| The latest sailing news from New Zealand and the world. |
27 Feb 2017 |
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  Conrad Colman finishes Vendee Globe..Yamaha fires up in Sydney 18fters
 | | Conrad Colman after the finish of the Vendee Globe in Les Sables dÓlonne on February 24, 2017 © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
Welcome to Sail-World.com's New Zealand e-magazine for February 27, 2017
Not a lot new on the America's Cup scene in the latter half of the week.
Artemis Racing launched their AC50 mid-week, but as yet have not posted sailing shots - and currently there are just three AC50's sailing of the six teams in the regatta. Softbank Team Japan have also unveiled their AC50.
Emirates Team NZ sailed for one day this week, and are back into it today - light winds probably not helping their cause. Our guess is that they are in a serious development phase, having confirmed the merits of pedal power and checked that it is delivering the expected power on the water.
 | | - Softbank Team Japan AC50 is christened in Bermuda SoftBank Team Japan |
From the research and analysis, we have done over the past week, it is very difficult to understand why the other teams did not go down the cycle trail.
The advantages are numerous, and it is hard to find a downside. Claims of it being more cumbersome during tacks and gybes are a little hard to quantify - without formally checking it out on a boat. Bear in mind too, that the sailor that flipped off the crossbeam during a tack, did so on an AC50 that used conventional pedestals not pedalstals.
New Zealand sailors have turned in a couple of very creditable achievements over the past couple of days.
 | | Conrad Colman after the finish of the Vendee Globe in Les Sables dÓlonne on February 24, 2017 © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
Against all odds, Conrad Colman has finished the Vendee Globe. In the last few days, he hooked into a more favourable weather pattern and was able to get Foresight Natural Energy to sail at more than walking pace to the finish in Les Sables d O'lonne.
Although he crossed the finish line in 16th place, with two boats yet to finish, Colman became the first New Zealander to finish the Vendee Globe - certainly the world's most challenging solo sailing race, and arguably the toughest race in the world.
Before he broke his mast 300nm off the Portuguese coast two weeks before he finished, Colman was lying in 10th place and was in the front group of the older IMOCA60's, given that many ahead of him were fitted with the DSS foiling system and were very serious professional campaigns with well-funded design and support teams.
Not only was Colman the first New Zealander to finish the Vendee Globe, but he was also the first sailor in the history of the Vendee Globe to finish using only renewable energy resources. That should be a very significant benchmark for the rest of the sailing world right from trans-ocean racers down to recreational cruising sailors.
 | | Conrad Colman finishes the Vendee Globe in Les Sables dÓlonne on February 24, 2017 © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
Colman used an electric engine on his boat, and with the advances being made with electric motors in cars, it cannot be too long before the technology comes into marine applications - the same as early yacht auxiliaries were petrol motors, often taken out of cars, and marinised.
The third very significant aspect of Foresight Natural Energy's race was the superhuman effort that went into the recovery from his dismasting. Racing over 700nm under jury rig does not have too many parallels in the sport.
Perhaps Ceramco New Zealand's effort in the 1981/82 Whitbread Race is the closest - but Peter Blake had a full crew of 11 very accomplished sailors. Colman was alone.
We have been documenting Conrad Colman's ups and downs throughout this race, and particularly the last fortnight - where we ran twice daily coverage - attracting substantial reader following.
 | | Conrad Colman after the finish of the Vendee Globe in Les Sables dÓlonne on February 24, 2017 © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
Were to from here? Colman has a natural advantage with his ability to speak both French and English in the context of a race which pulls massive following in France, and which suffers in many ways from its strong French language focus and doesn't cross-over that easily into the English-speaking world.
Colman has obviously proved that he can get around the course in a race where the attrition rate is typically about 50%.
Plus he has an amazing story to tell from the current race, and one that sponsors should be only too pleased to associate themselves with from a product and staff motivation perspective. Again his fluency in French and English is a key attribute to getting the message across.
In Conrad Colman, has New Zealand found its next Peter Blake?
 | | - Race 2 - 2017 JJ Giltinan Trophy 18ft Skiff Championship, February 26, 2017 Michael Chittenden© |
Over the Ditch, the New Zealand 18ft skiff crew on Yamaha NZ are making their mark in the JJ Giltinan Trophy - the pinnacle event in 18ft skiff sailing.
With two races sailed, Yamaha has scored two very good wins - one coming from behind in very difficult Sydney harbour conditions, and the second an end to end win where Dave McDiarmid, Matt Steven, and Brad Collins gave the fleet a sailing lesson right of the start line.
 | | Start SSANZ Two Man Round North Island race Auckland. February 16, 2017 © Richard Gladwell |
New Zealand has not won the JJ's since 1974 in Auckland, that's around 43 years - a long time between drinks. A New Zealand crew has never won the event in Sydney - the home stadium of 18ft skiff sailing.
Yamaha has in fact now won four races on the trot in Sydney - having won the final two races in last year's series which took them to within a point of the overall victory.
Certainly, they have a very good No. 2 rig which seems to have a lot of versatility through a big wind range and with a good crew weight. Yamaha NZ is capitalising on that advantage. If the wind goes light for the rest of the series, it could turn into the usual Sydney harbour crap-shoot, but right now Yamaha NZ is off to a great start.
We are featuring interviews with Dave McDiarmid after each day of racing - stay tuned to Sail-World.com for the latest news.
And if you are thinking of getting some Yamaha power into your boat - then you have until tomorrow to do it and take advantage of Yamaha's great Cashback offer - which expires on February 28, 2017.
 | | Junior Sail Auckland - February 25-26, 2017 LiveSailDie |
Follow all the racing and developments in major and local events on www.sail-world.com, scroll to the bottom of the site, select New Zealand, and get all the latest news and updates from the sailing world.
Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor
sailworldnzl@gmail.com
Please forward news stories and images these directly to Sail-World NZ using our new very easy to use submission system, or forward to the email address: sailworldnzl@gmail.com as text in the email and attach images in the standard way for emails.
To subscribe to Sail-World.com's NZ e-magazine published two or three times weekly has finished www.sail-world.com and click on Newsletter and Subscribe. You can see previous newsletters by clicking on Newsletter and then Archive from the drop-down menu.
If you are a potential advertiser and want to understand how Sail-World can work for your company, website or product, then drop a line to Colin Preston at nzsales@sail-world.com
If you want to contact Richard Gladwell directly email: sailworldnzl@gmail.com or call (+6421) 301030
Don't forget to check our website www.sail-world.com, at the top of the page, select New Zealand, and get all the latest news and updates from the sailing world.
Follow all the racing and developments in major and local events on www.sail-world.com, scroll to the bottom of the site, select New Zealand, and get all the latest news and updates from the sailing world.
Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor
sailworldnzl@gmail.com
Please forward news stories and images these directly to Sail-World NZ using our new very easy to use submission system, or forward to the email address: sailworldnzl@gmail.com as text in the email and attach images in the standard way for emails.
To subscribe to Sail-World.com's NZ e-magazine published two or three times weekly go-to www.sail-world.com and click on Newsletter and Subscribe. You can see previous newsletters by clicking on Newsletter and then Archive from the drop-down menu.
If you are a potential advertiser and want to understand how Sail-World can work for your company, website or product, then drop a line to Colin Preston at nzsales@sail-world.com
If you want to contact Richard Gladwell directly email: sailworldnzl@gmail.com or call (+6421) 301030
Don't forget to check our website www.sail-world.com, at the top of the page, select New Zealand, and get all the latest news and updates from the sailing world.
 | | Carnage - Race 1 - 2017 JJ Giltinan Trophy 18ft Skiff Championship, February 25, 2017 Michael Chittenden© |
 | | Yamaha and Thurlow Fisher - Race 1 - 2017 JJ Giltinan Trophy 18ft Skiff Championship, February 25, 2017 Michael Chittenden© |
 | | Rohan Veal's MC31, 38 South Racing, as sponsored by Zhik. - 2016/17 Club Marine Series Alex McKinnon © |
 | | Start SSANZ Two Man Round North Island race Auckland. February 16, 2017 © Richard Gladwell |
 | | Junior Sail Auckland - February 25-26, 2017 LiveSailDie |
 | | Race 2 - 2017 JJ Giltinan Trophy 18ft Skiff Championship, February 26, 2017 Michael Chittenden© |
 | | Race 2 - 2017 JJ Giltinan Trophy 18ft Skiff Championship, February 26, 2017 Michael Chittenden© |
 | | Day 1 – Lexus Flying 15 World Championship - Lexus Flying 15 World Championship © Jonny Fullerton |
 | | Conrad Colman finishes the Vendee Globe in Les Sables dÓlonne on February 24, 2017 © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
 | | Conrad Colman speaking after his finish in the Vendee Globe in Les Sables dÓlonne on February 24, 2017 © Conrad Colman / Foresight Energy / Vendée Globe |
 | | - Softbank Team Japan AC50 is christened in Bermuda SoftBank Team Japan |
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