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Perth wrap-up report—Sailing news from the U.S. and beyond

Tom Sinsgby celebrating his win, Mens Laser Medal Race December 18 2011 off Fremantle, Australia.   Richard Langdon /Perth 2011

Few One Design classes are tougher than the Laser: The boat requires serious hiking fitness, and its inexpensive (relatively) price tag and ubiquitous nature mean that good sailors can (relatively) easily get into the boat. This makes a Laser World Championship something serious; now multiply by four, and you've reached the stage of Tom Slingsby (AUS), the 2011 Laser World Champion.

Slingsby cinched his win on the last day of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, which just wrapped up in Western Australia. 'I'm really happy with the way I'm going,' said Slingsby. 'To me, I feel like I'm improving all the time. I'm a lot better sailor than I was four years ago and I think it's going to show this time around.'

Perth, WA - December 16: Anna Tunnicliffe, Deborah Capozzi, Molly Vandemoer winning gold in Womens Match Racing event  © Ocean Images

Impressively, US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics (USSTAG) sailor Anna Tunnicliffe and her team won the Women's Match racing, demonstrating once again exactly how good this team is at handling pressure and sailing well when it counts. 'It's amazing, we've put a lot of effort into this year and had a lot of big events we had to get through and this has really topped off all our hard training,' said Tunnicliffe. 'The team sailed really well, it was tricky conditions, conditions that we actually thought we were weakest in so we're psyched we came out on top.'

USSTAG sailors also hoisted two third place finishes in both the Laser Radial (Paige Railey) and the Star (Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Faith).

Unfortunately, things went from beautiful to less beautiful for USSTAG sailors in the hyper competitive 49er class.

ISAF Sailing World Championship. medal races. 49er USA Erik Storck and Trevor Moore  Alex McKinnon

Leading the race, the USSTAG 49er reps Erik Storck and Trevor Moore fell victim to busted gear in their medal race, dashing their hopes of a bronze-medal finish.

'It was going great there,' said Moore. 'We got a port-tack start, hipped up on the fleet, and we were heading out right where there was decent pressure. We were winning the race going onto our third and final lap. We were cruising upwind, and the rudder started to hydroplane and Erik didn't have any steering. We went to windward and flipped. Our rudder pintle ended up snapping off. We couldn't finish the race. If only the pintle would have lasted fifteen minutes more we might have been sitting in a different spot.'

A crushing disappointment for two talented young sailors, but Storck and Moore still ended the 49er Worlds in ninth place, and—much more importantly—qualified for the Weymouth Olympic Games, where they will likely arrive with the strongest rudder pintles on Planet Earth. Expect to hear a lot more from these two in 2012.

Get stage one of the Perth report, including more info on USSTAG medal winners, inside this issue. Sail-World.com will have more news and interviews during the week. And also be sure to check out the amazing photo galleries—in this issue—of the final days of racing at Perth, compliments of top shooters including Richard Langdon, Paul Kane, Christophe Favreau, and Alex McKinnon.

Also inside, get the latest download from the Volvo Ocean Race, and the Global Ocean Race, as well as the latest news of Emirates Team New Zealand's wingsail experiments aboard their twin SL33 catamarans.

May the four winds blow you safely home,

David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor

ISAF Sailing World Championships - US Women Match Racers take title Dana Paxton, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Anna Tunnicliffe's Team Maclaren of Molly Vandemoer and Debbie Capozzi won the Women's Match Racing after defeating Lucy MacGregor (GBR) in four straight matches. 'We're really excited right now,' said Tunnicliffe moments after getting onshore from the racecourse.... [more] Share this story

Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Star bronze goes to US Dana Paxton, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - In an exciting and close Star class Medal race, fought out on Centre course, Mark Mendelblatt (Miami, Fla.) and Brian Fatih (Miami, Fla.) won a bronze medal, while Erik Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) and Trevor Moore (Naples, Fla./Pomfret, Vt.) earned a spot in Sunday's 49er medal race.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - Blow for US's Storck and Moore Dana Paxton, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - On the final day in Fremantle, Australia, Erik Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) and Trevor Moore (Naples, Fla./Pomfret, Vt.) went into the 49er medal race with a chance at a bronze medal. Standing in fifth overall, all they had to do is finish in the top four of the 10-boat fleet to secure a medal.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - Aussies take 49er gold in Perth Jerelyn Biehl, The 49er Worlds, taking place as a part of the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth, now have medals decided with Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen adding another trophy to their cabinets and titles to their credit as they claimed the 2011 49er World Championship title on home waters.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships come to a 'golden' end in Perth Perth 2011, The closing day of the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth, Australia allowed for the very best of grandstand sailing to be displayed in the midst champagne conditions. Spectators snapped up every available seat and space around Bathers Bay to watch as the final four world titles were decided in the women's 470, 49er, men's RS:X, and Laser classes.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race struggle continues for crew of Groupama 4 Vincent Borde, The Volvo Ocean Race fleet have been racing for a week now on Leg 2 and have experienced a drastic change of tempo with a Chinese leader setting out on its own to the North, a French option to the far East and a central pack. The formation of a tropical depression has altered the deal somewhat...... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race leaders beyond the ice limit and dropping south Oliver Dewar, In the Global Ocean Race, the five strong fleet of double-handed Class40s were battered as they crossed the most remote area of the Indian Ocean in the midst of a cold front and deep low pressure system. The two lead boats, Cessna Citation and BSL, have dropped to 48S after their crossing of the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate at Kerguelen Island.... [more] Share this story

Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Latest images Richard Langdon and Paul Kane, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships action images from photographers Richard Langdon and Paul Kane.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race – Team Sanya take the lead Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race - Team Sanya, the first ever sole Chinese entry in the race, has moved into first place on leg two from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi after making a bold tactical decision which could see them take on a fearsome tropical storm in the Indian Ocean. Team Sanya, skippered by Mike Sanderson, broke away from the fleet yesterday and headed north towards a tropical depression... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships images by Christophe Favreau Christophe Favreau, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships images from top international photographer Christophe Favreau, of the final days racing... [more] Share this story

Australian World 49er champions add to the pot of gold Perth 2011, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS) have confirmed their world number one ranking in the 49er skiff fleet, winning the gold medal at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships on Sunday, 18 December.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships: New RS:X Men's World Champion Rory Ramsden, Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED) went in to the medal race under pressure. With medal race points counting double, whoever won this battle would be the World Champion. The Start boat was moved away from its 'traditional' spot close to the Northern breakwater in Bathers Bay so that the second slalom end gybe mark could be placed right in front of the grandstand.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's prayer rap Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race - Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress. We've said all we can say for the time being, and until things change around here I'm going to have to get original. So, I give you this pathetic attempt at a Puma prayer rap.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - Deciding day for the 470 fleet Luissa Smith, It was a deciding day on the water for the forty eight women's teams competing in the 470 event. Perfect sailing conditions were on Success Course with a breeze averaging between 14-17 knots under a blue sky. Race 9 got underway after one general recall.... [more] Share this story

World Laser Masters Championship 2012 entry now open Laser International, Applications for entry are now open until 10th January for the 2012 World Laser Masters Championship. The event is a restricted entry allocated championship and sailors who wish to enter need to first complete an application form.... [more] Share this story

Action shots from the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth Various Photographers, At the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth, Australia, Olympic hopefuls are vying for the chance to represent their respective countries at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Photographers Richard Langdon, Paul Kane, and Alex McKinnon were on the water in Perth on 17th December to snap these shots of the competitors in action. Enjoy!... [more] Share this story

Gladwell's Line: Volvo Ocean Race enters the Theatre of the Bizzare Richard Gladwell, The fleet in the Volvo Ocean Race has split into three directions, all bound for an unannounced destination. Hopefully the on-board navigators have got the code deciphered correctly, but from the current fleet positions one could be excused from believing that two had got hopelessly lost and and the other three had stuck together - some within sight of each other... [more] Share this story

Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Latest images Various photographers, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships action images from photographers Richard Langdon, Paul Kane and Alex McKinnon.... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race fleet face fierce conditions Oliver Dewar, Global Ocean Race - With a low pressure system sweeping eastwards below the double-handed, Class40s, many boats have switched to survival mode as a force nine gale blasts squalls and intensely strong south-westerly wind through the fleet's narrow corridor between 42S and 45S in the Indian Ocean's Roaring Forties.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - 45 nations qualify for London 2012 ISAF, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Over the last two weeks of racing in Fremantle, Australia, 45 nations have qualified their country to compete at the London 2012 Sailing Olympics being held in Weymouth and Portland next summer. On the penultimate day of racing at Perth 2011 the final Laser spots and the Men's RS:X and Women's 470 places were taken ahead of tomorrow's live Medal Races... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Still waiting onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race - Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: There's not a lot of difference from the past several days of Indian Ocean sailing. We're still chasing this thing to the end of the earth it seems, but today's new contribution from Mother Nature was a constant spitting of rain.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Camper and Puma take the lead at the end of Day 4 Sail-World, Camper sailed by Emirates Team NZ and Puma Ocean Racing are now joint leaders of the Volvo Ocean Race. The two yachts seem to have picked the optimum track to break through into fresher breezes. Currently they are sailing at around 13kts in 18kts of breeze, as the other boats get in behind.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - Brazil rises to top 10 in 470 fleet Luissa Smith, During the ISAF Sailing World Championships on Friday, the Women's 470 fleet were out on Centre Course with Brazil's Martine Grael and Isabel Swan dominating after sailing two races to claim a win, a second, and propelling themselves up into the top 10 on the leaderboard after races 7 and 8.... [more] Share this story

Royal Canadian YC Old Finn Farts Regatta set for August 2012 Paul Henderson, The Royal Canadian Yacht Club's Old Finn Farts Regatta is a celebration of 60 Years of Finn sailors domination of Olympic Sailing and the next edition is set to take place August 25-26th, 2012. 'When someone asks what boat you raced in and the answer is 'Finn' there are no other questions to be asked as that meant you were good and enjoyed the camaraderie of this unique and wonderful group...'... [more] Share this story

Pressure mounts in the Volvo Ocean Race Sophie Luther, In the Volvo Ocean Race, many described the weather situation earlier in the day as the ‘nightmare zone' but, for navigator Andrew Cape, he kept a cool, calm, and collected demeanor as it was just another day at the office on board the Leg 2 and overall leader Telefonica skippered by Iker Martinez (ESP).... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - Tunnicliffe and team take title Anna Tunnicliffe, Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer, and Debbie Capozzi who together make up Team Maclaren, today took first place in Women's Match Racing at the ISAF Sailing World Championship in Perth, Australia. Anna Tunnicliffe now brings us up to date on their thrilling victory over Team Macgregor, GBR.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - US Match Race girls take gold Perth 2011, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Women's Match Racing final was held in front of a packed grandstand at Fremantle's Inner Harbour today, Friday 16th December 2011. The USA's Anna Tunnicliffe has taken the Women's Match Racing gold medal in the final against Great Britain's Lucy Macgregor.... [more] Share this story

Perth 2011 - USA's Tunnicliffe Women's Match Racing World Champion Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team, The toughest match racing contest in sailing history finished at Perth 2011 this afternoon. 29 Womens match racing teams from around the world competed in some 440 matches over 13 days.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Waiting game continues for Puma Ocean Racing Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race - Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: The waiting game continues for us and everyone else. It's a strange life we live out here now, pushing the boat east before an eventual 'green light' from Tom [Addis].... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Emirates Team NZ trial two wingsails on SL33's Ben Gladwell, Emirates Team NZ was out on the Hauraki Gulf today, trialling with their two SL-33's - with both running wingsails. Sail-World's cameras were on hand to catch the action from various points around the Waitemata Harbour and Viaduct Basin... [more] Share this story

CCA Newport Bermuda Race Safety at Sea Seminar registration now open John Rousmaniere, The Cruising Club of America – Newport Bermuda Race Safety at Sea Seminar will offer an expanded curriculum from 17-18 March 2012 at Newport, Rhode Island's Hyatt Regency Hotel. The registration is now open and all sailors, skippers, and crews are invited to attend.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Telefonica under threat in the Indian Ocean Sophie Luther, The Volvo Ocean Race fleet are tonight pushing their way through the Indian Ocean on Leg 2 which takes them from Cape Town, South Africa to Abu Dhabi, UAE. The overall leader, Telefonica skippered by Iker Martinez (ESP), is now facing threat from backmarkers.... [more] Share this story

Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships -Latest images Richard Langdon and Alex McKinnon, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships -action images from photographers Richard Langdon and Alex McKinnon.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Sailing World Championships - US Match Race girls in finals Dana Paxton, Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships - Racing continued in the gold fleets for Laser, Men's RS:X, and 49er classes, while it was a lay day for the Women's 470 and Star classes. Anna Tunnicliffe's Team Maclaren of Molly Vandemoer and Debbie Capozzi advanced to the Women's Match Racing Final match after defeating Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) in the semi finals.... [more] Share this story

Television coverage of Olympic Sailing - a way forward Rob Kothe & the Sail-World Team, There is no place for having power boats pulling wake in the middle of an Olympic sailing course, any more than there is for having cameraman on the field in a game of football, or driving in cars ahead of the athletes in the Olympic stadium.... [more] Share this story

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