Kaenon Polarized

WORLD MATCH RACE TOUR – ARGO GROUP KING EDWARD VII GOLD CUP – Bermuda

Hamilton, Bermuda: Ben Ainslie, wearing Rhino Black G12 got the gold he’s been chasing all week. In the Argo Group Gold Cup finals match today, the three time Olympic gold medal winner (one silver), Ben Ainslie (GBR) took the finals 3-1. He has finally etched his name on the coveted King Edward VII Gold Cup along with a host of match race sailing legends. Ainslie and his America’s Cup-backed Team Origin also took home the first place prize purse of $50,000. Ainslie sailed for the British America’s Cup challenger Team Origin with his crew of Matt Cornwell, Iain Percy, and Christian Kamp.

Ben Ainslie in Rhino, and his tactician Iain Percy wearing Jetty Tobacco G12, (also a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist).

Final Results
Ben Ainslie 3 v. Adam Minoprio 1
Click here for the full story.

SAILING
While the Swiss team, led by Brad Butterworth in Hard Kore packed up it’s Genoa, Italy training base and took their giant catamaran to the UAE race venue, BMW Oracle was back in court contesting not on the race venue but also the rules that will govern the event. The America’s Cup is slated to be raced in dusty Ras Al-Khaimah (50km from Dubai) February 8. This promises to be war of words and court challenges right up to the starting gun – where hopefully it will turn into spectacle on the water – we hope!

Above, Brad Butterworth in Hard Kore Matte Black G12, Alinghi during their last sea trials in Italy last week.

BMW Oracle training off San Diego and their skipper and CEO Rusell Coutts wearing Lewi Black Pearl G12 racing last week in Europe.

SAILING – BARCELONA, SPAIN – BREST, FRANCE

The Spanish boat led by Kaenon Polarized skipper Guillermo Altadill – who wears Hard Kore and Rhino – is sailing the third and final leg of the Istanbul Europa Race, from Barcelona to Brest (France) and aiming for a podium position in the overall classification.

Leading after the first two legs, Estralla Damm has encountered multiple problems on this final leg from Barcelona. First, damage to their mast shortly after the start last week forced Altadill to call for a “pit stop” in Gibralter to erect repairs. However, he reversed that decision after further thought hours later deciding to “nurse” the rig and boat to the finish up the West Coast of Europe – up the Spanish coast, then the French Atlantic coast to Brest.

Estrella Damm is holding on to 3rd overall with about 400 miles to go.

SAILING – BARCELONA, SPAIN / NICE, FRANCE

Barcelona, September 10, 2009 – Estrella Damm Sailing Team has arrived home to Barcelona. The Spanish boat crossed the finish line at 8:34 am outside the city in third place behind Groupe Bel and Foncia, after sailing the 410 miles of the second leg of the Istanbul Europa Race from Nice to Barcelona. The result means Guillermo Altadill wearing Rhino and Pachi Rivero’s team remains at the top of the overall leader board with clear options for victory in Brest (France) the final port of call of the round Europe yacht race.

Excitement was high with the results today, with three boats finishing and drawing equal on ten points: Estrella Damm who add their victory in Nice to the third place in Barcelona, Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia with two seconds, and Kito de Pavant’s Groupe Bel with a third victory in Barcelona.

The Spanish boat remains at the head of the overall race classification as the boat with the fastest time over the two legs: 9 days, 13 hours, 37 minutes and 6 seconds; 19 minutes faster than Foncia and 27 faster than Groupe Bel.

With such close results the days remaining until the departure of the fleet from Barcelona to Brest on Monday 14th September will be tense with excitement. The teams are all fully aware that except for some kind of unforeseeable event, the first boat to arrive in Brest will take the trophy,

“In the next leg, the first boat to arrive will win the whole race, so it will be a lot more exciting,” said Barcelona-born skipper Guillermo Altadill.

The final leg of the Europa Race started Monday,September 14 in Barcelona, Spain – Brest, France. The winner of this final leg will be the regatta winner.

As of 10:00 am CET September 15, Estrella Damm sits second. After leaving Barcelona the fleet faced a sudden storm of lightening and heavy rainfall.

SAILING – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Howie Hamlin of Long Beach, CA wearing Kore, with his crew of Paul Allen and Matt Noble, won it the hard way last week by coming from behind in the 10th and last race to finish one point ahead of Australia’s John Winning to take the championship.

Hamlin is straight off a 7th place finish at the 505 Worlds last week and stayed on windy San Francisco Bay to take the skiff title in heavy winds of 20 – 28knots – max conditions for these tippy rockets.

SAILING – ISTANBUL, TURKEY / NICE, FRANCE

Nice, France: The first real test in competition for Estrella Damm could not have ended any better. At 04.24 and 45 seconds, Estrella Damm Sailing Team led by Kaenon sailor Guillermo Altadill wearing Kore and Rhino, crossed the finished line as winners of the first leg of the Istanbul Europa Race. The team becomes the provisional leader of the around Europe yacht race after 7 days, 17 hours, 2 minutes and 45 seconds sailing from the start of the leg in Istanbul, Turkey to Nice, France with an average boat speed of 7.45 knots. The 1450 mile leg presented a number of challenges for Guillermo Altadill and Pachi Rivero’s team who had to contend with unstable conditions and at times very little wind, as well as sail against five of the most competitive IMOCA 60s in the world. The leg has provided its fair share of memorable battles. The last head to head battle for victory with Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia took place in the very last few miles.

“In the end it was a good decision to stay high on leaving Corsica. That is where we managed to pass Foncia,” explained Altadill.

With only 15 miles to the finish the Spanish boat managed to slip away from the French team and open up a gap of four miles, and enough to finish the leg with a victory.

Leg 2 was from Nice, France to Barcelona, Spain – Altadill’s hometown, where Estrella Damm 1876 came in third place. Saturday 12th September the Trophy of Barcelona will be held between the port and Olympic Port in the city, enabling the general public to follow the IMOCA 60 racing at close hand; many of the boats in the fleet will be taking part in the Barcelona World Race 2010/11.

SAILING – ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND
Kaenon Polarized Switzerland sponsored the St. Moritz Match Race

SAILING – SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Since his 1999 win of the prestigious 505 World Championship title as crew with Howie Hamlin, Mike Martin has been on a 10 year quest to be the first to ever win from both ends of the boat – crew and skipper. By winning the 2009 title last weekend, Mike is now the first man in history to win the 505 World title as both a crew and a skipper (driver) – that explains how tough that feat is in this longstanding, timeless class. Mike, wearing Kore G12 and crew Jeff Larson, also wearing Kore, dominated the event with 6 bullets in 9 races to take the win in the very windy San Francisco Bay.

Mike and Jeff racing on the bay in strong conditions – relying on Kore G12 to see through the constant “fire-hose” spray, and read the tricky current and tide lines on San Francisco Bay

Martin and Nelson were dominant after the first 3 days, then briefly lost the lead as the breeze moderated for two days. After regaining the regatta lead from Holt/Smit in moderate breeze in race 8, Martin said he’d like to see the wind return to, say, 18 knots for the showdown on the final day – a virtual match race between Martin/Nelson and Holt/Smit ensued to determine the world champion. He wasn’t being greedy; that velocity and more had been standard earlier in the week – with gusts up to 30.

In the end, after the breeze had built from 12 knots to past 20 in the 3 1/2-lap, hour-and-a-half race, Martin and Nelson were at home in their element again, invincible with their sixth first-place in the nine-race series, Kaenon was used by 1st, 3rd and 7th place finishers.

Former World Champion Howie Hamlin chasing the leaders with Kaenon logos, sailing in Kore.

Final Results
1. Mike Martin/Jeff Nelson, USA, 1-(DNF)-1-1-1-(12)-2-1-1, 8 points.
2. Mike Holt/Carl Smit, USA, 2-1-2-2-2-3-(4)-(9)-4, 16.
3. Chris Nicholson/Casey Smith, Australia, 4-3-3-3-3-7-(8)-(8)-3. 26.
4. Jens Findel/Johannes Tellen, Germany, (72)-5-6-(15)-12-2-3-10-5, 36. 5. Dalton Bergan/Fritz Lanzinger, USA, 8-8-4-10-(15)-1-5-2-(16), 38.
6. Nick Adamson/Steve Bourdow, USA, 9-2-13-4-4-4-(17)-(14)-2, 38.
7. Howie Hamlin/Paul Cayard, USA, 5-6-(RAF)-7-(14)-5-10-5-6, 44.

Check out this great Scuttlebutt interview with Mike Martin
Scuttlebutt: Your domination at the 2009 Worlds was freakish (1-DNF-1-1-1-12-2-1-1). Explain the edge you had, and how it was developed?

Mike Martin: I don’t know about freakish, but you are right, it’s pretty uncommon to see one boat winning the majority of the races at a world championship, which is why I’m really proud of how we performed as a team, both tactically and with our boat speed. I honestly don’t know what caused the speed differential. We have always been quick in overpowered conditions. I would say it most likely resulted from lots of practice as a team, plus we physically work the boat harder than most teams. It was really satisfying to win six of the nine races sailed after all of the time and effort we put into this campaign.

Read full interview here.

SAILING – Portimao, Portugal

Emirates Team New Zealand came back to win another regatta on this European pro circuit over the weekend building their series lead for the championship to an almost insurmountable lead. Navigator Kevin Hall and Tactician Ray Davies were both wearing Kore leading this team to another victory.

Navigator Kevin Hall wearing Kore (in bucket hat) taping on his “deck-man” computer screen feeding tactical information to the man next to him, tactician Ray Davies in Silver Kore– they’re the braintrust on this successful team.

Defending Circuit Champion, Terry Hutchinson – wearing Kore – finished 3rd, but will not successfully defend his overall title won last year.

SAILING
AMERICA’S CUP – BMW ORACLE TESTING OFF SAN DIEGO

SAILING
BMW ORACLE Racing Technology Montage – No introduction needed here, this video says it all.

MAST = 185 FEET / 55 METERS – taller than an 18 story building
GENNAKER SAIL = 8400 SQUARE FEET / 780 SQUARE METERS – larger than a baseball infield
LENGTH = 100 FEET / 30 METERS – longer than a blue whale
26,000 data points collected for every second of sailing

Kaenon Polarized Sunglasses featured in this clip: Hard Kore, Lewi, Kore

VIDEO REVIEW

Outside’s Justin Nyberg reviews the Kaenon Hard Kore Polarized Sunglasses, best for sailors and paddlers.

SAILING – SAN DIEGO, CA

While the defenders are cranking up the PR machine flying their boat over the alps and having parades on Lake Geneva, the BMW Oracle team is having a great time in San Diego testing their own machine – to determine it’s real potential while they drive technology and innovation to heights never gone before.

At the BMW ORACLE Racing Special Event held Tuesday August 11, 2009 in San Diego, the team celebrated the USA’s challenge for the 33rd America ’s Cup.

CEO and Skipper Russell Coutts announced that helmsman James Spithill will be driving the team’s boat in the 33rd America’s Cup. The rest of the team was introduced to nearly 400 guests that included the media, partners and sponsors, team families, local dignitaries and sailing community friends.

SAILING

Skippers and leading men of the competing America’s Cup teams, who, as the title says, were formerly best friends and the most decorated teammates in America’s Cup history, are now on opposing teams. Their friendship frayed by real world contention played out on the water and in the NY court system, has them rivaling once again in the America’s Cup.

Russell Coutts is the CEO and Skipper of USA’s Challenger, BMW Oracle, who wears Lewi, Hard Kore, Gauge and Kore

Brad Butterworth is the CEO and Skipper of Switzerland’s 2x Defender, Alinghi, who wears Kore and Hard Kore.

They have been battling in court (rather team owners Larry Ellison (Chairman of Oracle) and Ernesto Bertarelli (former CEO of drug company, Serano), making them now bitter rivals.

As the most decorated in sailing, skipper (Coutts) and tactician (Butterworth) duo in the history of the America’s Cup, when they won the Cup for New Zealand in the early 90’s, then defended it, then skipped town for a huge offer from the then unknown Bertarelli, to come build the first ever challenger from Switzerland. Then they promptly won the cup for the first time (from their old Team New Zealand, who they defected from for Switzerland. The island country and the continent went nuts over this dynamic duo – who had been best friends since childhood.

Skip forward to the 21st Century and the former dynamic duo are the greatest in the game, their friendship hangs by a cordial thread, and they are now the Defender and Challenger of the next America’s Cup to be fought in the most outrageous race boats ever created – slated to start February 8 in UAE.

Kaenon Polarized will be the weapon worn by both Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth in the much anticipated event that will make this next Cup race one of the greatest spectacles on earth.

SAILING

America’s Cup defender from Switzerland, Alinghi, flies their 100’ catamaran OVER the Swiss Alps and into the port city of Genova, Italia (Genoa, Italy) to resume training for the Cup in February. A 100’ Russian-built Cargo helicopter performed the unprecedented maneuver – the only practical method to transport the 100’ long x 65’ wide boat to the Sea. The nearly 200’ tall mast is hauled under the helicopter that took these amazing shots.

…and through the Swiss Alps … Saint-Bernard’s Pass

…and into the city of Genoa, Italy

…and touch down in the port of Genoa – where training will resume – mild ocean conditions.

FLIGHT VIDEO –

In this YouTube clip, compiled by Alinghi’s Media Team, there’s insane footage of the boat lifted out of Lake Geneva then flown through Saint-Bernard’s Pass to Genova, Italia, for her first sea trials.

In other news, Alinghi also announced the location of the America’s Cup race, a remote city in the United Arab Emirates expected to take place February. Alinghi’s skipper and CEO Brad Butterworth wears Hard Kore Tobacco.

SAILING – LAKE GENEVA IN SWITZERLAND

Alinghi 5, the America’s Cup Defender’s giant catamaran, was the star of the show on Lake Geneva for the 1 August Swiss National Day celebrations which started in Lausanne where the multihull was on public display along with the America’s Cup and culminated in Geneva at the head of a parade of over 1,000 boats.

Upwards of 10,000 people gathered in Lausanne to meet the team which was presented on stage along with 20 Alinghi Junior Crew selected from yacht clubs throughout Switzerland. ‘It is fantastic to see so many people today,’ said team president Ernesto Bertarelli, talking to the public gathered for the celebrations. ‘It is extremely important for our team to share moments like this one with you all – it is not just about sharing the victories but also about sharing the new beginnings and this is one. I thank everyone for their support.’

After the festivities ashore, Alinghi 5 led over a 1,000 boats the length of the Lake, by way of Morges, Rolle, Nyon and Versoix, to its home yacht club: Société Nautique de Genève where the team was welcomed by Federal Counselor Micheline Calmy-Rey for a short ceremony. The counselor hoisted the Swiss flag on the catamaran to the National Anthem before making a brief speech that touched on the technological feat that the team has achieved and her pride in the spirit of the multi-national Swiss team.

Next on the team agenda is to prepare Alinghi 5 for the flight over the Alps (BY A HELICOPTER!) into Italy to continue the training programme out of the Mediterranean port of Genoa.

Kaenon sailor since day 1 of our brand, Alinghi’s skipper and CEO Brad Butterworth in Hard Kore Tobacco, signing autographs.

SAILING – Karatsu, Japan

Reigning Olympic Gold Medalist, American Anna Tunnicliffe in Beacon Tortoise G12 in last week’s windy conditions. Just after a start, below.

Reigning Olympic Gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe, racing in Beacon Tortoise G12, finished 3rd at the world championship last week in Japan. Here’s an excerpt of her race report: Karatsu, Japan: “I won the bronze medal!! We finished racing today at the 2009 Radial World Championships with two more windy races. I had a terrible first race finishing mid-teens, and then pulled back to a 4th in the second race of the day to secure third overall. Sari Mutala from Finland, sailed a fabulous regatta winning the first race today to seal the deal and be the new World Champion. Sophie de Turckheim from France also sailed a great day with a 2, 3 to finish second overall.
Sari and Sophie sailed a very good regatta and deserved to be on top. Congratulations. I was very happy with my position. My goal coming in was to be top three overall. I wasn’t quite expecting the wind to be as much as it was, so to finish third in the breeze makes me feel quite good too.” — Anna Tunnicliffe,

Top ten final results:
1. Sari Multala, FIN, 33 points
2. Sophie de Turckheim, FRA, 42
3. Anna Tunnicliffe, USA, 46
4. Marit Bouwmeester, NED, 52
5. Lijia Xi, CHN, 55
6. Evi Van Acker, BEL, 60
7. Sarah Steyaert, FRA, 64
8. Annalise Murphy, IRL, 76
9. Alberte Lindberg, DEN, 83
10. Francesca Clapcich, ITA, 92
Full results: events.laserinternational.org

SAILING

Last week we showed you the challenger, BMW ORACLE and their 90’x90’ Trimaran. At the same time, the defender ALINGHI launched their 90’ catamaran on Lake Geneva and put it through its initial test trials.
Incredible! That’s the sentiment felt within the sailing community.

The Cup is still going through its final stage of “land battles“ and disagreements, but a race between these two will occur in February or May next year. On August 8th Alinghi will announce the location. Speculation it will go to the highest bidder – with conducive conditionals suitable to the defender. This game plays under a whole different set of rules – and that’s part of the fascination and heritage. Most notably – the boats and the personalities. Check out Alinghi’s weapon, below.

Skipper and CEO Brad Butterworth in Hard Kore Tobacco C12, last week greeting the media on media day.

SAILING – Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

The world’s “other” top professional sailors not included in the America’s Cup this go round are on the TP52 circuit.

Emirates / Team New Zealand won this event in all types of conditions off the Italian island of Sardinia. Led by tactician Ray Davies in Kore and navigator Kevin Hall also in Kore, Team New Zealand won its second event in a row. Kaenon’s Terry Hutchinson sailing in Kore finished outside the top 5 – he’s the defending series champion aboard Quantum.

Ray Davies in Kore barking orders on Team New Zealand in the back, as they cross Terry Hutchinson’s Quantum.

SAILING
The Oldest Trophy in Sport, The America’s Cup will be a one-off match race (one-on-one) between the defender Alinghi from Switzerland (skippered by our Kaenon’s Brad Butterworth) and the American Challenger, BMW Oracle (skipper and CEO, Russell Coutts and owned by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison), in Giant Multihulls. The race is expected to take place in February and the location will be announced August 8 by the defender.

These boats are insane – gigantic multihulls that have never been designed or built of this size that will reach unheard of speeds on the course. If you’re a sailor – and even if you’re not, the America’s Cup will be a spectacle. The world-wide exposure from this event will likely be unprecedented for many reasons.
Below, BMW Oracle’s 90-foot x 90-foot Trimaran training off San Diego last week in very mild conditions.

Jimmy Spithill driving from the windward helmsman pod in Jetty

Tactician John Kostecki wearing Hard Kore C12, Helmsman Jimmy Spithill in Jetty Black G12, one of the main designers

Mainsail trimmer Dirk DeRidder in Kore C12

SAILING – ISAF YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Buzios, Brazil
The top of the peak for youth sailors is the ISAF Youth World Championships. You must win your nation’s national championship to qualify for the World Championships. Leading nations (trophy for top combined team results) saw France once again winning the first team slot, followed by Great Britain, Italy, Brazil and then New Zealand in 5th. Several of the key contenders who represented America have dreams to be the best and they want the best too. Consequently, many of these young sailors are huge Kaenon fans. Morgan Kiss and Lauren McKenna, wearing Hard Kore Tobacco G12 were the top US finishers, 5th in the women’s doublehanded class and won bronze in the Girls 420.

Korbin Kirk(wearing Lewi) at just 15 years old, is one of Kaenon’s hot up and comers.

SAILING – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Howie Hamlin wearing Kore Large G28, won this inaugural event held in front of Pier 39 on the City Front.

SAILING
Huge, big wind set the stage for the restart of this Round the World Race that is coming to an end after 8 months of racing. Kaenon Polarized Sunglasses have been worn by many sailors across the fleet.

Ericsson blast reaching in nearly 40 knots of wet and wild wind from Ireland to a “pit-stop” in Marstrand, Sweden – before heading to the finish in St. Petersburg, Russia.

SAILING – KOREA
The World Match Race Tour flew across the planet to Korea for last weekend’s event. Ben Ainslie, wearing Rhino Tobacco G12 couldn’t quite keep the victory momentum from last week in Germany as he finished 3rd. Two-time Tour Champion, Ian Williams wearing Hard Kore Tobacco C12 made it to the finals with his Team Pindar only to lose and settle for 2nd.

SAILING – LANGENARGEN, GERMANY

Wearing Rhino Tobacco G12 and representing the British America’s Cup group, Team Origin and 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, Ben Ainslie start the year off with a bang in their first event on the Tour this year. The win puts Ainslie in 4th place on the World Tour standings with 25 points, as an estimated 45,000 people took in the event on the shores of Germany’s Lake Constance. His tactician continued to be his Team Origin mate and 2x Olympic Medalist Ian Percy who was wearing Lewi Tobacco G12. Next stop is Match Race Korea in a few days time. Read the full story here.