Of 52´s, Dalts on AC72´s, Vendee, Kitesurfing and more

by Rob Kothe & the Sail-World Team on 6 Feb 2013 Southern Cross Cup 2013 – a new 52 foot game begins - This Friday, the first round of the inaugural Southern Cross Cup starts on Port Philip. There are to be eight 52-footers in this Grand Prix challenge. Seven of them are the famed Transpac 52s (TP52) and then there is one invited vessel, Rob Date’s Reichel-Pugh penned, Scarlet Runner. This particular craft shares her hull design with the TP, Artemis, which is another vessel of the class that so famously charges around the waters near some of the Mediterranean’s most glamorous ports.

Emirates Team New Zealand's Managing Director, Grant Dalton spoke this week with Sail-World's America's Cup Editor, Richard Gladwell, after the team named their second AC72 - New Zealand Aotearoa.

Dalts elaborates on the new features on the AC72 catamaran, and the thinking behind them, along with an assessment of the competition and where they are ranked. First of a series of four with Grant Dalton, Kevin Shoebridge (COO on the shorecrew), Dean Barker (Skipper on the sailing aspects) and Nick Holroyd (Design Director).

Sail-World is increasing its prescene in Europe this year and will be for the water or the first European World Cup event in Mallorca.

The 44th edition of the Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Mapfre for Olympic classes is the first European ISAF Sailing World Cup stop and will be held from from 30th March to 6th April 2013. The regatta will include Kiteboarding as invited class. The kites will sail for the very first time in the most international regatta held in Spain, sharing the racing area in the bay of Palma de Mallorca (Spain) with the Olympic classes.

This year's Vendee Globe has been one of the most engaging. French skipper Jean-Pierre Dick crossed the finish line off Les Sables d’Olonne this afternoon at 15hrs 5mins and 40 seconds UTC/GMT to finish fourth in this famous solo nonstop around the world race, despite having to race the final 2 650 miles without a keel on his IMOCA Open 60 Virbac-Paprec 3.

Double winner of the two handed Barcelona World Race and three times winner of the two handed Transat Jacques Vabre Dick was one of the possible favourites to win the Vendée Globe but in the end had to give up his third place position he was holding when his keel snapped off on 21st January. As he sailed to fourth place Jean-Pierre Dick’s race revealed an inspiring mix of human fortitude and endeavour, sporting excellence and technical achievement.

Next across the line with be Le Cam and Golding,

Lots more news from the world and local scene, so we will get out of the pit and let you enjoy the news.