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KIELER WOCHE
Today thermal breeze developed around midday offering moderate sailing conditions on all regatta courses. Most competitors sailed 3 races today, except Star and Finn finishing only 2 races. However, the Kieler Woche race committee is content to finish the Olympic Classes part of the week with Medal Races in front of the Schilksee Center tomorrow.

T. Schmitter, NED leads the 2.4mR class, followed by H. Kroger, GER as 2nd and J. Andersen, DEN as 3rd. In the Finn Class Gasper Vincec, SLO scored 6 points with one discard, followed by A. Nossiter, AUS with 10 points, and I. Gaspic, CRO 18 points as 3rd.

Two German teams dominate the Tornado fleet, Polgar/Spalteholz appear to win the Kieler Woche title, closely followed by R. Gabler/G. Struckmann GER as 2nd and T. Zajac/T. Czajka, AUT as 3rd overall.

The top three of the Star Class represent 3 nations: 1st Pickel/ Borkowski, GER, 2nd H. Spitzauer/C.Nehammer, AUT and 3rd R. Merriman/R. Peters, USA. The 470 W fleet finished 7 races with 1 discard: 1st S. Vogl/C. Flatscher, AUT, 2nd E. Rechichi/T. Parkinson, AUS, 3rd A. Kondo/N. Kamata, JPN. S. Fantela/I. Marenic, CRO lead the 470 M fleet, followed by Zellmer/Seelig, GER as 2nd and M. Belcher/N. Behrens, AUS as 3rd. The Croatians P. Kostov/P. Cupac lead the 49er fleet followed by Bauer/Baumann GER as 2nd and brothers Nielsen, DEN as 3rd after 7 races/1 discard. Winner of the Laser Gold fleet is M. Blackburn, AUS, 2nd K. Porozynski POL and 3rd V. Zbogar, SLO. Jo Aleh, NZL scored best (after 7 races) in the Laser Radial W fleet, followed by K. Weir, AUS as 2nd and S. Steyaert, FRA as 3rd.

Both board fleets sailed 3 additional races: Kieler Woche RS-X Board M winner may be M. Wojcik, POL (6 points), followed by Frenchman P. le Coq as 2nd and A. Nowicki, POL as 3rd. A. Brygota, POL leads the RS-X W fleet, with 2 Germans – M. Delle and R. Stadler sailing in 2nd and 3rd position.

The weather forecast for tomorrow: light to moderate easterly thermal breeze with Medal Races on the final day for the Olympic Classes of Kieler Woche 2007. -- Hermann Hell

* For the bigger boats the Kiel Week is one of the top events in Northern Europe. The Kiel Week is part of the North European IMS ranking with paticipants from all Baltic Sea countries including Norway. This is only possible by a uniform international rating system as it is IMS.

During Kiel Week big boat races, IMS is used for the racer and upper level cruiser/racer division and ORC-Club for the cruiser-racer division. Both measurement systems are firmly implemented throughout the whole Baltic Sea under the government of the Offshore Racing Congess (ORC). 36 national sailing authorties from all over the world are members of the ORC and develope the IMS and ORC-Club rules in a democratic way, handled by honorary organizations.

The Kiel Week follows the demand of the German yacht owners and offshore sailors to use these rules as it was confirmed by a survey last winter made by the German Regatta Association Offshore Sailing "RVS" (Regatta Vereinigung Seesegeln) which was founded in 1985.

Rating rules will be always in the discussion of crews and owners as they look for their performance in the rule itself. This is the reason why the Kiel Week welcomes one design classes like Beneteau/Platu 25, J-80, X-99, X-35 and Farr 40 so as to offer great racing without any rating systems, too. The new X-35 class is running their first world championship during the Kiel Week with an entry of about 40 boats.

Scheduling:

125 Years Kiel Week 2007 - June 16 to 24
Olympic Classes - June 16 to 20
International Classes - June 21 to 24
Big boat races - June 16 to 19 and 23
X-35 World Championship - June 19 - 24

www.kieler-woche.de

ERICSSON RACING TEAM: SEVEN NEW MEMBERS
Seven new sailors join the Ericsson Racing Team: Tony Mutter, Dave Endean, Noel Drennan, Brad Jackson, Richard Mason, Stu Bannatyne and Ryan Godfrey. Together with skipper John Kostecki and all the team united around them, they have decided to make the Volvo Ocean Race 2008 - 09 their primary objective.

Multiple Volvo Ocean Race or America's Cup racers Tony Mutter, Stu Bannatyne, Dave Endean, Brad Jackson, Richard Mason, Noel Drennan and Ryan Godfrey are the first crew members to formally join the Ericsson Racing Team.

Dave Endean, Brad Jackson and Tony Mutter were members of the winning team ABN AMRO One in the last Volvo Ocean Race, whilst Noel Drennan won four years earlier onboard Illbruck, with skipper John Kostecki. Richard Mason sailed against them all onboard Assa Abloy (2001-02) and Ericsson last year whilst Stu Bannatyne was watch captain onboard movistar. As for Ryan Godfrey, he sailed (and raced) many more miles than a round the world regatta - although never going round the world. He is also a top sailmaker, recently involved with BMW Oracle Racing in Valencia.

The team will carry on growing at a regular rate. "All the new crew members are involved in the choice of the future recruits, under John Kostecki's leadership", comment Brisius. "It is a great way of creating a homogenous team."

In parallel, Anders Lewander, skipper of Ericsson's second boat with an all Nordic crew, is starting his recruitments.

www.ericssonracingteam.com

OUR NEW CONTEST: FASTNET QUIZ
Each week we'll present a new question on Fastnet race history. The quiz questions come from Alan Green, RORC race officer for many years, including 1979 when a storm decimated the fleet. One winner per week will be chosen at random to receive a free copy of Beyond Endurance, the new book by Adam Mayer, published by Random House, which chronicles the infamous 1979 race.

At the end of the contest, we'll pick one entrant (whether you got the question right or not!) to win a pair of Dubarry's new Fastnet boots.

This week's question:

When was the first Fastnet Race sailed?

Cast your vote at scuttlebutteurope.com

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THE SUPERYACHT CUP PALMA 2007 ULYSSE NARDIN
Palma de Mallorca, Spain: The final day of The Superyacht Cup was New Zealand Millennium Cup day bringing the most testing conditions for the fifty-two sailing superyachts with a solid 17 to 22 knot southwesterly breeze on the Bay of Palma.

The triangular course included a long beat out to Isla de Sech followed by a run across the bay to Caba Regana and a close reach back to the finish.

The pursuit-style start, with the potentially slowest starting first in the reverse order of the elapsed time of the previous day, benefitted the yachts that had suffered in the changeable conditions on Monday.

In Division 2 the 46.21m (152ft) Judel/Vrolijk designed sloop Pink Gin built by Baltic Yachts in 2006 was first away and never headed taking both the division and overall result with the best elapsed time difference to win the Millennium Cup 2007, particularly appropriate because the owner had taken his previous Baltic all the way to New Zealand to compete in the earlier Millennium Cup.

In Division 1 Yannekee Too a 34m (111ft) Bill Dixon designed schooner built by Camper & Nicholsons in 1995 took the honours. Yannekee is another well-travelled participant in the previous Millennium Cup in New Zealand.

After three days of sailing, and always in immaculate style with colour-coded yellow shirts, the overall winner of the Superyacht Cup Ulysse Nardin was the superbly presented 42.8m (140ft) Bruce King designed ketch Hetairos built by Abeking & Rasmussen in 1993.

Very few boats found consistency with Hetairos placing 2nd, 18th and 7th in her division to post a total score of 34, narrowly beating the 52m (170ft) schooner Eleonora built by Van de Graff in 2002 to the original 1903 Nathaniel Herreshoff designed Westward with a total score of 34.7.

The 30m (98ft) Reichel/Pugh designed canting keel ultra light maxi sled Alfa Romeo sprinted around the course, at times reaching speeds in excess of 18 knots, in just one hour and 38 minutes, two and half minutes faster than near sistership Wild Oats IX meaning that over the three days the results stand at two to one in favour of Wild Oats.

At the other end of the displacement scale, the J class replica Ranger sailed around the course in two hours three minutes, seven minutes faster that the 1933-built Velsheda leaving the score two to one in favour of Ranger which appears to have benefitted from some recent modifications.

Every day of the regatta the vast 88m (288ft) three masted Maltese Falcon built by Perini Navi left everybody in awe including experienced yachtsmen. The remotely controlled free-standing carbon fibre rotating rigs, complete with 18 yards are a technological masterpiece, setting 15 in-mast fuling square sails operated by 75 electric winches aloft. The detailed design, testing, planning and engineering for such a vast and untried project is difficult to comprehend and the execution is an outstanding testament to all invloved. -- Kate Branagh

Results New Zealand Millenium Cup

Winner Overall New Zealand Millenium Cup 2007: Pink Gin

Division 1 (designer/builder/year)
1. Yanakee Too 34m (111ft) Dixon/Vitters/1995
2. Ashanti IV 35m (115ft) Gruber/Burmeister/1954
3. Thalia 47.6m (156ft) Holland/Vitters/1994

Divison 2
1. Pink Gin 46m (152ft)Judel Vroijk/Baltic/2006
2. Windrose 47m (154ft) Dikstra/Nikkels/ Vitters/2001
3. Nephele 33.9m (112ft) Frers/McMullen & Wing/2003

Overall Results The Superyacht Cup Ulysse Nardin Palma 2007

Winner overall The Superyacht Cup Ulysse Nardin 2007: Hetairos

www.thesuperyachtcup.com

* Photos of the final day courtesy Ingrid Abery, www.hotcapers.com , at scuttlebutteurope.com/photos in the Other Events category.

THE ROYAL SOUTHERN YACHT CLUB REQUIRES THE SERVICES OF A SAILING SECRETARY
This demanding post requires a motivated individual who is able to work with a minimum of direct supervision. Responsibilities include the promotion and administration of all of the Clubs Sailing Activities, including management of our Club, National and International Regattas, Youth Programmes and Moorings.

Please apply in writing with cv to:
Rear Commodore Sailing
Royal Southern Yacht Club
Rope Walk
Hamble
SO31 4HB
Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Or apply online at www.royal-southern.co.uk

WALLER-HARRIS JERSEY TWO-HANDED TRIANGLE RACE
The 12th Waller-Harris Jersey Two-handed Triangle race, organised by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club, takes place over the weekend of 30th June to 2nd July. This race, for IRC and club handicap boats carrying just a skipper and one member of crew, regularly attracts twenty or more entrants and is one of the most popular events in the Channel Islands racing calendar.

Starting at 9 a.m. in St Aubin's Bay on the Saturday, the first leg takes the fleet on a forty mile race to Binic on France's Cote d'Armor. Sunday will see the boats on the start line, outside Binic harbour, for a 9 a.m. start for the second leg to the Basse Crublent buoy at the entrance to the fairway leading to Tréguier. The fleet returns to the Basse Crublent buoy early on Monday morning for the final leg back to Jersey.

The Waller-Harris has built up a strong following over the years with many crews returning year-after-year to battle for the much-coveted trophies and to join in the social whirl that marks the finish of each leg.

Last year saw twenty-two boats racing with skipper Steve Pearl and crew Nigel Palmer's High Tension 36, Contango, winning the IRC class and Arthur Manning and Vince Smith's Sadler Starlight 35, Knight Star, the club handicap class overall.

The event is open to visiting yachts and begins with a briefing and supper at the Royal Channel Islands YC on Friday 29th June with crew suppers in both Binic and Tréguier, the whole event closing with the prize-giving and supper back in the RCIYC clubhouse on the following Thursday evening.

The Notice of Race and entry form is available from the RCIYC and http://www.rciyc.org Entries should be received no later than 1.00 p.m. Thursday 26th June.

ANCHORING THE CUP IN A NEW ERA -- THEN WHAT?
Excerpts from a posting by Tom Ehman on the BMW Oracle Racing Team blog:

"We made big changes this time round. We're looking to build and consolidate on that, not make massive changes." -- Alinghi's General Counsel, Hamish Ross (NZL), in a Reuters story by Jane Barrett that has been running in various papers around the world over the weekend.

Key excerpts from the article, with some reading of the tea leaves by your Ed.:

- "I think everyone would like to see the cycle be quicker this time and two years is the cycle people are talking about." Everyone except ETNZ and a couple of the smaller teams.

- Timing partly depends on bigger sporting events which will compete for sponsorship and viewers, particularly the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 soccer World Cup. 2009 anyone?

- It also depends on whether the Cup stays in Valencia or moves to a new venue where teams would need to build new bases, study new weather patterns and so create new boats and crews. If so, likely 2011 not 2009.

- Alinghi, based in the Alps, cannot defend the America's Cup at home because it must be raced at sea. This was not Hamish's assertion, and it is not true. Indeed, this is one of the media's most widely repeated AC fallacies. By mutual consent with the Challenger of Record the AC can be raced anywhere; only absent mutual consent must the races be held "on ocean courses, free from headlands."

- Their decision to sail off Valencia has put Spain's third largest city on the map and authorities here are desperate to host the Cup again although the rumour mill suggests Alinghi could move to Dubai or Lisbon if they win. Or France, or Greece or Italy -- unless, of course, the so far seemingly not-so-desperate Valencianos come to the table with a "proper" offer. And, yes, France is a distinct possibility.

- "Valencia is a fantastic venue and in fact exceeded our expectations. Is it a hot prospect for next time? Absolutely," Ross said, looking out over Valencia's swish new port. "But (we) have a duty to look at other possibilities," he added [see Note 2 below], suggesting a final decision could take some months. It does not take a rocket scientist, or a nine-time Cup vet, to read those tea leaves -- "Valencia, get your act (no pun intended) and euros together, or we're outta here." And that likely would mean 2011 not 2009.

Full article at blog.bmworacleracing.com/stories/3318231/

QUITE POSSIBLY THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE CUP RACES IN VALENCIA.
Our Shosholoza team spectator boat has a reserved place in the front row of the VIP zone closest to the start box and laylines. And, our rooftop terrace overlooks Alinghi, so you'll be up close both on land and sea. We have live TV and expert commentators on board. Shaded upper deck. Full buffet lunch with drinks. All the fun you would expect from "The Soul of Sailing".

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ARTEMIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCES IMOCA PARTNERSHIP
Artemis Investment Management has announced a new long term partnership with IMOCA, the international governing body for the Open 60 International Monohull Ocean Racing Class. In addition to supporting the class, the relationship is designed in particular to promote the popularity of this exciting class in Britain and IMOCA 60 racing in British waters.

For 2007, Artemis Investment Management will take on an official role as Business Club Partner of IMOCA. The strategic alliance will see Artemis supporting all the activities within the class calendar of events. The Rolex Fastnet Race in August 2007 will see the partnership activated for the first time, with the intention to provide a mutually beneficial impact for the RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club, organisers of the Fastnet Race), the title sponsor of the classic race, Rolex, and the teams competing in the event.

This edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race will see the presentation of "The Artemis Trophy" to the victorious IMOCA Open 60, as well as a cheque for EUR 10,000 to the winning skipper. There will also be additional cash prizes for the top six Open 60's across the finish line. Artemis and IMOCA hope to build on this partnership as the calendar of races continues up to the Barcelona World Race and the Transat Jacques Vabre, both taking place in November.

www.artemisoceanracing.com
www.imoca.org

FARR 40 CLASS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
Annapolis, Md., USA: Ten years ago, the world's first Farr 40 One Design was launched at Carroll Marine in Newport, R.I. with the hope of creating an exciting new one-design class that could compete on the international stage. Fast forward to 2007 and the Class is about to celebrate the 156th boat built. With owners in 19 countries and a recent surge in boat construction there will be a lot to celebrate at the upcoming 2007 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in Copenhagen

Since being granted recognized one-design class status in 1998 by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the Class has continued to grow, attracting new owners to the helm and impressing every level of sailor along the way.

The Farr 40 Class maintains an extensive international schedule that revolves around regional fleets in the U.S., Australia, Southern Europe and the Nordic region. In 2007, the European Circuit added three new events – the Nordic Farr 40 Championship in Hankø, Norway (July 5-8); the Skaw Farr 40 Race Week in Skagen, Denmark (July12-14); and Rolex Baltic Week (Aug. 17-19 in Neustadt, Germany) – in addition to the Rolex Capri Sailing Week (May 16-19 in Capri, Italy) and the Rolex Settimana Della Bocche (June 6-9 in Porto Cervo, Italy), where 21 boats vied for the Farr 40 European Championship. Many teams have planned to participate in the entire European circuit with an eye toward the ultimate competition: the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds.

Stagg Yachts has teamed up with U.S. Watercraft to build new Farr 40s. In the past year, they built new models of Barking Mad for Jim Richardson; Kokomo for Lang Walker (Sydney, Australia); Mascalzone Latino for Vincenzo Onorato (Portoferrario, Italy); Nanoq for Crown Prince Frederik; Nerone for Massimo Mezzaroma; Opus One for Wolfgang Stolz (Frankfurt, Germany) ; and Twins for Erik Maris (Paris, France). Eight Farr 40s are currently being built and include: Ichi Ban for Matt Allen (Sydney, Australia); yet another new Kokomo for Lang Walker; Mean Machine for Peter de Ridder (Monaco); and Morning Glory for Hasso Plattner (Germany). Most are expected to participate in the 2007 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds.

Tremendous support comes from Class partner Rolex S.A. "A new four-year sponsorship agreement through the end of 2010 was signed with Rolex in Capri last month," said Geoff Stagg. "The Farr 40 Class, Stagg Yachts and indeed yachting in general is blessed to have such a supportive sponsor as Rolex. They play a huge part in the success of the Class and are wonderful partners to have."

For a complete schedule of 2007/08 Farr 40 Class events or for more information about joining the Class, please visit www.farr40.org

FEATURED BROKERAGE
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THE LAST WORD
The real struggle is not between East and West, or capitalism and communism, but between education and propaganda. -- Martin Buber

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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