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EVEN UP
Emirates Team New Zealand came from behind to beat Alinghi on Sunday afternoon, squaring the score in the 32nd America's Cup Match. Each team has one win, going in to Monday's lay day.

Conditions were ideal for racing again on Sunday, with the warm Valencian sun generating a 10 knot sea breeze. And for the second consecutive day, an enormous spectator fleet surrounded the race course.

Emirates skipper Dean Barker had the better start, crossing the line three seconds ahead of SUI 100. But it didn't take long for Alinghi helmsman Ed Baird to squeeze up from leeward, forcing the Kiwis to tack away. When the boats next converged, it was Alinghi with the lead and control of the race. But the second lap of the course belonged to the Kiwis, who made the pass on the second beat and extended on the run to the finish to square the series.

Monday is scheduled as an 'off day'. Racing in the 32nd America's Cup Match will resume on Tuesday afternoon. Race Three is scheduled to start at 15:00 with a warning signal at 14:50. -- www.americascup.com

* Not since Paul Cayard beat Bill Koch's America3 with Il Moro di Venezia on May 10th 1992 has a challenger beaten a defender to level the America's Cup series, but when Brad Butterworth momentarily dropped his guard, Dean Barker pounced and Team New Zealand went into a lead that she kept to the finish to turn the score line to 1-1.

It was a victory for the Kiwis that also brought the 16-win run of Butterworth, Dean Phipps, Murray Jones, Warwick Fleury and Simon Daubney in the Cup. It also broke the six-race dearth of victories for Team New Zealand and produced some smiling faces all over Valencia, for the Kiwis are here in their droves, enthusiastically supporting 'their' team.

It would be too easy to suggest that the Kiwi boat is faster than the Swiss one in the lighter breezes, but that simply isn't the case. True, on average, the breeze was two knots lighter than the previous day's, but Alinghi had led. It was a matter of tactics on what both Butterworth and Kiwi strategist Ray Davies agreed was 'a difficult day.' -- Bob Fisher in Sail-World.com, his full article at www.sail-world.com/nz/index.cfm?nid=34904&rid=6

* Another enormous 800-strong fleet was on the Mediterranean off Valencia to watch Team New Zealand come from behind to down the Swiss defenders by 28 seconds and level the best-of-nine series 1-1.

Alinghi was ahead on the first downwind run when Butterworth used the F-word several times to complain about how regatta organisers were controlling the spectator boats following SUI100 and NZL92.

Butterworth - who had not been in a losing crew in 16 previous cup races, 10 of them with Team NZ in 1995 and 2000 - knew he was being picked up by the on-board microphone linked to the television coverage of the race.

"There's no other vehicle for me to give my impressions across but on that microphone," he told journalists afterwards.

"So it's good to use it because I figured you're listening and you can put some pressure on these wallies to get them off the course."

Butterworth said he was all for spectators being able to get close to the action of yachting's biggest event.

But he expected an even sailing environment and said the fleet should have been made to turn off three-quarters of the way up the first windward leg. -- www.stuff.co.nz/4107294a21895.html

* Plenty of photos from this weekend's racing, courtesy Ingrid Abery, www.hotcapers.com and Gilles Martin-Raget, http://www.martin-raget.com in the Eurobutt gallery: scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/

32ND AMERICA'S CUP - THE GAME
The hit product of Valencia, 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, you can reenact the sailing action about to take place in the 32nd America's Cup Match by sailing against the computer or against other users around the world in the Virtual Skipper community.

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

www.americascupstore.com/cart/add_to_cart.asp?id=VS5GAME.1

VELOCITEK MUSTO SKIFF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Lake Garda, Italy: When the sailors awoke on the 4th and final day of the Velocitek Sponsored Musto Skiff World Championships there was a full strength peler wind blowing and with a 12 noon start planned the full race programme looked under threat as the wind would need to switch to the north Ora breeze and settle before racing.

In classic Garda fashion the peler "switched off" at noon and a postponement put up ...

As it was the last day of the championships the time of the last signal was scheduled for 3pm and as the Ora breeze built it soon became apparent that the race team were only going to be able to run a single race giving Ian Trotter no chance of turning over Richard Stenhouses 3 point overnight lead.

That said the Ora breeze continued to build to close to 20knots and with the chop left over from the morning peler the fleet launched into what was likely to be the most epic conditions of the week.

Once again the fleet started cleanly under the I flag and the boats that started at the committee boat and headed for the strongest winds in the middle of the lake were favoured with Ali Luxford leading the charge downwind.

Todays conditions looked set to yield the best speeds of the week for the Velocitek Vmax competition.

After the first lap Luxford had conceded the lead to Neil Upton-Brown but up the next beat those who had selected the left gate mark gained the advantage and at the final windward mark 4 boats rounded overlapped and headed off downwind for the final charge.

At the finish Ian Turnbull had taken the advantage to finish first from Stenhouse who was chased home hard by Upton-Brown and Rick Perkins.

This final race win gave Turnbull second overall from Trotter.

Final Top Five Results:

1. Richard Stenhouse, GBR, 12
2. Ian Turnbull, GBR, 18
3. Ian Trotter, GBR, 20
4. Ian Renilson, GBR, 41
5. Rick Perkins, GBR, 49

Full results: www.fragliavela.org/docs/event79/finalresults.HTM

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 (entries for this one end Tuesday night):

When was the first Fastnet Race sailed?

Cast your vote at scuttlebutteurope.com

DUBARRY FASTNET BOOTS: BECAUSE THE ROCK IS A HARD PLACE
If you've sailed off the Atlantic coast of Ireland in winter, you'll understand the importance of warmth, comfort, durability and grip for your footwear. Dubarry of Ireland makes the world's best technical performance marine footwear, and now we've created a sailing boot that encapsulates our every ideal, utilising fabrics and knowledge gathered from over 70 years of manufacturing excellence. What do you call the best ever boots made by a company that's become an icon of performance and endurance in yacht racing? It's obvious, isn't it? The new Fastnet boot by Dubarry.

Round the cans or round the word - sailing's fastest and finest feet choose Dubarry.

A DREAM COMES TRUE FOR "KING'S FROGS"
It sounds like the German fairy tale "Froschkonig" (King's frog): the team of Detlef Amlong, Kiel on Froschkonig topped their title "best IMS yacht and overall winner of the offshore races during the 125th Kieler Woche with the victory in the final offshore race "Senatspreis".

The "Froschkonig" team (starting in Group IMS IV) held their overall lead after the "Kiel Cup" races, and at the prize giving skipper Detlef Amlong received the "Kaiser Pokal" (Emperor's Trophy) , the ancient and most prestigious silver trophy of the Kieler Yacht Club.

However, up to the final offshore race their competition, Beluga Sailing Team, with skipper Christian Plump on the wheel, was close at King's frog heels, as the crew from Bremen included Markus Wieser (professional and Match Race skipper) and Matti Paschen, German America's Cup crew member. Beluga Sailing Team (starting in Group IMS I) was first over the finishing line but lost on corrected time.

Detlef Amlong and his "Froschkonig" crew won the last race of Kieler Woche on corrected time, - they sailed their "fairy tale" successfully and at present reign as IMS World Champions. -- Hermann Hell

www.kieler-woche.de

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

ETCHELLS WORLDS: ARBITRATOR SERIOUSLY DAMAGED IN PRACTISE RACE
Even though the regatta has yet to begin it was a day of drama here at the 2007 Etchells World Championship in Cowes. Whilst preparing for the start of today's practise race GBR1353 Arbitrator, helmed by Graham Bailey with Stephen Bailey and David Heritage crewing, was seriously damaged in a port/starboard collision with GBR987 Bedrock.

The damage to Arbitrator was severe and the boat was initially feared to be in danger of sinking. Graham Bailey takes up the story - "The incident happened in the pre-start about three minutes before the gun. We were on starboard and we realised that the port tack boat hadn't seen us so we began to tack to avoid them. The other boat tried to bear away round the back of us but it was too late and they simply accelerated into us, hitting us and then ripping through the aft quarter. The immediate call was for lifejackets as the boat was rapidly filling but fortunately the damage was all in the aft tank and the bulkhead held. The jury came over the radio as we were towing in to give us permission for the boat to be hauled straight way. It's now in the shop and work has already started but there's very little chance we'll be able to sail tomorrow, although if anyone can do it H can [David "H" Heritage, the Cowes based Etchells builder, who is also sailing on Arbitrator]. Obviously the Jury can't make a final decision until we know for sure whether we can race tomorrow, so now it's just a case of getting the boat dry and the work done as quickly as possible and seeing what the morning brings.

Tonight the crews are enjoying a welcome reception at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club. on Monday the race committee is aiming to run the first two championship races with the first warning signal scheduled for 11am. The forecast is for more rain and 15-18 knots of wind, but with the possibility of heavy squalls.

A complete entry list is available at www.rcyc.co.uk
Class site: www.etchells.org

DINGLE SKELLIG HOTEL DUN LAOGHAIRE TO DINGLE RACE
The race started from Dublin Bay on Sunday 10 June in blazing sunshine and still waters.

The race was run by National Yacht Club, in association with Cumann Badiiri Naomh Bhreanainn, An Daingean (Dingle Sailing Club).

The course was from Dun Laoghaire, passing outside the Muglins (off Dalkey), Tuskar Rock, Coningbeg Light Vessel, Fastnet Rock, Bull Rock and the Skelligs, to the finishing line off Dingle Harbour.

Top five, racing division:
1. Aquelina, James & Sheila Tyrrell, IRL, Arklow SC, 56:47:44 corrected time
2. Legally Brunette, C Drohan & P Egan, IRL, RStGYC, 57:12:05
3. White Tiger, Anthony O'Brien, IRL, Kinsale YC, 57:45:07
4. Baily T, Fitzpatrick & D Glennon, IRL, Howth YC, 57:56:17
5. Finnegans Wake, M Loughnane & T Rowlands, IRL, NYC, 58:13:20

www.nyc.ie

X35 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
A 36 boat fleet, from 6 nations, turned up at the officiall ISAF worlds for this barely two year old One Design. With a strong presence of Dutch and German teams including last years winner Nic Bol with a nucleus of Mean Machine crew. With contenders like Olypic medal winner Achim Griese, triple World champion Jochem Visser and multiple X99 world champion Rene Villefranche, the fleet was scattered with talent.

The 1st day opened with a steady easterly breeze around 12-15 knots. With two excellent starts, Cool Runnings with Mark Richmond on the helm and Jochem calling tactics emerged as leaders in the the fleet with a first and a second place. With the Estonian Hermes in second and Cees Wieringa's BSX, with dutch talent John Engelsman, in third and Nic Bol in fourth.

The next racing day these 4 leaders further emerged from the pack in tricky and difficult conditons. Cool Runnings suffered from a ZFD penalty on one of the starts and dropped to Fourth and BSX claimed the leaderboard.

The final racing day was plaqued with unsteady winds and local squals testing the crews to the limit. With Cool Runnings scoring another 1st and 2nd she was tied on points with BSX going into the last race of the 9 race series. With the racing running in the late hours, after 3 recals and a black flag start sequence both tired crews set of for the final battle. Both boats had to bail out of the start early on to port tack with Cool Runnings initialy gaining slightly but a small left hand shift gave the well sailed BSX a good lead at the first mark rounding. Cool Runnings fought to recover but on the short race they had to settle for a second place overall with Hermes claimimg 3rd and Nic Bol in 4th.

The new World Champions BSX thoroughly enjoyed their celebrity status during the prize giving and tactician John Engelsman praised his hard working crew. -- Herman Hell

For overall results see www.kierwoche.de

SUPERYACHT REGATTA IS CONFIRMED FOR HAMILTON ISLAND
Palma, Majorca: Bob Oatley, the owner of the supermaxi Wild Oats XI, has confirmed that he is to establish an annual international superyacht regatta at Hamilton Island, on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Oatley, whose family company bought the island four years ago, has made the announcement after racing his 30-metre supermaxi Wild Oats XI in the Superyacht Cup and Millennium Cup in Palma this week.

"The success of the superyacht racing here in Palma leaves me in no doubt that we need to bring the concept to Australia, and Hamilton Island is the perfect venue," Bob Oatley said. "We have already made some initial plans and now it is time to press all the buttons to make it happen.

"We hope to have a sample of this style of competition at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in August this year, and next year we expect it will be a stand-alone event around the same time of year. Our long-term aim is to have an impressive fleet of these huge yachts, power and sail, visiting Hamilton Island for our regatta and then cruising through Australian waters."

The Superyacht Cup and Millennium Cup attracted 52 yachts to Palma. They ranged in overall length from 27 metres through to 88 metres and it was calculated that their total length exceeded 2.4 kilometres. Their combined sail area topped eight hectares, and the total value of the fleet was more than $US2 billion. The minimum length for a vessel to be classified as a superyacht is 24 metres.

Bob Oatley added that by establishing a superyacht event at Hamilton Island there would be distinct benefits for tourism and the expanding superyacht industry in Australia. Currently, worldwide, there are more than 200 power and sail superyachts being built with an average cost of $25 million. -- Rob Mundle

'TRY SAILING' AT SKANDIA COWES WEEK
Long-term savings company Skandia, celebrating its 13th year as title sponsor of Skandia Cowes Week (3-11 August 2007), is extending its highly successful 'Try Sailing' initiative to allow disabled visitors the chance to get out on the water at this year's event.

For the past two years, hundreds of visitors to the world famous regatta on the Isle of Wight have been able to take to the water for a free sailing lesson thanks to Skandia and the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA).

Anyone over eight years old qualifies for the sessions, which can be booked at the Parade in Cowes. Disabled visitors wishing to have a go can pre-book their place on the specially designed boats by registering via the Try Sailing page at www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk Owing to the specialist nature of the boats, Skandia strongly advises disabled visitors to check the suitability of boats for their disability and pre-book to avoid disappointment on the day.

Standard sessions will run from 9.30am until 6.00pm, with specialist disabled access sessions running from 9am to 4.30pm. All sessions will be available from Saturday 4th August to Saturday 11th August. The UKSA will be providing safety cover, tuition, buoyancy aids and insurance, as well as RYA-qualified instructors to run the lessons. The initiative will be promoted to visitors on Cowes Parade for the duration of the event.

For full details about the Skandia 'Try Sailing' initiative, visit www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk

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 Robert Barron: As a past winner of the Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup for Small Yachts (SICC) and a current member of Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club I feel it important to set the record straight regarding Sean McNeill's comments regarding the upcoming Bermuda Gold Cup.

While the Bermuda Gold Cup is a fixture on the international match race circuit; the SICC is run on a non-calendar basis.

The Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup for Small Yachts (SICC) was founded 136 years ago. It is and remains the 2nd oldest trophy in sport after the America's Cup. It was formed as an alternative to the America's Cup and is only contested in an internationally recognized one-design small boat.

It is interesting to note that winners for both the SICC and Bermuda Gold Cup do in fact share many of the same names. Two notable SICC exceptions are Charlie Barr and Buddy Melges.

In 2005 the SICC itself was lost during Hurricane Katrina. Southern Yacht Club had successfully won the Cup in 2004 and had it installed in their clubhouse. When the hurricane hit New Orleans SYC suffered major damage and the SICC was lost.

Seawanhaka Corinthian intends to replace the SICC and conduct the next challenge in 2008.

THE LAST WORD
Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use. -- Emily Post

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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