OD news and AC72 happenings —Sailing news from the U.S. and beyond

by David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 4 Feb 2013 The big news in international One Design sailing is the United States’ absolute dominance at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami, where U.S. Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider collected a staggering 13 medals. Impressively. the team took home five Gold Medals, sweeping the Nacra 17, Laser Radial, 49er, Finn and Men’s 470 classes and also earned top marks in the Laser, Sonar and 49erXX classes. Granted these were home waters, but the team is clearly sailing better than they were six months ago at the London Olympics 2012.

'It was such a tough medal race,' reported Sarah Newberry, who collected a gold with her Nacra 17 teammate John Casey. 'One minute we thought we were dead last and had to crawl back. In the end John told me we won, but I needed a minute to take it in.' Interestingly, American sailors occupied the top three podium steps during the Nacra 17 class’ prize-giving ceremony, thus demonstrating both top-end speed and depth of talent.

Get the full ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami wrap-up coverage and multi-media reports, inside this issue.

And in America’s Cup news, two big events are scheduled to take place early this week, namely the launching of Emirates Team New Zealand’s (ETNZ) second-generation AC72, which they will use to challenge for the 34th America’s Cup, and the re-launching of Oracle Team USA’s 'USA 17', which sustained heavy damage during an October 16, 2012 capsize. According to reports, ETNZ will launch their AC72 in Auckland, New Zealand some 20 hours before Oracle Team USA hosts its own celebrations in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, in offshore-sailing news, word hit today that Spanish-flagged skipper Javier Sanso, racing solo aboard his IMOCA 60 'ACCIONA 100% EcoPowered', in the non-stop-around-the-world Vendee Globe Race has sustained a capsize and has evacuated his yacht for his liferaft. Few details were known at the time of this writing other than the fact that Sanso was sailing upwind in roughly 15 knots and moderate seas and that everything had previously been reported to have been in solid shape aboard 'ACCIONA 100% EcoPowered' before she capsized. According to reports, an airplane has made visual contact with Sanso and a rescue chopper is being sent to his aid ASAP.

Elsewhere in the fleet, skipper Jean-Pierre Dick ('Virbac Paprec 3'), who lost his keel some two weeks ago, spent the weekend moored in Galicia, Spain, to avoid a huge storm and is now making his way to the Les Sables d’Olonne, France, finishing line, some 215 miles in front of his bow. Get the full Vendee Globe report, including the latest news on Sanso and the escalating battle between skippers Mike Golding ('Gamesa') and Jean Le Cam ('SynerCiel'), inside this issue.

Also in offshore news, Gothenburg, Sweden was named as the final/finishing stop of the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race (2014/2015). The Swedish coastal city also serves as Volvo’s headquarters was also named as a stopover for the 13th edition of the 'VOR' in a two-race deal that was announced late last week.

'Gothenburg is the perfect place to finish a global event of this stature,' said Knut Frostad, the VOR’s CEO. 'It's great to know that after sailing tens of thousands of miles around the world we'll be coming to a host port with all the facilities and know how to make this a great event, and the history to make it feel like a real homecoming.'

Also inside, be sure to get the wrap-up reports from the RC44 Oman Cup, the VX One Midwinter Championships, and the 5.5m World Championships.

May the four winds blow you safely home,