Super-close, super-tough racing; this year’s TP52 world championship saw some welcome new faces on the podium. 

The 52 Super Series and TP52 class got more positive feedback after the TP52 Worlds in Puerto Portals than we could hope for, even from this super-competitive fleet. The comfort of the marina and the shore facilities, the ever helpful marina staff, the perfect conditions on the water with racing on the bay that was less one-sided than usual, and also because the race committee showed great skill in picking the right times and places to race.

And of course the shiny fleet of 12 thoroughbred TP52s easily matched the glamour of the quayside parade of ‘bees and wannabees’ typical of every glitzy venue these days. It all seemed so easy… but in reality getting it right never is.

Part of the fun is that the racing is close, very close. It does not take much to slip backwards in this compact fleet and it is extremely hard work to come back up again. Nearly all the boats are now current designs and very similar in performance, upwind as well as down. Crowded mark roundings and tense crosses. With 13 crew, success requires good communication, practice, trust and confidence, as well as a certain amount of self-control to keep out of those grey areas where luck is needed to avoid a penalty… or worse, a crash.

The person calling the shots has to fully understand the style and character of the crew to which he is addressing his commands, as well as of the boats and teams around him, plus of course of the style of each umpire team. As in any sport a good umpire lets the game flow and communicates what is and is not tolerated by the decisions he makes early in the game. In yacht racing, with, in our case, four teams of two umpires on the water, more streamlining is required than in sports with one or two umpires sitting in judgement.

At the Super Series we do not just go through the ISAF list of umpires to find out who is available but have over the years built a core group who are not only familiar with the teams, but who also understand the spirit of our game. The job of the police is never easy, but policing strange turf simply does not work. Our chief umpire is Miguel Allen; he is the boss because the others want him to be and quite frankly because Super Series wants him to be too. Miguel decides the routine of the day, which umpires share a boat, positioning, pre-race instructions and so on. We have two fully qualified umpires per RIB, a step-up from one ‘student umpire/driver’ plus one umpire taking decisions. In our case the two only give a penalty if both agree, a split opinion is a green flag.

At regular intervals the umpire pairings are switched around, to keep it sharp and clean. As anywhere there are pairs who click and those who struggle to work so well together. The chief umpire must optimise his ‘materials’, so to speak.

The Racing Rules of Sailing are complicated, with endless options for interpretation and debate. In my humble opinion our rules are modified more frequently than in most sports. All for the best, of course, but our end-users are not the most avid readers and most education comes from trial and error and with it frustration.

Whether to have an onshore jury or on-the-water umpiring is a key decision. A jury is relatively cheap and you will have fewer ‘cases’. Umpiring will become integral to how you race, inviting you to request a call as part of the game… Going to the jury is rolling the dice and certainly requires skill in presenting one’s case.

In the end umpiring is the fairest and also the most popular option, certainly for close racing in big boats. It encourages less risk-taking and offers a feeling of being ‘protected’… much as the sight of a police car tends to slow down drivers. In the world of TP52 racing, hitting each other with two-million euro boats at 10kt+ is not the same as a few Oppies rubbing gelcoat. And for sure our racing is a lot closer than in the Maxis and Superyachts.

Most umpiring controversies hinge around whether two boats ‘would’ have collided. What is a tight but safe cross for the likes of Ed Baird can be a heart-stopper for even the most experienced ownerdriver; and I know that Ed himself is not always certain there is a clean way out of the maze he’s just entered… the difference is he rarely displays emotion because of his level of concentration and this can be unnerving to some. There is a rule, or rather a case (Case 50) that offers guidance on what is ‘too close for comfort’. But do not expect to find any ‘safe distances’… so debate is guaranteed.

In Case 50 it was ruled that if there is reasonable apprehension of a need to avoid a contact by the right-of-way boat, the give-way boat shall be penalised. But it is the umpires’ call whether the reasonable apprehension of the need to avoid contact was genuine… ‘Are they being presented with a Hollywood or are they witnessing a real concern?’

For sure the umpires can penalise even if there is no way the boats would have hit; in the case of a TP52, avoiding a contact by one or even two metres at 10kt is not safe, as there remains a grey area where the give-way boat is committed to the cross but if the call was not perfect cannot escape a collision without help from the right-of-way boat, or the execution is not perfect, or conditions change and slow the give-way boat or speed up her opponent. Any and all of this can certainly generate reasonable apprehension of the need to avoid contact…

Do not forget that racing a TP52 is about teamwork, and several seconds are still required by even the best teams to communicate a situation between the driver, tactician and trimmers. Possibly the answer is to sit down with your competitors and ask them to identify what for them defines too close for comfort. Of course there never will be a single answer, but between umpires and competitors it should be possible to achieve an understanding of where to draw the line between the sporting needs for racing this type of boat and keeping things safe.

To give an actual context, there were 42 umpire calls during the TP52 Worlds with 12 boats racing 10 races. That is an average of 4.2 flags per race. One first beat had three penalties… The conclusion must be that as the racing gets tighter so the teams are less shy of flying a flag.

Most calls were beyond doubt and accepted without complaint. Three calls led to onshore debate that was ‘stronger’ than the class manager likes to see. In which case, as the person responsible for the umpire team, I familiarise myself with the cases as much as I can (using video replays and so on).

For me it is key that all sides sit down together and take time to go through the case in detail. Where mistakes are clear this must be acknowledged and time spent discussing how to improve. It must be accepted that mistakes can and will be made. With more boats than we had before, we are approaching the need for a fixed structure for our debriefs – the bar is not always the best place.

In the case of a heavily contested call, it may be a good step to not only sit down with umpires and the penalised boat, but to get all the teams involved. That will stop it becoming one team versus the umpires, while the debrief also helps clarify why a team raised a flag in the first place.

Beside these ponderings, Alberto Roemmers’ nearly flawless Team Azzurra was crowned 2015 TP52 world champion, owner-driver Harm Müller Spreer and Platoon were runners-up and Ergin Imre’s half pro/half amateur Provezza crew saw things finally go their way for a very emotional bronze.

Azzurra’s average hit was under the 4th place per race usually required to win overall (3.6 average, one win). Platoon averaged 5th with three wins and then Provezza, also with three wins, scraping through to third on a tie-break with Rán (4th) and Alegre (5th).

Quantum Racing lost their crown in dramatic fashion with a dead last in the final race, tumbling from silver to 6th in a matter of minutes… yet still only 1pt worse than Provezza in 3rd!

Looking ahead, after Copa del Rey we move on to the 2015 grand final in Cascais. Meanwhile, another five-event European series is being finalised for 2016, with two new venues (Scarlino and Mahon) ending once again in Cascais, after which the boats will ship to the US for a repeat of the previous successful US 52 Super Series – of course including 2017 Quantum Key West Race Week.

Believe it or not, at the final dinner in Portals several owners were already committing to this one. My only concern is that by 2017 I am well into 65 years on this planet. Not getting any younger.

Rob Weiland, TP52 class manager

Click here for more information on the 52 Super Series»

A return to Sanya… and with plenty to discuss

The 2015 ISAF annual conference will take place in Sanya, China from 6 to 14 November where we will be joined by our MNAs, class associations, sailors, event organisers, boat manufacturers and many others. Sanya expects to receive more than 500 delegates.

Submissions
Over 200 submissions have been sent by numerous committees, MNAs and class associations proposing changes to existing policies or rules, as well as looking to introduce new ones. All submissions and topics will be discussed at committee, sub-committee and commission meetings.

The Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS)
This is the rulebook of equipment definitions commonly used in sailing and is updated every four years. This is the last year that modifications can be made before the 2017-2020 version is published. There are a number of submissions to the ISAF conference that include additional definitions for offshore sailing and yacht rating systems. Also there are new definitions for equipment that is commonly used in kiteboarding. If the submissions are passed by ISAF council in November they will generally widen the scope of use for the ISAF Equipment Rules of Sailing.

The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS)
At conference ISAF will consider a large number of proposals to amend the Racing Rules of Sailing for 2017-2020. This is the last opportunity to put forward proposals for the next book, with the final text available from July 2016. Proposals being considered include the simplification of rules for rounding marks, standardising the use of discretionary penalties (rather than automatic disqualifications) and important proposals to widen the scope of rule 69 to include support persons… and parents. ISAF will also consider a large number of proposals affecting the specialist disciplines of windsurfing, kiteboarding, match and team racing.

Top: 2014 Rolex World Sailor of the Year Jimmy Spithill (AUS) and Oracle crew press buttons wildly as they try to keep the team’s AC45F flying fast and level during the first Louis Vuitton AC World Series round in the UK. Ben Ainslie Racing won this first event, with only two races held due to the British weather…

The Disabled Sailing Committee
The newly formed ISAF Disabled Sailing Committee will be having their first face-to-face meeting in Sanya. Items to be discussed include the formation of the committee and necessary working parties, discussions about disabled sailing events, the development of the discipline, emerging nations, functional classification and race management. For the first time the chair of the Disabled Sailing Committee will have a seat with full voting rights at council.

Training and development seminar
This seminar welcomes delegates from MNAs who wish to focus on increasing participation and performance sailing. The seminar has previously featured guest speakers including Connect to Sailing Partners, plus presentations on key subjects including women in sport, the Sail Africa project, regional development programmes and potential links between schools and sailing venues. We encourage interactive discussion between MNAs and ISAF and welcome questions and suggestions in a bid to encourage the growth of sailing worldwide.

MNA forum
ISAF is enhancing this year’s MNA forum and is providing a platform where key personalities from the sport will present on a variety of subjects; for example, the ISAF Emerging Nations Programme, Evolution of Sailing, Paralympic Sailing. This will be followed by an opportunity for our MNAs to meet various stakeholders within the ISAF family and learn more about regional games, training and development as well as the Sailing World Cup.

ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year
ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year is the highest award a sailor can receive off the water, in recognition of outstanding sailing achievement… and voted on by their peers. Two awards are presented each year, the most outstanding female sailor or crew and the most outstanding male sailor or crew. Past winners have been drawn from most of the many diverse disciplines within the sport.

The 2015 awards presentation will be attended by the best sailors, regatta organisers and other eminent guests, while this year’s awards will see the introduction of live voting on the night to decide the final winners. This year also marks Rolex’s 15th year as title sponsor and one again the winners will also receive a prestigious Rolex timepiece.

Induction to the ISAF Hall of Fame
Sailing has a long history of men and women who over the years have made our sport what it is today. They push boundaries, achieve incredible feats, show passion and resilience and above all share a desire to succeed and move the sport forward. The Hall of Fame is an opportunity for the International Sailing Federation to recognise those who have made a particularly significant impact on our sport and there will be a further inauguration in Sanya…

Click here for more information on ISAF »

The Yacht Racing Forum 2015 will take place 7-8 December in Geneva, Switzerland. Now under new management, the latest edition will gather together key personalities from within the yacht racing industry worldwide: athletes, event organisers, sponsors, designers and builders, insurance and financial companies, specialised media and much more…

The sailing world is changing fast, and faces new issues that impact its participants as well as anyone involved in the sport’s organisation or funding, directly relating to – among other areas – general safety and the future commercial development of the sport. Indeed, flying boats, rigid sails, new events, venues, partners and sponsors are reshaping the face of the sport while raising many questions that will be debated in Geneva.

The 2015 Yacht Racing Forum is attracting key personalities from outside as well as within the yacht racing industry, as well as others who are involved or just interested in the business of yacht racing.

‘Our goal is to grow this event and to manage it with a longterm vision, in order to give our partners and exhibitors certainty about its relevance and sustainability,’ says event organiser Bernard Schopfer. ‘We have decided to offer very competitive delegate fees this year and affordable exhibitor costs to encourage companies and individuals to engage – representing every level of yacht racing, from local events right on up to the America’s Cup.’

British America’s Cup TV presenter Alec Wilkinson will be the principal moderator while Seahorse’s Dobbs Davis will chair the Design and Technology Symposium. ‘I am excited at being asked to host the Yacht Racing Forum,’ says Wilkinson. ‘There will be plenty of hot topics to discuss and we won’t shy away from the difficult subjects that the sport faces.

Sir Ben Ainslie confirms the importance of the event: ‘It is the only time in the year when we can meet other key stakeholders from the yacht racing industry in a friendly environment, away from the pressure of a competition,’ he says. ‘The organisers of the event, MaxComm, Bernard Schopfer and his team have been involved in top racing events for over a decade and I trust their ability to put in place a great event. I will be very happy to attend again in the future as and when my schedule allows.’

James Gradwell, who has been working in yacht racing conferences since 2008, is also part of the organising team and is determined to take the event to a new level this year. ‘This event is important for anyone involved in yacht racing,’ he says. ‘Designers, builders and engineers from various regions and cultures don’t have many opportunities to meet. The yacht racing world is moving so fast today that it is important to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and business to address the new reality.’

Geneva – a great location
While located in a landlocked country, Geneva punches well above its weight in international racing. Indeed, five Whitbread/Volvo race campaigns were born on the shores of the lake… plus Geneva is the only European venue with a sailing club that has hosted the America’s Cup (in 2007 and 2010).

Top: One area of the sport undergoing some major changes is match racing in general and the World Match Racing Tour in particular. The recent breezy Sopot Cup round of the Tour in Poland (far left) saw the overall win go to Nicolai Sehested’s Danish team ahead of runner-up Ian Williams (GBR) and Karol Jablonski (POL). Now under new ownership, next year’s Tour will see the first use of a multihull with the M32 cats confirmed for the Stena Match Cup 2016.
Below: Good times at a previous Yacht Racing Forum

Many of the latest technologies applied to raceboats have also been born on the shores of the lake, including the 3Dl and 3Di composite sailmaking processes and the now widely used TPT ‘thin ply technology’ for composite manufacturing.

Last but not least, Geneva plays a significant role in the funding of international racing with support from the successful businesses based in the region: private banks, luxury goods manufacturers, watchmakers, food and beverage suppliers as well as logistics and transport companies.

‘This rich local heritage makes a strong foundation for a successful Yacht Racing Forum in 2015,’ says event manager Bernard Schopfer. ‘The local economic support and longterm involvement in international yacht racing mean that many of the sports’ key players have strong links with Geneva and Switzerland.

‘We are pleased to see that we are on track to achieve our objective of creating a great platform for business for the wide range of people who are now involved in the sport we cherish.’

Geneva is easy to reach, situated at the heart of Europe. The 2015 Forum will take place at the Hotel Intercontinental; a prestigious venue located 300m from the United Nations, UNHCR, ICRC and World Meteorological Organisation… to name just a few neighbouring organisations.

Three conferences in one
The Yacht Racing Forum 2015 will be divided into three distinct conferences on Day One: Business & Marketing, Design & Technology and Risk Management & Safety. The first day will conclude with an evening reception that will provide excellent networking opportunities in a pleasant environment. Day Two will host a plenary session and focus on topics of general interest for sailors, event organisers, yacht clubs, designers and sponsors.

Yacht Racing Risk Management & Safety is a new conference launched this year. It aims to share information, best practice and networking in this vital area of the racing industry. Specifically it will focus on the legal and risk issues around team operations, event organiser liability, construction, sponsor requirements, intellectual property, logistics, surveys and personnel contracts.

The Design & Technology Symposium will once again focus on the latest developments and innovations within yacht racing. This will include a close look at the latest technology from the America’s Cup, safety innovations, foils and flying boats, rigid sails and new materials.

Last but not least, the Business & Marketing Conference will focus on all of the major commercial aspects of the sport: sponsor - ship, event organisation, marketing, communication, venues, yacht clubs… It is a must-attend event for regatta organisers, teams, venues, sponsors, clubs and agencies within the industry.

‘The new concept of the event, with three distinct modules, makes perfect sense and corresponds to the needs of everyone involved in yacht racing,’ says Route du Rhum winner Loïck Peyron. ‘I took part in the 2011 edition and it is an excellent memory for me. It is a great opportunity to meet people involved at all levels and in every area of the sport… ’

The Yacht Racing Forum is the only business-to-business conference that brings together the key players from across the yacht racing industry. The 2015 event will provide the chance to discuss the issues facing the sport and to share best practice. It will facilitate business development through quality networking with decision makers from all areas within the industry.

Click here for more information on Yacht Racing Forum 2015»

Matteo Polli’s 34-footer was an instant success story

ITALIA 9.98 FUORISERIE
Introduction

The concept behind this new 34-footer was a client’s desire to approach new racing challenges by downsizing from his previous 37ft cruiser-racer. What lent the project additional excitement was that the request came from Giuseppe Giuffrè, owner of the M37 Low Noise I, one of the most successful boats ever under the ORCi system, with three world championship titles, two European titles plus many national titles to his credit. The project also presented itself as an interesting challenge from a designer perspective, considering that smaller yachts are commonly disadvantaged in handicap racing.

Italia Yachts, a new and rapidly growing boatyard in the fast cruiser sector, embraced the challenge, creating an appealing product around this racing machine. The market requirements imposed by the yard added even more complexity to the project, introducing many important cruising and production criteria.