230 Miles To Go!

Monday - May 5 2008 - 0930 PST - Fedor on a rush to finish – before the wind dies out!

Day 100: He has spent the past 99 days braving the worst that the Roaring Forty and Furious Fifty latitudes could throw at him. But now Russian circumnavigator Fedor Konyukhov is in a race against time on the home stretch of the Antarctica Cup Ocean Race to reach the finish line at Albany, Western Australia before the winds die out altogether.

At O7:30 UTC today, the 56 year old adventurer was within 230 miles of becoming the first sailor to complete a circumnavigation of Antarctica entirely in the freezer-like conditions in the 40°, 50° and 60° latitudes marked out by the circular Antarctica Cup Racetrack.

But as Lee Bruce, Fedor's ever-reliable weather router pointed out today: "Timing Fedor's arrival is complicated by a section of light wind along the coast, but it looks like an arrival between 00:00 -12:00 UTC (0800 WST - 2000 WST) on Wednesday May 7. Any later than that, and he runs the risk of losing the wind entirely."

For Fedor, an extra day at sea is not going to worry him too much - The Russian is enjoying the warm weather he has missed since his Australia Day start from Albany on January 26. He reported overnight:

"It's getting warm out here. I really can feel it now. The air smells different. It's still raining, but it's a comfortable rain - not those freezing bullets I've had for the last 3 months. This morning I crossed latitude 40° south and exited the 'Roaring Forties'. It's a very emotional feeling; a combination of joy and sadness.

Will I ever sail these waters again? I have spent more than half a year sailing my yacht 'Trading Network Alye Parusa' from UK to Australia and the Antarctica Cup Race Track. I am now so used to this routine and frankly, I am scared to change it! It is all so predictable here in the ocean. Over the past 100 days, the yacht has become an essential part of my life yet soon I will have to leave her alone at anchor.

This is hard to take in. My thoughts now are how to approach Albany? What time? Who will meet me? What will the weather be like? My thoughts are all focused on the finish."

ANTARCTICA CUP Perpetual Trophy unveiled. Fedor Konuykhov will be the first recipient of a magnificent glass trophy produced by Australian glass artist Kevin Gordon. The 900mm high award with its frosted bowl depicting the frozen Antarctic wastes will be presented to each champion of the Antarctica Cup Racetrack.

The West Australian artist had an international reputation with his work displayed in the Sir Elton John American Glass Collection and galleries across Europe. Bob Williams, Chairman of the Antarctica Cup Management said at the unveiling in Albany today:

"We were delighted when Kevin agreed to design and craft this perpetual trophy and the replicas that will be awarded to each champion. Our brief was for a trophy that depicted the Antarctic environment in all its beauty, a trophy that was distinctly original, with a replica our champions will be proud to take home. Kevin has done us proud."

For more on Fedor and the Antarctica Cup go to Arctic Cup.

Which AC Multi Would You Bet On?

Monday - May 5 2008 - 0010 PST - With rumors flying around the sailing community that BMW/Oracle is building a 90 foot AC trimaran (as speculated by their submission of a 90 foot long by 90 foot beam platform) and if the two parties can't agree on a design the 'Deed of Gift' sets the rules for the yachts and reads:

"The competing yachts or vessels, if of one mast, shall be not less than forty-four feet nor more than ninety feet on the load water-line; if of more than one mast they shall be not less than eighty feet nor more than one hundred and fifteen feet on the load water-line."

So what keeps Alinghi from building a 115 foot LWL Decision 35 style catamaran with overhangs extending her length to more than 150 feet by just adding a second mast as illustrated above? Let's call it a 'joke' mast but it is still a mast with a small hi-tech full batten sail attached like a mizzen on a ketch or yawl.

Which boat would you bet on? The shorter boat or the boat with 25 feet more waterline and 22% more overhang? The illustration above is in scale and shows dramaticlly how the 115 foot design would dwarf the 90 foot vessel.

Or are we missing something in the Deed of Gift? With all the lawyers, great sailors and top designers working for BMW/Oracle we can't believe anyone would build a shorter boat because of a second mast.

What do you think? Which boat would win? Email us at info@xsracing.org today! Designs by Reynolds Design. All rights reserved. Reprint of drawings is prohibited. For permission contact Reynolds Design LLC at www.R33.com.

Cheetah's A Cat Lover

Sunday - May 4 2008 - 1155 PST - Fellow XS Racer, Chris Slagerman, has just posted a cool video of another XS Racer, Chris Ruddy and Scott Klodowski, sailing their new R33 catamaran offshore in the 2008 Ensenada Race.

Chris was onboard his Peterson 68 sled called 'Cheetah' as the smaller 33 foot cat sailed past the long slender sled. But getting passed by the smaller cat is o.k with Chris as his other two boats are a Firebird 26 cat and an Inter 20 beach cat.

Check out the one minute and 15 second video of these two boats racing in this classic Ensenada yacht race, as the R33 heats up her angle allowing her to push the limits, flying along on only one hull. Check it out at You Tube. Also, check out Chris's other video called 'Flip Clip' which we posted a month ago...still fun to watch his onboard video of he and his crew capsizing his Inter 20 in 25 knots. Photo by Pat 'The Mariner' Reynolds

Tight Starts For Gunboats At Sailing Week

Sunday - May 4 2008 - 1145 PST - The Gunboat class at 2008 Stanford Antigua Sailing Week has proven to be a tight knit and competitive class. Thursday's start led to the recall of more than half of the Gunboat class. Crews have clearly been pushing these all carbon world cruising machines.

While the rest of the fleet was tangled at the start, Safari managed to start cleanly. Despite their new quiver of larger downwind sails, the Heineken Regatta Gunboat class winners have been struggling in the lighter airs of this year's Antigua Sailing Week.

Owner Tim Slade, and his pirate band of lifelong friends aboard, may not have left their mark on the water this week, but their smiles convey the fun always had at Antigua Sailing Week. While many of the Gunboats have begun to empty their boats of excess weight, Slade has insisted on keeping all cruising amenities aboard. With gourmet meals and ample provisions, Slade seems to have found a happy mix for his band.

After their re-starts, Looking for Elvis and Lickity Split 2 continued their battle atop the Gunboat Class. Lickity Split sailed well to take line honors and the day with Safari finishing 2nd.

Amongst the Gunboat 48's, Antiguan Xabier Ross has come on pace. Armed with local knowledge from Curtis Barton and racing tips from Cam Lewis, CREAM left the other Gunboat 48's in her wake.

With only a day left, four Gunboats can still win the class. The racing has been exceptionally close. With CREAM getting better daily, BLAST will have her hands full holding her off in the standings. Lickity and Elvis will continue their battle atop the 62's.

Conditions and course could play a large role in the corrected time outcome of the Gunboat Class. Friday's race is a 27 mile tour of the South coast, and could favor the larger Gunboat 62's. If Cream keeps up her pace, she may be the spoiler.

For more results and photos go to Sailing Week. Story by Lynn Fitzpatrick and photos by Billy Black

Liverpool 08 On The Move

Sunday - May 4 2008 - 1055 PST - Liverpool 08 cashes in offshore advantage - After cashing in their offshore advantage, Liverpool 08 is neck and neck with Jamaica with less than half the race left to run. Durban 2010 and Beyond has opted for the inshore route which, based on their daily runs, is not producing the gains that the South African team hoped it would.

This has proved costly and already Jamaica has moved ahead of Durban 2010 and Beyond with Liverpool 08 likely to follow suit by the next schedules.

Hopeful that their southerly position will pay dividends, Ben Galloway, skipper of Liverpool 08, says, "If the latest weather information is correct this time, there could be some big changes in the next 24 hours. Fingers crossed the guys to the north are about to sail into a wind hole and park up for a while."

"We look well positioned to take advantage of the most wind, although not by much. We're just teasing Jamaica for a bit while we get a bit more south before gybing to cross the first gate ahead of them. That's the plan but anything can happen!"

At the front of the fleet the race is as close as ever. Joff Bailey, Race Director, says, "The current standings are a little bit distorted, favouring those teams that are further east. With the current wind direction, which is from directly behind most of the teams, those that have positioned themselves further southwest have the advantage."

"If they choose to they can sail a closer angle to the wind and cover the teams that are further inshore. In doing so they will be able to sail faster and reduce, if not eliminate, the current shortfall in a similar way to Liverpool 08."

All of the skippers are reporting that the winds are gradually dropping and every now and then they are sailing into wind holes. This is not just frustrating from a racing point of view, as everybody is 100% focused on sail trim and steering accurately, but with less wind going across the decks the temperature onboard soars ever higher.

Hannah Jenner, Skipper of Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper, says, "Well we started the day becalmed then got trucking along nicely and now once again have stopped. It looks set to be a long night as the medium weight kite is in surgery suffering from a snapped leech line!"

For more images and postion reports go to Clipper Race.

Cool Boat Designs - Colby 29 TR

Sunday - April 4 2008 - 1045 PST - The New Corby 29 Production Boat is almost completed. Corby 29TR Specifications are:

Hull and Deck Construction - Female moulded solid GRP hull using vinylester resin and woven glass throughout. Female moulded foam cored GRP deck also using vinylester resin and woven glass. Okume plywood bulkheads with moulded GRP furniture.

Keel - Cast steel fin with lead torpedo bulb.

Rudder - 316 Stainless steel rudder stock with plain bearings, tiller with extension.

Engine - Yanmar 2YM15, 14 hp two cylinder inboard saildrive diesel engine with folding propeller.

Deck Hardware - All Harken blocks and winches (B40.25A and B32.2STA), carbofoil, tracks, cars with Easylock jammers. Custom 316 stainless steel metal work. Magnetic compass. Foredeck hatch.

Rig - John Mast aluminum 2 spreader mast, boom and spi pole. Discontinuous Dyeform standing rigging, Dyneema running rigging. Solid Kicker. Windex with light.

Electrical - Two 12 volt batteries, interior and navigation lights, 12 volt socket, distribution panel.

Interior - Double berth in forecabin and 4 single berths. WC with partition, galley with stainless steel sink, icebox. Freshwater with foot pump. Sliding cover and removable washboard on main companionway with aluminium ladder. Manuel bilgepump. Upholstery on all berths.

Standart Finish - White hull with white nonslip deck. Check her out at www.fca-marine.com.

Brady Sweeps The Finals

Sunday - May 4 2008 - 0955 PST - Gavin Brady joined a small, elite club of match racing sailors with a common problem Saturday: what to do with all of those Crimson Blazers in their closets.

Only Rod Davis and Peter Holmberg also own four of the traditional winner's wardrobe in Long Beach Yacht Club's Congressional Cup presented by Acura, now counting 44 years of consecutive competitions among the best in the world at their specialty.

After winning 15 of his 18 round robin contests, Brady drove through the sailoffs with a steady and steely determination in sweeping local pride Scott Dickson and Sweden's Johnie Berntsson---who was coming off seven consecutive wins---in two straight races each in the semifinals and finals, respectively.

Berntsson had swept France's Philippe Presti, 2-0, in the other semifinal, and Presti took the measure of Dickson in the consolation final.

Brady, a New Zealand native who has lived in Annapolis, Md., since the mid-90s, won his first two Congressional Cups in 1996 and '97 when he was only 22 and 23, then his third in 2006 after building a professional sailing career of America's Cups and various ocean races.

"We were competitive in a boat sailing fast and we didn't have to take any risks," Brady said.

As a southwest breeze built to 13 knots, the clincher against Berntsson was especially a show of total control. Brady had Berntsson pinned to leeward and slightly ahead of the starting line and didn't tack until reaching the port layline for the windward mark. Downwind, he blocked the Swede's every move while jibing only twice, and on the next two legs he needed only two tacks and one jibe---a total of three tacks and jibes for the race he won by 14 seconds.

"They were just better," Berntsson said. "They did a better start. If we had tacked [on the first leg] he would have gained too much on us."

Berntsson plain got off on the wrong foot. Seconds before the horn for their first race, Brady stalked him up to the line, where he gained a slight overlap, bow to stern, and Berntsson tagged him as he turned away. Chris Larson, Brady's tactician, waved a protest flag and the on-water umpires hoisted a blue flag---foul on Berntsson.

But the killer came another few seconds later when the umpires talked it over and ruled that Berntsson caused the contact deliberately and imposed a second penalty.

Berntsson said later, "I made a big mistake at the start." But he didn't agree with the second flag, which forced him to do a penalty turn immediately, and calmly questioned chief umpire Jan Stage about it before the awards ceremonies.

A side note: There would be no protest hearing because there haven't been any in match racing since 1988, when the standard on-water umpiring system was formally introduced to the world in this event.

Brady's other crew, besides the veteran Larson, were Jim Swartz, Rodney Daniel, John Ziskind and Kazuhiko Sofuku, all America's Cup veterans---13 in all---except Swartz, the Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur who has hired these guys to sail on his new STP 65, Moneypenny, starting this summer on the East Coast.

"But I'll drive Moneypenny," Swartz said with a smile after his first-ever match racing experience. "This was a training mission for me. I learned a lot."

Ziskind said, "This was the most fun I've had in an event here. It's a brand new team and the start of a great season. It's not often you get put in this position, and it's a blast."

Brady collected $10,000 of the $41,000 prize pot. Simon Minoprio won $1,000 for winning the fleet race for those who didn't reach the sailoffs.

The 10 six-man crews are sailing Catalina 37s owned by the Long Beach Yacht Club Sailing Foundation, rotating boats daily.

Event sponsors were the Port of Long Beach, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Catalina Adventure Tours, the Long Beach Press-Telegram, West Marine, Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Union Bank of California, Newmeyer & Dillion attorneys at Law, Mount Gay Rum and Gladstone's Restaurant of Long Beach.

Results - FINAL ROUND ROBIN STANDINGS (18 rounds)

1. Gavin Brady, New Zealand, 15-3 (14.5 points*)

2. Johnie Berntsson, Sweden, 13-5.

3. Scott Dickson, U.S., 12-6.

4. Philippe Presti, France, 10-8 (wins tiebreaker).

5. Simon Minoprio, New Zealand, 10-8, $3,800.

6. Damien Iehl, France, 8-10, $3,000.

7. Dave Perry, U.S., 8-10, $2,700.

8. Andrew Arbuzov, Russia, 6-12, $2,300.

9. Pierre-Antoine Morvan, France, 6-12, $1,900.

10. Chris VanTol, U.S., 2-16 (.75 points*), $1,500. *---Deduction for causing excess damage.

For more results and photos go to LBYC. Story and photo by Rich Roberts

Gunboats Race Hard at Antigua Sailing Week

Saturday - May 3 2008 - 1055 PST - By Lynn Fitzpatrick
The Gunboat class at 2008 Stanford Antigua Sailing Week has proven to be a tight knit and competitive class. Thursday's start led to the recall of more than half of the Gunboat class. Crews have clearly been pushing these all carbon world cruising machines.

While the rest of the fleet was tangled at the start, Safari managed to start cleanly. Despite their new quiver of larger downwind sails, the Heineken Regatta Gunboat class winners have been struggling in the lighter airs of this year's Antigua Sailing Week. Owner Tim Slade, and his pirate band of lifelong friends aboard, may not have left their mark on the water this week, but their smiles convey the fun always had at Antigua Sailing Week. While many of the Gunboats have begun to empty their boats of excess weight, Slade has insisted on keeping all cruising amenities aboard. With gourmet meals and ample provisions, Slade seems to have found a happy mix for his band.

After their re-starts, Looking for Elvis and Lickity Split 2 continued their battle atop the Gunboat Class. Lickity Split sailed well to take line honors and the day with Safari finishing 2nd.

Amongst the Gunboat 48's, Antiguan Xabier Ross has come on pace. Armed with local knowledge from Curtis Barton and racing tips from Cam Lewis, CREAM left the other Gunboat 48's in her wake.

With only a day left, four Gunboats can still win the class. The racing has been exceptionally close. With CREAM getting better daily, BLAST will have her hands full holding her off in the standings. Lickity and Elvis will continue their battle atop the 62's. Conditions and course could play a large role in the corrected time outcome of the Gunboat Class. Friday's race is a 27 mile tour of the South coast, and could favor the larger Gunboat 62's. If Cream keeps up her pace, she may be the spoiler. Photo courtesy of www.morrellimelvin.com

Brady, Berntsson, Dickson, and Presti Lead Con Cup

Saturday - May 3 2008 - 1030 PST - Congressional Cup: The leaders - Gavin Brady, Johnie Berntsson and Scott Dickson - did some of their most intense sailing Friday when the results meant little, so how are they going to sail Saturday with a fitting for the traditional Crimson Blazer the Long Beach Yacht Club's 44th Congressional Cup presented by Acura at stake?

"Maybe Scotty and I are on a bit of a downslide, so we'll pick Scotty," Brady said, exercising his privilege for the best-of-three semifinals after finishing atop the double round robin with 15 wins and 3 losses."

Dickson's response? "My response will be [Saturday]," Dickson said.

Brady, the winner in 1996, '97 and 2006, will be trying to join Rod Davis and Peter Holmberg as the only four-time winners. The other semifinal sends Sweden's Johnie Berntsson, who blew through a 4-0 day to replace Dickson in second place at 13-5, against France's Philippe Presti (10-8), who won three of his last four races to edge out New Zealand's Simon Minoprio on a tiebreaker for the last slot.
Southwest winds fluctuated from 10 knots to 5 and back up top 14 through the afternoon, testing the sailors' range of performance. There was no stopping Berntsson, who has won 9 of his last 10 races. "Now we're finding how to handle it," he said.

If Brady's 3-1 day was a "downslide," it didn't lack spirit. Dickson, the local Long Beach YC entry who finished 12-6 for third place, also seemed to lust for a replay of his 16-second win in the final flight. That meaningless match featured flaring tempers at the first windward mark rounding after Brady poked his bow inside Dickson's boat and touched the inflatable mark buoy - a standard infraction.

It didn't sit well with Brady that Dickson's tactician, Mark Ivey, alerted the on-water umpires to the error, and he let his opponents know it - although the umpires had seen it themselves and assigned Brady a penalty. Brady led the rest of the way but was unable to break away to a lead big enough to win after doing a penalty turn.

"I get frustrated," Brady said later. "We didn't know the umpires had already made a decision. They didn't tell us until we were around the mark."

Dickson declined to discuss the incident other than to say, "He got inside and hit the mark."

Stay tuned. The two, both native New Zealanders living in the U.S. - Brady in Annapolis and Dickson in Long Beach, are longtime friends, which was evident as they sat next to each other at the press conference Friday night. But they love to compete.

When he is in the position of picking his opponent, Brady said, "I try to take the emotion out of it and evaluate a person's performance."

In this case, Dickson was 2-2 Friday while Berntsson was 4-0 and Presti 3-1, and Brady's only losses this week were against Presti, Dickson and France's Damien Iehl. Brady and Dickson split their two races.

Minoprio, a semifinalist last year, took the toughest hit in losing his last two races and then watching Presti beat Russia's Andrew Arbuzov to win the fourth ticket to the semis. Arbuzov led Presti to the finish line but not by enough distance to erase a penalty he was carrying.

This is Dickson's 12th Congressional Cup but his first semifinal. He finished second in 1996 "before they had semifinals," he said.

He has beaten each of the other semifinalists - 4-2 overall, having swept Presti. "We're pleased to be in the top four and pleased to do it in style," he said. "We think we deserve to be here."

For more results and photos go to LBYC. Story and photo by Rich Roberts

Paprec Vibrac II Nears Refit Completion

Saturday - May 3 2008 - 1038 PST - While part of the IMOCA fleet is on its way to Plymouth for the start of The Transat, PAPREC-VIRBAC II is continuing her spring refit. As well as checking over all the different parts of the monohull, the strakes, one of the innovations for this refit, are currently being finished. In the next few days, the paint and coating work is scheduled to be done. Meanwhile, the rest of the team are making the small adjustments that Jean Pierre asked for, after his round the world voyage last winter, and before the Vendee Globe . PAPREC-VIRBAC II's relaunch is planned for early June.

Multihulls and the Olympic Games

Saturday - May 3 2008 - 1025 PST - The Hobie Class Association sent this over:

This month the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) will decide the fate of the multihull class in the Olympics. The ISAF Mid Year Meeting will be held in Qingdao, China which will also host the Olympics in August. This could be the last time a multihull competes at an Olympic Games if the ISAF Council does not overturn the decision it made in November last year. If you are in favor of the sailing in the Olympics it is important that as long as sailing is a participating sport in the Olympics then there should be a multihull class. The IHCA will keep you informed of the ISAF decisions as it happen on the our web site www.hobieclass.com

Fiji is hosting the Hobie South Pacific Championships at the same location as the 2007 Hobie 16 Worlds. Prior to the Hobie South Pacific Championships there is a Fiji Hobie Challenge. This is a 5 day race which will include hotels at different locations around Fiji. Entry and charter forms are on the web site.

The Inaugural All Africa Hobie Championships will form part of Tanzacat. The event will officially be called Tanzcat – All Africa Hobie Championships. It is one of the few regattas you can sail in just t-shirt and shorts, definitely no wet suits required.

Crews Enjoy Great Conditions

Saturday - May 3 2008 - 1015 PST - Clipper Race -"Another day of beautiful sailing under spinnaker, long may it last," says Hull & Humber skipper, Danny Watson.

As the Clipper 07-08 fleet races down the Pacific coast of Mexico, just 20 nautical miles separate the leading five yachts. New York, Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper and Hull & Humber are still battling it out for first place, with the English and Scottish boats on the same distance to finish at this morning's 0600 schedule.

New York and Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper have been within sight of each other for the last few days, locked in their own private match race. The two boats have now moved apart and Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper skipper, Hannah Jenner says, "Having now lost New York we can’t decide if it was better seeing them and having the added pressure or losing them and now having no idea what they are up to!"

A few miles behind the leading trio, Uniquely Singapore's skipper Mark Preedy reports, "Sailing in great conditions again and not too bad a boat speed. We have got Qingdao in sight and they are now following us to the coast where we hope to get better winds for the drag race to the finish. Got a nice 15 knots from the northwest at the moment. The crew are smiling as their ride in the big red boat can be described as nothing less than sublime."

The crews are universally enjoying the downwind sailing conditions, a marked change from the uncomfortable upwind races since leaving Singapore in January. Sailing under spinnaker is equally as strenuous, both physically and mentally, the changing wind conditions demanding total concentration from the skippers and crews.

Martin Silk, westernaustralia2011.com's skipper says, "It was a day of change; sail change after sail change on the BBB (big blue boat) as the wind climbed and dropped, up and down like a yoyo. Red wool has been a trading commodity as kites have been woolled, hoisted, trimmed and dropped, wind shift after wind shift, increase after decrease."

Southern hemisphere rival, Durban 2010 and Beyond has experienced similarly changeable conditions according to skipper, Ricky Chalmers, who says, "The day started off with stupidly too much wind. We had been close inshore off Baja California with the wind gradually increasing."

"The sea state picked up and then the wind built quickly. Pretty soon we needed to peel to the heavyweight kite, and then that changed rapidly to forget the heavyweight - just get the kite down. It came down in a messy drop, wet but in one piece, and was followed with a poled out number 2 for three hours in 35 knots of wind and rough seas."

"The wind eased off and we were back under spinnakers by early morning and had peeled back to the lightweight by lunchtime - pretty much in a wind hole for a number of hours. The pattern seems to be repeating itself as the wind has built since dusk and we are now on the edge of the limits of the race kite, making 10 knots SOG (speed over ground)."

Race Director Joff Bailey says, "Yesterday we predicted that Liverpool 08 would be able to use their more westerly position to sail at a better angle to the wind and gain some speed which would allow them to cash in on their position. This is certainly the case today as they have reduced the deficit on the leaders by almost 40 miles in the last 24 hours. It really is all to play for. It's certainly exciting to watch and the ultimate outcome is the main topic of discussion in the office every time the scheds come in."

For more photos nd position reports on the boats go to Clipper Race.

Jonny Malbon Withdraws From Artemis Transat

Saturday - May 3 2008 - 1013 PST - Jonny Malbon today confirmed that Artemis Ocean Racing II has withdrawn from The Artemis Transat starting on Sunday May 11 in Plymouth. The team has been working tirelessly to get the state of the art IMOCA Open 60 ready for her qualifier, and ultimately The Artemis Transat, but it has not been possible to complete the extensive list of checks and sea trials in time.

Skipper Jonny Malbon commented: "We have all worked very, very hard to get the boat ready, but circumstances out of our control have meant that we have been delayed. We have arrived at this difficult decision to keep the project on track for the Vendée Globe."

"Our initial sailing has shown that the boat has huge potential but we simply have not had the time to complete the necessary workup to compete safely in The Artemis Transat. This has been a terrible decision to have to make, but I believe that it is the only decision that will ensure the team has a successful season and a well prepared Vendée campaign."

He commented, "The Vendee Globe is the biggest challenge I will have ever faced. 2008 will see the most competitive Vendee ever, with Vendee winners and world record holders in the fleet. I need to learn every inch of this fantastic new boat to give myself the best chance possible. I am under no illusions as to what lies ahead for me - I intend to give my all." Photo courtesy of www.artemisoceanracing.com.

Two New 2008 R33's Turbo's Hit The Water

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0130 PST - A race to the race as two new R33's hit the Southern California waters just days before and debut in the 2008 Ensenada race. Finishing only boat lengths apart after 125 miles of racing the new boats finished 1st and 2nd in the XS class and incorporate a new 48 foot sailplan with a massive 7.5 foot fat head mainsail and a 16 foot long sprite.

The new sails by EP Sailmakers enhance the already fast performance of the R33 pushing her rating to a very fast -110. First tests had the new 'Super Screacher' powering the light platform at 6.5 knots to weather in only 4 knots of wind. More to come as the new boats will be sporting a new patent pending rack system that will add stability as well as prevent capsizes while allowing the 33 foot cat fit into a standard slip.

The two R33's will be racing from San Diego to Santa Barbara in match racing style during the 2008 season. Demonstrations and crewing will be available to the public as they tune up their new rigs. Check out the new 2008 R33 at www.R33.com or call 800 DO MULTI (366-8584).

My...What A Big Prop You Have

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0110 PST - Fano, Italy - The Wally 148, that is the largest Wally built so far, has been successfully launched in the port of Fano, during a private ceremony organised by the WallyEurope building team and the yacht crew.

The 45-meter (148-foot) sloop has been towed to Ancona on Aprilto to have the keel installed and proceed with the stepping of the mast.

After these operations, the sea trials will start before the delivery of the yacht to the owners, scheduled for the first half of June.

For more info on this incredible Wally Yacht go to Wally.

Mean Machine Looking Mean...

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0100 PST - Just 24 hours and counting to the official ceremony to celebrate the launch of the brand new Mean Machine TP52, and Peter de Ridder's crew have already started training on the water in Valencia, Spain.

Following over a week putting together the new TP52 designed by Rolf Vrolijk and built in New Zealand, the new boat has been out feeling the waves beneath her hull lead by the skilled hand of Kiwi tactician Ray Davies.

With Peter de Ridder away today, Ray Davies has been in charge of the first training sessions out on the water. The first splash in the Med definitely gave the guys both on shore and at sea a good first impression. "The first day of sailing our new Mean Machine went well, we are very impressed with the stiffness and power the new boat can generate', commented the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007 winner.

"We have made a huge effort to reduce windage and are very happy with how the systems on the boat are working and that's a credit to Chris Reid (Reido) and his team. We have been making the good use of the Emirates Team New Zealand base and working long hours to get to this day. We are even sleeping onsite!"

"Peter will have his first sail of his 22nd race boat on Saturday and we are pretty sure he will be impressed", added Ray Davies. "We have busy 11 days ahead to make sure we're fully race ready for the first Audi Med Cup event in Alicante".

For more on the Mean Machine Team go to Mean. Photo by Sander Van der Borch / Mean Machine

Racing For $10,000 Can Make You Nervous

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0045 PST - LONG BEACH, Calif. Front running New Zealanders and U.S. residents Gavin Brady (12-2) and Scott Dickson (10-4) and Sweden's Johnie Berntsson (9-5) each won 4 of 5 races Thursday to all but punch their tickets into the semifinals of the Long Beach Yacht Club's 44th Congressional Cup presented by Acura.

Four races of the double round robin remain Friday. The top four will advance to Saturday's championship sailoffs.

The fleet's third Kiwi, Simon Minoprio (8-6), has a sole but insecure grip on the fourth spot, stalked by France's Damien Iehl and Philippe Presti, each 7-7.

So what has happened to Dave Perry, the two-time winner from a previous generation (1983 and '84) who clinged to an outside chance by winning Thursday's last race after losing the first four? How was his day?

"We had four seconds and a first," Perry deadpanned, his sense of humor intact as he continued to battle a grim-faced lineup of young warriors.

The one to watch may be Berntsson, who is sailing in his third Congressional Cup after sixth- and second-place finishes the previous two years. His only loss Thursday was to Brady.

"I misjudged where the [start] line was and was going down when it was time to go up," Berntsson said.

But he capped the 70-degree summer-like day with a win over Dickson---unbeaten earlier through the day---after the race committee, handicapped by dying and shifting breeze near Belmont Pier, moved the start line a half-mile farther out in the outer harbor to get in the 14th flight. The breeze had dropped from a peak of 15 knots to 6 as Berntsson won the start at the pin (left) end of the line, setting himself up on the favored side of the course.

Mark Ivey, Dickson's tactician, said, "That's the end we wanted, but we couldn't get it."

Dickson closed to within two boat lengths at the windward mark, and as Berntsson crossed him on starboard he immediately luffed to carry Dickson a hundred yards past the mark.

"If we would have tacked [Dickson] would have come away with more speed," Berntsson said.

Both boats set spinnakers as they turned back to round the mark, and the Swedes hung on to win by 14 seconds.

But Berntsson's more remarkable win may have been one against Detroit's luckless Chris VanTol (1-13). His spinnaker pole was broken in a pre-start collision and he sailed both downwind legs with a crew member holding the chute's control line out by hand.

VanTol drew his second damage penalty in two days---this one costing him three-quarters of a point he didn't have. He had already had his lone win reduced to a half-point, so now he's in the hole by a quarter-point.

VanTol said at the nightly press conference, "Dave Perry wasn't kidding when he said the toughest part about racing in the Congressional Cup was paying your damage deposit."

Iehl's high moment of the week came against Brady, who had won nine consecutive matches. Iehl led Brady early but fouled him while bailing out of a luffing match near the first leeward mark. Still leading, he erased his penalty on the second upwind lag by jibing a 270-degree circle instead of tacking at the starboard layline, then crossed Brady on opposite tacks at the mark and held on to win by 10 seconds.

Brady's actual score is 11.5 points; he also suffered a deduction for causing excess damage Wednesday. Following that incident, Brady was quoted in Wednesday's report saying, "I think I just lost my job sailing Moneypenny."

The comment was stated as a joke, which the report failed to note and was taken seriously by some. The new STP 65 named Moneypenny is owned by Jim Swartz of San Francisco, who is one of Brady's crew members this week. Brady still has his job.

Racing is near the end of Belmont Pier. There is free seating for spectators, with snacks available.

Competition, starting at noon or slightly earlier, conditions permitting, continues into best-of-three semifinals and finals Saturday scheduled around a fleet race for non-qualifiers. Total prize money is $41,000 with $10,000 to the winner.

For more photos and results go to LBYC. Story and photo by Rich Roberts

British 'TeamOrigin' Gets Serious

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0300 PST - Following a 10-month build program the new Juan K-designed canting keel yacht 'Speedboat' was launched in early April in Auckland, New Zealand.

This is a significant project for TEAMORIGIN as it has involved many parts of the team and will continue to do so over the next two years. The boat has been designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian and his team. Andrea Avaldi and his group are responsible for the structural engineering, and Mickey Ickert and Gautier Sergent designed the complete sail inventory.

Every one of these people are key elements of TEAMORIGIN's technical team. Team Director Mike Sanderson was involved with Juan K in putting the programme together and will be the Race Skipper for the boat's varied and exciting racing program.

TEAMORIGIN sail trimmer Robbie Naismith has been heavily involved with the deck systems and sail inventories and will trim the sails in earnest when the boat is racing. Nick Bice has been a crucial part of the later stages of the build and assembly and will take the role of boat captain on board.

TEAMORIGIN Technical Director Stan Honey has been advising on the boats' extensive electronics package and has spent much time installing and configuring this important element in the yacht's equipment list. Stan will also race on board as navigator.

TEAMORIGIN rigger Ian Goldsworthy has assembled the running rigging package for the boat. All in all a lot of useful experience has been gained by TEAMORIGIN with the design, build and commissioning of this racing yacht. But perhaps the most important benefit to TEAMORIGIN is the experience gained by the various individuals in working together as a team on a project that is not dissimilar to the kind of boat that might be used for the 34th America's Cup.

And finally, eleven members of TEAMORIGIN's sailing team will form part of the crew that will race the boat in a varied programme of regattas. The first competition will be the Newport to Bermuda Race starting on 20th June this year. This will be followed in July by a possible Trans Atlantic record attempt.

Speedboat will then join the Mediteranean racing scene starting with the Maxi Worlds in Sardinia in September.

The full TEAMORIGIN crew line-up on Speedboat will be: Mike Sanderson, Stan Honey, Robbie Naismith, Neal Macdonald, Julien Cressant, Rob Greenhalgh, Mike Mottl, Chris Brittle, Justin Slattery, Nick Bice and Pawel Bielecki. So far in early testing Speedboat has been going well - very well - with speeds in excess of 28 knots achieved in just 20 knots of wind on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf!!

Watch for more news on this exciting project...go to Team Origin.

Australia Rules

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0020 PST - ISAF World Sailing Rankings - Australia hold on to their three world #1 spots and best-nation standing in the latest release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings on 30 April.

As the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition in Qingdao, China draws ever closer, the cream is rising to the top and during April there were few surprises as the favourites lived up to their billing at the Star Worlds in Miami and the ISAF Grade 1 Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères.

As a result there are no changes amongst the 11 leaders in this release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings, although several changes in the crews occupying the #2 and #3 slots has resulting in a revised national standing.

Australia strengthen their position as best-performing nation in the Rankings, with Sarah BLANCK (AUS) moves up one place to #2 in the Laser Radial in additional to their three world #1 spots. Great Britain also continue count four top-three places (one #1, two #2, one #3), but have been knocked back into third position in the national standings by a terrific Polish performance.

Spearheaded by Mateusz KUSZNIEREWICZ and Dominik ZYCKI's (POL) win at the Star World Championship in Miami, it's been a fantastic month for the Polish Olympic sailing team who now hold two world #1 spots along with one #2 and one #3. Together with the Star duo, it's the formidable Polish windsurfing team who boost their nation's standing.

Italy and Spain also continue to perform well, although a disappointing French performance in Hyères, returning just one podium position, has seen them fall back from third to sixth in the national standings.

Whilst the big names continue to dominate the leading Ranking positions, many nations have seen their top crews make considerable progress as their selected Olympic teams increase the intensity of their preparations.

Although the top-three Ranking positions are only currently spread across 15 nations, recent performances by the likes of Norway's Yngling trio Siren SUNDBY, Lise Birgitte FREDRIKSEN and Alexandra KOEFOE, Slovenia's Gasper VINCEC in the Finn, China's Lijia XU in the Laser Radial and Star World Championship bronze medallists Robert SCHEIDT and Bruno PRADA of Brazil, indicate that the battle for medals in Qingdao is set to be spread far wider.

The next release of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings will be on 28 May 2008, including results from the ISAF Grade 1 Delta Lloyd Regatta (formerly Holland Regatta) in the Netherlands. Story and image by ISAF.

They Came Out With 'Guns' A Blazing!

Friday - May 2 2008 - 0010 PST - Day Three of Antigua Sailing Week - Two Races and Too Much Fun!

The first race was taken by the ubiquitous LICKITY SPLIT helmed by John Kwitek and his Cape Town crew led by America's Cup helmsman, Mark Sadler, and his J22 World Champion team mates Paul Willcox and Alan Mathews.

Laden with aircon units, a lavish interior, and a mostly women crew, Peter Johnstone's Gunboat 48 BLAST celebrated its first win of the regatta during the second race of the day. "We're having a BLAST", said Gunboat founder Johnstone, "This crew is awesome."

As the regatta advances and crews become more honed, the Gunboat class has come down to a battle amongst the two models represented. The Gunboat 48's have been enjoying exceptionally close racing, as have their ocean-greyhound larger siblings, the Gunboat 62's.

Amongst the Gunboat 48's, the big lead changes have come on the downwind legs. The large Asymmetric spinnakers have put a premium on crew work for the 48's. Tom Robinson's HAMMER with her all-star crew of legendary windsurfers, Platt and Nancy Johnson aboard, has quickly marched up the learning curve, and shown great promise in the first race by winning the elapsed time battle of the 48's.

The locally based CREAM has some notable talent aboard including Antigua Yacht Club's Commodore, and Curtis Barton, a regular crew aboard classic legend Ticonderoga, and recent Classics Week Winner. Well regarded worldwide for his outstanding character, sailing and varnish abilities, Curtis took over downwind trimming duties aboard CREAM.

This led to some exciting downwind skirmishes with both BLAST and HAMMER. CREAM may have their secret weapon to win Antigua Sailing Week. No one knows local waters, local winds, and each Gunboat crew better than Curtis. When a Gunboat needs some love and attention, every owner in the fleet has turned their carbon sailing machine over to his team at Smooth Finish for some exceptional varnish work.

Meanwhile, the Gunboat 62's have a battle royale developing. LICKITY SPLIT 2 and LOOKING FOR ELVIS are enjoying a repeat of ASW 2007. Locked neck in neck with only a point between them, they are both having their way with Heineken-St Maarten 2008 Winner SAFARI. While SAFARI and ELVIS have added enormous masthead downwind sails, LS2 is hanging on to the overall lead of the Gunboat Class, with ELVIS in a close second despite her 2nd race blunder of taking the finish pin between her hulls.

With the first five Gunboats within five points of each other, the Gunboat Class is providing the closest competition at Antigua Sailing Week. With half of the regatta to go, can anyone find Elvis? Can the Split be bested? Who will have a BLAST? Who will get HAMMER'd? Who will get CREAM'd?

It is anyone's regatta with three exciting races to go. Certain things are assured, Gunboats have taken over the Caribbean, and their crews are setting a standard for both close racing and serious fun. When you sail a luxurious carbon sailing machine, you are bound to smile.

For race results, head to Sailing Week. Story by Lynn Fitzpatrick. Photos from Billy Black.