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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 10th March 2008
Drama on the High Seas, and you missed it. Saturday 23rd Feb. In the" Garrucha Club Race", That's the Big Boys. One yacht lost the use of his rudder off Villaricos and another competitor towed him back to port. No big deal! but food for thought, how about if it had been way off shore. Remember the lads and lasses race once a month, it's always interesting to watch to start just off Garrucha.
Santa Irene Club have been meeting each Sunday usually in the Indiana café bar. El tiempo hasn't been good for us. However, last Sunday the 2nd March in a very light F2, over 20 of us were sailing in boats either in Garrucha or the playa at Mojacar, so things are looking good .
Jim Barr's "Pelwis" has been out nearly every other day, handy if you can just step-a-board and cast-off, well almost!!
Other sailing news, our Ellen MacArthur lost her world record for fastest single-hander around the world when Francis Joyon (Fra) crossed the finish line off Brest on Sunday 20th January. He was sailing "Idec" a 30m. Trimaran , if you remember Ellen's Trimaran was the 23m. "B&Q". His record time of 57days 13hrs could stand for a long time, it was Ellen that broke his previous record, so who knows!!
Another record holder is our own Ben Ainslie who has just won the "Finn Gold Cup" for the 5thtime which shatters a few records including Paul Elstrom 2 Golds back in the 1950th. Ben has spent the last year or so America Cup Boats, it's amazing that he can step back into the Finn class and win the Gold Cup.
Now cast your mind back to the 11th November 2007 and star of the "Barcelona World Race" with those big Open 60's and a crew of two.
How come I wasn't there to see the start or finish – yes it all ended this week, is there some thing I'm not doing right? Of the 9 boats to cross the line at the start, 4 retired after damage to their boats in the Southern Ocean. The remaining 5 have completed the race around the world and are now back in Barcelona.
1st to finish on the 11th February, exactly 3 mouths after the start was "Paprec Virbac" with Jean Pierre Dick (Fra)and Dermot's friend Damian Foxall (Ire). 2nd "Hugo Boss" crew Alex Thomson (Gbr) and Andrew Cape (Aus). 3rd "Temenos 2" the husband and wife Team, Dominique Wavre (Swi) and Michele Paret (Fra). 4th "Mutua Madrilena" with the Spanish crew of Javier Sanso Widmann and Pachi Rive.
On the 28th February at 7 am the 5th boat to finish was"Educacion sins Fronteras" with Barcelona born Albert Bargues and French yachtswoman Servane Escoffier after 108 days 19hrs.
Dame Ellen MacArthur from OC Events the organisers said “The 1st Edition of the race proved to be all that they and the competitors had hoped for”. Remember this was a round the world race with 8 gates the first and last being Gibraltar. It seems to me there were a lot of opportunities for the Media to be involved, 5 of the gates were near the coast!
1908 it was before my time. The year of the London Olympics, sailing was on the Solent and the Clyde. The British sailing team won Gold medals in all the sailing classes .We still have a Great sailing team but the Beiging Olympics are a long way from home – we wish them well.
If you are 8 or 80 - young or old – want to talk about Optimists or Open 60's we are on the slipway at Garrucha . Sunday morning 11 am onwards, drop by for a chat and a coffee.
Take Care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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