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SIR ROBIN KNOX-JOHNSTON FINISHES FOURTH IN NORFOLK
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, onboard his Open 60 SAGA Insurance, crossed the finish line of leg 2 in the Velux 5 Oceans at 19:43 local time (23:43 UTC) Friday 30 March. After 75 days, 18 hours and 43 minutes at sea and 16,048.6 miles of racing, the experienced British yachtsman arrived in Norfolk (Virginia, USA). The British sailing hero has completed a mammoth leg of ocean racing, celebrating his 68th birthday and proving his enduring skills as an offshore sailor amidst a fleet of young skippers. With only a fast paced Atlantic sprint left to the finish of the Velux 5 Oceans in Bilbao, the sailing legend looks set to complete an historic circumnavigation.

Speaking on the dockside, Sir Robin commented,

"This leg has been a nightmare but I am just pleased it's over. I thought that it might be over 2 days ago but the weather decided otherwise. I think Unai has been in church praying for adverse winds for me.

There has been some fabulous days sailing sitting on the boat and she's sailing along beautifully, nice wind and the sea is sparkling in the sun and you just think this is wonderful and I wouldn't swap this for anything and I wouldn't if I was cruising but I wasn't I was racing so I find it frustrating.

No regrets but I don't feel I am really succeeding so I may have to find another one. I think I have been very frustrated. Sailing great but racing no - I have been really frustrated.

Let's see what happens in the next leg as I have Unai to take care of."

With Sir Robin Knox-Johnston the fourth skipper of the Velux 5 Oceans to arrive in Norfolk, the fleet is all but complete, except for the unfortunate Graham Dalton. The tenacious Kiwi skipper was forced to seek land three times during the second leg, and now finds himself in Brazil without a keel bulb. The rest of the skippers will recover in Virginia until the fleet sets off for the finish in Bilbao on April 15.

* Although yesterday Graham Dalton spoke with David Adams, race director to say that he was planning to leave the race director is still yet to have confirmation that he has left Fortaleza, Brazil.

Dalton is operating from a remote location and communications with him are dependent on him calling in to David Adams to update him of his progress. All indications are that he is still in Fortaleza doing the final repairs to his boat. His departure is dependent on tides.

www.velux5oceans.com

READY TO RACE
The season began on Sunday with the entire fleet participating in 'unveiling day' - each of the teams dropping protective skirts from around their hulls and keels. The public was invited to see the boats and over 53,000 turned out to enjoy the unique opportunity. On Monday, skippers of the 12 teams participated in an opening press conference. Tuesday the first warning signal for racing is scheduled for 14:05.

Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13 is a fleet racing regatta, with seven races over four days scheduled. It marks the final time the Defender, Alinghi, will race against the group of challengers. When Alinghi next races, it will be in the America's Cup Match beginning on June 23rd against the best challenger to emerge from the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13 holds great importance for each of the teams. For the challengers, it marks a final opportunity to improve their standing on the Louis Vuitton Ranking, which distributes bonus points ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup. The leading challenger earns an extra bonus point (four points) over the next three (three points). Challengers ranked fifth through seventh earn two points. The remaining teams pick up a single point.

That single point could mean the difference between advancing to the Semi Finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup and being eliminated from further competition come May 7th, so it is clear the challengers are motivated to perform.

At the opening press conference on Monday, two significant crew announcements were made by some of the top teams. Leading challenger on the Louis Vuitton Ranking, Emirates Team New Zealand, said that skipper Dean Barker would step off the boat for the fleet racing, with accomplished understudy Ben Ainslie taking the helm.

And the Defender, Alinghi, revealed its helmsman for Act 13. "Ed Baird is going to steer the boat," announced skipper Brad Butterworth. "But we might give Peter Holmberg a shot later in the regatta. We still haven't decided who's going to do the Cup so we're just trying to give the guys as many races to do as possible."

The forecast is light sailing conditions with light 5 to 8 knot Westerly winds backing to the Southwest over the course of the afternoon.

The Regatta Director announced the registered race yachts for Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13. Of the teams who have built two new boats, Luna Rossa Challenge, Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia and Desafio Espanol have elected to race their newest boat.

Alinghi - SUI 91
BMW ORACLE Racing - USA 87
+39 Challenge - ITA 85
Team Shosholoza - RSA 83
Emirates Team New Zealand - NZL 84
Luna Rossa Challenge - ITA 94
Areva Challenge - FRA 93
Victory Challenge - SWE 96
Desafio Espanol 2007 - ESP 97
Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team - ITA 99
United Internet Team Germany - GER 89
China Team - CHN 95

www.americascup.com

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TROPHEE BPE
The Northerners, Armel Tripon ("Gedimat") and Eric Defert ("Suzuki Automobiles") are the new ones at the head of the race. In the center of the fleet, Thierry Duprey ("Domaine du Mont d'Arbois") and to Robert Nagy ("Theolia") are still in the race whereas in the South, that becomes complicated. Nicolas Troussel ("Financo") plunged to seek the trade winds, but five boats were trapped by an anticyclone.

"I wanted to play, I was trapped... ", commented Marc Emig (" A.ST Groupe "). Around him, the group of Southerners which chose to flirt with the edge of the anticyclone are stuck. Ronan Treussart (" Groupe Celeos "), Gildas Mahe (" Le Comptoir Immobilier "), Eric Drouglazet (" Luisina Design "), Bertrand de Broc (" Les Mousquetaires ") saw the trap of the anticyclone closing in on them. "The weather files indicated to us that that passed. But this year we have a whimsical anticyclone! It is descended a little too much and the trap was closed again on us. For the moment, and that should last all the day, it is very very soft, 2.5 to 3 knots of wind which oblige us to contantly sail by hand, because the autopilot does poorly in these types of conditions."

This descent along the African continent, until the latitude of Senegal, lengthens the route but guarantees to the skippers which chose it fresh wind. "I remake my course from the editions 2001 and 2003 of Trophee BPE, joked Nicolas Troussel, in a good mood this morning after a night of rest. "I will continue to go down like that, with the good angle, under spinnaker, for 200 more or 300 miles before setting my course for Marie-Gallant. "

Top ten as of 1800 GMT 2 April:
1. Gedimat, Armel Tripon, 2029.9 nm to finish
2. Suzuki Automobiles, Eric Defert, 18.2 nm to leader
3. Domaine du Mont d'Arbois, T Duprey du Vorsent, 68.7
4. Theolia, Robert Nagy, 87.5
5. Art Immobilier Construction, Daniel Dupont, 122.9
6. Luisina, Eric Drouglazet, 166.4
7. Les Mousquetaires, Bertrand de Broc, 167.7
8. Groupe Celeos, Ronan Treussart, 187.4
9. A.ST Groupe, Marc Emig, 193.7
10. Bostik, Charles Caudrelier, 196.5

www.tropheebpe.com

STAR WESTERN HEMISPHERE CHAMPIONSHIP
Preliminary results report tonight from Lynn Fitzpatrick:

2 light air races following a postponement on the water and on shore. A late return to the dock.

Freddy Loof and Anders Ekstrom of Sweden lead with 5 points.
Rohan Lord and Miles Addy of New Zealand are in second with 6 points.
George Szabo and Andrew Scott of the USA are in third with 9 points.

Jock Kohlaus and Larry Scott are in fourth with 12 points. They are also the leading Star Masters.

Event site: diyc.home.att.net
Class website: starclass.org

PRINCESS SOFIA TROPHY
Changeable winds on the first day of racing at the ISAF Grade 2 Princess Sofia Trophy - Mapfre lead to tactical conditions out on the Bay of Palma. Over 880 boats sailed out for the opening day's racing, with world #1 Hamish Pepper and David Giles (NZL) and Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) coming head-to-head early on in the Star fleet.

Whilst there was good racing in the Stars, the light winds in Palma put paid to much of the schedule, with no racing at all in the Finn, Women's 470 and Men's and Women's RS:X.

The Star class, based in Club Nautic S'Arenal, sailed two races in good wind conditions in the racing area of Cap d'Enderrocat. World #1 crew Pepper and Giles started well with a victory in the first race and a fifth in the second. However, former #1s Scheidt and Prada were more consistent than the Kiwis with two second places that take them to the top of the overall standings.

After one race in each of the three 49er groups, European Champions Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes (GBR) share first place in the 80-strong fleet with Federico Alonso and Arturo Alonso (ESP) and Peter Hansen and Soren Hansen (DEN). Likewise victories in the Laser Radial fleet, sailing out of Club Maritimo San Antonio de la Playa, put Fatima Reyes (ESP) and Krystal Weir (AUS) joint top overall.

With 138 entries the Laser fleet based at Club Maritimo San Antonio de la Playa is the biggest in Palma. Bernard Luttmer (CAN) ties Christoph Bottoni (SUI) for the lead, followed by Julio Alsogaray (ARG) and Gianpiero Menza (ITA).

Only one race was sailed in the Tornado class, contesting their European Championship at Club Nautic S'Arenal. Roman Hagara/Hans Peter Steinacher are in first with 11 points, followed by Andrey Kirilyuk and Valery Ushkov of Russia with 17, GBR's Leigh McMillan and Will Howden in third with 19.

The Russian teams dominated the first and only race sailed by the Yngling fleet on Monday, with the venue at Real Club Nautico de Palma. Anna Basalkina/Vladislava Ukraintseva /Ekaterina Maximova (RUS) lead with 9 points, Ulrike Schuemann/Julia Bleck/Ute Hoepfner (GER) second with 10 and GBR's Shirley Robertson/Annie Lush/Lucy Mcgregor in third with 12

Only one of the three Men's 470 groups managed to complete a race so there are no overall results.

Two races are scheduled tomorrow for all classes with the warning signal scheduled at 12:00. The Dragon class will begin racing tomorrow.

Full results at: www.trofeoprincesasofia.org

BIG BOAT WEEKEND IN THE SOLENT
Race officers at Warsash Sailing Club had a busy two days over 31st March and 1st April. Not only was the Raymarine Warsash Spring Series continuing for the fourth week but also the first Big Boat event got underway. All that involved nearly 200 boats and some 27 start sequences in weather that tested boats and sailors alike.

Conditions for the Big Boats on Saturday 31st March might be described as lively by those competing or scary by those watching. This was the first outing for this year's fleet and it proved a good shakedown experience. The two classes comprised BB1 for 42 to 46 footers, especially Farr 45s and Swan 45s and BB2 for Beneteau First 40.7s, which were racing level rated.

The sky was wintry with a biting Force 4/5 north-easterly for the first race of five windward/leeward legs, starting off the Island shore.

By 1230 hours, when the second race started, the wind had swung to the east, gained a force and the sea conditions were worsening.

The second Big Boat weekend is on 21st/22nd April. The BB1 class boats can scored under IRM as well as the IRC rules and the difference in handicaps and results makes for interesting reading.

Provisional Results

BB1 using IRC
Race 1 - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Swan 45 - Glynn Williams
Race 2 - Exabyte Four - Farr 45 - Shaun Frohlich
Race 4 - WISC - Swan 45 - Glynn Williams
Race 5 - Werewolf - Farr 45 - Jerry Otter

BB1 using IRM
Race 1 - Fraxious - Farr 45 - Jack Pringle
Race 2 - Fraxious - Farr 45 - Jack Pringle
Race 4 - Werewolf - Farr 45 - Jerry Otter
Race 5 - Werewolf - Farr 45 - Jerry Otter

BB2 - Beneteau First 40.7
Race 1, 2,4 - Playing Around - Peter Robson
Race 5 - Grand Cru II - Robin Dollar

For the fourth gathering in the Raymarine Warsash Spring Series on 1st April the north-easterly wind started in the 16-18 knot range, sometimes dropping in the shelter of the mainland shore to as low as 11/12 knots, before strengthening to 28 knots by the afternoon. The weather was overcast and murky initially with spots of rain but the skies soon cleared and some crews managed to achieve the basis of their sailing suntan for the season.

Full results for the Big boats and all other classes at www.warsashsc.org.uk

INTERNATIONAL TEAM RACING AT ROYAL VICTORIA DOCK
Between Sunday 20 th and Friday 25 th May the Royal Thames Yacht Club will host seven international teams for a new and exciting two-boat team racing competition in the Royal Victoria Dock close by the ExCeL exhibition centre.

Confirmed entries have already been received from Real Club del Mar (Palma de Mallorca), Seattle YC, Royal Perth YC, Royal Vancouver YC and Southern YC (New Orleans) and the host club.

The location is ideal for spectators as the racing yachts sail close to the dock sides and public access areas come within a metre of the edge. Races last between ten and twenty minutes and follow in quick succession. The format is a round-robin competition that maintains the interest for all the competing teams to the very end.

The Royal Thames Yacht Club hopes that this event will serve to strengthen its ties with the London Borough of Newham, the LDA and RoDMA and that we can develop the Cumberland Cup competition year on year to encourage the whole area to take advantage of this unique sports facility and, by example, to expand the opportunities for the local youth to take up sailing as a serious and competitive sport. -- Malcolm McKeag

www.thecumberlandcup.com

ENDEAVOUR II REPLICA
Back in 1937 the original "Endeavour II" was built in steel at the Nicholson's Yard and designed by Charles Nicholson. "Endeavour II" was built to battle the J's in the America's Cup Race that year, maximizing the waterline to 87ft she challenged "Ranger" but did not beat her. With the replicas of "Ranger" and "Endeavour II", there will be a chance to race again.

Dykstra & Partners from Amsterdam took on the job for a repeat client to design the replica of this biggest J ever built to date. "Endeavour II" will be built in Alustar with a Carbon mast at Royal Huisman Shipyard, not a stranger to the J-Class yachts. In 1989 J-K4 "Endeavour" was re-built at the yard in Vollenhove. Dykstra & Partners were also responsible for the design work of this re-built. "Endeavour II" will have a Pieter Beeldsnijder interior.

Design and building of "Endeavour II" will be according the maximum performance rules of the JCA (J Class Association). She will be the first new J to be built in The Netherlands.

In the past Dykstra & Partners oversaw the design and re-design for refits of the J-Class yachts in the current racing field, "Shamrock V", "Velsheda", "Endeavour" and "Ranger".

Specifications:
Loa: 42.09 m
Lcwl: 27.68 m
Beam: 6.60 m
Draft : 4.72 m
Hull material: Alustar
Mast material: Carbon Fiber

www.jclassyachts.com

SHORTY TRIMINGHAM
The sailor known worldwide simply as "Shorty" reached the farthest horizon when deForest W. Trimingham died of leukemia on March 30 at his home in Paget, Bermuda, at the age of 87. he is survived by his wife, Dorothy, a daughter, Barrie Trimingham, and three grandchildren, Stephen Van Dyck, Peter Van Dyck and Thomas Van Dyck. A memorial service will be held in Bermuda on April 10. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club junior sailing program.

Shorty Trimingham - he was just 5'7" - was a superior racing sailor. Probably the most important of his many successes occurred in 1954 at Weymouth, England, when he became the first non-Englishman to win the Prince of Wales Cup, the top prize of what was then the world's leading dinghy class, the International 14. He represented Bermuda in the Olympics and other small-boat regattas. In ocean racing boats that included one of German Frers' earliest designs, Wizard of Paget, he competed in several Admiral's Cup series and races for the Onion Patch Trophy, which Shorty co-founded in 1964 as the Admiral's Cup of the Western Atlantic.

He served in Bermuda's Parliament for 22 years, and in the 1970s was the government's tourism minister. He retired from the famous Front Street store that the Trimingham family had founded in 1844 and became a respected photographer. A collection of his photographs titled Buddha: The Living Way, with a foreword by the Dalai Lama, was published by Random House. When the Bermuda National Gallery presented an exhibition of his photographs in 2004, it produced an informative biography that can be found at www.bermudanationalgallery.com/deForest%20Trimingham.pdf

John Rousmaniere's full eulogy for Shorty is at
www.scuttlebutteurope.com/content/view/153/5/

Editor: On a personal note, my wife and I send our condolences to Dot and all of Shorty's friends and family at the RBYC. For many years Shorty took me and any number of journos, photographers and friends out on the water to watch the Gold Cup on Hamilton Harbour. Most notable was the final day in 1999 when Andy Green won as daylight fell... many hours on the Harbour that day with Shorty, Robo and my wife, telling stories... that's as good as it gets. Farewell my friend.

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THE LAST WORD
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