News

New maps of the sub-ice features in Antarctica and the Arctic, featured in the new edition of The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World published on 25 September 2014, reveal an unseen world of canyons, lakes, trenches and mountains. The 14th edition of the Atlas also includes a new double page map of the Arctic Ocean, which highlights the dramatic long-term decline of Arctic sea ice cover. The sub-ice maps draw on bedrock data, provided by the British Antarctic Survey, …

by BEN GLADWELL – BOATING NEW ZEALAND For the first time, the Volvo Ocean Race is to be contested in a strict, one-design class. The emphasis is shifted from who has the best boat to suit the conditions to who has the best men – or women – onboard. The race will be decided on who can push themselves the hardest, for the longest and who makes the best decisions. The skipper’s responsibilities are huge: trying to win the race …

by Richard Crockett I have just receive the official TV schedule of broadcasters who will be flighting coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race. Initially I could not find any South African stations listed, so before letting the old blood boil I searched more carefully and found good old RSA listed under ‘Pan Africa’ with M-Net-Supersport as the broadcaster. Despite a thorough search on the Supersport website to find exactly what was being broadcast and when, I could find absolutely noting …

  The Volvo Ocean Race at your fingertips – New app carries all you need to stay in touch every minute – Click here for the Volvo Ocean Race App on iOS – Click here for the Volvo Ocean Race App on Android ALICANTE, Spain – Volvo Ocean Race fans can now carry the world’s toughest ocean race in their pocket, thanks to the launch of a new official mobile app. Developed for both iOS and Android systems, the app …

SAILING Publications, in conjunction with Rovos Rail, are giving away a luxurious train journey for two people valued at R45 800. The prize is for a trip from Pretoria to either Cape Town or Durban for two people sharing a Deluxe suite. It is fully inclusive of all meals, alcoholic and other beverages, the off-train excursions, room service and a limited laundry service. The prize is valid for a year. Please note that transport to and from the points of …

Andrea Giovannini – the October issue Sailor of the Month When one wins in the ‘Big Apple’ it’s a noteworthy achievement and one deserving of this award which is why Giovannini is your man this month. ‘Dre’ he is known to his sailing mates put together a team of sailors from the RCYC to compete in the Dennis Connor Invitational Cup. Sailed in J24s, a boat none of the team had ever been aboard, they put their typical ‘Jaapie’ skills …

The October issue of SAILING Magazine is out – and as usual is crammed full of great features, articles and news items. But to read them all you will need to go out and get the mag which is available in all good book and magazine outlets. SUBSCRIBERS. Please not that although the mag has been posted, there is a Post Office strike which may affect delivery – so your mag may arrive later than usual. Regrettably this delay is …

Competition Check out the accompanying image and see how you can win yourself some impressive B&G sailing instruments. Better still, go to the Cape Town Boat Show from 10-12 October and see the instruments first-hand at the MRAD stand.

The seven One Design VOR 65s were built by a consortium led by Green Marine in the UK. The first of those for the Team SCA women wad delivered in October 2013, the last was supplied to Team Vestas Wind in August 2014. Since the end of Race Zero, the boats have been out of the water, here in Alicante on the Spanish coast, with a team of Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard shipwrights making sure all the boats were strictly …

Over the last year we have interviewed Knut Frostad, the CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race four times, at times the stress has shown but yesterday just eleven days before the start of the 2014-2015 Race, he was like a different person, when we met with him again, at Volvo Ocean race headquarters portside in Alicante. In the distance across the port the Volvo Ocean Race boats including the Mapfre badged Spanish boat were still on the hard. Upstairs overlooking …

SAILING Publications, the publishers of SAILING Magazine, SAILING Gybeset and “Talking SAILING” blog, now have an association with Sail-World (www.sail-world.com). Sail-World is the biggest circulating sailing news blog in the world, and is expected to reach 1 million subscribers soon. We commence this association by sharing their excellent coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race. If you want to receive their information regularly, subscribe at: www.sail-world.com

pic by Trevor Wilkins Matthew Thomas reports picture link: https://plus.google.com/photos/+TrevorWilkins/albums/6062620045794393825 With winds blowing at 16 to 20 knots for the final day out of the North, the days racing turned out to be very close, with the different fleets constantly pushing each other as they charged around the racing courses set offshore from Simonstown to Kalk Bay. Sailing was challenging for the crews, but more importantly, the downwind legs, under their blossoming spinnakers was spectacular, for both the crews and …

Matthew Thomas reports Having started last weekend, the Intasure Spring Regatta continues tomorrow (Wednesday). Last weekend saw the start of the Cape sailing season, with 70 yachts throughout the Cape, racing ‘around the cans’ in False Bay. Hosted by False Bay Yacht Club in Simonstown, this year’s Intasure Spring Regatta started at noon on Saturday, and saw the intrepid sailor’s battle against the strong SE wind and swell. As a sure sign of summer, the good old “Cape Doctor” provided …

The six America’s Cup teams have agreed to a project that will see the existing fleet of AC45 catamarans modified into fully foiling catamarans for racing in the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS). Importantly, the teams have also committed to continue to race the foiling AC45s on the America’s Cup World Series circuit in 2018, following the conclusion of the 35th America’s Cup in 2017. “I’m pleased all of the competitors have agreed on a way forward, beyond the current …

Every year as spring approaches, local yachtsmen start getting ready for the Cape Town sailing season. As summer approaches, so the winds switch from the NW to SE and the veritable “Cape Doctor” visits our shores and provides ample wind for these sailors. These strong SE winds, make sailing challenging and just as thrilling to watch as the numerous yachts battle it out over laid courses to see who is the ‘best of the best’! High winds make for spectacular …