Highlights of what happened globally in the sport of sailing in the last 7 days.
More than 20 years after the historic meeting in New Zealand between the Amerigo Vespucci and Americas Cup boat, Luna Rossa, the "most beautiful ship in the world" and the team that will represent Italy at the 37th America's Cup have crossed their bows again.
We follow up to our report last week with the latest fly-past of the old and the new in sailing.
This is your weekly sailing highlights show, the World on Water, June 09, 2023.
Takashi Okura’s Sled team were top scoring boat over a testing day of shifting, light breezes on the Gulf of Follonica at the 52 SUPER SERIES Scarlino Sailing Week. The 2021 circuit champions sailed to a first and a fourth place, whilst their nearest title rivals so far this week, Quantum Racing powered by American Magic, faltered with a tenth in the second contest – the result of being over the start line early.
Day 5 of the Dragon World Championships in Bodrim Turkey saw a false start on Race 6 due to a massive wind shift on course sp the race was restarted in a constant 7 knots of breeze.
Filipe Silva, from Portugal, has won the 2023 Finn World Masters at Nea Iraklitsa, Kavala, Greece, after no more races were possible on Friday. Laurent Hay, from France is second with Peter Mosny from Slovakia in third.
While the weather remained hot and humid, low cloud prevented the sea breeze becoming established. The fleet was towed out to the race area and though the race committee kept the fleet afloat as long as practical there was no wind before the 15.00 deadline, so the fleet was towed back to the beach.
At least everyone here has become an expert in towing this week.
It has been a very difficult week for wind, with various weather systems across Europe in the past weeks, and only one day of the weather that was expected this week. However, there was not a sad face on the beach, or the bars or the tavernas. Every has had an amazing time and at the prizegiving, a promise was made to invite the fleet back in the future. There will be a lot of takers for that.
Just four races were completed, and Silva sailed very well to finish with just over one third the points of second placed Hay, never placing worse than fifth in the 145 boat fleet. However, there was no discard and that may have changed everything.
The prizegiving was held where the event started, back on the beach but without the threat of heavy rainstorms passing over, and on a warm sunny evening.
There were two Super Legends here this week with Howard Sellars from Britain placing 102nd overall to take the title from Jan-Eric Floren, from Sweden in 144th overall.
There were also 18 Legends taking part and this category is getting more and more competitive with sailors remaining in the Finn for longer than ever. Jiri Outrata, from Czech Republic took the title in 19th overall from Peter Vollebregt of the Netherlands and Finland’s Derek Breitenstein.
Antal Szekely took the Great Grand Masters, the largest age category group this week, while Laurent Hay again won the Grand Masters and Filipe Silva took the Masters category title.
Due to the threat of big thunderstorms only one race was sailed on Day 3 at the 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week. Quantum Racing powered by American Magic bounced back from a disappointing second race Wednesday, when they stole the Race 5 winning gun from under the noses of the Whitcraft family’s Vayu.
Now we go to this weeks' Sailing Illustrated where Tom Ehman discussed the breaking story out of the Newport Stop-over of The Ocean Race.
The final day of the World Championship in Bodrum saw early rain and no wind. Consequently, the Race Officer Nino Shmueli kept the fleet ashore until conditions improved. The fleet were released at 11.15 and Race 7 started around 1pm. Unfortunately, a 40-degree wind shift on the first upwind meant November (N Flag) was displayed. So, race abandoned.
The last two days of the 52 Super Series was action packed.
Ergin Imré’s Provezza team won their second title in a row today in Tuscany when they overturned nine points deficit over two final races to clinch the 52 SUPER SERIES Scarlino Sailing Week regatta victory, adding to their success in Saint Tropez, France just three weeks ago.
Towards the end of the Arhaus in-port race on the final lap it was the same from Biotherm with a perfect performance stretching the lead even further to take the win.
Meanwhile, 11th Hour Racing team took distance out of Holcim-PRB to the point that on the downwind leg at the top of the course there was an opportunity for Charlie Enright’s team to gain a place. But sailing low in an attempt to catch Holcim-PRB on the give way port tack slowed their progress too much and gave away distance.
Team Holcim PRB finished second, 11th Hour Racing Team third and Team Malizia fourth.
