10
Aug 11
Aug 11
Artemis Challenge, Onboard the Imoca 60 Hugo Boss
Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom, 50º42’66″N 1º31’20″W
Stars took to the water for a fast and furious sail in the Artemis Challenge
The fifth edition of the Artemis Challenge was a near record-breaking day out for Ewan McGregor, Zara Phillips and Natalie Pinkham, who joined world class skippers for the 50-mile sprint around the Isle of Wight. The Artemis Challenge, at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, the world’s largest sailing regatta and one of the UK’s biggest sporting events, saw four IMOCA 60 teams battle it out for a £10,000 prize fund for the charity of their choice. The fifth edition of the Artemis Challenge was won by the French entry PRB skippered by Vincent Riou, in a time of 4 hours, 14 minutes and 1 second, narrowly missing out on breaking the previous fastest time by just 13 seconds, set by Team Pindar (4h 13m 48s) in the 2008 Artemis Challenge.
Hollywood A-lister Ewan McGregor, who joined the HUGO BOSS sailing team led by British round-the-world skipper Alex Thomson, said: “”It was an amazing experience – it was my first time yacht racing and to be part of the HUGO BOSS team was a fantastic introduction to a really adventurous sport. Although the prize fund will not be awarded to UNICEF, I was pleased to be able to represent such a great cause on the water today and we hopefully helped to raise awareness of UNICEF’S crucial work for children in East Africa. And of course we can all still share a little of what we have with these children who so desperately need our help by texting SHARE to 78866.”
19
Jul 11
Jul 11
Safran
Brittany, France 47°20'21"N 3°26'31"W
Published in Yachting World January 2012 issue.
If you ever needed a graphic description of just why all modern Open 60s have the protective cocoons they do, here it is. this is a shot of the military hardware company-sponsored SAFRAN during training for the Transat Jacques Vabre 2011 with skipper Marc Guillemot co/skipper Yann Eliés, which starts at the end of October from Le Havre, Normandy. The doublehanded TJV is one of France’s major ocean races, with the cream of the IMOCA and Class 40 crop on the line for the jaunt from France to Costa Rica.
Words: Alan Block
13
Jul 11
Jul 11
Sodebo the Razors Edge
Saint Philibert, Brittany, France 47º34’26″N 3º00’24″W
Another surreal view from the lens of Christophe Launay, this time from the Sodeb’O shed in La Trinité, where the big trimaran is being cleaned up and mothballed until Thomas Coville gets back from his Volvo Ocean Race campaign aboard Franck Cammas’ Team Groupama.
Meanwhile, Francis Joyon, Coville’s nemesis in the record-breaking game, is on standby with IDEC in Brooklyn, NY, readying for his chance to crush Coville’s solo transatlantic record of 5 days, 19 hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds. For comparison’s sake, Rambler 100, the most powerful and modern of racing monohulls, just had a brilliant crossing last week of 6 days, 22 hours, with about 20 more mouths to feed than Joyon…
Words: Alan Block
02
Jun 11
Jun 11
Hydroptere.ch
Lake Leman, Lausanne, Switzerland 46º30’91″N 6º36’8562″E
Hydroptere.ch embarks on her record breaking quest
The Hydroptere.ch broke two records (records for the Lake Geneva or Lake Léman)
29.18 knots over 1 km and hit a peak speed of 34.84 knots, 1 of June 2011.
21.32 kts on a hour 2 of June 2011
Launched in autumn 2010, this catamaran is part of a complete scientific process. As a lab boat, her main purpose is to test geometries and behaviours in varied real conditions for the development of l’Hydroptère maxi, Lausanne, Switzerland.
