Racing

It's been a busy month thus far for the America's Cup teams. Catch up on their sailing, training, and flugtag (yes, flugtag) here.

Nineteen of the 20 skippers sailing the Vendée Globe solo race around the world started the 24,048-mile, three-month circumnavigation off Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on Nov. 10. Bertrand de Broc returned to port before the start to make a repair to a small puncture in his hull. Photos: Jean Marie Liot/DPPI/Vendee Globe

Click here to meet the skippers.
Click here to read more about the race.
Click here for Bruce Gain's blog on who will win the Vendee Globe.

These 20 sailors will set off on Nov. 10 to sail around the world alone in the grueling Vendée Globe.

Click here to learn more about the Vendee Globe.
Click here to view photos from the start of the race.

Luna Rossa's AC72 was launched on Oct. 26, 2012, in Waitemata Harbor in Auckland, New Zealand. The hulls of the Italian challenger were built at the Persico Marine facility in Northern Italy. Most of the components, including the 130-foot tall wing sail, were built in New Zealand.

Skipper Max Sirena commented in an article on americascup.com: “We will not go out sailing in 25 knots on day one,” he said. “In the AC72, there are a lot of tricky systems to test. It is not just the structural part. There are the foils, the rudder systems, the wing – a lot of systems to check before we can start to push.

“We are excited to jump into the water. It is hard to keep the crew under control, because they want to push, but we need to push smartly.”

The 606-nautical-mile Rolex Middle Sea Race starts and finishes in Malta, and includes the deep azure waters of Sicily and the Strait of Messina, the islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, and even features Stromboli's active volcano as a course mark. Photos: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

Click here for results.

With 100+ A-Class catamarans racing at the World Championship in Islamorada, Fla., and breeze consistently between 20-25 knots on the first day, there was lots of carnage. Photos: 2012 A-Cat World Championship Facebook.

Rochester YC (N.Y.) hosted 96 J/24s for the 2012 World Championship on Lake Ontario this September. After the 10-race series, Brazil's Mauricio Santa Cruz and team on Bruschetta took the championship title, while the U.S. team of John Mollicone and 11th Hour Racing finished second. Photos: Rochester YC

Capri, Italy hosted the J24 Worlds in 1987. Check out the photos from the Sailing World Archives.

The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame (NSHOF) inducted nine of sailing's significant contributors to the National Sailing Hall of Fame at Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans on Oct. 14. Photos by NSHOF/George Long

The inductees were: Peter Barrett (Madison, Wis.), Bob Bavier (New Rochelle, N.Y.), Gregg Bemis (Boston, Mass.), Stan Honey (Palo Alto, Calif.), Bruce Kirby (Rowayton, Conn.), John Kostecki (San Anselmo, Calif.), Mark Reynolds (San Diego, Calif.), Rod Stephens (New York, N.Y.), and John Cox Stevens (New York, N.Y.)

Click here for more information from NSHOF.

Michael Kiss on Bacio won his third consecutive national title on San Francisco Bay. Photos: ©2012 JOY | International Audi Melges 20 Class Association

Jimmy Spithill's Oracle Team USA returned to San Francisco to claim their second consecutive Championship title on the Bay waters, despite a capsize that damaged their wing on the second-to-last day of racing. Spithill also won the Match Racing Championship. Photos: ACEA

Onboard action during one of the inshore races.

A record-breaking 33 Melges 32s representing eight countries race out of Newport, R.I., for the world championship through Sept. 29. Big breeze is forecasted, and a collision has already forced the retirement of one team. Photos: ©2012 JOY | International Melges 32 Class Association

Dear Dr. Crash: I am having second thoughts about my open cockpit race version Bluenose Sloop. I know Roue' is Canada's most respected yacht designer and the yacht was originally designed with an open cockpit, but the McVay version self draining cockpit one that I also own made it through the 40 knot winds while the former did not. What should I do? Stop sailing in winds past 25 knots? I can hear my Nova Scotia cousins growling at the thought as I type these very words.

The hunt is on for the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship title. Racing off of Chicago on Lake Michigan runs through Sept. 20. Photos: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

Her red hat is going to get wet! Event: J24 Fleet 43 Downeast Regatta 09-08-12 Photo by Ann-E Blanchard Host club Portland Yacht Club, Falmouth Maine Skipper/Helmsmen: Andrew Carey

Success! Event: J24 Fleet 43 Downeast Regatta 09-08-12 Photo by Ann-E Blanchard Host club Portland Yacht Club, Falmouth Maine Skipper/Helmsmen: Andrew Carey

Almost out of the water! Event: J24 Fleet 43 Downeast Regatta 09-08-12 Photo by Ann-E Blanchard Host club Portland Yacht Club, Falmouth Maine Skipper/Helmsmen: Andrew Carey

She is able to pull herself out of the water--not easy to do with so much pressure. Event: J24 Fleet 43 Downeast Regatta 09-08-12 Photo by Ann-E Blanchard Host club Portland Yacht Club, Falmouth Maine Skipper/Helmsmen: Andrew Carey

Notice the woman underneath the boom Event: J24 Fleet 43 Downeast Regatta 09-08-12 Photo by Ann-E Blanchard Host club Portland Yacht Club, Falmouth Maine Skipper/Helmsmen: Andrew Carey