EuroCup #2 Cavalaire, FRA

Got a hard drive full of video and photos? Like to sail fast and on the edge? Well now is your chance to show the world by filming and editing your own video or photo and submitting it to the SEIKO 29erXX Skiff Media Contest. Get out on the water and start filming some great sailing, sailing venues, or even crashes!

SEIKO will be awarding one brand new SEIKO Velatura watch to the selected winners in the following categories:

• Most Motivational Video
• Best Wipe Out Photo or Video
• Best Produced Video
• Best Action Photo

Contest rules and submission details

Registration has just opened for two of 2012's feature attractions. First up is the SEIKO European Championship 27 April - 1 May in Roses, Spain. Roses is well know for warm weather sailing with nice winds and flat water. The Europeans will be a great practice ground for the first 29erXX SEIKO World Championship, 8-15 September in Lake Garda, Italy. Who will be the first name on the World Championship trophy? Sign up and come race for the honor!

The Notice of Race, Registration Form and list of current entrants are available on both the Europeans and Worlds websites linked above.

Over the past year, my crew Katie Kelley and I have been training in the 29erXX. After starting out the 29er we quickly fell in love with the two boats and decided to pursue them further. Because we are in high school, it is a challenge to balance our studies with training but we are constantly working to manage our time in order to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of our training. Every other weekend during the winter months, we have traveled to Florida for practice. Each year we try to increase the amount of events and practices on our schedule. We are now increasing the amount of 29erXX events in our schedule as we become more experienced in the boat.

Two weeks before the Seiko Winter Challenge, I participated in a clinic with Kristen Lane. Because of midterms, Katie was not able to participate in the clinic so I sailed with Max Fraser. Throughout the clinic we worked with different coaches to learn more about the boat and basic techniques. We focused on certain things each day such as boat handling and skipper-crew communication. Sailing with Kristen Lane and Molly Carapiet was extremely helpful. They are an amazing team and incredible individual sailors and it was such an honor to be able to train with them.

The long days of sailing were very often followed by chalk talks. These chalk talks were very detailed and focused on the specifics for each maneuver. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to sail in the clinic. It gave me the chance to meet new coaches and to learn more about the boat.

The next event after the clinic was the Seiko Winter Challenge. This regatta had high stakes, as it was the qualifier for the US Olympic Development Team. The regatta was filled with two days of excellent sailing, with one cancelled day due to breezy conditions. The wind speed varied from a strong twenty knots all the way down to non-sailable light conditions. The competition was impeccable and all of the races were extremely close. Being new to the class one would think that it is hard to jump right in, but in the XX class it is surprisingly easy. Every person in the class has welcomed us and helped us with any problems we have faced in our time in the boat.

This class is a class that I love and although Katie and I are new, we have made some friends that we will never forget. If you are thinking about starting to sail the 29erXX I strongly encourage it. Although it is a very tricky boat, it is one that will allow you to become a better sailor in more ways than you can imagine. This is one of the most friendly, welcoming, and fun classes, and I am proud to be a part of it. With many clinics and regattas you will be able to meet people from around the world whom you will never forget.

- Adele Whitmyer

The annual 29erXX Miami scene is just around the corner with the SEIKO Winter Challenge coming up February 10-12th. Regatta details including the registration link, Notice of Race, and all regatta information can be found on 29erXXregattas.org. If you're ready to register you can go directly to the registration form. This is a great way to start of the 2012 sailing season!

Eduard Rodes announces the 2nd edition of the Velanium Trophy, first 2012 Eurocup event, which will be held in Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Tarragona, Spain) February 17th – 19th. Last year there were 38 boats from 11 countries and the participants had a very pleasant time there, enjoying the excellent sailing conditions and a fantastic atmosphere. The 2012 edition will have the 29er again but also the 29erXX.

Apart of the regatta, for those people who have winter holidays in that time and want to spend some more days in Sant Carles, Velanium wants to organise trainings and experimental races, like speed tests and downhill skiff cross races.

Find more information here. Be the first one to sign up!!!

29erXX Class Association
2812 Cañon Street,
San Diego, CA, USA 92106
www.29erXX.com
www.facebook.com/29erXX

November 8, 2011 

Dear 29erXX Sailors,

2012 – Looking Ahead
It’s an exciting time for 29erXX sailors.  There’s an unprecedented level of interest in our class as women looking to sail two-person skiffs as well as adults wanting a fun and durable high-performance dinghy discover the versatility and performance of the XX.  Of course, the XX continues to offer lighter 49er teams a training platform where they can hone their trapeze skills before moving up to the men’s Olympic skiff.  XX Rigs are being purchased at a steady rate and it won’t be long before small fleets start popping up in favorite venues. 

North American Schedule Announced
The schedule for 2012 has been announced and I am happy to say the XX class is returning to some favorite venues.  With Miami, Long Beach, and the Gorge, just to name a few, North America is becoming a hotbed of XX sailing.  Teams from NZL, and AUS joined us at the Gorge in 2011. Those teams (and maybe more) are looking to return to race again in 2012.

Read more: From Kristen Lane, the North American Vice President

The first 29erXX SEIKO Speed Challenge was held at the EUROSAF High Performance Grand Prix event in Murcia, Spain.  With 14 boats entered, the race management team had the challenge of determining a speed test for the fleet and it was determined to take the forecasted windiest day at the forecasted windiest portion of the day and reserve that for the SEIKO Speed Challenge.  The sailors were briefed in the morning of the days plan; morning fleet races with a break then they would head back out to the course area.  Each team would be given 3 runs on a broad reach of approximately .2 nm, or a 1 minute sail.  The jury was the finish boat taking the times once they were started at the start boat by race officer Luky Serrano.  The wind was approximatly 10 knots.  Most teams averaged 1 minute times with a few posting sub-minute runs.  At one point Spanish sailors Ascension Roca de Togores and Carmen Mateo held the lead with a .59.7 run but were surpassed in the last heat by fellow countrymen and ultimate winners Vernon Cerdan Ming and Alex Torrado with the time of .57.5 followed by the German team of Juliane Wolf and Elena Stoffers with 59.6.

Vernan and Alex won the grand prize of $500 USD and two SEIKO watches and hold the record for the fastest speed for 2011 for the 29erXX.  See the full times posted here

After the ISAF decision for a woman skiff with the 2016 Olympics, sailors are starting to cross swords. One of the more exciting events is the recent Downhill Skiff Cross in Cisme Turkey. It brought together 16 of the world's best female Skiff crews in a concept designed after the popular "Downhill Skiing Cross" which caused a media storm during Winter Olympics ...

Downhill Skiff Cross is a new type of fun, exciting and fast type of match race with a standing start. Both boats are ready for a pontoon, where herds are excited as springs and waiting for one pistol, just like Usian Bolt in 100 meters race. The course is a 450 meter short slalom gang, which is quite close to shore - so close to land that spectators can see sailors facial expressions.

The regatta was a high profile invitation event with 16 crews from 9 countries: USA 1, Finland 2, Sweden 2, Norway 2, Turkey 1, Netherlands 1, Canada 1, Denmark 4 and Germany 2. Among them were several na-tional and international champions, including: Hanna Hetinen-Jutta Hetinen (Finnish champions), Helene Næss-Anne Gunderson (Norwegian champions), Lin Ea Cenholdt Christiansen, Stine Quorning (European champions), Rebecca Lutz Theresa Köhnlein (German champions), Stephanie Hudson Rebeca King (Cana-dian champions), Ida Marie Baad-Marie Thusgaard Olsen (World champions), Carolien Duetz-Annette Du-etz (Dutch Masters) and Christmas Gorge Lotta Gorge (German champions).

Transport company Favor is the main sponsor, other sponsors are KONE, Cesme Marina, SKY Turk, Power FM, TAG Heure and the Turkish State Department's Promotion Fund.

After 39 exciting races Ida Marie Baad and Marie Thusgaard Olsen from Denmark won Gold, Silver went to the German twins Jule and Lotta Gorge, while the bronze went to the Turkish / Swedish crew Sinem Kurt-bay and Hannah Dalborg. 
 
Saturday highlight video

Friday highlight video

Practice day video

 

The 29erXX takes the stage at the inaugural EUROSAF High Performance Grand Prix alongside Cats, Kites and the Foiling Moth.  This is the first event of its kind, showcasing the front-runners of small-craft sailing: fast, fierce and flying.

The event will take place in the warm waters of Southeast Spain at the sport centre resort Infanta Cristina the 11-16 of October.

And if 5 days of sailing in the Mediterranean isn’t tempting enough, over 4000 EUR in prize money will be awarded amongst the top 3 finishers* in the 29erXX class!  SEIKO, the 29erXX Class Official Partner, has also stepped up providing $2,500 USD prize money and watch trophies for the top team at the SEIKO Speed Challenge held as a part of the High Performance Grand Prix.

Read more: Fast, Fierce and Flying. 29erXX at EUROSAF High Performance Grand Prix

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