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For the first time ever in the US, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach will host the Formula 18 World Championships, which will begin Tuesday September 11th, and run through September 15th. Fifeteen countries are represented, and over 120 boats are registered to race. Several World Champions, National Champions, Olympic Medalists, and an America’s Cup skipper (Darren Bundock) for Oracle Team USA are scheduled to attend. Check out the live tracker. And once there are races recorded, replays can be found here.
The Formula 18 is a strict one-design class catamaran, meaning that it must adhere to certain design constraints. The hulls are 18 feet long, and boat weight, crew weight, sail size, and hull size, as well as materials and appendages are strictly regulated. Each boat must be weighed and measured by class certified measurers before being allowed to to compete. The highly maneuverable F18s can reach speeds approaching 30 knots, which makes for exciting racing. Because of its Formula designation, the class is open to multiple manufactures, as long as their boat fits into the Formula rule.
Darren Bundock
Today's practice racing was held in wind less than 5 knots along the course, after blowing in the upper teens for almost 2 weeks straight. Hopefully, we'll get some breeze tomorrow!
A whole lotta love! We'll be posting updates every day to the GLOBALTECH F18 Worlds FB Page.
Here is an outstanding compilation of images put together by our friends over at Pressure Drop from l'Hydroptere's Record setting run in the San Francisco Bay! Check it!
I wonder if it's more dangerous to race on the same course as Russel Coutts, or being on an AC45 strapped into this contraption...
The 15th year of the Ronstan Bridge to Bridge Race saw the course record shattered by almost two minutes by the multifaceted sailor, Johnny Heineken. The wind was solid along the entire course, and with a ebb running at over 3.5 knots, things were pretty interesting. The B2B attracts some of the fastest wind-powered vehicles around, and this year, l'Hydroptere the worlds fastest sailboat, was on the water. They started a bit early so as to not get any kite strings tangled around their foils; probably a good move, but technically they weren't racing. It's pretty chaotic at the start between the kites, boards, catamarans, 18 footers, and foiling contraptions of all manner, but it always seems to work itself out. There were rumors of two AC45s joining the mix, but unfortunately that didn't materialize. Maybe they had trouble getting crew. Should've called, dudes!
All Photos: Jeremy/ Surf City Racing
And for a special treat, here's a little vid that was put together by our friend Chrisophe.
Check out his epic first-hand report by our friend Steve Bodner:
My friend Thijs, whom I will catch up with for a more in depth discussion on this topic in Long Beach at the F18 Worlds in a matter of weeks, just sent this in!
Youth America’s Cup
The America’s Cup is the oldest sport trophy in the international sport and is the most prestigious in sailing. The trophy started with a race between Great Britain and the United States of America 160 years ago. Once in every three or four years the race is organised. The last one was held begin 2010 and the 34th edition will take place from 4 till 7 September 2013 in San Francisco. Between both events, there will be a runner- up series organised for the first time with the so-called AC45, a revolutionary 45 ft long catamaran with a wing sail. These spectacular boats are asking the crew to be mentally and physically at their best. A fantastic initiative from the America’s Cup organisation is that they make the AC45 available for the first Youth America’s Cup September 2013. This event will be prior to the 34th edition of the America’s Cup.
First Dutch Team
For the first time in history there is a Dutch team that will take part in this edition of the America’s Cup. Special about this team is that it has collaboration between athletes from different disciplines in sailing. In Holland there is a lot of talent in High Performance sailing and especially catamaran sailing. Even in the biggest international two-person catamaran class, the Formula 18, the Dutchies are dominating the fleet. At the past F18 Worlds there were four boats in the top five with Dutch influences. The Youth America’s Cup team is composite of all the best Dutch talents, who are the future for High Performance sailing in the Olympic classes. The team has now 9 men and 1 woman, an unique combination and a very good team, who can call themselves favourites for winning the Cup. Experts such as Carolijn Brouwer, Pim Nieuwenhuis and physical supervisors support the team.
Goal
‘There’s no second place’. The team has only one goal and that is winning the Cup no matter what. Every team member is fighting in his/ her own class as well to get the highest possible. This is how they know what motivation and determination for a project really means.
First selection
To compete in the Youth America’s Cup you have to get through the selections. The selections will be held on 40 ft catamarans, which look a lot like the AC45 catamaran. The team has access to a 40ft cat to train in St Tropez, where they just did their first training camp. In the upcoming months, the team will train a few more times in other countries in preparation for the qualifying event in February in Asia.
And for further infomation, check out their website and FB pages.
We're not the best paparazzi style photogs. We don't like getting in people's faces, nor do we like sniping them with our telephoto lens. It makes us feel cheap and dirty. But in this case, when the world is chomping at the bit to see the weapon that the boys and girls at Oracle Team USA have put together to defend the America's Cup, the opportunity is too good to pass up! I've got more...many more, but let's let these guys get the boat in the water first, shall we? Check out this beauty!
Breaking! This just in:
First, check out the aerodynamically designed rear crossbar. For lift?
Click to enlarge.
Photo: Jeremy/Surf City Racing
Photo: Jeremy/ Surf City Racing
Here's Spittie assessing his new ride. Check out the A-Frame holding the spin pole. Prebender? It's very similar to an F18...Just huge!
Photo: Jeremy/ Surf City Racing