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VELUX 5 OCEANS
Britain's most eminent superstars gather for The Oldie Magazine's annual Oldie of the Year Awards celebrating this year's deserving 'Oldies'. At midday today, Sir Terry Wogan, KBE announced that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston was to be awarded "Oldie Seadog Of The Year" to celebrate his outstanding achievement of racing his formula one style yacht 'Saga Insurance' single-handed, around the globe.

As Sir Robin is still at sea, his daughter Sara accepted the award on his behalf and read out Sir Robin's acceptance speech. "Ladeez and Gennelmen, I had not considered myself even starting the apprenticeship to be considered an Oldie until your message came though. Old to me is 85 years, not the springtime of my third phase. However, when I looked at the panel I realised that such a collection of talent could not possibly be wrong, so maybe I am old enough to be an Oldie after all. And if one is going to be classified as old, it is nice to have it recognised in this manner. I am sorry I cannot be with you. I am currently racing north off the Brazilian coast and won't be home until May trying to prove, with indifferent success, that age is no bar to activity. It is with gratitude that I accept this award and regret that I am not there to be able to meet so many who are on my list of those I would like to meet. Thank you."

Past winners have included The Queen Mother, The Duchess of Cornwall, Spike Milligan, Tony Benn, Barbara Windsor, Peter O'Toole, Jeremy Paxman, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Sir David Attenborough.

* At 1930 UTC on Monday March 12, the watchkeeper in the Velux 5 Oceans race office noticed that Graham Dalton's boat A Southern Man - AGD had stopped. Approximately one hour later Dalton phoned into the race office to report that he had hit a UFO in the water; it was pitch black so he was uncertain what it was but it had caused serious damage to one of his rudders.

The damage sustained had forced him to cut the cassette away and remove the rudder blade. Dalton is currently in around 15 knots of east-southeasterly breeze just over 150 miles off the coast of Brazil. The Kiwi skipper is currently assessing the damage to his boat and is in constant communication with his boat builder to establish a method to stabilize the remaining rudder so that he can recover steerage.

* At 1630 UTC David Adams, the race director confirmed that Graham Dalton is heading for the Brazilian port of Fortaleza to affect repairs to his electronics and also to build the cassette which holds the rudder. Dalton was forced to cut away the cassette and remove the rudder when he hit a UFO yesterday evening.

His anticipated ETA into Forteleza is around 0100 in the morning local time. He is currently experiencing a 15 knot South Easterly breeze and is making around 6 knots. Once he arrives officially stops racing he will have to remain out of the race for a minimum of 48 hours before he can resume racing and sail towards Norfolk, Virginia.

www.velux5oceans.com

EXPERT OLYMPIC GARDA
More than 350 sailing crafts, over 480 contestants, with 35 european and non-european countries represented: these are the figures introducing the event hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva and Fraglia Vela Malcesine, taking place between Wednesday 14th and Sunday 18th March 2007.

The following boats' classes will be competing: 470 Olympic (male and female), the very fast skiff 49ers, Laser Standard and Radial, Tornado, Star, Finn, Neil Pryde RSX (windsurf class male and female, recently added to the Olympic specialities' list: the first World Championship for this class has been hosted on Trentino's section of Lake Garda in an event organised by Torbole Surf Circle). Unfortunately, no crew will be competing in the Yngling class, due to the insufficient number of enrollment requests lodged on time.

The best Italian crew will be competing in all the classes: Negri-Viale and Santoni-Lambertenghi in the Star, Zandona-Trani and Fonda-Ledri in the male 470, Bonelli sisters, Anna e Bettina, and Mariani-Cutolo in female 470, Loperfido and Bertola in the 49ERs, Andrea Polo, Riccardo Cordovani and other skippers in the Finn (single), Fabiola Magnaghi in the Laser Radial, Giacomo Bottoli in the Laser Standard, Federico Esposito in male Neil Pryde RSX Windsurf, Sorrentino-Colombo and the Togni, Gianmarco e Filippo, in the very fast Tornado class.

The scoring system for the Olympic crew will be the one Isaf introduced last year: after the scheduled number of Regattas in each class, the best ten will compete in a final race called "Grand Final". The scores will be assigned as follows: two points to the first qualified crew, four to the second, six to the third and so on until the tenth. From the eleventh qualified crew onwards everything will remain unchanged, with the score previously achieved. This has been done in order to create a more competitive final struggle to the podium. If prior to the "Grand Final" the second qualified crew concedes one or more points to the first crew, it would potentially still be able to recover the position, obtaining a chance to gain victory. -- Claudio Chiarani

expertolympicgarda.fragliavelariva.i

WHERE WILL THE B&G RACE SPECIALISTS SEE YOU NEXT?
With the approach of April comes the anticipation surrounding the myriad of sailing regattas and events planned throughout Europe this season. B&G are supporting all of Europe's top regattas and B&G race specialists will be attending many local events to ensure that every B&G customer receives the on-site support they need. Come and find us at Spi Ouest, Red Funnel or Palmavela in April. For further B&G regatta support listings please visit... www.bandg.com/regattasupportcalendar.htm

For information about the NEW revolutionary B&G H3000 range visit...
www.bandg.com/h3000

FRENCH-SOUTH AFRICAN GAMES
Valencia, Spain: It was a friendly duel last Friday and Saturday: Match-Racing the America's Cup yachts in Valencia the first day and match-racing SM40s plus beach-volleyball, Petanque and rowing all held in at the resort town of Gandia on Saturday.

The on the morning racing was better for the French America's Cup Team, AREVA Challenge. "We won three out of the five match-races on the SM 40s", says Dawn Riley, AREVA Challenge General Manager. There were five matches comprised of different areas of the team: mastman/bowman, trimmers, grinders, afterguard and finally a mix of design, shore and marketing people. "The weather including the breeze was just perfect", said Shosholoza Sports Director Tommaso Chieffi who won his race.

After a lunch-break with Paella and Fideua, a specialty in Gandia, the competition continued. Team Shosholoza showed their versatility once again. They won the rowing duel - in an old wooden boat crewed by 8 people plus a coxswain - and the beach volleyball tournament where some hearty souls also swam in the crystal clear but cold waters, and finally also at the popular French sport of 'Petanque'.

An early-evening prize giving and a cocktail party rounded out the day. "It has been a big motivation for everyone. We were able to share our philosophies and recharge our batteries", says Shosholoza Marketing Director Lars Bocking. "Further it was also very nice for all family-members to join us on a day like that, and so to see the other side of the America's Cup."

www.teamshosholoza.com

BMW'S KEEL FIN
The path to the America's Cup in Valencia 2007 leads through Eisenach, stopping at the BMW Tool Manufacture. For the next three months, the expert design team, usually responsible for the manufacture of large compression moulds and design prototypes, will co-write a chapter in the history of the America's Cup. In January 2006, one of the most significant yacht components for the current BMW ORACLE campaign, the keel fin, will be manufactured in the BMW plant Eisenach / Thuringia. The new racing yacht inclusive of the new keel fin may debut as early as May 2006.

"With its series production for BMW, the BMW Plant Eisenach draws on a host of experience in the manufacture of tools and the processing of major component parts. Placing the production in the Eisenach Plant is, once again, an indicator that BMW is consistently transferring technology competence gained in automotive research to the sport of race yachting," says Professor Dr. Raymond Freymann, Director BMW Group Research and Technology, and responsible for the supervision of the BMW engineers in the BMW ORACLE Racing Design Team. "The Eisenach Plant provides a high international standard with regard to precision and quality. BMW will prove this once more with the manufacture of the technologically very sophisticated fin. The new yacht will benefit from this." In the course of the manufacture, the crew will closely cooperate with the BMW ORACLE Racing Design Team.

With an overall weight of a little over one ton, the fin is three metres in length and consists of ultra high-strength steel, the same material used in crash-relevant structural fields in BMW vehicles.

The BMW Plant Eisenach was officially put into operation in 1992 and employs 250 personnel. The plant is housing the BMW Tool Manufacture and made its mark with the production of design models and prototype component parts.

bmworacleracing.com

NEW DVD RELEASE
Here it is Cup fans: all the races on the road to the 32nd America's Cup. Released today, this immaculate 3 hour production retraces all the great moments throughout the Louis Vuitton Acts between 2004-06. From the freak storm which crippled half the fleet in Marseille to the thrilling close racing of Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 12, from match racing in Malmo to fleet racing in the swells off Trapani this DVD captures it all.

Get informed and ready for the action in Valencia in April with The Best of Louis Vuitton Acts 1-12.
americascupstore.com/cart/stock.asp?id=256

JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR SAIL LOFT PRODUCTION MANAGER
Doyle Sails (Europe) Ltd have an opening for a sailmaker with organisational skills and selling ability working with an International Group based in Southampton. The candidate must be computer literate and familiar with the latest technology and construction techniques for racing and cruising manufacture and repair. He or She should have a strong sailing background, clean driving license, be willing to undertake foreign travel and ideally would have held a similar position. An attractive salary plus benefits based upon experience is available.

Please submit CV on-line to Philip Bennett,
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://www.doylesails.co.uk

UBS J/24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico: Brazil's Mauricio SantaCruz and his team on Bruschcetta are the 2007 J/24 World Champions. Sitting in top spot all week, SantaCruz went into the final day needing only to hold off the three USA boats that have been chasing him since Day One. Mike Ingham's Brain cramp (21-7) finished in second placce with Mark Hillman driving WIP in third. Chris Snow on Bogus, who was in the top four most of the week, dropped to 8th place after 36-8 finshes on the final day.

SantaCruz retired after the first race of the day, the Championship in hand after his 18th place finish.

The last day saw some of the best racing of the week with 10 knot winds and mostly flat seas.

Final top ten:

1. Mauricio Santacruz, BRA, 63 points
2. Mike Ingham, USA, 81
3. Mark Hillman, USA, 85
4. Yasutaka Funazawa, JPN, 89
5. Wataru Sakamoto, JPN, 94
6. Southworth / McLaughlin, GBR, 95
7. Alejo / Gonzalez, ARG, 101
8. Chris Snow, USA, 101
9. Rossi Milev, CAN, 103
10. Grimaldi / Contessi, ARG, 105

www.j24mex.com/worlds2007.asp

A GREAT TRANSATLANTIC - SHIP THERE, SAIL BACK
An exceptional offer is open to UK and European cruiser/racer owners and crews who really want to extend their horizons but are pushed for time. Join the transatlantic blue race! The event is sponsored by HSH Nordbank in midsummer 2007 from the New York Yacht Club's summer clubhouse at Newport past the coasts of Newfoundland and Novia Scotia, the near continuous daylight at 60 degrees north and home across the North Sea to the heart of Hamburg, Germany's principal maritime city where you and your crew and supporters will receive a warm welcome from Germany's leading offshore club the NRV (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) and race patron First Mayor of Hamburg Ole von Beust.

You won't need a tough delivery trip against prevailing south-westerlies - instead the race organizers have an excellent deal with specialist ship operator Sevenstar, supported by yacht insurers Pantaenius. The dockship leaves Hamburg between 10th-17th May. Getting to Hamburg from the UK, Holland, Belgium, Northern France and Ireland should be achievable within a week giving plenty of planning time.

You will join an international fleet of considerable stature and enjoy a high-profile event which includes purpose-built racing boats as well as club yachts and the giant Parsifal III -a superb 54 meter Italian-created Perini Navi luxury sailboat which won the 2006 International Superyacht Design Award. Former New York YC Commodore Lawrence Huntington will campaign his new 50ft Snow Lion. Veteran ocean race winner Tilmar Hansen is looking for a fast passage in the Elliot 52 Outsider

A state-of-the-art web site will show boat positions on a continuous half-hourly basis using tracker beacons being developed by the RORC for the Rolex Fastnet Race, a picture gallery and audio clips from the fleet.

The race starts on 16th June in Newport and the final prizegiving in Hamburg is on 14th July, leaving at least half of the European sailing season still to be completed. For more information on dockship booking and race entry, go to www.hsh-nordbank-blue-race.com or call Torben Knappe on +49 40 / 32 03 02 53, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

CLAYTON LOVE, JR INDUCTED INTO ISA HALL OF FAME
The second RNLI Lifeboat Ball took place last Saturday (3 March 2007) in the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin, in aid of their Train one, save many campaign and was supported by many prominent figures from the boating and marine sectors.

At a special presentation during the evening Mr Clayton Love (Jnr) was inducted into the ISA Hall of Fame in recognition of his service to Irish sailing.

It was appropriate for this presentation to take place during the RNLI Lifeboat Ball as Clayton was hugely instrumental in the development of the RNLI in Ireland. He was Chairman of the Irish Members of the Committee of Management of the RNLI in Ireland for over 20 years and deputy chairman of the RNLI Britain & Ireland from 1991 to 99.

Clayton first joined the Irish Dinghy Racing Association (IDRA) in March 1946, five months after the organisation was founded. In 1955 he was elected Vice-President and he became the 2nd President of the Association in 1962, succeeding Douglas Heard. Clayton served as President for ten years and in 1964 he spearheaded the change from Irish Dinghy Racing Association to Irish Yachting Association.

Clayton is a very talented sailor, winning the Helmsman's Championship in 1955 and in 1960. He was National Champion in the IDRA 14 footer and 505 classes on numerous occasions. His talent as an administrator and sailor was recognised in 1960 when he served both as Team Manager and reserve Helmsman at the 1960 Olympic Games. Transferring from dinghies to keelboats, Clayton went on to enjoy many successes in offshore sailing and he represented Ireland at the Admiral's and Sardinia Cups

In 2003 The A.J. (Jimmy) Mooney Marine Gallantry Medal Award was established following an endowment gift from Clayton. This Gallantry Medal allows the ISA to recognise significant accomplishments in seamanship and to collect case studies of rescues for analysis by the ISA Safety Advisory Group.

We are delighted to induct Clayton Love (Jnr) into the ISA Hall of Fame. Clayton joins Alf Delany who was induced in 2005 when the ISA Hall of Fame was first established.

LES TROIS CONTINENTS IN JULY
The Association "Les Trois Continents" is very pleased to say that Administrators of the Classe Mini validated the race "Les Trois Continents 2007" on January, 29th 2007, and that the race is officially part of the 2007 Classe Mini races.

The double-handed race starts with the Grand Prix de Marseille on June 30th, then departs on the first course to Malta on July 1. Leg two starts from Malta on 11 July to Alexandria, Egypt.

Notice of race and other information at www.lestroiscontinents.com

ONE OF SAILING'S BEST KEPT SECRETS
Britannia Corporate Events has teamed up with Sail 4 Cancer to create a fun initiative for individuals to raise funds whilst enjoying one of sailing's best kept secrets.

They are offering the chance to be part of a crew on a modern Beneteau Distinction 40.7 for Dartmouth Royal Regatta 2007 from August 30th - September 1st. Away from the hustle and bustle of the more commonly sailed Solent, the atmosphere at Dartmouth Royal Regatta is somewhat more relaxed than other events on the sailing calendar, but the sailing is spectacular and the social scene is buzzing.

With everything provided from a professional skipper and 1st mate down to all wet weather gear and safety equipment, plus crew training on the day prior to the start of the event, this is the ideal way to participate fully in a thrilling and historic regatta.

Moreover, whilst you are enjoying the fantastic racing on offer, from the mouth of the River Dart across the bay to Start Point, you can feel good knowing that a percentage of your booking fee will be donated directly to Sail 4 Cancer to help their work improving the quality of life for those living with cancer.

To find out more about this and other challenges on offer, take a look at the charity's website on www.sail4cancer.org or call Em Huddert on 0845 408 1849; alternatively contact Jess Lang at Britannia Corporate events on 02380 458 900.

ISAF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
The ISAF Executive Committee held their first of four meetings it has each year over the weekend of 10-12 February 2007 in Estoril, Portugal. Amongst a wide range of matter discussed, there was considerable focus on the planning and format for the ISAF World Cup.

The week prior to the Executive Meeting, from 2-3 February, ISAF held meetings with the Event Organizers of the six identified World Cup events - Sail Melbourne, Rolex Miami OCR, Princess Sofia Trophy, Semaine Olympique Française, Holland Regatta and Kiel Week - to give the opportunity for the individual Event Organizers to present their event and hold open discussions directly with ISAF, and collectively with the other Event Organizers. The format for the ISAF World Cup will be presented to Council at the 2007 ISAF Mid-Year Meeting, with the ISAF World Cup being formally launched in 2008.

The Organizing Committee for the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships gave a presentation on the preparations for the Championship, with ISAF's television production and distribution partners reporting on their plans for the Championship.

Looking ahead to the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition, debate focussed on the selection of events for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition and the challenge for ISAF to meet the priority of securing increased nation participation at the Olympic Games, together with the many complex issues which ISAF needs to consider when selecting events and the equipment. Increased nation participation is a priority for ISAF and a goal of the International Olympic Committee. With the number of events reducing from eleven to ten at the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition, there will be much debate at the 2007 ISAF Annual Conference when the final decision is made on the ten events.

The next meeting of the ISAF Executive Committee will take place during the 2007 ISAF Mid-Year Meeting, taking place from 4-6 May in Paris, France.

To view the minutes from the Executive Committee meeting:
sailing.org/meetings/minutes/2007_EX_10_02.pdf

THE LAST WORD
I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief. -- Gerry Spence

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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