2012 St Maarten Heineken Regatta

Atlantic Cup 2012 – Gearing up for the Race

CONCEPT

The project came from an owner wish to sail a “one off” racing boat fully optimized for Lake Constance ORC regattas after several years experience on an existing production boat. To achieve such a goal, we were able to use most of the latest technical tools, materials and design developments coming from previous racing projects experience. Because of the sailing location, light wind and flat water condition were always the driving performance factor incorporating an ORC VPP rating system optimization.

PERFORMANCE

High aspect ratio rig and appendages, keel bulb and carbon fibre construction are well know to give good sailing performances. However because of the light wind condition and rating system, developments were focus onto hull shape and crews position with an in-house CFD tool. No less than 18 configurations including 4 hulls type family were tested before the final design was chosen.

LAYOUT

The choice of a big open cockpit space allows a better deck hardware ergonomy and the low profile coach roof incorporated onto a large deck radius improve the running rigging layout and aerodynamic aspect. To achieve a clean deck looking aspect, sails purchase line system is developed below deck, insuring maximal control and minimum friction. The interior structure aims for a light and stiff solution as well as open space for crews and sails passage.

SUPPLIERS

Speedwave shipyard based at Lake Constance was in charge of the overall construction process, using in-house pre-wetted carbon fibre and light weight foam core. Hull and deck mould were fully milled in addition to bulb and keel parts. Rig and sail plan design in addition to tuning guide were developed in close corporation with North Sails and Southern Spar.

[Source: D35 Vulcain Trophy] For the second consecutive year, the House of Les Ambassadeurs gives its name to the Grand Prix which opens the D35 multihull racing season on Lake Geneva. This first stage of the Vulcain Trophy, presented by Business & Decision, is organized at the Société Nautique de Genève from May 4 to 6, 2012. During three days, the teams participating in the Vulcan Trophy, will take part in sprint runs in the Geneva natural harbour. 18 rounds lasting 20 to 30 minutes are foreseen if the weather conditions are optimal!

A new race format has been announced that will increase the suspense: a gate at the windward side of the course will open tactical opportunities to the competitors. Instead of always leaving the weather marks to port (on their left), the boats will have the freedom to round the windward or leeward top buoys (the left side one or the right side one), and consequently to choose to go downwind on the left side or the right side of the course. The purpose of this change is to increase the tactical possibilities and avoid “single file” patterns that occur when there is just one weather mark.

Spectators are invited to enjoy the breathtaking show of the racing machines in action, from the northern pier, while making the most of one of the most beautiful terraces in Geneva, situated in the splendid surroundings of La Nautique.

It will also be a great opportunity for fans to reconnect with teams and boats participating in the Vulcain Trophy 2012. Once again the owners and skippers have surrounded themselves with local and international specialists. To name a few: Pierre-Yves Jorand, Tanguy Cariou, Yves Detrey or Niels Frei on Alinghi, Eric Monnin and Damien Cardenoso on Grange & Co., Fred LePeutrec on Zen Too, the legendary Paul Cayard will strengthen the Artemis Racing team, Christian Wahl and Jean-Pierre Ziegert will be on board De Rahm – Sotheby’s, Boris Lerch is back on Veltigroup, Olivier de Cocatrix with Fred Moura on Nickel, and the awaited new crew on Ladycat with Yann Guichard at the tactics.

In 2011, the young team from the Centre d’Entraînement à la Régate surprised everyone by winning the first leg of the Vulcain Trophy in front of Alinghi and Artemis Racing. Let’s bet that this year, the stars of the circuit will have at heart to take control of the young guard on a boat renamed Realstone!

“Precision, pursuit of excellence, attention to detail, teamwork and innovation are values shared by the world of sailing and the one of Fine Watchmaking. The search for excellence and expertise are essential principles for LES AMBASSADEURS. Every day, in our four stores, we share this philosophy with our customers, in order to fulfill their dreams and emotions every time they enter the world of LES AMBASSADEURS” says Joachim Ziegler, CEO of LES AMBASSADEURS SA.

[Source: Mirabaud LX] The 2012 edition of Thomas Jundt’s experimental foiler, sponsored by Mirabaud & Cie since 2008, sailed with its new wing yesterday evening for the first time this season.

Thomas Jundt, Antoine Ravonel and Eric Gobet who make up the three-man crew reassembled the boat last weekend after a busy winter of building the wing and maintaining and improving the platform.

The Mirabaud LX rigid wing (similar to the concept since adopted by the America’s Cup) has been increased by 5m2 for 2012 as Thomas Jundt explains: “Last year, we concluded that the wing is a great solution, but unfortunately we under-sized our first one thinking that its performance would compensate for the surface area.” He adds: “In practice however, the wing is much easier to handle than a soft sail as it never flaps, so our goal with this new one is to have more power in order to foil earlier.”

Mathias Bavaud, a composite specialist based in Yverdon, Switzerland, led the wing modifications, increasing the wing area from the bottom. “Structurally, it was easier to do it this way,” says Thomas Jundt, who once again was in charge of the calculations. “The aft element cord has been increased from 1m to 1.3m, inspired by the AC45 wing profile.”

The first impressions after yesterday’s shakedown sail were pretty conclusive: “We went out, we set up the wing and we foiled!” says a delighted Thomas Jundt. “There is a lot of power in it. We didn’t trim it on too hard, as having seen the performance we will need to reinforce a few vulnerable areas, but overall we are very happy with this improvement.”

The 2012 Mirabaud LX goals are to set a number of Lake Geneva records: the kilometre record, the hour record and the ‘Ruban Violet’ (purple ribbon). The team will also race the Geneva-Rolle-Geneva, the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, the Six Hours of Nernier and the Versoix Double.

The shore crew has been bolstered with the addition of a weather boat that will collect data during the training sessions to analyse and improve performance. Philippe Baraud, a sailor and the co-founder of the Regatta Training Centre, will lead this project.

Following a successful shakedown sail on Tuesday, the newly-refitted Esimit Europa 2 yacht took to the waters of Valencia on Wednesday for her second day of training. The pan-European team kicks off its preparation for the 2012 season from her new home in Valencia, the former Emirates Team New Zealand base. Led by Jochen Schuemann and with a crew consisting of some of the biggest names in European sailing, Igor Simčič’s team has set an ambitious, long-term plan that could include two of the world’s top sailing events, the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race.

Our coverage of these two days of activities starts with a photo set from Wednesday’s training. Weather conditions were very good, corresponding exactly to what one would expect in early May in Valencia. Esimit Europa’s test sail took place under sunny skies, flat seas and a sea breeze that started at 6-7 knots and peaked at around 10-11 knots early in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, you won’t see too much action in today’s photos. The training plan, at least during the four hours we followed the European boat, mainly consisted of straight-line sailing, upwind and downwind, and a number of tacks and gybes, in order not to finish sailing in Palma or Ibiza. Add the flat seas and light breeze and the end result are photos that won’t take your breath away. However, conditions were simply perfect for the initial tests.

The 100-foot maxi headed north as far as halfway to Sagunto but the Artemis trimaran with her AC72 wing was nowhere to be seen. I hoped to see the two boats line-up, even if for a very short time, but it seems we will have to wait another day for that to happen.

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

Esimit Europa 2 in her second day of test sailing and training. Valencia, 2 May 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info

[Source: Vulcain Trophy] The season started last weekend with the first practice races in Versoix. Snow on the peaks, winter temperatures, rough conditions, strong wind gusting to 35 knots, kind of a good start… The official launch of the Vulcan Trophy presented by Business & Decision will take place the weekend of May 4-5-6 at the Société Nautique de Genève with the Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs. A great panel of fantastic sailors, with the presence of several international stars, and some exciting new features to the racing program…

More emotions: a new racing format!

A new racing format will be spicing up this year’s Vulcain Trophy. The organizing committee first decided to reduce the length of the regattas to only 25 to 30 minutes, to maximize their intensity. In addition, the race course also undergoes a significant change with a new windward gate (a passage formed by two buoys). So instead of always leaving the mark to port, the boats will have the freedom to choose to leave one of the two marks on port or starboard (on the left side or right side of the course). The purpose of this change is to increase the tactical possibilities and avoid “single file” patterns sometimes faced by boats before, when they had to all leave the mark to port.

More sensations: a new website and live reports on the web!
To allow fans to follow the action more closely, the www.vulcaintrophy.com website has been completely rethought. It now comes in two modes, classical and live. The live mode will be activated during the racing weekends with updates posted on the website minutes by minutes, supported by text and images. The news will be simultaneously published on our social networks, facebook and twitter. Be informed! Follow us!

More passion: renewed crews fighting for the trophy!

What are the news on the teams’ side? First: Dona Bertarelli is this year at the helm of a brand new team on the Ladycat, with new colors. On De Rahm Sotheby’s, Philippe Cardis hosts a new tactician, Christian Wahl, and a trimmer / skipper Jean-Pierre Ziegert, both great Geneva Lake specialists. Ernesto Bertarelli is, meanwhile, presenting the same team, more cohesive and efficient than ever. Fred Moura, Nickel’s helmsman and skipper, also remains faithful to his crew of Lake Geneva sailors. As for the CER, they confirm their ambitions loud and clear and the boat presents the new colours of their main partner Realstone. Also to be noted is the return of Paul Cayard aboard Artemis Racing with Tornbjorn Tornqvist, while Loïck Peyron is no longer part of the core crew of Nicolas Grange on Okalys Corum. Onboard Veltigroup, Marco Simeoni gives carte blanche to Boris Lerch who is surrounding himself with his former team from Cadence, while on Zen Too, Fred Le Peutrec is back at the helm, alternating with Guy de Picciotto.

Alinghi – SUI 1: Ernesto Bertarelli (Skipper, helmsman), Pierre-Yves Jorand (Main trimmer, performer), Tanguy Cariou (Tactician), Nils Frei (Trimmer), Coraline Jonet (Trimmer), Yves Detrey (Bowman), Claudy Dewarrat (Coach), Joao Cabecadas (Boat captain), David Nikles (Shore crew)

Okalys – Corum – SUI 2: Nicolas Grange (Skipper, helmsman), Eric Monnin (Tactician), Andrew Graham (Main Trimmer), Damien Cardenoso (Trimmer), Kristoffer Jonsson (Trimmer), Thomas Mermod (Trimmer), Fabien Froesch (Bowman), Cédric Pochelon (Trimmer, Bowman), Malko Pasteur SUI 46°16’ (Shore crew)

De Rahm – Sotheby’s – SUI 3: Philippe Cardis (Helmsman), Christian Wahl (Tactician), Guillaume Bérenger (Main trimmer, performer), Alexandre Quiblier (Bowman), Jean-Pierre Ziegert (Trimmer, Skipper), Nicolas Anklin (Trimmer)

Zen Too – SUI 4: Guy de Picciotto (Helmsman, Main trimmer), Fred Le Peutrec (Helmsman), Gildas Philippe (Tactician), Nicolas Berthoud (Trimmer), Bertrand Seydoux (Trimmer), Lucien Cujean (Trimmer, Bowman), Jeff Kerleguer SUI 46°16’ (Shore crew)

Realstone Sailing – SUI 7: Jérôme Clerc (Skipper, Helmsman), Bruno Barbarin (Tactician), Denis Girardet (Tactician), Arnaud Psarofaghis (Main trimmer), Cédric Schmidt (Trimmer), Christian Monachon (Trimmer), Thierry Wasem (Trimmer), Nils Palmieri (Trimmer), Bryan Mettraux (Bowman)

Nickel – SUI 8: Frédéric Moura (Skipper, Helmsman), Emmanuel Chomel (Main Trimmer), Olivier de Cocatrix (Trimmer), Alex Greenwood (Trimmer), Ludovic Bournisien (Tactician), Christian Roelofs (Bowman), Laurent Chatelanat (Trimmer)

Ladycat – SUI 10: Dona Bertarelli (Skipper, Helmswoman), Yann Guichard (Tactician), Billy Besson (Trimmer), Devan Le Bihan (Bowman), Arnaud Jarlegan (Trimmer), Emmanuelle Rol (Trimmer), Nicolas Débordes (Shore crew)

Veltigroup – SUI 11: Marco Simeoni (Trimmer), Boris Lerch (Helmsman, skipper), Quentin Freymond (Tactician), Alex Detrey (Trimmer), Sebastien Ravussin (Bowman), Pascal Lavarelo (Main trimmer), Philippe Gaudin (Manager, Helmsman), Yann Burkhalter (Shore crew)

Artemis Racing – SUI 12: Torbjorn Tornqvist (Helmsman, skipper), Paul Cayard (Tactician), Noel Drennan (Main trimmer), Franck Citeau (Trimmer), Sarah Gundersen (Trimmer), Gille André (Bowman)

Vulcain Trophy Program 2012
Grand Prix Les Ambassadeurs, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) – 4-6 May 2012
Open de Crans, Club Nautique de Crans-près-Céligny (CNC) – 26-27 May 2012
Genève-Rolle-Genève, Yacht Club de Genève (YCG) – 9 June 2012
Grand Prix de Versoix, Club Nautique de Versoix (CNV) – 8 et 10 June 2012
Bol d’Or Mirabaud, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) – 16 June 2012
Open du Yacht Club, Yacht Club de Genève (YCG) – 25-26 August 2012
Open de Morges, Club Nautique de Morges (CNM) – 8-9 September 2012
Grand Prix Grange et Cie, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) – 21-23 September 2012

[Source: PalmaVela] The heavyweights of the 2012 Mapfre PalmaVela regatta 115 boat fleet raised the curtain of the season`s first event today. Maxis and Mini Maxis, both racing in compensated time in the Maxi division, were joined on the waters of the world renown bay of Palma from 12:00 hours by the TP52 box rule class, which runs in real time.

20 to 22 knots nice westerly winds with gusts reaching 25 knots boosted Jochen Schuemann Skippered Magic Wave and Sir Peter Ogden`s Jethou up to the first position in the Maxi class. Both boats are tight in points after the former was second and first and Jethou first and second in today`s two races after times were compensated. Dr. Johan Killinger`s Emma finished third after two third places, whereas Peter Stas Alpina had to abandon due to a man over board incident which was soon recovered.

New build Azzurra of Argentinean Alberto Roemmers was the TP52`s class’s big news, but Guillermo Parada`s skippered box rule boat was beaten by the two 2011 builds in the four boat fleet: Quantum Racing and RÁN, with one win each in today`s two races, hence scoring three points respectively. The Swedish flagged boat, owned and helmed by Niklas Zenstrom, comfortably won race one and finished second in the second, whereas 32 America`s Cup winner Ed Baird skippered Quantum Racing did the other way around, a second place and a first.

Audi Azzurra trailed behind and could only manage two third positions, whereas a bad spinnaker drop by Gladiator in the opening race forced Tom Wilson`s skippered TP52 to abandon. That, together with a fourth place in the second race, leaves them at the bottom of the scoring board after day one.

Tomorrow the rest of the classes will come onto the stage but for Disabled Sailing which will do so on Saturday. The Soto 40`s had their practice day today and will start racing tomorrow with three windward-leeward races in the same race area -Delta- as the Maxis and TP 52`s. The largest fleets of the 2012 Mapfre PalmaVela regatta, the one of ORC and Vintage and Classic classes will run their coastal race tomorrow in the Alfa area whereas the J80, Dragon and Flying Fifteen will run three races in the Bravo Area.