Please select your home edition
Edition
Mackay Boats 728x90 TOP

Olympic, Cup and Vendee news—Sailing News from the U.S. and Beyond

by David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 30 Nov 2012
Charlie McKee (USA) racing at the 2009 Moth Worlds at Cascade Locks, Oregon Sean Trew (Pacific Fog) http://www.pacificfog.net/
In high-level One Design and Olympic circles, two-time Olympic medalist Charlie McKee has been named High Performance Director of the U.S. Olympic Sailing Program. In his new capacity McKee—who earned a Bronze medal in the Men’s 470 at the 1988 Games and a second Bronze in the 49er class with his brother, Jonathan, in the 2000 Games—will be responsible for managing all elements of the U.S. Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider’s on-the-water efforts, ranging from coaching to technical and youth development.


'Charlie is a proven winner in Olympic sailing as both a sailor and a coach,' said Josh Adams, Managing Director of U.S. Olympic Sailing. 'He brings a passion for Olympic class sailing and a high level of expertise in the boats we sail. Charlie is absolutely the right person to lead all performance aspects of US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider.'


For his part, McKee sounds thrilled at the opportunity and will no doubt bring a lot of energy and medal-winning expertise to the U.S. team. 'I’m honored to be a part of this effort,' said McKee. 'We plan to build on the good work that has been done previously, and work hard to give athletes the support they need to succeed in the increasingly competitive environment that is Olympic Sailing today. This includes a focus on technical expertise, high-level coaching and sufficient funding.'





Meanwhile, Armel Le Cléac’h, racing aboard 'Banque Populaire', has snatched the pole position in the in the nonstop-around-the-world-alone-and-unassisted Vendee Globe Race, followed in hot pursuit by Jean-Pierre Dick ('Virbac Paprec 3') and François Gabart ('Macif') as the pack of thirteen IMOCA 60s plunge south, towards the first ice gate. According to the latest reports, the fleet has separated into two distinct groups, almost creating two separate races as skippers struggle to hook into the furious Southern Ocean conveyer-belt ride.


As for the sailors, they are no doubt excited to reach the conditions that they all worked so very hard to experience. 'I feel like I am returning to my world! I like to sail in the very wild, very beautiful Southern seas,' reported Dick. 'I am wearing underlayers and soon, I will put on my boots.' And, knowing the French obsession with the Vendee, the leading sailors will also soon be pressing on as much sail cloth as possible, teetering along the edge of what most of us would call 'safe' and 'insane'. Get the full Vendee report, inside this issue.





And in Cup news, Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand have now completed their second day of racing on New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf, where both teams are training for the winter. According to reports, Luna Rossa has now joined the AC72-class 'foilers club', along with ETNZ and Oracle Racing, prior to their disastrous capsize in October. Interestingly, word has also hit the street that ETNZ plans to decommission their first-generation AC72 in a few weeks and will not be using it for two-boat testing once the new boat is launched in early February-talk about design confidence! Get the full AC scoop, inside, and don’t miss Kiwi team boss Grant Dalton’s thoughts on how the first phase of AC72 sailing has gone for his team.





Also inside, get the latest from the Extreme Sailing Series, which is holding their final event of 2012 next week in Rio de Janeiro; get the latest from the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, and be sure to check out the rules changes for the Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race.


May the four winds blow you safely home,

Rooster 2025Palm Beach Motor YachtsZhik 2024 December

Related Articles

The power of tech
What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it? What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it?
Posted on 2 Jul
Some thoughts on provisioning for distance sailing
A new perspective on provisioning and time spent at sea One of the great joys of distance racing unfurls the moment that the dock lines are untied. Suddenly, the myriad packing lists that inevitably define most trip-planning efforts become about as relevant as a tax return from eight years ago.
Posted on 1 Jul
Bill Guilfoyle on the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race
Bill Guilfoyle discusses the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race When it comes to offshore sailing in the United States, the biennial Transpacific Yacht Race reigns supreme for its distance and promise of off-the-breeze sailing angles.
Posted on 1 Jul
Jazz Turner completes Project FEAR
Drama right to the end in her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles Jazz Turner has completed Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin 27 yacht. A flotilla of supporters met her in Seaford Bay, which grew and grew the closer they came to Brighton Marina.
Posted on 1 Jul
One thing. One big, very fast boat
One thing that opened the door, another made us enquire some more - 50 knots! Yes. It was one thing that opened the door, as it were. One thing that piqued the curiosity enough to go, ‘I'll take a look at that!' One thing that when you're trying to crack in excess of 50 knots...
Posted on 30 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more...
Posted on 25 Jun
Harald Findlay on the 2025 Edgartown Race Weekend
A Q&A with Harald Findlay on the 2025 Edgartown Race Weekend When it comes to racing sailboats on the East Coast of the United States in the summer months, few places are as classic as the waters surrounding Martha's Vineyard's northwestern flank.
Posted on 18 Jun
Sailing and the summer solstice
Celebrating sailing and the longest day of the year If you love long evenings and early mornings, this is one of the best times of the whole year, as the summer solstice (Friday, June 20) and the entire rich expanse of summer are about to burst into bloom.
Posted on 17 Jun
Video Review: The Amazing Cure 55
Composite Construction meets Cruising Convenience It was two years ago at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show that I talked to Dave Biggar about his ideas and plans for the Cure 55. At the 2025 show I got to step on board the yacht and see how his ideas became reality.
Posted on 17 Jun
The Big Bash
Every summer the tournament rolls into town. A short format of the game. Fun and excitement abound. Every summer the tournament rolls into town. Local and international players. A short format of the game, run over a relatively compact six-week season.
Posted on 15 Jun