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NEXT UP: MIAMI - NEW YORK
Groupama 3 continues its quest for records. This time the boat and crew are in Miami, on Code Red for departure for New York and the record of 2 days 5 hours 54 minutes and 42 seconds set back in 2001 by Steve Fossett and the crew of PlayStation.

It's been a busy and successful month so far for Cammas: on the first of May Groupama 3 shattered the Route of Discovery by more than 2 days, finishing the route from Cadiz to San Salvador in 7 days 10 hours 58 minutes and 53 seconds. Then sailing on the 'little sister' Groupama 2, Cammas and team won the AS Lease Challenge in Lorient.

A good weather window..
Explains weather router Jean-Yves Bernot: " In this Miami to New York race, the most delicate part is the departuer from Florida. Miami is located on the edge of the trade winds and this a flow of North East winds usually blows off the city. When this flow meets the Gulf Stream, it can generate a less than pleasant sea. To leave in optimal conditions, we want a more favorable wind from the South West, a situation which can occur quickly and temporarily with the arrival of a small depression from the South. And that is precisely what we wait for..."

Code red... from Thursday 23 May through the 8th of June.

The team for the Miami - New York record attempt:
Franck Cammas
Franck Proffit
Steve Ravussin
Pascal Blouin
Loic Le Mignon
Bruno Jeanjean
Yann Guichard
Frederic Le Peutrec
Ronan Le Goff
Marcel Van Triest

www.cammas-groupama.com

THERE IS A NEW CHALLENGER OF RECORD
When BMW ORACLE Racing fell to Luna Rossa Challenge for the fifth time in their Semi Final on Sunday, the sailing team was eliminated from the Louis Vuitton Cup.

As well, their challenging yacht club, the Golden Gate Yacht Club, was replaced in its role as 'Challenger of Record' as the Protocol for the 32nd America's Cup demands.

The Protocol states the mantle of the Challenger of Record must be held be a current, active challenger. When that team is eliminated, the role is passed to the "Challenger whose challenge was accepted first in time after the challenge of the (original) Challenger of Record and whose challenge is still current."

Today, that team is Emirates Team New Zealand and its yacht club, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Over the past couple of years, the role of the Challenger of Record has largely been taken on by the Challenger Commission which represented all 11 challenging teams. The Golden Gate Yacht Club had a clear policy of taking direction from the full Challenger Commission before acting on their behalf. The only teams in the Challenger Commission today are Luna Rossa Challenge, and Emirates Team New Zealand.

One issue left facing the Challenger Commission is to consult on the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions for the America's Cup Match. The Regatta Director, who issues the NOR and SI, consults with the Defender and the Challenger Commission before doing so.

Also, the Protocol and America's Cup Class Rule can only be amended with the agreement of the Defender, the Societe Nautique de Geneve and the Challenger of Record, now the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

www.americascup.com

DICKSON RESIGNS FROM BMW ORACLE
It was supposed to be a day off and most of the journalists in Valencia were either heading back home or relaxing at the beach in this beautiful, warm and sunny afternoon. Unfortunately, somebody in BMW Oracle had the idea to urgently summon the press to their base in order to make an announcement.

We were welcomed in the American team's in-house movie theater by Russell Green, Business Director, Mirko Groeschner, Marketing Director, and Laurent Esquier, Operations Director. First, Green made an official announcement, stating that Chris Dickson had resigned from all his duties in BMW Oracle and as of today he didn't form part of the team. This didn't really come as a surprise and it was the only exit way for the New Zealander.

After that brief statement it was the journalists turn to start asking questions that unfortunately were left unanswered. The most frequent reply was, "this will be decided by Larry Ellison". Of course there were some speculative questions regarding the alleged withdrawal of BMW from the team or even Russell Coutts enjoying the team's hospitality last week in view of a possible incorporation.

The only official news is that Gavin Brady is now responsible of the sailing team and that BMW Oracle will participate in the exhibition regatta to take place late September in San Fracisco.

At least we all received a nice polo shirt and ate some appetizing Spanish "jamon". -- Valencia Sailing, valenciasailing.blogspot.com

* "After four years of intense effort and at the conclusion of our participation in the current America's Cup cycle, I have decided to step aside," said Dickson in a statement. "Rather than see out the final weeks of my contract, I have decided that leaving now will allow both me and the team to move on and make plans for the future."

Team owner Larry Ellison has announced his intention to participate in the 33rd America's Cup.

"As we look to the future, the best option is for owner Larry Ellison to appoint a new leadership team for the 33rd America's Cup," confirmed Business Director Russell Green.

www.americascup.com

BE IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE SPECTATOR FLEET IN VALENCIA!
Our Shosholoza team spectator boat still operates - every race day until the end of the America's Cup Match. Morning briefing on our rooftop terrace overlooking Alinghi and Luna Rossa. Official "event flag" puts us in the reserved area closest to the start box and laylines. Live AC TV on board. Full buffet lunch with drinks. Expert commentators. All the fun you would expect from "The Soul of Sailing". Many hotels available, we can help. GROUPS WELCOME.

Reserve tickets online at www.cupexperience.com or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

MATCH RACE GERMANY
The first day of the 10th Jubilee Match Race Germany, Stage 7 of the World Match Racing Tour 2006 - 07 season saw 12 crews from 9 countries take to the water on Lake Constance in South West Germany. Group A1 began the day with three flights and Group A2 flights were abandoned due to failing wind.

After a trying day beset by light winds America's Cup skipper Sebastien Col (FRA) of Areva Challenge showed his strengths as a match racer and finished the day with a 3-0 record. Eric Monnin (SUI) faired well to match Col's winning streak and is tied in first place in Group A1's standings.

Second ranked World Tour Skipper Mathieu Richard (FRA) of Saba Sailing came away with a 2-1 result. "It was a very hard day. The wind was light and it was difficult to finish in such conditions." said Richard.

Organisers Eberhard Magg and Harold Thierer are happy to be celebrating the 10th Jubilee of Match Race Germany and will be joined by 35,000 visitors during the course of the long weekend. "The last 10 years have been tough but wonderful years. We have been through highs and lows but have always been motivated by our competitors, spectators and partners. Match Race Germany has evolved and is stronger than ever and we look forward as we move into our 2nd decade". Said Magg

Racing is scheduled to resume tomorrow morning around 9:00 a.m., weather permitting.

www.matchrace.de

PEYRON AND CAMMAS TO ATTEND SECOND SL GOLD CUP
Baule, France: Multiple record-breakers Bruno Peyron (FRA) and Frank Cammas (FRA) will add a star touch to the opening ceremony of the second SL Gold Cup, taking place in La Baule, France from 22-26 August. The SL 16 catamaran is the equipment for the Multihull event at the 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Denmark and was granted ISAF Recognized Class status in May this year.

Designed in 2001 by Yves Loday (FRA), Barcelona 1992 Olympic gold medallist, the SL 16 sport catamaran borrows the hulls of her little sister, the SL 15.5, while adding a boosted rig and a new platform.

The class is organizing the second international gathering of the SL class in La Baule this August. This first edition of the event was hosted by a 'local', the famous French navigator Peyron, who is originally from La Baule. This outstanding sailor, who, amongst numerous other titles, holds the Jules Verne Trophy and the 24 hour speed record, will again be present in 2007 for the opening ceremony and prizegiving, this time along with Cammas, the famous skipper of Groupama.

The SL 16's origins, as it was designed and is built at Le Pouliguen by Sirena, have motivated SLICA to hold the event in the bay of La Baule again in 2007. The objective of the SL Gold Cup is to gather approximately 50 boats representing around seven different nationalities with crews aged 16 and above.

The Cercle Nautique de La Baule, Le Pouliguen, Pornichet and the Yacht Club de La Baule are co-organizing the event.

"FASTEST SAILS ON THE PLANET" for 2007
It is not too late to upgrade your inventory for 2007. Whether Grand Prix racing or shooting for the Club championship, Ullman Sails should be your sailmaker. Ullman's new FiberPath Sails are arguably the lightest, strongest load-bearing fiber sails available.

Stronger for its weight than alternatives, superior longevity, and priced with our customers in mind. For Club racers, Ullman's fast Dacron and Aramid Fiber laminate sails, designed and constructed with Grand Prix technology, deliver championship speed. To invest in overall performance and superior boat speed for 2007, contact your nearest Ullman Sails loft, and visit

www.ullmansails.com

THREE NEW OFFICIAL PARTNERS FOR THE ISHARES CUP
As the clock counts down to the first iShares Cup Extreme 40 event in Munich, OC Events is able to announce three important partnerships to compliment the title sponsorship of iShares. Leading global brands Omega, Tommy Hilfiger and G.H.Mumm Champagne will support the European series of events, that kick off this Friday on Lake Starnberg, Germany.

OMEGA will be present at all the events in 2007 as Official Timekeeper to the iShares Cup, continuing their strong association with sailing and sport in general. OMEGA was the first company to be entrusted with the official timekeeping of all Olympic disciplines at the! Los Angeles Games in 1932 and their association with the Olympics continues to this day in the countdown to the 2008 Beijing Games.

Tommy Hilfiger will be the official apparel supplier to the competition, dressing event officials as well as having an exclusive retail presence during the iShares Cup season of racing. Tommy Hilfiger will also have an entry in the 2007 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series. This will be their second season of racing having clinched victory in the previous season with two-time Olympic silver medalist Randy Smyth at the helm. The 'Hilfiger Sailing' crew for 2007 will be skippered by American Stan Schreyer.

G.H. Mumm are confirmed as Official Champagne Supplier to the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series. The champagne maker, founded in 1827, supports modern-day ocean adventurers, from enthusiastic amateurs to experienced skippers, who keep alive the spirit of Commander Charcot, the explorer whose 1904 Antarctic expedition was celabrated on the 14th of July by G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge.

The three new sponsors to the iShares Cup announced today have all signed-up for a two year term, putting in place solid foundations for the future growth of this class.

www.isharescup.com
www.ocevents.org

32ND AMERICA'S CUP - THE GAME
Just released to universal acclaim, 32nd America's Cup - The Game is the latest installment from the producers that brought you Virtual Skipper. Using a brand new Virtual Skipper 5 graphic engine, 32nd America's Cup puts you in Port America's Cup helming any of the 12 teams currently in Valencia. It's as close to reality as it is possible to be - unless you are expecting a call-up for helming duty any time soon.

Designed for PC, the game features many different modes of game play as well as a tutorial functions teaching sailing basics, networked gaming capability and a film-making function. Playable from ages 3-103.

boutique.gamesplanet.com/campagne/promo.html?partenaire=9&jeu=VSK5&affilie=23

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN HMS BOUNTY: SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW
As Pirates of the Caribbean 3 opens across the globe today the Southampton Boat Show is delighted to announce that HMS Bounty, one of the film's featured ships, will be at the Southampton Boat Show for the duration this September.

Originally famous for appearing in the 1962 classic 'Mutiny on the Bounty' starring Marlon Brando, and more recently playing a featured role in the Disney blockbuster 'Pirates' trilogy, HMS Bounty is making an appearance at the Southampton Boat Show before she sets off on an historic voyage to Tahiti and Pitcairn where her legend began.

Visitors to the Southampton Boat Show will be able to climb onboard this historic vessel and learn more about the most infamous mutiny of all time, which saw Fletcher Christian take control of HMS Bounty more than 200 years ago. There will be a self-tour, taking in the exhibition below decks on the mutiny and the building of the ship, and the crew will be on hand to answer any questions anyone may have.

On board, professional actors playing Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian will offer 'street entertainment' style performances to entertain visitors.

The Southampton Boat Show in Mayflower Park runs from 14 to 23 September. Kids aged 15 and under go free.

www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=9007

DISABLED SAILOR GEOFF ON THE WAY TO BRIXHAM
Quadriplegic sailor, Geoff Holt, is on the way to Brixham on the fourth leg of his attempt to be the first disabled person to sail around Great Britain.

Geoff, who started his sail from Hamble last Sunday, has called in at Lymington, Portland and Bridport, before leaving at dawn Thursday, 24th May), for the sail to Brixham, where he hoped to arrive late afternoon.

Geoff was forced to delay his start from Portland until 1430 hrs yesterday because of weather conditions and endured a slow sail to Bridport.

Geoff received a great welcome from Peter Hardwill, District Governor, and members of the Bridport 1200 Rotary Club who were waiting on the dockside. Rotarians around the Great Britain will be helping Geoff and his team with many of the practical problems they will encounter on the voyage.

Geoff will stay at Brixham for a rest day on Friday, resuming his voyage at the weekend.

Follow Geoff's progess on www.personaleverest.com courtesy of MarineTrack which shows Geoff's hourly progress.

CAN THE 'CUTTY SARK' BE REBUILT?
The Cutty Sark - the world's most famous clipper ship - was badly damaged following a fire that broke out early on Monday morning. The fire burned for an hour and a half before it was brought under control. During that time the main deck and the 'tween deck were completely destroyed with some 30 tons of timber going up in smoke. Some of the ship's ironwork is thought to have buckled as a result of the intense heat, but as yet a detailed study of the extent of the damage by specialists at the Cutty Sark Trust has had to wait pending a police investigation. The site has been designated a crime scene because of suspicions that the fire may have been arson.

What would be the main obstacle to rebuilding the 'Cutty Sark'?

One of the unique features of the Cutty Sark was its composite structure, meaning that it was a mixture of iron and wood. It was built with a special iron framing sandwiched between the outer and inner timbers of its hull. It was further strengthened by iron cross supports for the timber beams carrying the wooden decks.

If the iron "frames" - the ribs of the ship's hull - have been badly buckled or damaged in the fire then restoration would prove exceptionally difficult and costly. But it would not necessarily be impossible, according to Fred Hocker, director of Vassa Research for the National Maritime Museums in Stockholm. "Wood can always be replaced, but if the ironwork is badly damaged, that is another matter," said Dr Hocker, an experienced shipwright who specialises in the rebuilding of old wooden sailing ships. "The ironwork is in many ways the soul of the Cutty Sark."

Fortunately, at the time the fire broke out more than half of the ship had been removed for a renovation programme. The masts, rigging, coach and deck houses, the master salon, significant amounts of planking, the jolly boats and other such removable items had all been put into safe storage. So the damage was largely confined to the ship's hull and its timber decking. -- Full article by Steve Connor at news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2573267.ece

* Marine photographer KOS was the first allowed to photograph inside the famous tea clipper ship Cutty Sark. See www.kospictures.captureweb.co.uk/news.php?ti=1180033520

SHORT TACKS
* In this week's Volvo Ocean Race podcast we talk to Torben Grael after Luna Rossa claimed their place in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup final with a surprise victory over the much fancied BMW Oracle Racing. We also hear from Northern Irish yachtsman Jamie Boag who was part of the "Let's do it Ireland" team that were instrumental in bringing the Volvo Ocean Race to Galway in 2008-9. Finally we catch up with America's cup website editor Peter Rusch who provides with all the latest news and buzz in our regular 'Letter from Valencia' feature.

As ever, live Thurs evening/Fri morning at:
www.volvooceanrace.org/podcast/

* Steve Smith announced today at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, that he intends to set an inaugural record for sailing a dinghy around the UK mainland.

The dinghy of his own design has taken him 4 years to develop.

The Challenge will start in early August 2007 and go clockwise around the UK. -- www.stevesmithsailing.co.uk

* The Hobie 16 & Hobie Dragoon Europeans 2007 will be sailed off the Dutch coast of 's Gravenzande, close the The Hague and Scheveningen. From July 28 until August 4, about 150 teams will face the elements of the North Sea in their battle for European titles in five classes: Hobie 16 with spinnaker youth, master (from the age of 45), women, Hobie Dragoon youth and Hobie 16 Open. So far, the organization has received 33 pre-entries, representing 11 countries in the Open class. For the Dutch Hobie Cat community, it is definitely a revival of the more that thirty years old Hobie 16 competition. Twelve young crews with eight nationalities have registered for the Hobie 16 with spinnaker, the ISAF youth catamaran. This fleet is expected to increase up to thirty until fifty participants. Registration is open until July 1st.

* Now Playing on www.t2p.tv:
Congressional Cup 2007, Presented by Acura. The most famous match racing event in the US delivered some of the best on the water excitement again in Long Beach, CA.

* Over the weekend of 16-17 June the Daring and International Dragon keelboat fleets of Cowes will be hosting a special "Boatcamp" event to introduce racing sailors to the delights of keelboat racing in the central Solent. Organised in association with the Royal London Yacht Club and jointly hosted by the Daring and International Dragon fleets, sailors will have a truly unique opportunity to sail in and learn more about these highly competitive and ever popular classes. The event is open to all sailors with racing experience and the programme will incorporate a range of shoreside and sailing activities designed to give participants a good general introduction to the Cowes Daring and Dragon fleets. Administration and shoreside events will take place at the Royal London Yacht Club on The Parade in Cowes, whilst sailing activities will be run from the splendid new Trinity Landing directly opposite the clubhouse.

To take part please urgently contact Gavia Wilkinson-Cox on Mobile 07973 165888 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to request an application form. Further information about the event can also be found at www.solent-dragons.org and www.daring.org.uk

THE LAST WORD
When someone demands blind obedience, you'd be a fool not to peek. -- Jim Fiebig

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.

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