Superyacht News

After a frustrating night trapped by the high-pressure, at 0700 GMT Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) had sniffed the new breeze and while the chasing pack wallowed, Ian Walker and his men pulled out an advantage of 31 nautical miles (nm) over second-placed PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA). Meanwhile, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Mike Sanderson has taken Sanya to with 60 nm of the ice limit in search of strong breeze.

In a sea state that is horrible and air that is cold, the six-boat Volvo fleet is enduring something of a tack fest as they battle to keep with the Gulf Stream, thrashing their way around the fringe of the pesky high pressure centre. At 0700 GMT today, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) deposed CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) once again to take the lead, and Team Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) re-joined the party.

Leg 7 had a new frontrunner early on Thursday in the form of overall race leaders Telefónica, who snatched the top spot from French rivals Groupama as the teams were forced to head north to dodge a high pressure system blocking the direct path towards Lisbon.

The pressure has been intense for Franck Cammas and his men on board Groupama who have been unable to prevent the fleet compressing as the wind softened ahead.

After a day of thunderstorms and lightning on Tuesday, which lit up the racetrack like a battlefield, the six-boat Volvo Ocean Race fleet has settled back into some high-speed sailing across the Atlantic led by Franck Cammas/FRA and Groupama. Speeds are around 18-20 knots and PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) are back up in second place, with Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) in third.

After a light airs start to Leg 7 yesterday, Groupama (Franck Cammas/FRA) has the lead today as northerly winds blowing against the Gulf Stream kick up a choppy sea in the opening stages of the transatlantic leg to Lisbon in Portugal.

The Volvo Ocean Race fleet headed out of Miami and straight towards a tropical storm on Sunday after making a slow start to Leg 7, potentially one of the most critical stages of the 39,000 nautical mile marathon.

Azimut-Benetti Group – the world's largest private group in the yachting sector – has keeps on consolidating its leadership on Oriental markets. In fact, the group recently received another important award that confirms its success in Asia. Azimut-Benetti Group won the Best Brand Presence in Asia category during the eighth edition of the Asia Boating Awards that were held in Hong Kong and organized by Pacific Boating and China Boating, the most important magazines of Asia's nautical sector. 

Visit www.azimutpressarea.com for further information.

Heesen Yachts is proud to announce that the 50m Satori and the 37m Aurelia have been awarded Neptune Trophies at the prestigious World Superyacht Awards which took place in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday May 5, 2012.

Aurelia, 37m semi-displacement, prevailed over five other finalists in the very competitive "Raised pilothouse - semi-displacement or planning motor yacht" category. Aurelia sports a very different exterior look with her bright orange and blue color scheme that recalls Gulf Oil racing cars. Her precious and rich interior by Bannenberg and Rowell is inspired by the automotive theme. The judges commented: "An unusual, but very worthy winner".

Functional spaces, elegant and sophisticated details create the perfect private island. Smooth design accentuates the voluminous spaces inside. The profile of the Azimut 82 combines sinuosity, elegance and innovation thanks to its load-bearing structures accompanied by large windows in the deckhouse and hull and centre window consisting of four vertical segments.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing this morning closed out fifth place on Leg 6 from Itajaí, Brazil to the USA, arriving under a moonlit sky just before dawn in Miami, Florida.

Ken Read and the team on PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG are flying into the last 100 miles to the Miami finish line at average speeds of almost 20 knots, with CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) in their rear view mirror, 18.10 nm behind. But it has been a tortuous night and Ken Read and his men came perilously close to losing the lead.

Having emerged from a windless day with their precious lead still intact, PUMA are still fending off second-placed CAMPER as the pair approach what could be the final strategic milestone in Leg 6 -- the Eleuthera Island lighthouse at the top of the Bahamas.

With less than 500 miles to race to the finish in Miami, the weather gods have thrown in another band of light air to keep the five boats racing on their toes. As the breeze softens once again, at 0700 GMT today, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) saw their lead slashed to 12.9 nautical miles (nm) by CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS).

“The tactical decisions are tough and often we have to adapt them as we go,” commented Telefónica skipper Iker Martínez (ESP), who today at 1900 GMT had risen up the leg leaderboard to seize second place from CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS).

As the breeze softens and the threat of squalls and clouds loom, it is a tense time for leg leaders PUMA.

There is no let up at the head of the fleet. At 0700 GMT today, PUMA (Ken Read/USA) still had the advantage, leading CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) by 4.9 nautical miles and achieving top speeds as high as 30 knots, while third placed Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) were 18.6 nm off the pace.

For the second night running, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) have clung on to the Leg 6 lead in the tightest of matches, holding off CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP). At 0700 GMT today, the margin from second-placed CAMPER was 1.2 nautical miles (nm).

Heesen Yachts is proud to announce that on Saturday April 28th 2012 YN 15747 was christened MY Lady Petra by her Owners. Launched at the facility in Oss this new vessel is the eighth in Heesen's award-winning 47metre class.

This project, which began when the contract was signed back in 2010, is very special for the Company as the client is Frans Heesen himself, the former owner and founder of the shipyard.

It has been a long, hard night for PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA), who have been fighting to stay in pole position on Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race to Miami. As the leading trio of PUMA, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) fought against black, wind-sucking clouds in the midst of the Doldrums, PUMA bled miles continuously throughout the night.