Brought to you by boats.com Europe with the support of OC Events, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

THE BRITISH CHALLENGE
Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London's victorious bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, has announced he is to create a new British America's Cup sailing team. The team, to be named Origin, will comprise some of the world's leading sailors and boat designers from the UK and beyond with the aim of winning the America's Cup and bringing the world's longest running sporting event back to British shores for the first time since its inception over 150 years ago.

At Thursday's announcement at the Design Museum in London, Sir Keith Mills revealed that Origin will participate in at least two America's Cup campaigns - the 33rd and 34th editions of the America's Cup, likely to take place in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Origin's crew members, boat designers and management teams will be recruited over the next six months, and will be announced following the completion of the current 32nd America's Cup event taking place in Valencia from 23rd June to 7th July 2007.

Origin, whose name is a reference both to Britain's involvement in the creation of the America's Cup in 1851 and to the formation of a new, fresh and innovative force in this sporting arena, is being formed by Sir Keith Mills to build on Britain's unprecedented yachting heritage. It follows in the wake of recent successes enjoyed by Skandia Team GBR, the British Olympic and Paralympic sailing team, which has won more medals for Britain than any other sport in the last two Olympic Games, and the achievements of Britain's numerous round-the-world ocean racing heroes.

Origin will be based in the UK, bringing valuable economic impact to the local area that is chosen to host the team. The venue for the team's base will be selected for its facilities, sailing conditions and communications links. The base, together with the yacht club that the team will represent, will be decided in the next six months.

The team will be funded through a combination of private and commercial investment. With the substantial growth of the event in recent years from a media, marketing, hospitality and fan base point of view, sponsorship of the team represents a unique marketing opportunity for international companies trying to reach a global audience. Origin's commercial team will commence discussions and negotiations with potential investors and sponsors during the coming months.

www.Originsailing.com

Listen to Matthew Sheahan's latest podcast on the announcement:
www.ybw.com/yw/podcast/yw_podcasts.html

LIFE AT THE EXTREME
Life At The Extreme, the official book of the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06, chronicles over eight months of relentless competition in the world's most menacing of oceans.

Author and broadcaster Rob Mundle together with the world's best sailing photographers have captured every angle of the world's top offshore sailors doing battle over 31,500 nautical miles. The highs, the lows, the hardships in the quest for the overall prize - the Fighting Finish Trophy.

With over 150 pages of words and pictures, Life At The Extreme is available to buy online at www.volvooceanrace.org/booksanddvds or from leading high street book stores.

JPMORGAN ASSET MANAGEMENT ROUND THE ISLAND RACE
The Island Sailing Club is pleased to announce that JPMorgan Asset Management has agreed to extend its title sponsorship of the Round the Island Race until 2010 with an option to further extend until 2013.

This year the ISC and JPMorgan Asset Management will be expanding the charitable dimension of the Round the Island Race by encouraging all entrants to make their race count for charity. A bespoke website has been set up to facilitate this. To register, simply go to justgiving.com/roundtheisland . With around 13,000 competitors involved, this is a huge opportunity to raise a significant amount for charity. The event will have four chosen charities: The Ellen MacArthur Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, Prostate Research Campaign UK and Breast Cancer Care, but competitors can of course race for a charity of their own choice.

The easy way to enter the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race is through the user-friendly website www.roundtheisland.org.uk - 73% of the entries came via this route in 2006.

BOATS, THE CHANNEL AND DUCT TAPE (AND WHERE IT CAN ALL LEAD)
Hilary Lister, the quadriplegic sailor who in 2005 became the first quadriplegic person to sail solo across the English Channel will be talking at the Collins Stewart London Boatshow on Sunday 7th January 2007 in the Sky Sports Theatre, from 12.45 - 13.30. Come along and hear this remarkable woman talk about her solo crossing and her next project to sail around Great Britain.

www.londonboatshow.com/theatre_hilarylister.html

THE IRISH SAILING SEASON
The 2007 season is shaping up to be a busy one, starting off the water with the ISA National Conference & Awards Dinner in the Tara Towers Hotel, Dublin on 3rd & 4th February 2007.

Six international events will be hosted in Ireland this year, which is fitting testimony to the acknowledged quality of race management in Ireland.

Based on an estimate of the number of boats and nations attending, the Dragon Worlds is set to be the leading Senior international event in domestic waters with 25 nations expected to attend, while the Laser 4.7 clearly pulls the numbers for the Juniors.

The expectation is that both the Enterprise Worlds and the 1720 Europeans will draw their fleets predominantly from Ireland and the UK yet still provide a strong field of competitors.

A big class internationally, the Etchell Europeans will generate particular interest following the recent news that Howth Yacht Club, the stronghold of Etchell sailing in Ireland, will host the 2010 Worlds. Meanwhile one year after their arrival in Ireland, the RS Feva plans to host a truly European event in DunmoreEast.

The Dun Laoghaire Combined Clubs are managing two events, the Half Ton Classics Cup and the bi-annual Dun Laoghaire Regatta both of which will attract Irish and International competitors.

Rounding off the season will be the ISA All Ireland Sailing Championship (6th & 7th Oct 2007).

Throughout the season and country many national competitions take place with each fleet passionate about their own. The full calendar of events can be viewed at www.sailing.ie/events/calendar.asp

1720 Europeans National Yacht Club- 9-12 July
Laser 4.7 Europeans National Yacht Club - 19-27 July
RS Feva Europeans Waterford Harbour Sailing Club - 30 July - 4 Aug
Enterprise Worlds Royal Irish Yacht Club - 12-17 August
Etchells Europeans Royal Irish Yacht Club - 25-27 Aug
Dragon Worlds Royal St George Yacht Club - 30 Aug - 7 Sept

DO YOU "ONE DESIGN?" WE DO!
Tornado, Melges 24, Sabots, Martin 242, Yngling, 470's, J/105, Beneteau 40.7, Etchells, Acat's, Farr 40, 505, Cal 20, Coronado 15, Fireball, J/24, CFJ, 420, Europe Dinghy, Harbor 20, International 14, J/22, Holder 20, Flying Scot, Lido 14, Lehman 12, Lightning, Optimist, Snipe, Thistle, Cal 25, Soling, Sonar, Santana 20, Santana 30/30, Capri 14.2, Melges 32, El Toro, Ultimate 20, Flying Junior, J/80, Hobie 21, San Juan 24, Nacra, Prindle, J/120, Antrim 27, Olson 30, Mumm 30, J/109. Ullman Sails has been one designing 35+ years, give your local loft a call or visit us at www.ullmansails.com

RECORD NUMBER OF SAILORS EXPECTED AT ROLEX MIAMI OCR
Less than three weeks before the start of US SAILING's 2007 Rolex Miami OCR, event organizers expect the largest number of competitors in 10 years. As of today, 556 of the world's top Olympic and Paralympic class sailors representing 43 countries are registered to compete on the waters of Biscayne Bay from January 21 to 27, 2007.

As the only International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade-One ranking event in the U.S. for competition in all 14 Olympic and Paralympic classes, US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR attracts elite sailors from around the globe. The event, with five days of fleet racing from Monday, January 22 through Friday, January 26, and one day of medal racing (for Olympic classes only) on Saturday, January 27, celebrates its 18th year in 2007 as one of the world's top competitions for sailors training for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Saturday's medal races follow the new Olympic format lining up the top 10 teams in each class on the starting line on the final day of racing.

Who's Coming

2006 Rolex Miami OCR gold medal winners who have already registered include:

470 Women - Ingrid Petitjean and Nadège Douroux (France); 49er - Pietro Sibello and Gianfranco Sibello (Italy); Laser - Paul Goodison (Great Britain); Laser Radial - Anna Tunnicliffe (USA); RS-X Women - Bryony Shaw (Great Britain); Star - Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau (France); Tornado - John Lovell (USA) and Yngling - Sally Barkow, Carrie Howe and Debbie Capozzi. The Sibello brothers, Goodison and Tunnicliffe are all currently ranked #1 in the world by ISAF and will share the international stage with another #1-ranked entrant, Jonas Hoegh-Christensen (Denmark) in the Finn class. Rohart and Rambeau have the distinction of being 2005 world champions and 2004 Olympic bronze medalists, while Barkow and crew are two-time Yngling world champions and Lovell is a 2004 Olympic silver medalist. The entry list features headliners such as 2006 world champion Star skipper Hamish Pepper (New Zealand), three-time North American Finn skipper Christopher Cook (Canada), 2004 bronze medalists Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks (Great Britain) in the 49er class and ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the year Paige Railey (USA). In addition, 470 women's division sailors Xuechao Chen and Fei Du are the first ever team to represent China at this regatta.

Competitors must register on-line before January 15, 2007 to receive discounted entry fees. Registrations received after this date will be subject to late fees. Online registration and a list of entrants and their hometowns are available at www.RolexMiamiOCR.org. On-site registration is not available this year.

For complete and up-to-the-minute regatta information and resources, including the Notice of Race, entry list, on-line registration, schedule, hosts and area information, please visit: www.RolexMiamiOCR.org

SINGAPORE WINS OPTIMIST WORLDS TEAM RACING
Singapore have won the Optimist Team Racing World Championship, the first time ever for an Asian team.

After an easy victory over Puerto Rico in Round 1, they beat successively the strong opposition of New Zealand and Japan before overcoming three times gold medallists Peru in the final.

In the repechage following the surprise victory of the Netherlands over strong favourites Argentina, Germany beat Japan to take bronze.

Results at: www.optiworld.org/06TRRES.jpg

ADRIAN FLANAGAN AT THE LONDON BOAT SHOW
Adrian set off from the Hamble on the 28th October 2005 to attempt the world's first solo vertical circumnavigation of the globe via the Russian Arctic. During his gruelling 26,000 mile voyage to date, he sailed the first solo, non-stop UK to Hawaii and became only the 15th yachtsman to round Cape Horn westabout single-handed.

Adrian will return to Nome, Alaska in June 2007 to re-join his yacht Barrabas. The Northern Sea Route has never before been sailed single-handed and no British boat has ever been through.

Alpha Global Expedition sail sponsors Kemp Sails will be hosting the first 'meet the press' session on stand N115 at 11.00am on Monday 8th January. Hydrovane, sponsors of Adrian's self-steering gear will be hosting a second session on stand N262 on Tuesday 9th January at 10.30am.

A film comprising footage from Adrian's video diaries, produced by The Knowledge Zone will be shown on the Kemp stand throughout the show. -- Louise Flanagan bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=1979

INDUSTRY NEWS
* European sail maker Elvstrom Sobstad has announced that Andrew Smith has been chosen to serve as the company's new vice president, effective immediately. Smith, who first joined the company in January 2006, will be based at Elvstrom's main headquarters in Aabenraa, Denmark, where will be responsible for all technical and production operations. He previously served as a technical director for North Sails in the UK.

According to a group press release, Elvstrom is undergoing some significant developments at the moment, including new production facilities and product developments for 2007. voilesnews.fr/en/info_447_7221.html?nid=38000206

* YachtWorld.com has been rated the "Most-visited Marine Web Site" by the independent ranking-agency, Alexa.

Alexa provides data on web site traffic for all commercial web sites and ranked YachtWorld.com as overall number 4,012 out of more than 18 million Internet sites. No other marine targeted Web site ranked higher, thereby placing YachtWorld.com as the leading international marine-industry Web site.

According to research, YachtWorld also has the highest number of minutes per visitor for a marine site. The research data reveals that visitors to YachtWorld.com average 74 page views per session.

* Just days after winning the Sydney-Hobart for a second successive time, the 30m maxi Wild Oats XI blew away the rest of the fleet to take line honours in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race.

Future Fibres, who manufactured and fitted the full set of PBO standing rigging, congratulates owner Bob Oatley, skipper Mark Richards and the crew of Wild Oats XI on their success.

During the scheduled service of her rigging after an intense European racing season - and in anticipation of heavy weather - some new aft rigging was produced and shipped by Future Fibres at short notice ready for the start of the Sydney-Hobart race.

* Duke Street Capital, the majority shareholder of the Navimo Group in France, has announced the appointment of Jean-Marie Paepegaey as the group's new president. Paepegaey, who recently served as chief financial officer at Lohr SA, a transport systems specialist based in Alsace, France, will be responsible for managing the group's mergers and acquisitions team.

Formerly known as Plastimo International, Navimo is a European manufacturer and distributor of equipment for the recreational boating industry. The group, which was bought by Duke Street Capital in July 2004, is mainly known for its commercial brands such as Plastimo (safety equipment), Goïot (deck hardware), Max Power (bow thrusters), Accastillage Bernard, Nuova Rade and XM Yachting. Navimo has an annual turnover of around135 million euros and employs some 700 staff. -- voilesnews.fr/en/info_447_7230.html?nid=38000206

* Marine electronics manufacturer Raymarine has been instrumental in providing a unique new visitor attraction at the Collins Stewart London Boat Show. Produced in association with Yachting Monthly, the Raymarine Fog Tunnel has been equipped with 24 Raymarine radar and plotter screens, and is designed to show visitors how to use the latest radar technology.

Based at the Eastern End of the Excel Boulevard, the fog tunnel is a one-way route providing education and interest for inexperienced or first time radar users. The radar screens are set up to take visitors through the basic experience of using radar – from moving range rings in and out, then moving a bearing line and being able to follow a target down the bearing line, with the final set of screens set up to show how a radar screen is overviewed on an electronic chart. The display is designed in banks of three sets of three screens, with visitors moving through the fog tunnel. A centre display with six radar screens shows how radar can be interfaced with other electronics including AIS, NAVTEX and Platinum electronic charts.

Experts from Raymarine and staff from Yachting Monthly will be on hand to guide visitors through the experience, and for those wanting more information, the Raymarine stand is just around the corner in the South Hall.

* Goetz Custom Boats, which made a name for itself building cutting racing boats and America's Cup contenders, may soon have a new home. Officials from the Broad Common Road boat builder will appear before the Bristol Zoning Board of Review Monday, Jan. 8, to ask permission to build a new 43,000-square-foot plant at the corner of Broad Common and Ballou Boulevard.

If it's approved - the plan needs a variance on the number of parking spaces provided - the business's manufacturing space will increase two-fold. Goetz's current home, which the business has occupied since 1979, is about 20,000 square feet. The new building, twice that size, will house most of the firm's manufacturing, engineering and offices, and the old headquarters will be used mostly for finish work.

The new building will be state-of-the-art, and will use "green engineering" to be energy efficient, simple and practical. Plans include installing a large six-axis milling machine, computer controlled ovens and spray boots, and laser projection centers. The building will also house the firm's management, sales and engineering offices.

If all goes as planned, said Goetz's Sarah Watson McKay, the building will be complete by late summer. -- www.eastbayri.com/story/323318840468338.php

THE LAST WORD
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed. -- Kin Hubbard (1868 - 1930)

Editor's note: issues might be a bit hit or miss next week, as I'm forgoing a number of terrific sleet storms at the London Boat Show for the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza followed by the sands of the Caymans and Jamaica. In theory my ship has broadband, but it might be the rum, not the satellite, that slips a few by...

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

Over 80,000 boats for sale on www.boats.com

Scuttlebutt Europe is available via email:
To subscribe, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit scuttlebutteurope.com

Editorial and letter submissions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/content/view/7/6/