This communication just received from David Adams at Changi Sailing Club, Singapore:

[color:"brown"] " [color:"blue"] The F-16 Global Challenge [/color]


We will be holding a major F-16 international sailing event in Singapore on the 7th to the 11th of February, 2007. This will be hosted by the Changi Sailing Club and is expected to attract an international fleet consisting of sailors from Europe, Australia, USA, South Africa and Asia. Boats that fall within the F-16 class (Taipans, Blades, Stealths, Mosquitoes, Spitfires and G-cats) are invited to join. Key aspects of the event are:

· The event will be held over 5 days with one rest day. It will start on Wednesday the 7th of February, 2007.

· The event will be held at a time of the year where winds are consistent and can be expected to be in the range of 15 to 20 knots.

· Corporate sponsorship is currently being engaged and significant prize money will be offered.

· Changi Sailing Club who will be hosting the event has the largest Taipan fleet in the world and first rate facilities that includes bars, restaurants, swimming pool, accommodation and good boat storage.

· The event will be held during the northern hemisphere “off season”. Conditions are warm in Singapore and offer a respite from the cold.

Singapore has an outstanding modern infrastructure, is a major transport hub and offers efficient and fast boat clearance. The costs of shipping boats will be significantly reduced if sailing clubs or individual sailors group together to hire shipping containers.

If you are interested in competing in this event or require further information please contact David Adams at dadams@kraftasia.com

For information on the Changi Sailing Club please visit our website:

www.csc.org.sg " [/color]

Having just returned from Singapore a week ago, I can thoroughly recommend the club, the people and the sailing!

We need to start getting some idea of who wants to go, and costings for containers/shipping so that we can get an approximate cost per boat.

I gather that it is unlikely there will be any charter F16s available so I'm afraid that shipping your own boat will be the only possibility.

I've been asked to post this as well :

Fellow Catamaran Sailors,

On February 7th -11th, 2007 we will be holding an international F-16 event called the "F-16 Global Challenge" in Singapore hosted by the Changi Sailing club. We are currently well advanced in the planning of this event and funding and support to run it has been secured. Further details are contained in the attached.


The main aim of the "F-16 Global Challenge" will be to:

-1- Promote the F-16 class
-2 Provide an international forum where F-16 sailors can compete
-3- Have a good time and enjoy the sailing
-4- Enhance contacts and linkages within the F16 class.


We are now reaching out to catamaran sailors and sailing clubs around the world to notify them of the details. It would be appreciated if you could let me know if you are interested in participating in this event and please pass this communication onto to other F-16 sailors and affiliations so that they are aware of the details.


Best regards
David Adams

Chairman of Steering Committee "F-16 Global Challenge"

Hi all,

I would love to be there, need some other Aussies to get a container together. Who's game?

Regards Gary.

Speak to the Taipan guys. The Taipan association has racks for container shipping so that would be your best bet to help shipping. Should be able to get 6 to 8 cats to a container.

JC

Latest update from David Adams in Singapore:

"The response to the F16 Championships has been excellent. We should be able
to get 20 local boats on the water plus 20 from overseas = 40.

I am currently having very good discussions with potential sponsors. We will
easily cover the costs of the event and we are aiming for S$ 100,000 in
prize money. If successful, I would imagine that the number of boats that
will participate will increase further.

The entry fee for the championship will only be S$100 per boat."

S$100,000 = $62,220 = £35,724 = Eur51,385

How about cutting the price money in halve and using one halve to pay for the US, EU and Aus containers transporting the boats ?

20,000 Euro's is more then enough prize money for my taste. Hell I think 1,000 Euro's to be pretty good prize money. I know that I'm not going to win it so I personally care more for limiting the cost of participation (shipping).


Wouter

Yes - subsidised transport costs would do a lot more for getting me over there than a bigger prize pool.

Paul

Agreed,
However, if the event has good prise money it may help get media attention and maybe this will assist in courting sponsorship from a shipping company for containers from US,Aust and Europe.
If not then consider what assistance can be provided to moving boats between the main centres.
Just a thought.


Regards,
Phill

How will the prize money be distributed -- across how many places?

Just some thoughts of mine:
Big prize money may draw more attention to the event and even more sponsorship, but will it draw more sailors to race in the event? It might draw more of the top sailors, which is good. But it might turn away more of the "ordinary" racers who have the perception that racing for money tends to make the competition more "intense" (read cut-throat). Is that perception valid?

And even if it is not a valid perception, is it setting a bad precedent to have what is basically a world championship (global equals world), with money prizes?

For instance, if this became a trend, would people start choosing the regattas they are going to attend based upon how much prize money is being offered? And will it hurt regatta attendance at major events that do NOT offer money prizes?

At least it would be a way for Olympic contenders to help fund their Olympic campaigns.

On the other hand, maybe Olympic level sailors are not allowed to race in events with prize money (I don't know.) And if ISAF nixes this whole thing ("Global" tied in with money), maybe you will ONLY be able to get the ordinary racers who are not setting their sites on major ISAF events or the Olympics, PanAmericans, etc.

Just some things I wonder about. (I hope ISAF is not monitoring this forum.)

We have strong interest expressed by about half a dozen UK sailors for this event, so I think we could get a container from the uk.

Hi all,

interest is strong in OZ also, looks like a container of boats from Australia.

Regards Gary.

We are still trying to reach the Swiss and Southern German Taipan sailors and the two new German F16 sailors who just received their boats.

But some of us here in Netherlands are serious considering coming out. I can't be specific in the way of names and I won't make garantees. But I know personally of 3 crews seriously looking to come out to Singapore. If anything these will drive over to UK and jump in with the UK container. If we find 2 more crews willing to go then a seperate container will most likely depart from Rotterdam.

With the promising reports from the UK and Australia it looks more and more attractive to go.

We're just missing the US sailors at this time ?

Say guys, any chance of finding 5 crews/boats to make the container from the USA (Florida) affordable ?

Wouter

How much? Bottom line: container, airfare, hotel & food?

Wouter,

I see it highly unlikely that any of the F16HPs from Florida will be attending. It is difficult to get them to attend regattas in the region let alone half way around the world. Most barely have the financial resource to buy a boat let along travel. If it isn't money, then it is family or work obligations. There seems to be lot of talk about racing the F16HP in Florida, but it is just that - talk.

Jennifer Lindsay

Ouch! I think Jen is calling you guys out! Jen, are you racing the JPOR? If so, which boat? Money is always an issue when you have 4 kids, 6 show horses, 5 dogs and a wife that thinks money grows on the trees out back...

Hi Tim,

I will be at JPOR but it will probably be with the Tiger. My prospective crew and I will weigh in around 360 lbs and that is too heavy for the F16HP. Contrary to previous post about racing the F16HP with that much weight, you can do it but you just won't be competitive. Also, I'm not too keen on launching either the A-Cat or FHP16U off the beach through the surf by myself. I have done it before but if there is a lot of surf, the F18 with 2 people is more appropriate for the conditions.

If my prospective crew can't make it and I find lighter crew, then I might sail the F16HP otherwise I'll sail F16HPU or A-Cat.

Jennifer

Any thoughts about why that is? I can understand that other obligations sometimes interfere, but when it is constant, it seems to me more of a smoke screen.

On our side were are looking at :

Container : 500 Euro's the boat
Airfare : 750 Euro's the person
Hotel : I haven't got a confirm quote on that but I typically estimate 50 Euro's a night
Food : It is singapore ! 20 bucks a day !
Regatta fee : 100 Euro's per crew

When doublehanding : about 1540 Euro's per person.

Wouter

Do they have any charter boats available down there? That would save a bit on the shipping.

It's tempting! Anyone else from the U.S. interested?