Racing news from Miami World Cup, VOR and BWR!

by on 31 Jan 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami 2015 - An imposing fleet sailing on Biscayne Bay, ten Olympic and three Paralympic sailing classes being put to their best and highest purpose.

It’s final day of racing for the Paralympic classes today and Medal Races on Saturday for top-ten Olympic qualifiers. The World Cup series will reach their climax in Abu Dhabi in late 2015, and with Rio 2016 coming up fast, this seasons Sailing World Cup series will not one to be missed.

The Canadian Sailing Team has posted mixed results in the often challenging conditions on Biscayne Bay; lighter conditions in the forecast for today will benefit everyone! Check the daily Sail Canada reports below!

Dongfeng Race Team wins the Abu Dhabi –Sanya Leg 3. An impressive feat, leading from the first 24 hours to the finish, 23 and a half days later, 5,403 nautical miles sailed and eight different gulfs, oceans and seas.

Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad talked to Sail-World late in the race. He said: “I have a huge admiration for Donfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier.

First of all he is a very modest guy who probably hasn’t been given the credit he deserves so far in his sailing career and I think he was Franck Cammas’ first pick for Groupama for reasons.

Secondly what he did is something that I don’t know many other professional sailors would do; he undertook to coach group of complete beginners in sailing that don’t even speak English and bring them around the world.

We see others are trying to achieve this, Abu Dhabi and other countries are trying to get in. We see how hard it is to get one sailor on board and he has six that on rotation and he is bringing them all up to a high level.

25 percent of the crew didn’t speak English six months ago and hadn’t sailed across a little pit of water and for me it’s all about attitude and leadership and doing it the right way, and it is so promising for the future that we can put teams together combining really top skippers and experience with youth or Asian and new countries.

That’s going to grow the sport. I am absolutely convinced.”

In other VOR news, after a long trip by sea and land, Team Vesta Wind is in the shed in Italy for repairs.

Barcelona World Race started on the last day of 2014. A month ago now and the fleet is now well spread over very nearly 3000 miles of ocean. Bernard Stamm and Jean Le Cam on Cheminées Poujoulat have increased their lead, to beyond 200 miles once again, in the moderate conditions of the South Indian Ocean, ahead of Neutrogena, Guillermo Altadill and José Munoz.

GAES Centros Auditivos, Anna Corbella and Gerard Marin, remain constant in third place, at 600 miles behind the leaders.

All the best!

Guy Perrin and the Sail-World Team