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SHORTHANDED SAILING IN THE UK, A PREVIEW OF 2007
Two handed and solo racers are looking forward to another exciting year as the sport expands dramatically throughout Europe with new races and new designs proliferating. Owner-drivers have discovered the simple pleasures of sailing their own boats over testing courses and keeping all the plum jobs for themselves while the logistical nightmare of recruiting 500 kilos of live ballast fades in the memory. The Seahorse rating office have recognised this trend by issuing special two-handed handicap certificates this year for the first time.

The season gets underway on April 14th with the enormously popular two-handed series organised by the Royal Southampton YC, masterminded by Dave Giddings and Kathy Smalley this series attracted 180 entries last year competing in over 10 events throughout the season. The RSYC flagship event is the 500-mile Santander race that starts on June 30th, while the annual Island Double sets off on July 7th with over 100 boats anticipated this time. The J-105 is the weapon of choice in the Solent, these fast and easily handled boats exemplify all that is good in modern bow sprit craft often beating fully crewed and complex boats for absolute speed on the water.

Solo sailors have their first outing on April 28th with a nice little test, racing around the Isle of Wight in the second edition of RIOW Solo organised by Racing at Petit Bateau. Race director Paul Peggs is confident of a 50 boat entry in 5 classes including yachts from 25 to 40 feet and class mini. An early start is planned to give the smaller boats the best chance of completing the 50-mile course before sunset.

Fastnet beckons this year and a strong two-handed contingent will again contest this most famous of offshore races. Last time the light airs favoured the low handicap boats that carried the new breeze to the finish in Plymouth, what odds on a pasting this time? The fleet gets away from Cowes on August 12th. The RORC encourage two-handers in all their classic races and those aiming for Fastnet will need to plan their qualifying events and review all safety requirements in good time. The magnificent 'Psipsina' trophy is the prize for the best RORC two-handed series result, currently held by Shaun Murphy and Ric Searle in the famous J-105 'Sling Shot'.

Ireland is the destination for the skippers of this years Petit Bateau Solo event that starts from Mylor YC, Falmouth on July 14th and visits Kinsale, Baltimore, (Fastnet), Dingle and returns to Mylor. Not for the faint hearted, this is a tough 600 mile test set in open blue water with green hills as the back drop, the two week event is aimed at experienced skippers in mono hulls from 28 feet to 40 feet

AZAB 2007 certainly hit the spot when the entry list was closed last summer at 70 boats on completion of the Royal Cornwall YC's innovative qualifying race. Founder of the race Colin Drummond leads the charge from Black Rock in Falmouth on June 2nd. The magic of this enduring event is the opportunity to enjoy a 1200 mile open ocean adventure with ample time for recovery or crew change in the exotic Azores destination before the return leg on June 19th. There is a waiting list for those who have not twigged that this race has been coming around every 4 years since 1975.

Royal Western YC in Plymouth, home of the OSTAR and the birthplace of all shorthanded races, has introduced a new 5 race double-handed series for West Country boats starting on May 12th and concluding on August 18th. OSTAR 2009 is already in the minds of serious soloists who will be choosing boats and planning qualifying cruises, there is not long now!

Satellite Tracking devices were first used in shorthanded racing in 1980 when OSTAR yachts carried Argos beacons across the Atlantic but since that time UK race organisers have been reluctant to employ this exciting technology on the grounds of cost. Today small robust and inexpensive devices have encouraged many skippers to provide their own tracking though OceanRaceTrack. The facility to follow an offshore race is not only invaluable to sponsors in bringing the excitement of the race course to a worldwide audience, it is also a vital safety aid in knowing the frequently updated position of each competing yacht.

Links to all these events and many more are be found on the excellent shorthanded race calendar at www.petitbateau.org.uk -- Jerry Freeman

TORNADO NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Three perfectly set and run races brought the ISAF Grade 1 Tornado North American Championship to a dramatic conclusion on Key Biscayne, as double Olympic Champions Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher (AUT) took the title.

The fourth and final day of the Tornado North American Championship started early, with the first warning signal made at 10:00. World Champions Darren Bundock and Glen Ashby (AUS) started the day with a grant of redress for races 3, 4 and 5 (and a replacement port hull). But the average points would not be calculated until all races had been completed.

The 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medallists Hagara and Steinacher showed all their class to close out the championship with a first place in race 8, sealing the overall win for the great Austrian crew.

2006 World Champions and 2007 Rolex Miami OCR Champions Bundock and Ashby took second in race 8. Their average points calculated out to 4.8 points; and they took second overall, just 4.4 points behind the winners.

2005 World Champions and 2005 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year Echavarri and Paz sailed the final race with their broken jib traveller; they were able to finish, but only in mid-fleet. A tough finish for Echavarri and Paz, but they still finished third overall.

The Tornado North American Championship is taking place as part of the Winter Circuit surrounding the ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Miami OCR. -- Michael Grandfield

Top ten final results:
1. Roman Hagara / Hans-Peter Steinacher, AUT, 21 points
2. Darren Bundock / Glenn Ashby, AUS, 25.4
3. Fernando Echavarri / Anton Paz, ESP, 36
4. Tino Mittelmeier / Niko Mittelmeier, GER, 41
5. Johannes Polgar / Florian Spalteholz, GER, 41
6. Leigh Mcmillan / William Howden, GBR, 48
7. Yann Guichard / Alexandre Guyader, FRA, 57
8. Oskar Johansson / Kevin Stittle, CAN, 60
9. Olivier Backes / Paul Ambroise Sevestre, FRA, 60
10. John Lovell / Charlie Ogletree, USA, 64

www.tornado.org

VELUX 5 OCEANS
SIR ROBIN'S 50th ANNIVERSARY OF GOING TO SEA
"Today is the 50th anniversary of my going to sea. I joined the British India Steam Navigation Co's Cadetship Chindwara in the Royal Albert Docks and so began my apprenticeship. I had no seagoing experience at that time apart from 16 days aboard HMS Vanguard moored to buoys in Plymouth as a Boy/Junior seaman RNVR, as being a reservist was the only way to guarantee you went into the Navy when you received your call-up papers for National Service."

"My first deep sea voyage in Chindwara was to East Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope as the Suez Canal was still blocked at that time. We learned on the job in those days and on the Cadetship we were the crew, a fabulous training."

"Saga Insurance has been sailing quite well the past day, using the steady sw'ly winds to sail deeper south. The winds are slowly rising, but the glass is too, so I am not sure what might be coming. We appear to have been sailing about a knot faster than Pakea and AGD for the last 24 hours, but we need at least that. It would have been good weather for the spinnaker had it not been for the squalls and the waves throwing us around, so we are still using the jib as a reacher."

* At 23:41 UTC last night, race leader Bernard Stamm contacted the Velux 5 Oceans race office reporting a problem at the top of his mast. The Swiss skipper warned that the satellite tracking data would show Cheminees Poujoulat making an erratic course and varying speeds as he inspected the damage.

Bernard Stamm is currently at 53° South, around 1,500 miles from the nearest land at Cape Horn and 1,325 miles from the nearest competitor, second place Kojiro Shiraishi and Spirit of Yukoh. He is completely isolated and without any hope of immediate outside assistance. Race officers monitored Stamm's course constantly over the following hours, concerned that he might have to climb the mast and watching for any sudden course change or dramatic drop in speed. After two hours, a safety call was made to Cheminees Poujoulat: "At 02:15 UTC I phoned Bernard to check that he was OK," said Clipper Ventures duty watch-keeper, Charlie Bray, "He had just got down having climbed the mast. He had managed to get the mainsail down so that he could work on it."

During the mast climb, Stamm lost just 17 miles to Shiraishi and is still polling the highest speeds in the fleet, averaging 10.7 knots. "OK, it is fixed and the boat is almost totally clean," he said, "the mainsail is up again. I hope the repair will be stronger than before." The mainsail's vital 'car' at the head of the sail had shattered, preventing the sail from sliding along the mainsail track on the rear side of the mast: "The top car had broken and I couldn't lower the sail anymore," Stamm explained, "I had to heave it down and then I adapted another car and fitted it to the top of the sail." With this strenuous task completed, he could rest and recover: "Now I must eat and sleep. I've spent 8 hours fixing the problem," said the exhausted skipper.

www.velux5oceans.com

AUSTRALIAN 18FT SKIFF CHAMPIONSHIP
Micah Lane, Jack Macartney and Drew Waller became the new Australian 18ft Skiff Champions when they brought their Macquarie Real Estate-sponsored skiff home in second place in today's final race of the regatta on Sydney Harbour.

The young crew have shown remarkable improvement since they took over their brand new skiff just two months ago and now loom strongly for the upcoming Giltinan Championship (16-25 February).

John Harris and the very experienced Rag & Famish Hotel crew sailed superbly to win today's race by a massive 2mins 51secs from Macquarie Real Estate with John Winning's Ssangyong Yandoo a further 50secs back in third place.

Going into this race the Giltinan champion Michael Coxon (Fiat) and Seve Jarvin (Gotta Love It 7) held a one point lead over Macquarie with Ssangyong Yandoo a further one point back. -- Frank Quealey

www.18footers.com.au

ED BAIRD WINS ROUND 1 OF THE UBS DUBAI DEFENDER TRIALS
Ed Baird (SUI91) and his crew won two races today to draw even on points with Peter Holmberg. In order to break the tie, the race committee reverted to the boat that won the last race.

Racing got away in 8-10 knots on day 4 of the UBS Dubai Defender Trials, Peter Holmberg (SUI64) was over the line at the start. With just one windward-leeward, Baird crossed the line 59 seconds ahead to raise his points to 2, edging closer to Holmberg's 3. In race 6, the last of Round 1, Baird and Holmberg got away to an even start with both boats sailing a long time on port tack. When they met again SUI91 had a small advantage which they maintained to the topmark and downwind to finish 37 seconds ahead.

Round 2 of the UBS Dubai Defender Trials is scheduled from16-19 February and will culminate in the announcement of the helmsman and afterguard for Louis Vuitton Act 13 in Valencia.

www.alinghi.com

PAPREC-VIRBAC LAUNCHED
Farr Yacht Design hasannounce the launch of the Open 60 PAPREC-VIRBAC in Tauraunga, New Zealand. This boat is the 4th Open 60 design from their studio (VIRBAC-PAPREC 1 , DELTA DORE and PRB being the other three) designed for Jean-Pierre Dick who commissioned FYD's first Open 60 VIRBAC-PAPREC 1 back in 2002.

Jean-Pierre Dick will be sailing the boat from New Zealand to Europe and participating in the Barcelona World Race, Vendee Globe, Transat Anglaise and other events through 2007 and 2008.

PAPREC-VIRBAC is a more powerful boat than our first generation Open 60 design and has generous sail area. Twin canards and twin rudders have become standard fare on these ocean racers that are achieving very impressive speeds in single-handed and short-handed racing. At the launch, the boat exposed trim tabs over the aft meter of hull surface, which represent an innovative advance for these beamy, light displacement powerful boats. Built by Southern Ocean Marine, the boat has other innovative features that must remain confidential for the time being.

"The tabs will enable the crew to adjust fore and aft boat trim to optimize performance in varying wind and sea conditions and will be a powerful tool for keeping the boat tracking at high speeds", said Jim Schmicker, Senior Naval Architect at FYD. "Trim tabs should work well on the wide transom of the Open 60. Trim tabs are not new to sailing but PAPREC-VIRBAC's tabs have unique features that make them particularly useful to the single-handed sailor trying to maintain control in difficult conditions", said Jim.

Farr Yacht Design has several more Open 60's due to be launched this year.

www.jpdick.com

OFFICIAL GLOBAL OCEAN CHALLENGE CHARITY NAMED
Global Ocean Sailing Ventures (GOSV) today announced that No Strings, an international charity that uses puppets to teach life-saving messages to children in developing countries, will be the official charity of the 2007/08 Global Ocean Challenge.

No Strings was founded by aid worker Johnie McGlade, along with Kathy Mullen and Michael Frith, co-creators of The Muppet Show, who saw puppets as a great way of communicating life-saving messages to children in a very direct, but engaging and entertaining way. In addition to Afghanistan, the organisation is working in Indonesia with a series of natural disaster-based puppet films that teach children how to be safe. No Strings is also looking at peace-building projects for Sri Lanka and a way to create an HIV/Aids programme that can be used in various parts of the world. -- Brian Hancock

For more information please go to:
www.gochallenge.net
www.nostrings.org.uk

STEVE MITCHELL JOINS TEAM SHIRLEY ROBERTSON COACHING TEAM
Steve Mitchell has joined Team Shirley Robertson as a key member of their coaching team. Mitchell will work with the Yngling trio's current coach Andy Beadsworth, as they prepare to qualify for and compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In 1997, Mitchell won the Etchells World Championships. Then in 2002, sailing with Iain Percy, became the first British team to win the Star Class World Championships. Percy and Mitchell went onto represent Great Britain in the Star class at the Athens Olympics.

Beadsworth is a past youth World Champion in the Laser class and Olympian, competing for Great Britain at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics in the Soling three man keelboat.

Mitchell and Beadsworth will continue to coach the team in Palma for the remainder of their winter training programme. In April, the team will compete in their first international regatta of the season, the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma, followed by Olympic classes regattas in Hyeres, France and Medemblik, Holland. Their main goal of the season remains to qualify at the ISAF World Championships at Cascais, Portugal, in July, to represent Great Britain at the Pre Olympic Regatta this August at the 2008 Olympic sailing venue in Qingdao, China. -- Sophie Luther

INTERNATIONAL FLEET FOR THIS WEEK'S HARDY CUP
Leading under 25 match-racing sailors from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States will contest next week's prestigious Hardy Cup on the magnificent waters of Sydney Harbour.

Heading the line-up of young men and women is Torvar Mirsky, the first West Australian winner of this week's Warren Jones Memorial Youth Match Racing Regatta in Perth, along with Mark Dorling, representing the host club, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, who finished second in last year's Hardy Cup.

Matching up against the men are Nicole Souter, the current Australian women's match-racing champion, and the runner-up, Katie Spithill, both from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Sydney, who has an ISAF ranking of 6 in women's match-racing.

The eminent Australian yachtsman Sir James Hardy donated the Hardy Cup to promote and develop the match race helming and tactical skills of young Australian sailors – an object that certainly has been achieved in this ISAF Grade 3 series for sailors under the age of 25.

After a day of practice sailing next Monday in the RSYS's Elliott 6s, a 3-4 person person sports boat with spinnaker, racing will start on Monday and continue through to Thursday, with a series of round-robins followed by semi-finals and the finals.

The line-up of 12 crews includes seven representing Australian yacht clubs, three from New Zealand and one each from Japan and the USA.

Missing from the fleet this year is Michael Dunstan, winner of three of the last four Hardy Cups, who is now outside the age limit. However, he is coaching the two RSYS teams, skippered by Mark Dorling and Stuart Pollard. -- Peter Campbell

www.rsys.com.au

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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* From Leo Voorneveld: The difference between the Open30 and 950 Class is the same as between the Open 40 and the Class 40, its lower tech so cheaper. I have the feeling that canting keels are popular additions, the mainstream sailor is not ready for it.

If you look at double/single handed races in this size in Europe, its x332 and J 105 or 09 (always forget which one) JOD 35, JPK 960, Pogo 860 etc etc All fixed keels.

I think the 950 will be faster and more easy to sail then those boats, but that will come with the cost of a slightly less interior.

There are only two open 30 build in Europe, so that rule is not really attractive (at the moment). Maybe after the 950 is established, some will jump into the Open 30 to experience even more entertainment.

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Complete listing details and seller contact information at
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THE LAST WORD
If a subjective eye were on a journey, what a world of contrasts it would see! -- Catherine Millet

OC Events, www.ocevents.org , 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) plus the Extreme 40 Sailing Series for The iShares Cup.

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

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