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AURELIA Yacht Charter Brochure

27m  /  88'7   president   2007 / 2021.

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• MAGICAL DAYS

Yacht is no longer available for sale. This is an archived web page showing historic information for reference purposes only. Search Yachts for Sale.

MAGICAL DAYS Yacht for Sale

Magical Days has benefitted from significant upgrades since 2019 and textbook maintenance throughout her life. In 2021 alone, over $400,000 was spent to ensure she is standing tall and ready to cruise to any destination you desire. 

Recent Upgrades & Improvements:

Built in 2007 and refit in 2018 and 2021 with over $400,000 spent in 2021 alone, “Magical Days” is an extraordinary tri-deck yacht. The volume on board this 87’ motoryacht compares to that of a typical 100-foot yacht. With all of the additional volume, she offers amenities usually found on much larger boats. Her 4-stateroom, 5-head layout also offers space for 2 crew members, a main salon and skylounge, walk-in chef’s pantry, hot tub, and numerous options for al fresco dining, sun bathing, or simply enjoying the view. 

From a captain’s perspective, “Magical Days” is an exceptionally user-friendly yacht. Her keel is lead filled, providing increased stability at anchor. Additionally, the keel extends below the props, providing for peace-of-mind when transiting shallow waters, like those of the Bahamas. Mechanically speaking, her MTU Engines have benefitted from an overhaul in 2021, and have logged just 200 hours since. All other systems onboard have been similarly maintained with an open checkbook.

Notable Features: 

Please contact us to schedule a viewing of “Magical Days,” in Fort Lauderdale, FL, fresh off her summertime stint in New England.

Specifications

Accommodations

Dimensions & Capacity

Construction

Engines (x2)

Complete the form below and one of our experienced sales brokers will be in touch soon.

Northrop and Johnson is pleased to assist you in the purchase of this vessel. This boat is centrally listed by 26 North Yachts. It is offered as a convenience by this broker/dealer to its clients and is not intended to convey direct representation of a particular vessel

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© 2024 Northrop & Johnson

MAGICAL DAYS President

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MAGICAL DAYS has 15 Photos

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• MAGICAL DAYS

If you have any questions about the MAGICAL DAYS information page below please contact us .

Magnificent motor yacht MAGICAL DAYS offers guest unparalleled luxury stretching over three separate and beautifully appointed decks. This elegant and spacious yacht is available for private charter for 6 guests, over 3 cabins. She was built in in 2007, and most recently refitted in 2019, which saw the addition of a fabulous bow jacuzzi.

++ NOT ADVERTISED FOR CHARTER ++

NOTABLE FEATURES for MAGICAL DAYS: ~ Excellent jacuzzi located at the bow ~ Exceptionally spacious interior and exterior living areas ~ Beautiful contemporary interior decor ~ Open plan salon and dining ~ Three exterior decks ~ Extensive selection of water toys ~ The latest in audio/visual amenities ~ Wifi

MAGICAL DAYS boasts a tremendous amount of space both above decks and below. Her welcoming salon offers plushly upholstered seating areas, with huge wraparound windows and gleaming wood furnishing. Her formal dining area leads to a fully equipped and beautiful full-beam galley where the chef will prepare sumptuous delights designed to suit your specific tastes.

A short stairway leads to her plush and comfortable sky lounge, with a built-in wet bar with individual seating and mini-kitchen, comfortable leather recliners, TV/Stereo entertainment system and wrap-around windows for spectacular 360’ views. Or head out to the upper aft deck, and work on your tan on the plushly upholstered built-in sunbeds. It’s the perfect place to get away from it all and relax with a good book, gather for cocktail hour with a view, or plot your next course with the Captain in the adjacent flybridge.

MAGICAL DAYS Specifications

Above decks, MAGICAL DAYS offers an abundance of options for your entertainment and relaxation. From her comfortable salon, adjourn to her upholstered aft deck dining area and indulge in sumptuous gourmet meals alfresco in the tradewind breezes. Gather for lunch and delightful canapés underway in her foredeck seating area, or enjoy stargazing under the clear Caribbean skies. Both areas offer ample space for sunbathing or relaxing after playing on her water toys and are fully accessible from her wrap-around deck.

Her engaging and experienced crew of two are natural hosts, waiting to welcome you to a private floating oasis guaranteed to make your tropical dreams come true. From a custom-designed itinerary to delectable delights prepared especially to your tastes, relax and indulge as they tend to your every need. Their knowledge and professionalism ensure that you will experience an unforgettable holiday of pleasure with your perfect mix of adventure and relaxation.

Yacht Accommodation

6 guests are magnificently accommodated in Magnificent motor yacht MAGICAL DAYS ’s three staterooms, one king, one queen, and a twin, offering options for couples and families alike. Each features a full, private bathroom, climate control, wi-fi, and personal 19” television entertainment system. Spacious and luxuriously appointed with custom linens, gleaming wood furnishings, and recessed lighting, guests will enjoy a plush and comfortable oasis at the end of each spectacular day.

Amenities and Extras

Tenders & Toys: Caribe tender 15ft / 4.6m - 70hp engine 2x Yamaha sea scooters (2 speed) 2x Inflatable paddle boards 1x Floating island Selection of inflatable water loungers 1x Towable tube (2 person) 3x Kayaks, tandem (1 clear) 1x Kneeboard Snorkeling gear (assorted sizes) NEW Brownie's eco-friendly "Sea Lion" third lung hookah system (2-diver unit) Extensive fishing gear (3 trolling rods, 3 spinners, and other assorted offshore fishing gear) 2x Pole spears Large tent for beach picnics Assortment of inflatable beach / water toys Beach games Audio Visual Equipment and Deck Facilities: Each stateroom is available with new HD TV's, each with an Apple TV, DVD player, and Direct TV WiFi available throughout Direct TV throughout Indoor Bose audio sound system throughout Ipod docking station DVD library, DVD players throughout Deck shower on swim platform BBQ Jacuzzi/Sunbed in Bow area! Communications: WiFi - Multi cellular 4G, LTE Systems with SIM Card Direct TV Gym equipment: Yoga Mats

MAGICAL DAYS Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht MAGICAL DAYS displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

Quick Enquiry

Gilliana | From EUR€ 35,000/wk

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Samarcande | From EUR€ 35,000/wk

The Height of Luxury at Sea Level

Fall savings are available for a limited time. please inquire, us virgin islands, jost van dyke, bvi, virgin gorda and the baths, bvi, tortola, bvi, norman islands, bvi, peter island, bvi, create a moment so special, it will last a lifetime., allow us to infuse magic into your day., magic moments has been awarded top honors by guests year after year ..

Voted “Best Activity of the VI” by the Virgin Islands Daily News, awarded Fodor’s Choice by Fodor’s Guidebooks, and consistently receiving the Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor, Magic Moments is the region’s premiere luxury excursion company.

EXPERIENCE A CARIBBEAN VERY FEW ARE PRIVILEGED TO KNOW…

Please complete the reservation request form below and we will contact you to confirm your reservation..

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American Magic helmsman Goodison broke 5 ribs and will miss start of America's Cup playoffs

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — American Magic co-helmsman Paul Goodison said in a social media post Friday that he broke five ribs when he fell into a an open hatch aboard Patriot after racing six days earlier in the America's Cup challenger trials.

The team, backed by the New York Yacht Club, has been largely mum about Goodison's injury, other than co-helmsman Tom Slingsby saying Friday that Goodison was hurt when he “had a fall on the boat.”

Goodison later posted on social media that he was hurt when he fell into an open hatch in the hull while helping prepare the boat for towing back to port after racing last Saturday.

“I was lifting the mainsail across the deck and fell through an open hatch into the hull,” Goodison wrote. “I struggled to breathe after the impact, but the extent of the injury wasn’t fully clear until further examination and imaging at the hospital. I’m now working closely with the medical team to assess my return to racing as soon as possible, while continuing to support the team’s path to the semifinals.”

Slingsby said Goodison won’t be ready to sail when American Magic faces Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals on Saturday, and did not have a timeline for when his co-skipper might be back in action.

“Unfortunately, he won't be with us tomorrow. We are still taking it day by day for when he will return,” Slingsby said at a news conference. “We all wish Goodie a quick recovery and we hope that we can still see him in this competition.”

Goodison was an Olympic gold medalist in 2008. This is his third America’s Cup overall and his second with American Magic.

In the meantime, substitute Lucas Calabrese will remain in Goodison’s place on port helm.

Slingsby said that Goodison was still under medical supervision, but that the team was hopeful he could be back. The team would not say whether Goodison was hospitalized.

“The doctors are with him each day and assessing him each day. He was weighed in for our team, so we are hopeful that he will be joining us again," Slingsby said. “It's a tough one where he really wants to be out there with us, but he is not able to at the moment. It's just going to be assessing how quickly he can feel ready to come back on join us.”

The first-to-five-wins series against Luna Rossa begins Saturday, with INEOS Britannia facing Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the other playoff. That will be followed by the Louis Vuitton Cup finals starting on Sept. 26, whose winner will then face defending champion New Zealand in the America’s Cup finals starting on Oct. 12.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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44m Vitters new build fast cruising sloop Project Magic for sale

The 44.3-metre Vitters fast cruising sloop Project Magic is newly listed with Eleonora Pitasso and Jamie Small of Burgess .

The Reichel Pugh design is currently under construction in the Netherlands, with launch scheduled for early 2025. "Interior superstructures" are by Design Unlimited in collaboration with Pieter Laureys. Construction is aluminium with a carbon-fibre superstructure.

The brokers pointed out that she "combines a contemporary interior aesthetic with dynamic, modern exterior lines". One highlight is the superstructure and its extensive glazing which provides panoramic views and a feeling of space.

Accommodation is for 10 guests across five cabins including a full-beam spacious owner's suite aft that has an office. Two guest cabins are also located aft of the engine room, while another guest plus a children's bunk cabin are positioned forward. There are quarters for a crew of seven.

Retractable glass doors and oversized glazing encourages a connection with the outdoors. The saloon includes a formal dining space opposite comfortable seating. The coachroof extends over the recessed cockpit, offering security for guests while lounging or dining.

Wide central steps lead up to the twin helms, cantilevered from the bulwarks, as well as a more exposed seating area around a pair of tables on the teak deck. Aft of the inviting, beamy, teak-laid aft deck, the transom hatch opens to form a beach club.

The 304GT Lloyd's-classed yacht for sale features a number of innovations developed by Vitters, including retractable V-bollards for sleek aesthetics on deck as well as a submarine anchor system that "ensures a clean and functional bow and foredeck" as well as keeping the weight away from the bow.

Under her single 591hp diesel engine, Project Magic has a cruising speed of nine knots, range of 3,000 nautical miles and top speed of 12 knots.

Project Magic 's asking price is on application.

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7 things to know prior to coming to Chechnya (even if you don’t go)

1) Is it safe to go to Chechnya ?

Yes , it is. But remember that this is a conservative region with an Islamic population. You can’t misbehave as if on some island getaway - drunken brawls and outbursts are simply unacceptable.

Local police officers will always be polite to you, but they won’t hesitate to twist your arm behind your back and slap on the handcuffs if you overstep the line. They can also be pretty quick to reach for their guns. In Chechnya, the police are armed with AKs and handguns and they know how to use them: For years the region was ravaged by war as terrorists and Russia went head to head.

So it’s a trade-off: No college-like drunken parties in exchange for total safety. Anyway, alcohol is banned.

2) How to get to there?

There are two ways to get there. You can take a direct flight from Moscow to Grozny from Vnukovo Airport, and planes fly there and back twice a day.  

Or you can fill up the car with fuel and embark on a road trip. Grozny is 1,850 km south of Moscow and unlike much of the country, the route is paved with new roads. The trip will take you through cities like Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don, and you’ll also see provincial Russia in all its glory.

3) How to communicate with the locals ?

Residents of the region, which was a war zone only a decade ago, are sociable and curious people. They don’t get to see a lot of tourists as people are still afraid to visit due to Chechnya's history - but the locals really are very welcoming.

One small warning: If you get to know a family, you should never reject their offer to come for dinner. If you can’t go right away, schedule it for another day. Otherwise, they’ll feel offended and any friendship could be ruined.

People are extremely eager to show how much their world has changed since the war, which can result in sometimes excessive demonstrations of hospitality. Our advice, just enjoy the ride.

As a region with a dominantly Islamic population, Chechnya has some specific rules for clothes. A girl in should never expose her bare legs and arms.

As for the men, keep one thing in mind; No shorts or fancy T-shirts.

5) Where to go and what to see

You won’t find any booze, pot, or anything of that kind in Chechnya. Not even cigarettes or hookah. Such things can’t be found even in fancy hotels and restaurants – again, because of Muslim traditions. Having no other options, locals tend to lead a healthy lifestyle and enjoy sports, culture, guns and traveling.

Sports are sacred for them as they traditionally see their mountain region as the homeland of warriors. Every man in Chechnya has tried his hand at martial arts at least once in his life. The first thing our guide showed me was his son wrestling in a local Judo tournament. The venue for this event - a dilapidated sports gym with frayed walls - was swarming with people. Locals enjoy watching sports and there are a number of big arenas recently built for such events. The most impressive is the Ahmat Arena.

If you enjoy cultural events then head to the Center Theater and the largest mosque of the region - The Heart of Chechnya. Both are situated in Grozny.

You’ll love Chechnya if you’re a gun enthusiast. The region’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov personally oversees the ongoing construction of the Russian University of Spetsnaz . It’s situated 33 km outside of Grozny near the city of Gudermes.

Some parts of the center are under construction but the shooting ranges are open, where you can literally shoot anything you want from pistols to heavy machine guns and grenade launchers (yes, you read it right). In 2020, once construction is complete, you’ll be able to go underwater shooting and even defuse mines (if you are crazy).

Besides shooting and blowing things up, I would recommend going on a hike. If you’re into camping, walking through forests, and mountaineering, this is the place to go. Start in Grozny and travel in any direction you like - the countryside is stunning.

You won’t find any pork here. That’s for sure.

Try the local shashlik and kebab, especially the mutton . There are numerous cafes serving local cuisine and any local taxi driver will get you to whichever joint in 20 minutes max - Grozny is a small city compared to Moscow.

7) What else should you know before going to Chechnya

Exchange dollars (or whatever currency you have) for rubles prior to traveling there - doing this will save you time as you don’t want the hassle of having to look for a local bank in Chechnya to change money.

You’ll also need cash as you won’t be able to pay with your credit card (except in big fancy restaurants and hotels where you won’t be spending time if you wish to get stuck into the local culture).

You should not also avoid conversing with the local girls as you might in another big city. Different rules apply here, trust us, don’t make any moves.

But my main advice to you would be to remain open-minded and outgoing. Chechnya turned out to be totally different from what I’ve seen on the TV or horror stories I’d heard from friends. Chechnya is definitely a place to go.

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PROJECT MAGIC for sale

Published 16 September 2024

Burgess is delighted to announce its appointment as Central Agent for the sale of this new 44.3m (145.3ft) Dutch sailing yacht for sale, with completion expected early 2025.

Built to Lloyd’s classification by the prestigious Dutch shipyard Vitters, the 44.3m (145.3ft) PROJECT MAGIC is a fast-cruising sloop designed to exceed all expectations.

Exterior spaces

A sporty exterior with dynamic lines comes courtesy of Reichel Pugh Design, paired with a spacious 304GT of interiors designed by Design Unlimited/Pieter Laureys. The covered main cockpit allows for all-weather al fresco dining and lounging, with further deck space aft. The transom hatch also opens to double as a generous beach club.

Interior spaces

Blending inside and out, expansive glass windows and doors boast 360-degree views and are complemented by a warm colour palette. The main deck lounge is complete with a comfortable seating area opposite a formal dining table to port, and the glass doors open out to the recessed aft cockpit.

Guest accommodation 

PROJECT MAGIC hosts 10 guests across five cabins, with a spacious full beam owner’s suite located in the stern complete with an en suite bathroom, his-and-hers walk-in wardrobes, and an office. Two additional guest cabins are situated aft of the engine room, with one guest and one children’s bunk cabin positioned forward of the engine room.

PROJECT MAGIC is a single screw diesel yacht, giving her a cruising speed of nine knots, a maximum speed of 12 knots, and a range of 3,000nm.

On behalf of the seller, we are delighted to bring this exceptional sailing yacht to the sales market. Currently under construction in Vitters Shipyard, the Netherlands, PROJECT MAGIC is due for delivery in Q1 2025, price on application. Please contact your Burgess broker for more information or to arrange a viewing.

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The Deportation of 1944 – How It Really Was? – Umalt Chadayev

February 23 this year marked the sixty-fourth anniversary of the mass deportation of Chechens and Ingush to Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In a matter of a few days almost half a million people, mostly women, children and the elderly, were loaded on to special trains and sent into the unknown.

To this day, in spite of two extremely brutal military campaigns which have recently claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians in the Chechen Republic, those who witnessed it at first hand remember “Stalin’s deportation” as one of the most terrible tragedies in their lives. Chechens consider that their thirteen long years of exile in the steppes of Kazakhstan and Central Asia caused a great many changes.

“Not only were the Chechens, like many other peoples of the North Caucasus, deported from their ancestral homeland – they were also subjected to a process that was intended to deprive them of their historical memory. I’m told that for several days after February 23, 1944, ancient Chechen manuscripts (teptary) were burned in Grozny. In the mountains, centuries-old historic towers were dynamited: in the Argun Gorge (southern Chechnya) alone, some 300 of them were destroyed. Our ancestral cemeteries were razed to the ground, and the gravestones (churty) were used for the construction of various buildings and roads,” says the Chechen State University professor Sharani Dzhambekov .

“February 23 is one of the most tragic dates in the history of the Chechen people. It will be remembered by our children and our children’s children because it affected every Chechen. More than half of our compatriots were left in unmarked graves on the way to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, and also when they got there,” he adds.

“About a month before the deportation Soviet soldiers came to the mountain villages. They said that the troops were getting ready for some sort of major exercises. But people were doubtful because there were already rumours that the Kalmyks and Karachays had been deported, ‘to Siberia ‘, as it was said at the time. But no one wanted to believe it, or that the same thing could be done to us,” says 78-year-old Grozny resident Salavdi Khadzhiyev . “At the time, we were living in the Vedensky district of the Chechen-Ingush Republic.”

“On the morning of February 23 all the adult men were called to some kind of meeting in the centre of the village. There they were surrounded by soldiers, and then a decree was read out to them. It said that the Chechens were being deported, and then they were ordered to immediately get their families ready for a journey. Soldiers went to each house and gave the families twenty minutes to make preparations. They were told to take warm clothes and food for three days, but no further explanation was given. I was just a teenager at the time, but I can still hear the crying and wailing of our women. It was horrible. No one knows exactly how many people died on the road of hunger and cold, or how many perished when they reached their destination. There were many thousands of such people.”

“Women, children, old folk, men from various families were herded into a single wagon. There were no toilets. The menfolk cut a hole in the corner and draped it with a blanket and a sheet. That was the toilet. But many people, especially young girls, were too embarrassed to use it, which damaged their urinary tract and even led to their death. In our wagon a 14-year-old girl died. There were also a lot of such cases in the other wagons. February 23 and the days that followed it were a road to nowhere – they were the most terrible shock of my life. Now, after the two wars that have been here, I realize that there are things worse and more terrible than the ones I experienced back then,” says 75-year-old Nepisat Akayeva , a female resident of the republic’s Itum-Kalinsky district.

“My father told me that when a trainload of Chechens arrived at one of the railway stations in the Aktyubinsk Oblast of Kazakhstan, they tried to find out where they had been taken. There were a lot of Kazakhs standing there. They’d been specially sent with horse-drawn sleighs to take the deportees to their places of accommodation. Well, one of the Chechens, who had previously worked as a teacher at a school, knew several languages and decided to talk to the Kazakhs. He began in Russian, but they were silent. He said a few words in Chechen, but they didn’t understand. He tried some other language as well, but again there was silence in response. Then he turned to his fellow countrymen and said: “We’ve probably been taken to Mongolia. They don’t know any language but their own,” another resident of Chechnya, 48-year-old Ayub Ishanov , relates.

“Of course, there were various different attitudes towards Chechens in those days. There was a lot of meanness and nastiness, but quite a lot of decency, too. For example, my grandfather who fought at the front in 1944, was forced to emigrate to Kazakhstan, as all frontline Chechen soldiers were. For several years he tried unsuccessfully to find out what had happened to his brothers and sisters, of whom before 1944 he’d had nine. In the end it became clear that only one sister had survived. She was living with her two small sons on a collective farm somewhere near Alma-Aty. And my grandfather was living in the Gurevsky district [of Western Kazakhstan] at that time,” 30-year-old Chechen resident Shamkhan told Prague Watchdog’s correspondent.

“He decided to go there and bring his sister and nephews back with him. He also learned that his sister was seriously ill with typhoid. At his own risk he went to Alma-Aty, hiding on the roofs of rail cars – at that time Chechens were forbidden to leave their places of settlement, a crime for which they could be sent to a labour camp for 15-25 years. Somewhere near Alma-Aty he was arrested and taken to the local commandant’s office. On learning that my grandfather was a Chechen, had fought in the Second World War and was going to fetch his sister, the commandant, a Ukrainian by nationality and himself a frontline officer, let him go. Moreover, he gave him some sort of pass which provided him with immunity from arrest. My grandfather always remembered that man with gratitude. He found my sister and his nephews, and took them home.”

“And in one of the other districts of Kazakhstan, I don’t remember now exactly where this happened, there was another commandant who was in charge of the ‘special contingent’. He would even let Chechens leave the auls [villages] where they lived. There were two villages next to each other, separated by a small river. Several dozen Chechen families lived in one of them. But the only cemetery was on the outskirts of the other aul, where only Kazakhs lived. When a Chechen died, the commandant would not allow the family to cross the river to bury the body in the cemetery. Chechens had to carry the deceased person on a stretcher to the middle of the river, and the Kazakhs would come out from the other side. They’d take away the corpse and bury it in their cemetery. Those are the sort of ‘customs’ there were then.”

“Though it has to be said that the things that happened during the deportation were as nothing compared to what happened here during the two recent military campaigns. In those days there were no mass bombings of villages, no large-scale abductions, there was no brutal torture of detainees, no selling of corpses and killing of hostages. Though in my opinion both the 1944 deportation and the two military campaigns (the 94-96 military actions and the ‘counter-terrorist operation that began in 1999) were acts of genocide,” Shamkhan is convinced.

Just 64 years ago, on February 23, the mass deportation of Chechens and Ingush to other regions of the Soviet Union, primarily Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, began on the orders of the Kremlin leadership. The large-scale operation, codenamed “ Chechevitsa ” [ Lentil ], was personally supervised by People’s Commissar Lavrenty Beria . Archive data from the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ChI ASSR) indicates that 478,479 people were deported, including 387,229 Chechens and 91,250 Ingush. According to various sources, in the early years of their exile about half of the Chechens and Ingush died from hunger, cold and disease.

In 2004 the European Parliament recognized the 1944 deportation of the Chechens as an act of genocide . The Kremlin leadership has so far taken no real steps aimed at the rehabilitation of these repressed peoples, despite the fact that in November 1989 a law to that effect was passed in the USSR. In “compensation” for their forced exile, Chechens (as victims of deportation, and their children born before 1957 – the first year in which Chechens were allowed to return to their historic motherland) are being offered payments of 10,000 roubles (about $400) per family. In Chechnya this is viewed as just more mockery of the Chechen people’s memory, and the vast majority of Chechens do not plan to take these miserable sums from the government.

Umalt Chadayev Prague Watchdog – 2008

Prepared by Chechen Media | Powered by WordPress

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Total British dominance: Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Day 1

• Toby Heppell
• September 14, 2024

INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa were the two winners on the opening day of Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final racing in Barcelona

The Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final started today, Saturday 14 September, in Barcelona as the four remaining America’s Cup Challengers took to the water for the opening races in their best of nine head-to-head series. The competition will determine the two teams who will meet in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final for the chance to race Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup itself.

Having won the Round Robin series, Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Britannia were afforded the right to pick their opponent for the Semi-Final and whether they want their first race to be first up or second up on the first day. They picked Alinghi Red Bull Racing – widely seen as the weakest of the three other teams – and also choose to race second, when the thermally enhanced breeze should be at its best, so avoiding the light conditions that were predicted for the early part of the day.

Co-skipper of American Magic, Paul Goodison is still recovering from an injury – which has now been revealed to be broken ribs as has been widely rumoured – and, having missed the final day of the Round Robin, he remains in recovery-mode. Once again, he was replaced by the young Lucas Calabrese, who has trained extensively with the team.

Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Day 1

• INEOS are clear favourites to make the Louis Vuitton Final
• Luna Rossa are likely to be in the Louis Vuitton Final, but it will be a tougher match against American Magic
• Manoeuvrability continues to look a weakness of American Magic

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 1 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

Despite a disappointing end to the Louis Vuitton Round Robin series, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have looked the fastest of the Challengers and with the loss of Goodison on American Magic, they are the bookies favourite to take the win in this Semi-Final.

The race was delayed by American Magic asking for a 15 minute delay – each team can do this once per series – as they sorted out, what Slingsby later described as a ‘systems error’.

When racing did get underway in around 12 knots of wind, it was first blood to the American flagged boat in the pre-start as Slingsby and Calabrese looked to lead back to the start and aim for the favoured pin end of the line. Spithill and Bruni decided to gybe around in front of American Magic so they could lead back to the favoured pin end. But they made the decision a little too late and as they gybed through their own dirty air, they got a bit slow and American Magic pounced to roll over the top of the Italians. 

“We didn’t have a great start, so we were a little bit on the back foot at the beginning,” said Bruni of the start after the racing.

That gave the start to American Magic, who hit the pin end of the line at pace, while Luna Rossa was forced to tack at the gun and head out to the right of the course. American Magic tacked to follow and did a good job of keeping a lose cover on the Italians.

Spithill and Bruni threw in a few short tacks on the right hand boundary looking to draw American Magic into a tacking duel – something that had worked well for Alinghi in their win over the US boat. But Slingsby and Calabrese did an excellent job of keeping a lose cover on their opponent and making sure they out them in dirty air at the key moments of the leg. 

Luna Rossa spent much of the next lap keeping very close to American Magic looking for a mistake and it finally came at the second windward gate when American Magic touched down off the foils after the rounding. There was plenty of breeze to allow them to pop striagh back up on the foils but it was enough of a speed loss to allow the Italians a sniff of a chance. 

At the leeward gate rounding, Luna Ross came around right on the stern of the Americans and immediately tacked. With some decent wind out on the right of the course and demonstrating some decent pace, the Italians had the advantage at the next cross, as the port tacked Americans needed to duck their stern.

Spithill and Bruni had done and excellent job of getting in phase with the shifts and by the next cross they were well clear, rounding the windward mark with a decent lead.

American Magic did manage to catch them a little donwwind, but it was never enough to overhaul the Italians.

What did We learn from the Louis Vuitton Semi-Final Race 1?

Another mistake at the start will be disappointing for Spithill and Bruni, who have made more errors so far in the racing than you’d expect from this polished team.

But what was most noticeable – and concerning for those wanting to see a good competition – was how well Luna Rossa managed to hang onto American Magic when behind and then how much they were able to stretch away once in front. It was pretty clear they had a bit of speed in hand over the Americans in these conditions and with these setups.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 2 INEOS Britannia Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

With INEOS wining the Round Robin and Alinghi Red Bull Racing being the lowest ranked of the qualifying teams, the Brits are the favourite to win this Semi-Final. But like the first race of the day it was not the favourite who won the start.

Ainslie and Fletcher elected to lead back to the line, but were pretty early heading back. Alinghi were happy to let the Brits have the pin end and set up to start gapped well off to windward. As the gun fired, the Brits were still scrubbing off some speed, while the Swiss-flagged Alinghi reached into the windward end and were able to start at pace, with a decent gap to the Brits to leeward.

The Brits tacked onto port and Alinghi tried to tack right on top of INEOS, but Ainslie and Fletcher were able to foot a little bit as the Swiss tacked and keep their air clean. Psarofaghis and Bachelin did a good job keeping a cover on the Brits, who were looking quick in these 12 knot wind conditions. Alinghi managed to do one less tack than the Brits upwind, which gave them an 11 second lead at the first windward gate rounding. 

But although they had the lead, the extra manoeuvre also meant the Brits could split away from the Swiss on the first downwind. INEOS has looked quick downwind all series and here, she once again displayed her pace. And with Ainslie and Fletcher doing a great job of picking the puffs and were full 28 seconds ahead by the first leeward gate.

“It was a tight first beat and the Swiss has the better of us that’s for sure, but we got a nice bit of pressure for us at the top right of the course,” said INEOS’ coach, Rob Wilson.

In an ominous display, from there INEOS really put the hammer down and won by an impressive 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

What did We learn from the Louis Vuitton Semi-Final Race 2?

Everyone expects this Semi-Final to be the least competitive as the Round Robin winner takes on the lowest ranked qualifier. And so it proved to be with the Brits annihilating their competition. Ainslie and Fletcher will be disappointed by their poor start but other than that, it was a pretty faultless display.

The biggest lesson from this race was just how much quicker the Brits were than their Swiss competition. It’s only the first race of their best-of-nine series, but all signs are pointing to a 5-0 scoreline if this pace differential remains.

Race 3 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs American Magic

The wind had started to fade by the third race of the day and had dropped back into single figures over the course, with 7 knot winds at the bottom end and 10 knots in the puffs.

The start was almost a carbon copy of the first match between these teams with Luna Rossa looking to gybe round in front of American Magic to lead back. However, as the Italians went through their gybe they picked up a bit of ventilation on their rudder foil, lost steerage and had a big skid to leeward.

This once again allowed Slingsby and Calabrese to roll over the top of them and lead back to the favoured pin end. Spithill and Bruni managed to do a good job of building a gap between them and the Americans, so they hit the startline with a bit space to leeward. But American Magic got into a nice high mode and forced the Italians to tack away. 

At the first cross American Magic were just ahead of the starboard tack Italians, and Slingsby and Calabrese chose to tack right in front of the Italian team. From there American Magic once again kept a lose cover on their opponents to lead around the windward gate 10 seconds in the lead.

The gap remained pretty close on the first downwind, but it was disaster for American Magic at the leeward gate as they gybed to get around the left hand gate mark and take the favoured left hand side of the beat, but through the gybe they fell off their foils and were forced to do a big re-build of speed once around the gate. “It was really tricky at that bottom end. The wind got super light and we just couldn’t quite lay in,” explained Calabrese after the race. 

To be fair to Slingsby and Calabrese, the left was clearly significantly favoured and by the first cross, Luna Rossa did have the lead but only thanks to having the starboard tack advantage. At the next cross it was the US-flagged team who were on starboard and took the lead. 

But Spithill and Bruni had done a great job of figuring out the course, and at the next cross, Luna Rossa was on starboard and were laying into the gate, while American Magic, on port, was not on a layline and needed to do an additional tack to get through the gate.

From there Luna Rossa held onto their lead but did not romp away in these lighter conditions in the way they had on their first race. Indeed, American Magic managed to keep things so close that picking up a puff on the final downwind saw Slingsby and Calabrese threatening to grab the lead. Butb Luna Rossa just managed to hold on, parking their boat between their opposition and the finish. “It was brutal for the guys on the bikes and we really had to work hard in order to hang on down that last downwind,” said Spithill

What did We learn from the Louis Vuitton Semi-Final Race 3?

In the slightly lighter conditions these two boats looked a bit more evenly matched in terms of straightline speed and the Italians were not able to step away once they had grabbed the lead. Not that, that will be of any comfort to Slingsby and Calabrese who, but for some better manoeuvres, could have walked away from the day 2-0 up instead of 2-0 down.

Race 4  Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs INEOS Britannia

There was a short delay to the start of the final race of the day as the dying breeze dropped below the mandated minimum average of 6.5 knots. But the breeze did pick up enough to get the race run after only a short delay.

However, with the light winds making things difficult for the teams, Alinghi dropped off their foils and were struggling to get foiling once again in the pre-start and, while they tried to get their AC75 back up on the foils they picked up a boundary penalty.

Psarofaghis and Bachelin did eventually get the boat foiling just before the start, but with a boundary penalty already, they needed to drop back behind Ainslie and Fletcher straight out of the start. The Brits continued their form from their earlier race and just pulled away from the Swiss at every mark and won again by 1 minute 37 seconds.

“It’s pretty light out here and you could see the Swiss had a few problems coming off the foil,” said Ainslie after the racing. “It’s been tricky today as the wind has been really shifty and puffy.”

What did We learn from the Louis Vuitton Semi-Final Race 4?

Given the relative performance differential between these two boats it’s always going to be a tough ask for Alinghi to overtake the Brits, so the penalty in the pre-start ended this race before it began. Nothing much new to learn from this one, other than to confirm the INEOS is quicker and more manoeuvrable than Alinghi Red Bull Racing, who look like they are going to be on the wrong end of some pretty significant win margins this regatta.

Follow all of our 2024 America’s Cup coverage

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Inside modern Chechnya

Dancers strike dramatic poses as they have their pictures taken at a government-organised event marking Chechen Language Day in Chechnya’s capital Grozny.

Moscow has poured cash into rebuilding the mainly Muslim province, the former site of a bloody separatist insurgency. Now the naming of two Chechens as suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings has put it back on the world's front pages.

Since the years of heavy fighting, Grozny’s regeneration has been dramatic. The streets have been rebuilt, walls riddled with bullet holes are long gone and a giant marble mosque glimmers in the night.

Yet, scratch the surface and the miracle is less impressive than it seems. Behind closed doors, people speak of a warped and oppressive place, run through fear by a Kremlin-imposed leader.

People wait for a bus outside Chiri-Yurt, the Chechen village where the family of Boston Marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev has its roots.

Outside the glitzy centre of Grozny, many Chechens survive off small-scale agriculture in villages scattered across a fertile belt between the capital and the towering, snow-capped Caucasus mountains to the south.

The skyscrapers of the newly built Grozny City complex loom above the skyline.

Special forces officers stand guard during a government-organised event marking Chechen Language Day.

A policeman wears a ring showing the Islamic symbol of the star and crescent.

Cars zoom along Akhmad Kadyrov Avenue - named for Chechnya's former leader - past the Heart of Chechnya mosque and the skyscrapers of the Grozny City complex.

Men arrive for Friday prayers at the central mosque in the Chechen capital.

Men wait for prayers to begin in the Heart of Chechnya mosque.

Anzor and Salakhutdin, students at the Russian Islamic University in Grozny, pray together in their flat.

Students attend a lesson at the Russian Islamic University.

Two female students listen to a lesson in Sharia law.

Chechen women chat in a cafe in central Grozny.

Participants in a local mixfight competition wrestle in the ring, with a portrait of former Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov - a former rebel mufti who was put in charge of Chechnya by President Vladimir Putin and ruled it until he was assassinated in 2004 - in the background.

Guests clap along as they watch dancing at a wedding party in Grozny.

Other guests dance at the wedding.

A group of young Chechen men hang out on a street corner in the centre of the city.

A car sits parked outside a market in central Grozny.

Members of a youth club supporting former Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov, whose face is shown on their flag, march past a picture of President Putin during a rally.

Moscow-backed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who is the son of Akhmad Kadyrov, watches as men load up a cannon during an event marking Chechen Language Day.

A young man looks out of a car in front of a building bearing the slogan: "Ramzan, thank you for Grozny!" in reference to the Chechen leader.

Terek Grozny fans support their team during a soccer match at Grozny's Akhmad Arena stadium. Their flags show the faces of former Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov and Vladimir Putin.

Boys play soccer on the outskirts of the Chechen capital.

A car drives past horses standing at the edge of a road outside Grozny.

A boy walks along the street in Chiri-Yurt, the native village of the family of Boston Marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Tsarnaev homeland Chechnya: rebuilt from war, ruled by fear

When it was last in the international spotlight, Chechnya was in ruins, its capital Grozny reduced to dust by the deadliest artillery and air onslaught in Europe since World War Two.

Today, when the naming of two Chechens as suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings has put it back on the world's front pages, Chechnya appears almost miraculously reborn.

The streets have been rebuilt. Walls riddled with bullet holes are long gone. New high-rise buildings soar into the sky. Spotless playgrounds are packed with children. A giant marble mosque glimmers in the night.

Yet, scratch the surface and the miracle is less impressive than it seems. Behind closed doors, people speak of a warped and oppressive place, run by a Kremlin-imposed leader through fear.

The heavily guarded skyscrapers of the newly built Grozny City complex are windswept and empty. At night, the streets are deserted.

Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev's ethnic homeland, a mainly Muslim province that saw centuries of war and repression, no longer threatens to secede from Russia. But it has become breeding ground for a form of militant Islam whose adherents have spread violence to other parts of Russia, and may have inspired the radicalisation of the Boston bombers.

"It may look like it's stable and peaceful but it's really not the case," said a human rights campaigner, who, like others daring to express any criticism of the Moscow-backed Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, asked that her name not be used.

There are still fragmented groups of rebel fighters in the mountains, the activist added. "And there are young people in the villages who go out and join them, who take food to the mountains."

SUSHI, IPHONES AND ISLAM

Moscow has poured billions of roubles into Chechnya to rebuild it. It boasts that there is no longer any trace of the separatist insurgency that humiliated the Russian army in battles in the 1990s.

On top of what was once the rubble of Grozny's central Minutka Square - where an armoured column of Russian forces was nearly wiped out in street fighting in January 1995 - there are now slick cafes where young men in leather jackets and women in headscarves eat sushi and tap on their iPhones.

Kadyrov, a 36-year-old former rebel, peers down from billboards and out from TV newscasts. A red neon slogan declares "Ramzan, thank you for Grozny!"

A stocky man with a neatly trimmed beard and intense grey eyes, he cultivates an image as a devout Muslim and family man, fond of posting snapshots on Internet photo service Instagram

Kadyrov and his authorities deny they are involved in abuse, murders or disappearances, but his critics have a long history of dying in unsolved murders or disappearing without a trace.

Human rights groups have linked Kadyrov to the murders of Russian opposition-minded journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Chechen exiles in Austria and Turkey, and rival Chechen clan chiefs shot dead in Moscow and Dubai, all cases in which he denies involvement.

Kadyrov's office said he was not available for interview.

His loyalty can be embarrassing even for the Kremlin. At the last elections, President Vladimir Putin and his ruling United Russia party won more than 99 percent of Chechnya's vote, with Soviet-style turnout over 99 percent.

Perhaps in an attempt to limit the influence of Islamist rebels by co-opting religion, Kadyrov has banned alcohol and gambling, and promoted polygamy and headscarves for women. A few years ago, his supporters were seen firing paintball guns at women whose clothes were deemed insufficiently modest.

Yet Kadyrov's promotion of Islam has not dimmed the appeal of the radical version espoused by fighters led by Doku Umarov, a Chechen former pro-independence guerrilla commander who leads an Islamist revolt focused mainly on neighbouring Dagestan.

"When they tell us that only this official form of Islam is allowed, obviously everyone is going to question it," said the rights campaigner. "People don't like to be lectured on how to be faithful."

DEVOTION AND RESENTMENT

As in Soviet times, it is impossible to say what Chechens truly think of their leader. When questioned in public, residents reply with stock phrases of devotion.

"I don't know what would have happened to us without our leader," said Fatima Magomedova, 44, a heavily veiled flower shop worker. "We are free now."

Many are no doubt sincere in their admiration for Kadyrov, who has brought peace and relative prosperity after a decade of war killed tens of thousands of people, mainly civilians.

"I don't think many people want to leave. In fact, a lot of Chechens say they want to come back. Those who are leaving are those who are after an easy life," said Khamza Khirakhmatov, a deputy to Chechnya's official spiritual leader.

But outside the glitzy city centre lies an impoverished land where joblessness is close to 80 percent in some regions. Many flock to Grozny in search of work, but complain that jobs are reserved for those in Kadyrov's clan.

Some dream of leaving.

Rukiyat Arsayeva went to Grozny to apply for a passport in the hope of travelling to Europe. She said she was seeking medical help for her two daughters.

One, now 14, was a toddler when she was wounded in the abdomen by a Russian air strike. The other, now 20, was made deaf as a child by a missile blast.

Their mother said she feared the Boston bombings would make it harder for Chechens to get visas to escape to the West.

"Chechens are now going to be seen as bad people. We are not terrorists. After what happened I don't know what kind of treatment to expect there," she said nervously, clutching her paperwork on a dusty street outside the passport office.

"What happened in Boston is very bad. I am a small person. All I want is to help my children."

Writing by Maria Golovnina

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