Rolex Maxi, Mini Maxi, Volvo fleet assembling and Santander

by Dan Ibsen, Sail-World UK Editor on 2 Sep 2014 Welcome to Sail-World.com's UK e-magazine for September 2nd, 2014

Tall Ships Race 2014 - Fine weather on Sunday encouraged an estimated crowd of 100,000 to watch a flotilla of a thousand vessels accompany the Tall Ships as they set off from Falmouth in Cornwall.

The largest ship in the fleet, the 120 metre Polish ‘Dar Mlodziezy’ led a Parade of Sail out of Falmouth Harbour and headed west to the delight of thousands of spectators on the Pendennis headland and past the nearby beaches down to Swanpool. Then they sailed to their race start lines four miles offshore.

The international fleet of 44 ships and yachts is due to arrive in London on September 4 and 5 and moor up at points along the Thames for more public viewing. Greenwich and Woolwich will have their own long-weekend Tall Ships Regatta festivals on September 5-7. The finale is a second Parade of Sail down the Thames on Tuesday September 9.

Santander 2014 ISAF World Sailing Championships – Less than two weeks to go for the first starting signals in Santander in Spain, where all the Olympic Classes will sail for the World titles, as well as the Nations Qualification places for Olympics 2016.

Since the test event in Rio, many of the top sailors from all over the world went directly to Santander in order to prepare for the Worlds in the 10 Olympic Classes, where sailors from more than 70 nations will participate.

British Sailing Team only a couple of weeks ago came home from the Rio test event 2014 with eight medals in seven classes, double than any other nation – one gold, three silver and four bronze - so expectations are high for our sailors.

Sail-World.com – as the world’s largest sailing news website – will closely be following the event, classes, top sailors etc. – and we will of course be on the spot in Santander.

Sponsored by Rolex since 1985 and organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) and International Maxi Association (IMA), the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship, started on Monday in the beautiful waters of the Costa Smeralda.

The Costa Smeralda is blessed with one of the best race tracks in the world and at the start of the 2014 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship, it lived up to that reputation.

Read all about the race at Sail-World.com com during this week and see amazing Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup: A touch of Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup: Spectacular opening Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup: Day 1 pictures by Carlo Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup: Day 1 pictures by Jesus Renedo

One month to the start of Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015 – Vestas Wind, as the last of the seven VO65’s are now underway to Alicante as they left Southampton on Sunday after the late launch, testing, measuring, rescue courses and a couple of days training outside Isle of Wight.

On the way to Alicante, Spain they will do their 2000 miles qualifier with the new crew, which has now also been announced and includes five VOR veterans and three younger elite sailors who will do their first round-the-worlds-race. Chris Nicholson is confident that they will have a competitive team and will be able to fight for the podium places.

Several of the other VO65’s are already in Alicante, among those Brunel and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing; The latter recently became the fastest monohull boat ever in 2014 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, beating four of the other VO65’s and setting a new world record in the race.

Brunel chose to continue training on Lanzarote, and went directly from the beautiful island to Alicante, where they now have 30 days for the final preparations for the adventure.

Stay tuned for more VOR news on Sail-World.com the next month up to the start on October 4th in Alicante, Spain.

Stay tuned with the latest sailing news, as it happens, on our websites www.sail-world.com/uk and www.sail-world.com/europe - Read more about EFG Moth Euro Cup at Wittensee, Alex Thomson’s new Hugo Boss and PWA Alacati World Cup.

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Good Sailing,

Dan Ibsen, Sail-World UK Editor
dan.ibsen@sail-world.com