News / We Are Water closes the Barcelona World Race 2010

At 18:58:32 We Are Water crossed the finishing line of the Barcelona World Race, opposite the W Hotel in the Catalan capital. Spaniards and also Catalans Jaume Mumbrú and Cali Sanmartí, ninth placed in the rankings, have become the final duo to complete the challenge of the double-handed race around the world. As such, successful Barcelona World Race draws to a close, with nine of the fourteen entries that took the start of the race on the 31st December managing to finish in Barcelona.

Volvo Ocean Race / Team Telefónica returns

Team Telefónica announces today their participation in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. The company will sponsor Pedro Campos’ team for the third consecutive time. The latest generation Volvo Open 70, to be called “Telefónica”, is under construction at a shipyard in Valencia, Spain.

Credit : María Muiña/Team Telefónica

Velux 5 Oceans / CSM goes into stealth mode

British ocean racer Chris Stanmore-Major today informed the race management of the VELUX 5 OCEANS that he will enter stealth mode at 1800 UTC on Saturday April 2. His position will therefore remain hidden from the public and the other competitors for a 24 hour period. His last position from 1200 UTC April 2 will remain the published position on the race viewer until it is next updated at 1800 UTC on Sunday April 3. The race management will continue to monitor his position as usual every 30 minutes.

Barcelona World Race / MAPFRE: We Keep Going ! (ITW)

The message from MAPFRE this morning is loud and clear, even if the decision was a tough one to take: 'keep going!'

credit : BWR

Iker Martinez mailed this morning: "Xabi and I put off the moment when we had to make the final decision whether to stop or not for as long as possible, but here we go. The J1, one of the headsails we will use most in the Pacific, went into the water and although we got it back, we lost the hook which attaches it to the mast, and this sail is essential for the remainder of the race."

Barcelona World Race / HUGO BOSS reveal main track problem

Today the HUGO BOSS Sailing team announced that they have a major problem with their mast track, and reveal they have been unable to race under full sail for some time now.

credit : Hugo Boss

Half a metre of mainsail track was ripped from the mast several weeks ago on 28thJanuary, and the shore team have been working since then to form a plan for a repair to be made. The track has come away from the mast above the first reef, meaning that they have been unable to sail the boat to it’s full potential for over 3 weeks.

Barcelona World Race / Blood, sweat and tears

As the fleet spreads the rankings reflect less and less the true state of play on the water. It is inevitable given the different routes being taken and the fact that the entire fleet is well to the west of the direct route. Sailing away from the rhumb line is especially expensive, and conversely being closer to it is artificially rewarded.

The westerly course of Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart continues to be generally quick, gybing downwind in a band of wind pressure. As they go in towards the coast on starboard gybe they are running into better and better pressure, but sailing further away from the direct course, and conversely as they come back out on the other gybe they will slow but make miles.

Barcelona World Race / Hugo Boss races on without Alex Thomson

The couple’s baby Oscar, who was born 7th January, was further examined by medical consultants in the UK this morning (Tuesday) where they determined that his condition has stabilized.

Alex Thomson and his partner Kate have been advised that further close monitoring will be necessary over coming weeks.

Thomson has made the decision that he will not be joining HUGO BOSS in the Barcelona World Race as he had hoped following his recovery from an emergency appendectomy on 29th December.

Barcelona World Race / Alex Thomson has appendix removed this morning

Alex Thomson’s participation in his second Barcelona World Race was thrown into doubt at 1630hrs this afternoon when it was revealed that the British skipper had undergone an emergency appendectomy this morning (Wednesday).

Credit : Mark Lloyd

News / ALEPH-ÉQUIPE DE FRANCE confirmed as fifth entry for the 34th America’s Cup

ALEPH-ÉQUIPE DE FRANCE announced that it has been confirmed as an official challenger for the 34th America’s Cup.

“Representing one’s country is a huge privilege, and one more reason to be at the top of our game and not disappoint. In line with its strategy, ALEPH – EQUIPE DE FRANCE will continue to bring together French talent focusing on performance-oriented team players,” said Bertrand Pacé, team co-leader, in the team’s press announcement.

IMOCA / Hugo Boss arrives in Barcelona

They left Gosport, England into the teeth of an horrendous blizzard more akin to the Southern Ocean, and at times en route it was worse, so it was a slightly relieved and visibly tired Alex Thomson (GBR) and Andy Meiklejohn (NZL) who arrived into Barcelona at a little after 0115hrs (0015hrs GMT) this Wednesday morning to complete Hugo Boss’ delivery passage of some 2000 miles.

After leaving early last Tuesday morning, the duo - accompanied by four technical crew- had a ‘challenging’ but useful shakedown passage after Hugo Boss’ final refit in winds to 45 knots from every point of the compass. The British co-skipper, who finished second in the first edition of the Barcelona World Race when racing with Andrew Cape (AUS), confirmed that he is especially happy to have arrived in good time, in good shape. ‘ We have never been better organised or better prepared’ he remarked.

Barcelona World Race/ Central Lechera Asturiana is dismasted

The IMOCA  Central Lechera Asturiana of co-skippers Juan Merediz (ESP) and Fran Palacio (ESP) suffered a dismasting in the early hours of this morning off the Portuguese coast while they were on delivery from Sanxenxo to Barcelona.

Credit / BWR

News / Oman Air Majan Skipper Sidney Gavignet rescued North East of the Azores

As outlined in the last statement at 18: 30 CET (GMT+1), OMAN AIR MAJAN received substantial damage to the leeward front beam, and it is confirmed that OMAN AIR MAJAN has lost her mast. The port float is under the main beam; due to the serious nature of damage, and the uncertainty, the skipper Sidney Gavignet has made the difficult decision to abandon the boat.

 

Credit : Mark Lloyd / Oman Sail

Video / Morning update - Sidney Gavignet is heading to the azores

The Ultimate Class are sailing at speed and the front runners should arrive at the Azores on Thursday. Oman Air Majan remains the most northerly boat within the fleet, but Sidney is sailing at full power and maintained an average speed of just over 16 knots last night.

Credit : Oman Sail

Record / It's Official - 1 New World Speed Sailing Record and 5 New National Records in 1 day!

Alex Caizergues has officially set a new World Speed Sailing Record at 54.10 knots during his 1st run at 15h38 yesterday afternoon.

News / Oceans sprint start dates confirmed for Velux 5 Oceans

The VELUX 5 OCEANS is the oldest single-handed round the world yacht race. Run every 4 years since 1982, the race is the longest and toughest event for any individual in any sport. The VELUX 5 OCEANS is a series of five high-pressure ocean sprints within a marathon circumnavigation. In the course of the 30,000 mile race, the skippers cross five oceans alone.

Extreme40 / The Round the Island Race for the Ecover Sailing Team

Just two days remain until the J.P.Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. The Extreme 40's are the first start at 0500 as they take on this classic race, which will see over 1750 boats compete over the 50 mile course around the Isle of Wight.

There is a crew change for Ecover as Jonathan Taylor is competing abroad during this event, so Ecover has a new bowman in the form of America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race sailor Andrew McLean (NZL).

A promising beginning in Cowes for l'Hydroptere

The carbon bird is still in Great-Britain. After having reached 42 knots last Sunday in front of the Red Jet, the ferry connecting Cowes to Southampton, l’Hydroptère continued her high-speed sailing sessions in the East part of the Solent. A south-west wind established at 15-20 knots gave her the opportunity to achieve top-speeds at 38 knots.

Crédit : Photo : Wayne Corps - Hypersonic Photo