] Share this story

ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship entrants announced ISAF, The 16 entrants for the 2012 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship, set to be held from 20-25 June in Gothenburg, Sweden, have been named. The regatta will be one of the last opportunities for the Women's Match Racing teams to test themselves against each other ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Camper in marathon match race + Video Lucy Harwood, Volvo Ocean Race - Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the Equator at 0910h UTC for the fourth and final time. Camper is currently just over 2000-miles into the sixth leg of this marathon ocean race around the world and is in a tough battle with both Puma and Telefónica at the front of the fleet.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet begin sprint to finish Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - With yesterday's introduction of the Clipper Race Committee's shortened course for race ten, the sprint for the finish line has well and truly begun as the ten-strong fleet continue to battle against the fickle wind conditions. 'With the finish line now within a couple of days reach, the race has stepped up a gear,' explains Visit Finland skipper, Olly Osborne... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Easy sailing onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 8 of Leg 6. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: Our time along Brazilian shores has not been brief – it's an enormous coastline – and we continue to have chance encounters with other maritime vessels of all shapes and sizes.... [more] Share this story

Pittwater High NSW Secondary Schools Teams Racing Champions 2012 Tracey Walters, The Yachting NSW Open and Secondary Schools Team Racing Championship was held on the waters of Rose Bay, Sydney last Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April.... [more] Share this story

Kevin and Ross Wilson receive Julius L Patching Sports Official Award Jane Moffat, Monday night at the MCG saw two of sailings most well known faces recieve well deserved recognition for their years of service within the field of race management. Identical twins Kevin and Ross Wilson received the Victorian Olympic Council's Julius L Patching Sports Official of the Year Award.... [more] Share this story

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