NOTHING about the America’s Cup in this newsletter

by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team on 27 Sep 2013 We are now resuming normal service, but yes the Sail-World traffic has been the largest ever as you might expect this month. Its heading towards a million viewer sessions for the month.

Top Guns in Melbourne

The full Australian Sailing Team and the development squad with five Gold Medals and three Silver medals between them will be competing at the ISAF Sailing World Cup –Sail Melbourne from December 1-8th.

Mat Belcher, 470 Olympic Gold medallist will be keen to win his 18th regatta in a row, with he and his post London 2012 crew Will Ryan an unbeaten combination.

49er London Olympic Gold Medallists Nathan Outteridge and crew Iain Jensen first up engagement post America’s Cup 2013 is the current 49er Worlds in Marseille. Then Melbourne will be their r first Sailing World Cup event for the next season.

The Australians lining up in Melbourne in the Laser fleet will include Tom Burton, currently ranked number one in the world, Ryan Palk ranked second, Matthew Wearn ranked fourth, Ashley Brunning fifth and Jared West 12th.

Australia has its strongest ever Finn squad, coached by US Finn coach John Bertrand. Brendan Casey is ranked third in world, Victorian home town hero, Oliver Tweddell is eighth and Jake Lilley 12th.

The women’s classes are packed with Olympic stars, 2008 Olympic Gold medallist Elise Rechichi with crew Sarah Cook will be back in 470 W class, while in the 49er FX class Olympic Silver Medal Match Racing skipper Olivia Price and crew Caitlin Elks will be battling against Haylee Outteridge, sister of Nathan and Nina Curtis -Olympic Women’s Match Racing Silver Medallist and Tessa Parkinson, 2008 Olympic 470 W Gold Medal crew with Chelsea Hall.

49er Worlds Marseille France - as expected Nathan Outteridge and Iain Goobs Jensen have started out a little rusty in their quest for another 49er World title in Marseille France this week. The loss of yesterday, a very light day, with the men not able to race was a blow to their chances as they need all the race time they can get.

The semi-finals start today. Nath last night reported he was looking forward to a good night’s sleep, he has not been to bed before 1am local time, watching a sailing event in another place. We will hear more from the Aussie team today.

What would Match Racing be without a Gilmour?

The latest ISAF Match Race rankings list Taylor Canfield (ISV) as world number one in the Open Rankings ahead of triple World champion Ian Williams (GBR).

Four times World Champion Peter Gilmour retired at the end of last season but the family line continues.

David Gilmour's steady rise up the Open Rankings continues after three strong performances at ISAF Grade 2 regattas. Gilmour took a victory at the ISAF Grade 2 International Match Race for the Detroit Cup in August and followed up with a third at the Knickerbocker Cup and a fourth at the Oakcliff International Match Race.

His performances have pushed him up to world number 12 from world number 15, a personal best for the young Australian.

Whoops!!!

Following multiple yachts sailing the incorrect course in the Lion Island Race, hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia last Saturday, results have changed and a new winner declared.

Warwick Sherman and his Ker GTS 43, Occasional Coarse Language 2, have displaced the Shane Guanaria skippered About Time, owned by Julian Farren-Price, who was not on board his Cookson 12.

About Time had provisionally won the race, until multiple protests resulted in 12 yachts, including the Cookson 12, retiring from the first race of the CYCA’s 2013-2104 Ocean Point score Series (OPS). All 12 had sailed the incorrect course.

Minerva, Tim Cox’s DK43, and Paul Clitheroe’s Beneteau 45, Balance, provisionally second and third respectively prior to the protests, were amongst those to retire. David Forbes’ Kaiko 52 Merlin, and Noel Cornish’s Sydney 47, St Jude, now fill second and third places respectively.

Here is a selection of stories going back over the last two weeks.... but ahead of that an image from well known Whale Photographer Andrea Francolini.