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VELUX 5 OCEANS: DALTON AND BASURKO SAIL INTO FREMANTLE
Graham Dalton, the experienced solo sailor from New Zealand, crossed the finish line of the Velux 5 Oceans in Fremantle (Western Australia) at 11:34 local time (02:34 GMT). Dalton completed the first leg of the Velux 5 Oceans onboard A Southern Man AGD, the only Open 50 in the race, after 71 days, 15 hours and 34 minutes.

Graham Dalton left Bilbao with the rest of the fleet on October 22, 2006, and has experienced a rollercoaster ride over the 12,000 miles separating the Spanish Basque Country from Fremantle in Western Australia. The skipper, who is taking on the Ultimate Solo Challenge in memory of his son Tony who died 12 months ago, has twice been forced to seek land in order to carry out essential repairs.

Unai Basurko, the young Basque skipper, has crossed the finish line at 03:22 local time (18:22 GMT). Basurko completed the first leg onboard PAKEA, the newest Open 60 in the fleet that was launched 12 months ago in Sydney, after 72 days, 7 hours and 22 minutes.

The skipper, who is undertaking his first competitive solo circumnavigation, designed and built a new Open 60 in Australia in 2005 and has had to carefully control the boat through harsh storms, damage and difficult weather patterns.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Ponders Life From Land

"The arrival in Fremantle could have been dramatic. Three hours before I crossed the finish line the auto pilot finally gave up the ghost. I had full plain sail up and was coming in at 11 knots when Saga Insurance crash gybed. I gybed her back and switched on the pilot again but it immediately sheered off to port. There was no alternative but to steer her in, hoping the organisers knew where I was because I could not get below to call them. I needn't have worried. As I passed north of Rotnest Island boats began to appear with officials, press and by support team, a very welcome sight. It was getting dark which helped as the light on the buoy marking the finish line showed up clearly. My concern now was that once I had crossed the line I would have to leave the helm to get the sails down, but I need not have worried, Simon (Clay) and Peter (Cumming), out here to help with the refit, jumped aboard Saga Insurance and we managed to get everything down. Then the Customs boarded, helpful and friendly, and the official side of my arrival was speedily completed.

I suppose 50 years at sea means I take arriving in to a port in my stride, but there is always a bit of a buzz and it is always nice to see friends and have people to talk to for a change. Also there is the knowledge that for the first time on more than two months the boat does not have to be cared for. Once she has been safely tied up you can relax properly. The Fremantle Sailing Club has a reputation for is friendliness and it lived up to it. Even better, George Vallings had asked a Naval friend to supply a bottle of whisky. What was particularly pleasant was that both Alex Thomson and Mike Golding had flown out so it was a nice reunion.

It is slightly strange to find oneself back in what one might call normal society and begin the process of adjustment. Simple things like having a hair cut are reassuring and necessary. I have seen a Doctor about my wrist who put me on to a physiotherapist. The problem is tendonitis and the cure is rest. Well fortunately we have 2 weeks to rest it up.

But you cannot ignore the boat and the work she requires. My repair list is not enormous, and we do not have anything on it that should cause problems but the sooner the work gets done, the sooner we can go out and do some sailing.

www.velux5oceans.com

OPTIMIST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Montevideo, Uruguay: Three races sailed on Monday, two on Tuesday. A traditional regatta called "Rioplatense" was held from the 20th to the 23th of December, in the Yacht Club Uruguayo as the Pre-Worlds. Three races were sailed, with podium positions going to Ben Graz of Chile, with Jose Jimenez also from Chile second and Stephanie Zimmerman from Peru third.

Top ten after five races:

1. Julian Autenrieth, GER, 2 points
2. Haruka Komiya, JPN, 9
3. Andonios Tsiboukelis, GRE, 9
4. Eduardo Ariza, DOM, 11
5. Roko Stambuk, CRO, 12
6. Santiago Yanes Solorzano, MEX, 12
7. Diego Montautti, BRA, 14
8. Victor Abenius, SWE, 15
9. Arturo Noguer, ESP, 17
10. Zhou Chuancheng, CHN, 17

Racing continues through January 9.

www.optimistworlds.org.uy

CHARTER "PLATONIC AFFAIR"
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charterasunseeker.co.uk

ROYAL THAMES CARMELA CUP 2007
The Royal Thames Carmela Cup 2007, the National Championship of two-boat team racing in keelboats, will again be held at Royal Victoria Docks, adjacent to Excel, during the first weekend of the Collins Stewart London International Boat Show, on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th January commencing at 1030hrs each day. Details of the event are on the Royal Thames website www.royalthames.com .

With the support of BMW UK Limited and the help of Berkeley Marine, the Royal Docks Management Authority, the Royal Victoria Docks Sailing Centre and the Sea Cadets the Championship will be raced, once more in the matched fleet of Beneteau First Class 8s.

This year parts of the racing will be televised within the Boat Show exhibition Halls but for the sake of a short walk visitors to the show can see the racing first hand. Refreshment can be obtained from the Novotel, immediately adjacent to the Royal Victoria Dock, whose outside first floor level terrace makes a splendid viewing platform. For those unfamiliar with team racing, it really is a spectator sport, the object being to ensure that one boat from the opposing team comes last. This requires immense tactical skill, team work and full knowledge of the Racing Rules of Sailing in addition to the normal skill of producing maximum boat speed.

The overall winner will be awarded the Royal Thames Carmela Cup and the winning university team will, for the first time, be awarded the Royal Thames University Challenge Trophy.

This year teams are entered from BUSA, St Andrews University, Oxford University, Cambridge University, The Army Sailing Association, the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Royal London Yacht Club, Itchenor Sailing Club and the defending champions, the Royal Thames Yacht Club.

ISAF'S CENTENARY YEAR
2007 marks the Centenary year of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the world governing body for the sport of sailing. In celebration of this milestone in ISAF's history, the year will be marked by events around the world, on and off the water that celebrate sailing and 100 years of ISAF.

Generously hosted by the City of Estoril, Portugal, the ISAF Centenary Gala Celebration will be a night to remember.

With the backdrop of the 2007 ISAF World Sailing Championships across the bay in Cascais, the 12 July will see a spectacular Gala Dinner and Beach party in Estoril. The Casino Estoril will become a sparkling venue for 800 guests to enjoy an evening of celebration, whilst the Tamariz Beach, near to the Casino, will host a superb beach party, with a BBQ and live music.

To honour heroes and legends from across all areas of the sailing world, ISAF is launching a virtual Sailing Hall of Fame. The first inductees will be honoured at the Centenary Gala Dinner in Estoril.

A lasting legacy from ISAF's historic year, the Sailing Hall of Fame will provide not only a dedicated website for the glorious history of sailing, but a platform for the ongoing recognition of sailing's greatest contributors.

The 100 Years of Sailing Commemorative Book will be the ultimate record of sailing over the past 100 years.

The content follows the development classes and the one-designs plus small dinghies to offshore racers. It will analyse sailing's leading personalities and show how many of them have contributed to and influenced the evolution of the sport.

Recording the international development of the sport, together with the progressive growth of the sailing, the book covers all aspects of the tremendous era of the IYRU and ISAF.

The book will be available to buy via the ISAF website from ( sailing.org ) June onwards.

SILVA LTD AT LIBS 2007
If you are visiting the London Boat Show then the Silva Ltd stand (S087) should be your first stop. As the leading specialist in navigation related products Silva Ltd will be displaying the very latest in marine electronics including the 2007 range of chartplotters and echo sounders from Lowrance, the brand new NXR and NX instrumentation systems from Nexus Marine, state-of-the-art VHF radios and NMEA2000 engine management systems. Also on display will be examples of the widely respected range of Silva binoculars, compasses, handheld weather stations and much more. Our knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer all your queries, so drop by the Silva Ltd stand and see what 2007 has in store for you.

www.silva.ltd.uk

MELBOURNE TO TASMANIA RACES
The Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart and the Kidder Williams Melbourne to Launceston fleets set off from Portsea at noon on December 27. After 19 hours of racing two boats in the Launceston fleet retired, one dismasted, another with rudder damage.

Rob Hanna's Shogun finished the Melbourne to Launceston under spinnaker, taking line honours.

Matt Hannaford's Cookson Farr 39, No Fearr, took line honours in the Melbourne to Hobart with Sally Rattle's Archaumbault 35, Archie, second. Eddie Ragauskas and Martin Vaughan's A Crewed Interest won on handicap.

News and photos at www.boatingoz.com.au/news/eventnews.asp?ID=160

ISAF SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2007 NOTICE OF RACE PUBLISHED
The Notice of Race for the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal is now available online on www.sailing.org and the event website www.cascaisworlds2007.com.

The 2007 ISAF Worlds take place from 28 June-13 July and will be the pinnacle event for the Olympic Classes in 2007 with 75% of all the national places for the 2008 Olympic Games to be decided.

'The Wind Is Calling' is the official motto for the 2007 Worlds.

sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j8~Fh?A1?&format=popup

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL OK DINGHY CLASS
Back in 1957 Axel Dangaard Olsen of Seattle, U.S.A., asked the Danish yacht designer Knud Olsen to prepare drawings for a light and fast single-handed sailing dinghy based on conventional plywood construction. The resulting design was named the O.K., using Knud Olsen's initials in reverse.

The O.K. was intended as a preparation class for the Olympic Finn and it has followed its technical evolution ever since with carbon masts being introduced in 2003. OKs are built in plywood, G.R.P and composite construction and all forms enjoy equal racing success. Freedom of choice in hull construction is replicated in choice of rig, with choice of mast, sail and fitting entirely open.

Today, we are seeing a remarkable revival of the OK class. Lots of older boats are being restored and updated, new boats are being built and participation in club races is on the rise. Additionally the OK was elected as single hander for the Asian Games 1998.

This strong come-back can be contributed to the unique characteristics of the International OK-Dinghy: a light, responsive sailing dinghy that may be raced in fair and equal competition all over the world, without getting into cut-throat Olympic competition, and with the freedom to appeal to the individual that is in each of us.

The British Class association have a number of events planned over the year to celebrate this impressive milestone in the class' history.

The main event being at Upper Thames Sc June 23rd-24th. The club will be hosting the class for its anniversary celebrations aimed at bringing together OK dinghy sailors past & present. The open meeting format will be interspersed with some novelty events, display of championship winning boats & a Formal dinner. Tickets will be available for purchase at The Dinghy Sailing Show & throughout the year from the class secretary.

Full article by Terry Curtis and contact details for becoming involved in the 50th Anniversary at YachtsandYachting.com:
www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=24483

ALF DELANY
Dr. Alf Delany passed away peacefully on December 13th, at the Mater Hospital, after a short illness.

Dr. Delany will be sorely missed from the Irish Sailing Community having a long history of involvement with the sport. In 1948 he sailed in the London Olympics in the Swallow Class on what was the first ever Irish sailing team in the Olympic Games.

In 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games he sailed in the Finn class and scored a fourth in one race. He attended the 1960 games in Rome as part of the management team for Clayton Love Jnr.

While Alf Delany is most closely associated with Shannon One Designs, Fireflys and Waterwags he was also involved with 5o5s in their early days in Ireland.

Aside from his competitive exploits, Dr. Delany dedicated a lifetime to sailing administration in Ireland. He was involved in the very early days of the Irish Dinghy Racing Association (IDRA) and remained involved from 1946 to the mid-1970s, he was ultimately elected Vice-President and represented Irish sailing at the Olympic Council. He was also very involved in the early days of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI)

In September 2005 Alf was inducted into the ISA Hall of fame where glowing tributes were made to his contribution to sailing and his "flying the Irish flag" to success all over Europe.

We would like to extend our condolences to his family and friends. -- Irish Sailing Association, www.sailing.ie

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Letters are limited to 350 words, and you may only write a single letter on a topic. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published.

* From Geri and John Conser: What a wonderful way to look forward to the new year than with a story of the passage of a good man's spirit passed on to his son! The loss of Sir Peter Blake was sad time in all our lives. To hear that his spirit of helping and kindness has been passed on to his son is indeed heartwarming. James Blake taking up the project of restoration is a tribute to his mother and father that they have done well. We look forward to many good adventures from James.

Peter you are in our hearts forever.

THE LAST WORD
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. -- Mark Twain

OC Events, organisers of two major IMOCA 60 oceanic events, the new double-handed Barcelona World Race 2007, and the original solo transocean race, The Transat 2008 (ex-OSTAR) www.ocevents.org

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