Gearing up in Asia

08/11/2016

The latest sailing news from Asia and the world.
08 Nov 2016

Gearing up in Asia

Start 2016 Vendee Globe Les Sables-d'Olonne, November 6, 2016 Vincent Curutchet / DPPI / Vendée Globe ©

If you are old enough, and probably English, you will remember The Two Ronnies' introduction line - “And in a packed programme tonight...”

The Season has really started in Asia. In the last couple of weeks we have had the HK Optimist Nationals and Open, the Volvo China Coast Regatta, the Volvo Hk-Hainan race, the China Cup International Regatta, China Club Challenge Match, the eighth Asia-Pacific Sailing Culture Development (Dapeng) Forum, Puerto Galera All Souls Regatta, and the Busan Cup International Womens' Match Racing. Dongfeng Racing Team have declared an entry in the next Volvo Ocean Race, so there's a lot to read (below).

Overseas visitors get a crack at the wheel. China Cup International Regatta 2016. Guy Nowell ©

Internationally, the Vendee Globe race has started, and the mandarins at World Sailing are deep in discussion in Barcelona at their four-yearly conference at which a new President will be elected (or Carlo Croce will be re-elected). And for a bit of icing on the cake, no less than three Sail-World staffers have made it through to the top 20 of the annual Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Year Awards – Richard Gladwell (Sail-World NZ Editor), myself (Asia Editor) and Eugenia Bakunova (SW contributor).

Tribute to Guo Chuan. China Cup International Regatta 2016. Guy Nowell ©

We are deeply sad to report the presumed loss at sea of Guo Chuan, who was attempting to break the solo Pacific crossing record. Gou went missing on 25 October. His shore support team noticed a slowing down of the boat, and were subsequently unable to contact him on board the 97' trimaran Qingdao China (formerly IDEC 2). The US Coastguard found the boat sailing by itself some 600nm west of Hawaii, but there was no sign of the sailor. Guo sailed a Clipper Race (2006), was the media crew member on Green Dragon (VOR 2008-09), and set the record for a solo circumnavigation in a 40' boat (2013-14). Ian Walker, skipper of Green Dragon, described him as “the most determined man I have ever met”. I met him many times in the RHKYC boatyard when he was commissioning his boat for the solo trip in 2013. He was modest, quiet and unassuming, and will be sorely missed by the sailing community.

Standing by on 72.

Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia Editor

Top Chinese solo sailor missing on record attempt to cross Pacific
Sail-World.com,

The first Chinese sailor to sail single handed around the world alone, Guo Chuan has gone missing while trying to break the record for crossing the Pacific alone. He was a few days into a voyage from San Francisco to Shanghai sailing alone on a large transoceanic trimaran.... [more]

China Cup International Regatta 2016 – a view from the rail
Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia,

I have a love-hate relationship with the China Cup International Regatta. It is, without argument, the biggest big boat regatta in China. In fact, with a total of 131 boats in 10 divisions it is the biggest big boat regatta in Asia, and let's not quibble about regattas that include dinghies and windsurfers and use the number to boost the total - there's nothing under 28 feet racing here.... [more]

Annual Conference– World Sailing presents sustainable future for sport
Daniel Smith - World Sailing,

The sustainability strategy will define World Sailing's approach across three pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental and social and will support the new vision and mission, released on 4 October, which can be encapsulated in a simple message: sport, technology and nature in powerful harmony.... [more]

Vendée Globe – Skippers tell of tiring first day matching race pace
Vendée Globe,

A conservative opening to the race by Alex Thomson was the game plan agreed with his team by the British skipper. The requirement to sail fast thereafter, to try to outrun a predicted drop in wind pressure, was the second and much more crucial requirement over the first 48 hours of the 24,020 nautical miles solo race around the world. See on-board videos from several of the sailors... [more]

China Club Challenge Match Challenger Finals 2016 - fair's fair-
Al Skinner,

The China Club Challenge Match Challenger Finals kicked off on Friday 04 November in Xiamen, China. The event is now in its 12th year, and is the longest running regatta in China. After an earlier 30-strong fleet racing element, this weekend saw the last eight qualifying teams invited back for the match racing finals.... [more]

China back in the Volvo Ocean Race with Charles Caudrelier as skipper
Volvo Ocean Race,

China's Dongfeng Race Team will build on the all-round success of their race debut and return in 2017-18 for a second successive campaign under French skipper Charles Caudrelier, the team announced on Monday.... [more]

Vendee Globe – Overnight Thomson takes a podium position
Alex Thomson Racing,

As this group of IMOCA 60 cross the Bay of Biscay they are travelling through what some say is the most dangerous part of the race.... [more]

8th Asia-Pacific Sailing Culture Development (Dapeng) Forum
Suzy Rayment,

‘China embraces World Sailing' was the theme for the eighth Asia-Pacific Sailing Culture Development (Dapeng) Forum. Deputy Director of Shenzhen Municipal Administration of Culture, Sports and Tourism Han Xingyuan, opened the forum by saying “Boating is not just a luxury – it is a sport which can be enjoyed by all.” Southern China really does offer some of the best sailing opportunities in China.... [more]

All Souls Regatta opens new Philippine Champs Series
PGYC Media,

The Puerto Galera Yacht Club Regattas are unique in Asia and probably in the world. The events consist of one pursuit island race per day. Competitors are given their start time and the course to sail at a 0900h briefing each day. Classes race different courses on the first two days, and all race the same course on the last day.... [more]

Vendee Globe - Images from the start watched by 350,000 fans
Sail-World.com,

More images from the start of the Vendee Globe race which got underway at 1200UTC, watched by a crowd of 350,000 fans at Les Sables-d'Olonne on the western French coast. The six foilers made a good start in the early running in moderate winds and flat seas. The fleet looks like it will be off to a good opening week at least... [more]

Round the World racer rolls out Supermaxi conversion in Tauranga
John Roberson,

Ludde Ingvall unveiled major modifications to his former 90 foot yacht when it emerged from Southern Ocean's shed in Tauranga, New Zealand today. Ingvall, a former round the world yachtsman, world champion and record holder, has taken over a year to transform the yacht, from a fairly conventional 90 footer to a striking 100 foot super maxi.... [more]

Vendée Globe – A perfect start
Vendée Globe,

The huge legions of impassioned spectators, ashore and afloat as well as the 29 intrepid solo skippers who set off from the Les Sables d'Olonne start line at 1302hrs local time today (Sunday) were treated to perfect weather conditions for the start of the eighth edition... [more]

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race - Black Baza wins IRC Overall
RHKYC,

All boats have now crossed the finish line in the 390nm Category One offshore Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race. The smallest and final boat in the fleet from the IRC Racer Two division to finish was Kjartan Furset's Sunfast 3600 Ymir at 23:04:00 on Saturday night.... [more]

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race - Day 2
RHKYC,

After the arrival of Scallywag at 12:51:52 yesterday and their record breaking sail and Line Honours win of 23h 31m 52s, the next boat to arrive was Sam Chan's TP52 FreeFire. She sailed across the line at 20:19:54 cementing her position as first in IRC Racer Zero and second in IRC Racer Overall.... [more]

Who might win the 8th Vendée Globe-
Vendée Globe,

Will the new foiling boats, their technology really only race course tested over the last eighteen months, prove reliable enough to make it to the finish? With five top skippers on foils the consensus is that the winner will be one of them, if they make it to the finish.... [more]

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race – New record
RHKYC Media,

The previous race record of 25h 54m 33s was set in 2014 by Karl Kwok's TP52 Beau Geste. The new Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan race record now stands at an impressive 23h 31m 52s!... [more]

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race – And they are off
RHKYC Media,

Race Officer Simon Boyde set a committee boat start line to the north of the RHKYC main clubhouse at Kellett Island with the warning signal sounding at 1310hrs. Most boats seemed to favour the pin end of the line. It was only the 100ft super maxi Scallywag that favoured the committee boat end; possibly to make sure to keep clear of the other boats.... [more]

Two Sail-World Editors make the Top 20 in Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image
Sail-World.com,

Images from two Sail-World.com Editors have made the Top 20 in the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image for 2016. A frequent contributor to Sail-World, Eugenia Bakunova from Russia also made the Final 20 images for 2016. Online voting is still open for all images from the first cut to decide the The 'Public Prize', selected by the number of popular votes on Internet.... [more]

America's Cup - Oracle come close to a nosedive at 42kts in Bermuda
Sail-World.com,

Just over four years to the day after Oracle Team USA pitchpoled their AC72 in San Francisco, the America's Cup Defender have once again demonstrated how counter-intuitive foiling multihull sailing can be for sailors bought up on monohulls. In this video clip taken in winds of around 22kts on the Great Sound in Bermuda, with the team's AC45S sailing at speeds in excess of 40kts, they come close... [more]

Facts and figures about the Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe,

With more than 680,000 people visiting the VendéeGlobe Village since it opened, and with exceptional media arrangements around the world for the start, the Vendée Globe is truly an exceptional global event. The numbers tell the story.... [more]

Ten nationalities represented in the 2016-2017 Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe,

Four continents and 10 nationalities are represented in this edition. There are 20 French competitors, one New Zealander (Conrad Colman), one Spaniard (Didac Costa), one Hungarian (Nandor Fa), one Dutchman (Pieter Heerema), one Irishman (Enda O'Coineen), one sailor from Switzerland (Alan Roura), one Japanese skipper (Kojiro Shiraishi), one from Britain (Alex Thomson) and an American (Rich Wilson).... [more]

China Cup International Regatta– More action shots by Studio Borlenghi
Studio Borlenghi,

Studio Borlenghi has provided this gallery of images... [more]

China Cup International Regatta – Images by Studio Borlenghi
Studio Borlenghi,

Studio Borlenghi has provided this gallery of images... [more]

Raja Muda 2016 – defending champions are back
RMSIR Media,

The 2016 RMSIR also sees the addition of a new TP52 division with its own RMSIR TP52 Challenge Cup to boot. TP52 owners can opt to compete solely in the very competitive four-day TP52 Division event, or participate in both the full IRC Class 1 racing and the TP52 Cup.... [more]

Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race – starts Thursday 3 November 2016
RHKYC Media,

The Volvo Hong Kong to Hainan Race is a classic 390nm downwind passage to Sanya on the island of Hainan in southern China. It is the only Category 1 offshore race to finish in the People's Republic of China. The start line will be in front of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) Kellett Island Clubhouse, with the warning signal at 1310hrs.... [more]

Wanhang Longcheer wins the 10th China Cup International Regatta
Andy Rice, SailingIntelligence.com,

They said that the level of competition in the Beneteau 40.7 fleet has never been tougher, yet Wanhang Longcheer won the 10th China Cup International Regatta by a country mile. Of the 10 divisions racing in Shenzhen, the 25-strong Beneteau 40.7 attracts the most international entries and is widely considered the most competitive.... [more]

America's Cup - San Francisco Court dismisses case against Int Jury
Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com,

Matthew Mitchell (NZ) a member of the crew on board Oracle Team USA, was one of five crew named by the International Jury as being involved in boat meddling on the team's one design AC45 in four regattas in the America's Cup World Series in the years preceding the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco.... [more]

China Cup International Regatta – Day 3
Andy Rice, SailingIntelligence.com,

Tiffany Koo tore up the track on day three as the Malaysian skipper steered Hero Racing to a commanding lead in the battle of the big boats.... [more]

China Cup International Regatta – Day 2
Andy Rice, SailingIntelligence.com,

The 138 entries, from 38 regions and nations across the world, were hoping to get started on the inshore, round-the-cans racing on Friday but principal race officer Simon James was given little choice but to abandon for the day after the wind failed to materialise across Daya Bay.... [more]

Busan Cup Women's International Match Race – Östling secures the title
WIM Series,

It was cold, rainy, wet and not very windy, but yet an eventful and really exciting Friday on the waters just outside Haeundae Beach in Busan, Korea.... [more]

Black Baza outwits bigger boats at the China Cup International Regatta
Andy Rice, SailingIntelligence.com,

Anthony Root's Ker 42 custom footer outsmarted her larger competition in the extremely light and patchy breezes and managed to pick a way through the wind holes to take the winner's gun ahead of the bigger boats.... [more]

Spithill won tricky day at Busan Cup Women's International Match Race
WIM Series,

Australian long-time match racing skipper Katie Spithill prepared for her yearly Busan appearance by running a marathon. Her Wednesday on the waters outside Haeundae Beach was a bit less gruelling than that, with three straight wins and no losses.... [more]

Volvo China Coast Regatta 2016 – it's all about the scenery
Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia,

In the end, and just as the photography department had all but given up hope, the Volvo China Coast Regatta 2016 wrapped up with an islands course through the middle of the Ninepins group and all the way on to East Ninepin, and then back via Steep Island to a finish near Tung Lung Chau. Hong Kong sailors know these rocky features well – especially those who sail regularly out of Port Shelter... [more]

Volvo China Coast Regatta – Day 3
RHKYC Media,

With the north easterly breeze at 6-8 knots, it was decided to send the entire fleet on a windward leeward for the first race of the day.... [more]

Volvo China Coast Regatta 2016 – patience, and shuffle the cards
Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia,

The definition of a slow start to the day begins with an AP on shore, continues with multiple breakfasts, and moves on to a quick bit of racing with RC boats (just in case there isn't any other racing). Meanwhile, RO Inge Strompf-Jepsen had been out on the water since 0800h, and finally called down the AP shortly after 1100h. We've never seen a Le Mans start in yachting before... [more]

Volvo China Coast Regatta – Day 2
RHKYC Media,

With limited breeze in the vicinity of Middle Island, the AP was raised on shore at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Middle Island Clubhouse at 0740hrs. Shortly after, Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen and the race management team went in search of wind.... [more]

Volvo China Coast Regatta – Day 1
RHKYC Media,

The regatta got underway on Saturday in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Haima which brought Hong Kong to a standstill just 24 hours before; including the forced cancellation of the Regatta's Welcome Drinks and Skipper Briefing.... [more]

Volvo China Coast Regatta 2016 – Opening strokes
Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia,

This year's incarnation of the China Coast Regatta, with Volvo in the title sponsor's chair, got under way today in the vicinity of the Ninepin Islands in the eastern part of Hong Kong. Regatta Chairman Anthony Root noted in the event programme that “last year we tore up the old course book and created an entirely new set of courses. This year we have refined the courses...'... [more]

Send your regatta news and images directly to editor@sail-world.com

Stay up to date with the latest sailing news, as it happens, on our website www.sail-world.com/asia

You can unsubscribe from any or all of our newsletters here

If you are having difficulty with the above link, please copy and paste the link below into your browser
http://www.sail-world.com/subs/?sid=&pwd=&action=unsubscribe

Sail-World.com is operated by YY Online Services Ltd. registered in England no. 7895890
The George Business Centre, Christchurch Road, New Milton, BH25 6QJ, UK