In This Issue
• Beccaria wins The Transat CIC in Class40
• RORC North Sea Race | Extra Djinn Triumph
• Job Opportunity: Technical Specialist at World Sailing
• Marina Portoroz Melges 24 Regatta
• Perpetual motion - Future Fibres
• Don Street Jnr 1930 - 2024
• Early verdict on the latest AC75
• Is this the slipperiest America's Cup boat in the fleet?
• French 2022 Round Ireland Race Winners 'Fastwave' To Defend Title
• Featured Charter: First 40 - Flying Cloud
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Swan 65-103 'Kimmora'
• • ORC 37 - "Katariina"
• • Fujin - 2015 Custom Bieker 53’ Catamaran
• • J/99 - Calypso
• • Antares
• The Last Word: Jack Kerouac
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to
Italy’s Ambrogio Beccaria wins The Transat CIC in Class40
Italy’s Ambrogio Beccaria on his all Italian designed and built Musa 40 Alla Grande Pirelli added the hugely prestigious Transat CIC Class 40 title to his steadily growing collection of solo and short handed ocean racing honours when he crossed the line of the historic race at 03:47:55 hrs (CET/Italy. 23:47:55hrs local NYC) in first place, ending an incredible head to head, a battle of nerves and skill, with France’s Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel) a greatly respected friend, rival and former co-skipper. His elapsed time is 11d 16h 17m 55s
For the 32 year old Milanese solo racer victory on this iconic 3,900 nautical miles race across the North Atlantic from Lorient to New York is his third major Transatlantic success, adding to his formative 2019 MiniTransat win and last year’s Transat Jacques Vabre two handed victory with French co-skipper Nicolas Andrieu.
In his debut year with the slippery, powerful Gianluca Guelfi and Fabio D’Angeli design he finished second on the 2022 Route du Rhum and was only denied the win by Yoann Richomme, winner on Tuesday of the IMOCA class on this famous race which was first contested in 1960 as the Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race. Beccaria’s Italian triumph follows the pioneering Class 40 success of Giovanni Soldini, who had an outstanding win in 2008.
Ambrogio’s Win In Numbers
Finish time: 03:47:55hrs (UTC) 23:47:55hrs local NYC
Race time: 11 days, 16 hours, 17 minutes, 55 seconds
Distance sailed: 3280.06 nautical miles
Average speed (on the Great Circle): 10.52 knots
Actual average speed: 11.70 knots
RORC North Sea Race | Extra Djinn Triumph
Start: Friday 10 May, 2024
Harwich - Scheveningen (148nm)
The RORC North Sea Race dates back almost 80 years, the 2024 edition had 53 boats racing from Harwich to Scheveningen. The overall winner under IRC was Michel Dorsman’s X-362 Extra Djinn, second was J/122 Ajeto! raced double handed by Robin Verhoef & John van der Starre. Third overall was Willem Ellemeet’s Dufour 40 Flying Dolphin.
Congratulations to all of the Class Winners including Frederic de Visser’s VO65 NextGen, Ker 46 ROST Van Uden, skippered by Gerd-jan Poortman, Otto Waterlander’s Swan 45 Emotions, and Will & Jenny Taylor-Jones S&S 40 Sunstone.
2024 North Sea Race Results
The RORC Race Team set a course of approximately 148 nautical miles for the North Sea Race via Smith’s Knoll Buoy. The start was delayed by one hour waiting for the wind to stabilize. The vast majority of the race was held in a cold easterly gradient breeze, upwind in foggy conditions across the North Sea. Thankfully the sun shone for the prize giving at the Yacht Club Scheveningen!
The overall winner under IRC was Michel Dorsman’s Extra Djinn
Last year’s overall winner was runner-up this year. J/122 Ajeto! raced by Robin Verhoef & John van der Starre also won IRC Two and IRC Two-handed.
The RORC Season’s Points Championship continues with the De Guingand Bowl Race starting from Cowes on May 18th. The flexi-course of about 110 nautical miles will start and finish in The Solent. The De Guingand Bowl Race is also the first race of the 2024 IRC Two-Handed National Championship. -- Louay Habib/RORC
Job Opportunity: Technical Specialist at World Sailing
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide technical support to equipment manufacturers and World Sailing classes.
- Manage Class Rules and Building Specification changes.
- Perform international equipment and documentation reviews at manufacturing sites.
- Oversee global production control and track certifications.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Strong knowledge of sailing equipment, performance factors, manufacturing processes.
- Experience in quality control and data analysis.
- Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.
- Willingness to travel internationally and work flexible hours.
- Proficiency in MS Office; CAD and metrology skills are a plus.
Why Join Us?
- Be a part of a global organization shaping the future of sailing.
- Contribute to sustainability initiatives within the sport.
- Work in a dynamic, challenging, and rewarding environment.
- Collaborate with experts in the field and make a lasting impact on sailing worldwide.
Apply by sending your resume and cover letter to
For more info visit World Sailing - Career Opportunities
Marina Portoroz Melges 24 Regatta
Portoroz, Slovenia: It’s Peter Karrie’s Nefeli who takes the honor of winning the traditional Marina Portoroz Melges 24 Regatta, the second event of the 2024 Melges 24 European Sailing Series organized by Yacht Club Marina Portoroz in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association. Impressive second place for the youth team of Strambapapa with Leonardo Centouri at the helm, awarded as the best Corinthian team in Portoroz the weekend of May 10-12.
Despite initial weather concerns, PRO David Bartol successfully executed two races on Sunday afternoon, capitalizing on a brief window of Mistral winds ranging from 6 to 8 knots.
After waiting for one and a half hours, the sailors were anxious to start and had two attempts with a general recall. Black Flag preparatory flag on the third attempt, kept the starting line clean. Croatian Razjaren of Ante Cesic commanded the race from the beginning up to the end to cross the finish line first, tightening the gap with Nefeli still in the lead. But Nefeli, trailing in the heels of Razjaren, took the second and a great satisfaction for the Croatian team Cro-A-Sail with Miroslav Reljanovic at the helm, finishing third.
As the Marina Portoroz event drew to a close with smiles and celebrations, anticipation now turns to the upcoming Melges 24 Austrian Open Championship on Lake Attersee on May 24-26, promising another nice traditional sailing event.
Overall Top 5 after 8 races and a discard:
1. Nefeli - Peter Karrie, GER, 17
2. Strambapapa (COR) - Leonardo Centouri, ITA, 34
3. Chinook (COR) - Akos Csolto, HUN, 36
4. Razjaren - Ante Cesic, CRO, 46
5. White Room (COR) - Michael Tarabochia, GER, 47
Top 5 Corinthian teams after 8 races and a discard:
1. Strambapapa - Leonardo Centouri, ITA, 34
2. Chinook - Akos Csolto, HUN, 36
3. White Room - Michael Tarabochia, GER, 47
4. Zhik Race Team - Miles Quinton, GBR, 50
5. Vertigo - Antonio Masoli, ITA, 71
melges24.com/europeansailingseries
Perpetual motion - Future Fibres
A sailing boat is an object in motion. The boat itself moves, the sails are moving, ropes are running in all directions. Sometimes the movements are small, sometimes they are big. But to some degree, everything is moving – all the time. This obviously has consequences, and one of them is called chafe. World leading manufacturer of composite rigging, Future Fibres, has completed a multi-year research programme on chafe damage characterisation and mitigation, the outcome of which aims to improve the abrasion resistance properties of the materials currently used in modern composite rigging.
In recent years, chafe issues have become substantially more serious, especially in the high-performance sector of the industry.
Full article in the June issue of Seahorse
Don Street Jnr 1930 - 2024
The Master of Glandore. The late Don Street in full flow at a 21st Century Glandore Harbour YC awards ceremony, hitting the usual interesting dress-style note with a tweed jacket in high summer rather than his customary reefer. Credit: GHYC. Click on image to enlarge.
He was a one-man universe at such a level that he successfully lived with the contradiction of his total rejection of his banking family’s assumption that he would follow their traditional career path into what he disdained as “the canyons of New York”. For in his prime at a well-advanced age, he was running a miniature conglomerate involved in sail charter, nautical journalism, ocean sailing instruction, cruising guides and their on-site research by sea, with chart publication and correction to such a high level that he was consulted by the Hydrographer of the Royal Navy.
Additionally, “Street Inc” provided insurance consultancy and brokerage with sail and rig design and manufacture plus many other activities, each of which on its own might have fully pre-occupied a more ordinary man.
Whatever he was, “ordinary” he was not.
WM Nixon's full tribute to the great man in Afloat
Cup Spy : Luna Rossa coach gives early verdict on the latest AC75
Luna Rossa, the Challenger for the 2021 America's Cup sailed for the fourth successive day from Cagliari, Sardinia. While the Kiwis resumed their AC40 race training on a beautiful, but cold day on the Waitemata Harbour.
What happened in the Cup - May 9, 2024:
- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Sailed their AC75 raceboat for the fourth successive day, off the base in Sardinia.
- Emirates Team New Zealand: Stopped sailing on May 1. Is now backing their AC75 for Barcelona - expected to resume sailing in early July. They resumed what coach Ray Davies says will be an intensive sailing block pitching their AC75 crew against a training crew. The Youth and Womens America's Cup teams will also be training in the AC40s in this block.
- Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Did not sail, but has sailed five days out of nine in May.
- American Magic: Launched their AC75 on May 7, and had a day off the water, after yesterday's pleasing session.
- Orient Express Racing Team: No AC37 Recon Team report. A launch date has yet to be publicly advised for their AC75 raceboat.
- INEOS Britannia: Stayed off the water - having sailed on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
Richard Gladwell's full commentary in Sail-World.com
Is this the slipperiest America's Cup boat in the fleet?
There's plenty to suggest that American Magic's AC75 'Patriot' is the most refined aerodynamic package so far and if that's the case the team's new machine could be the lowest drag Cup boat out there.
But why have the Americans decided to go down this route and be so obsessive about drag and at what cost?
Matt Sheahan takes a look at the new Patriot.
planetsail.co.uk
Matt Sheahan's blog
French 2022 Round Ireland Race Winners 'Fastwave' To Defend Title
Fastwave, the French 2022 winner of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race, is returning to defend its title. The addition of SL Energies Groupe Fastwave to the race has bolstered the already strong line-up.
Skipper Laurent Charmy will sail his J/111 in the 704 nautical mile offshore race on June 22nd and is looking to claim back-to-back wins.
Charmy had recently been racing in the second edition of the Cap-Martinique on his all-new Sunfast 30 OD double. Unfortunately, the team had to retire after two days of sailing while heading for Fort-de-France in Martinique.
It's yet another accolade for the Irish offshore classic, which also features a strong UK presence in the current 41-boat fleet with the Sunfast 3600 winners of this season's RORC Cervantes and Myth of Malam Trophy races coming to Wicklow.
As Irish offshore campaign preparations continue apace for the Round Ireland in just over six weeks time, ISORA boats are racing this weekend in the first cross-channel race of the season from Dun Laoghaire to Pwhelli, North Wales.
Featured Charter
The Beneteau First 40 is a yacht that many would describe as the ultimate racer/cruiser. With its uncluttered deck layout, spacious cockpit and well fitted out interior, the First 40 offers you not just speed but comfort.
The First 40 has proved itself over the years but notching up impressive race results and is a firm favourite for those looking to charter. Great for novice crews but also a very popular boat with the more experienced teams looking to push for silverware
The hull, rig and appendages were configured to achieve the best performance versus handicap for racing under IRC. These specific IRC-oriented design features include an undistorted hull shape with powerful ends to quickly maximize sailing length when heeled; a large, non-overlapping headsail rig and a “T” keel for high stability and low drag. The rig also includes large masthead spinnakers for excellent downwind performance.
See listing details in Seahorse Charters
Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 (0) 20 3920 6261
Email:
See the the Seahorse charter collection
Featured Brokerage
The Swan 65 is a particularly seductive modern performance cruiser featuring many ‘big boat’ features and accommodation which rivals larger yachts. Kimmora is an ‘Owner-Aft’ example which has been particularly highly specified, with keen attention to short-handed family sailing.
See listing details in Nautor Swan Brokerage
Contact
Lorenzo Bortolotti
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"Katariina" is a proven ORC racer that was a custom build for her experienced owner.
2018 ORC Europeans Champion shows this boat has what it takes to win ORC Class C.
Top spec hardware used throughout the yacht and huge optimization including a new hull designed to meet the newest ORCi rules in 20
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Race Boats
+447759 424900
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Professionally maintained and in excellent sail-away condition, FUJIN is a custom 53’ all-carbon catamaran designed for the thrill-seeking adventurer or regatta winning owner.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Nils Erickson
SOMA Sailing LLC
+1 619-430-8935
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The J/99 'Calypso,' which was launched in 2020, stands as the latest addition to the J Sport range, seamlessly blending headroom and comfortable interior accommodations with the agility of a racing boat. This presents a great opportunity to acquire a fully equipped and striking J/99, complete with an extensive array of options. Notably, in the 2023 Rolex Middle Sea Race ‘Calypso’ achieved an impressive 2nd overall in ORC (13 minutes and 19 seconds of 1st after 4 days of intense racing) and 5th overall in IRC in a very competitive fleet beating many professional fully crewed yachts.
This J/99 shares the same DNA as the J/112E and J/121 and designed to meet the needs of owners who wish to sail with a small crew, or a double handed campaign.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 (0) 20 3920 6261
Email:
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Introducing yacht for sale ANTARES (40M/131’), from the renowned Royal Huisman shipyard. She is one of the world’s finest quality aluminum sailing yachts and has seen exhaustive maintenance and upgrade investments over the last 8 years of Ownership. Sailing yacht ANTARES has only ever been operated under private use and never operated commercially, making her a unique offering on the market.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
Somewhere along the line I knew there'd be girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl would be handed to me. -- Jack Kerouac
Editorial and letter submissions to
Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see eurosailnews.com/advertise/