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BOATS EVEN?
After years of work perfecting their boat for the America's Cup, Team New Zealand's designer is convinced there is little to choose between NZL92 and holder Alinghi's newer and largely untested SUI100.

But with only two races sailed and each team winning one apiece, it is still too early to say which is the faster craft, Marcelino Botin told Reuters in an interview on Monday.

"Knowing whether you are faster is very difficult... At this stage for us it's still not absolutely clear what the trade off between the boats is," he said at the Kiwi's base in Valencia.

"It's pretty even...they're better at some things and we're better at others. At this stage that's all we know. There's definitely not a big difference between the boats."

Before the best-of-nine series began on Saturday, there was widespread speculation around Port America's Cup that SUI100 was a "rocketship" with a more bulbous bow shape than previous boats that would leave the challenger trailing in its wake.

Team New Zealand switched its bulb -- the missile shaped weight at the bottom of the keel -- to a flatter and longer one after winning the Louis Vuitton Cup against Luna Rossa.

Theories that SUI100 will perform better in stronger winds while NZL92 is faster in lighter breezes need to be tested.

"There could be something there, I'm not absolutely sure. We need to go out and race in 16 knots, maybe 15 is the crossover," said Botin. -- Alexander Smith in the Guardian, his full article at sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6734531,00.html

* The New Zealander is understood to be in talks to join the massive US Oracle team for the next Cup campaign.

After turning his back on New Zealand in 2000 to join Team Alinghi, the legendary skipper is tipped to become CEO and skipper for America's Cup syndicate BMW Oracle.

The Herald on Sunday understands that terms have already been discussed with Oracle's owner Larry Ellison, although a contract has yet to be signed. If terms are finalised, an announcement may be made at the end of this America's Cup.

Unattached to a team since his split with Alinghi in 2004, and following the resignation of Oracle skipper Chris Dickson last month, Coutts appears to be an obvious choice for the waning syndicate.

Since the disappointing 5-1 semifinal loss to Luna Rossa, Oracle has been chucking a number of management positions overboard - the latest being business manager Russell Green, who many thought would be up for promotion.

With Dickson and Green out of the picture - a move not uncommon for a team that has fallen out of contention - room may be left for Coutts to go ahead and build his own team. -- CupInEurope.com, citing the New Zealand Herald, www.nzherald.co.nz

* TV viewers watched the start of Team New Zealand's first America's Cup outing in Valencia in force - but numbers dwindled as the race slipped from the Kiwi team's grasp.

More people watched the yachting between 1am and 2am than the first hour of the All Blacks' clash with South Africa.

But by the end of the matches, the tables had turned. The average audience for the live rugby on Sky was 241,700 people, which peaked at 328,200 in the 15 minutes from 2.30am.

For the yachting, the average audience was 160,400. It was strong early on and peaked at 259,800 in the 15 minutes from 1.45am.

TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said the network was delighted that so many people were watching both events.

"We heard of a lot of fights over the remote."

The regional breakdown from AGB Nielsen Media Research showed that in Auckland, 75,500 people on average watched the All Blacks and just a few less - 66,800 - tuned in to Team New Zealand.

In the south, 34,300 people watched the rugby and 16,700 the sailing. -- New Zealand Herald, www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=531&objectid=10447935

* Tuesday's weather forecast: Weak low pressure in Southern Spain produces light northeasterly gradient breeze early in the day. As the land heats up, easterly sea breeze develops 6-8 knots and builds 8-10 knots later in the afternoon as the wind veers towards the southeast.

www.americascup.com

VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG EUROPEAN SB3 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Geoff Carveth is crowned European SB3 Champion for 2007, to go along with the UK Nationals title he won in September last year, defining himself as the king of big-breeze SB3 racing.

After three days of flight racing in windy Weymouth Bay, he built an almost unassailable lead going into the final days Gold Fleet series. With points continuing to count, he was discarding a bullet from the 8 preliminary races, with Marshal King in second, and Paul Lovejoy in third after an impressive double win on Thursday.

Racing on the final day was held in the Harbour at Portland, with flat water inside and out in the bay, and convergence squeezing and increasing the pressure in the harbour, the true versatility of the venue was demonstrated. It was a tense affair, with black flags being flown, and shifts of up to 15 degrees and short duration filtering across the race area, meaning heads needed to be out of the boat, and conservative tactics the way to go.

2008 sees the Europeans moving to Dublin Bay in September, where the Irish Fleet of over 75 boats will be keen to welcome the established fleets from across Europe. There should be a World Championships by 2009, and discussions are ongoing in preparation for that.

Final top five:
1. Geoff Carveth, GBR, 12 points
2. Marshall King, GBR, 19
3. Glenn Bourke, GBR, 20
4. Paul Lovejoy, GBR, 29
5. Craig Burlton, GBR, 35

Photos at: www.wpnsa.org.uk/photos.htm and www.fotoboat.com

Event site: www.wpnsa.org.uk

DUBAI OFFSHORE SAILING CLUB (DOSC) ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW CLUB MANAGER
The ideal would be a husband and wife team who have experience of running a yacht club in the UK/Europe although a single person could also fulfil the requirements and a locally employed F&B Manager to complement him/her. The job is looking after the bar and restaurant, the marina (110 berths) and the buildings. There is a self managed RYA Affiliated sailing department. The need is urgent and all applications should be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

TEAMORIGIN TO APPEAR AT SOUTHAMPTON AND LONDON BOAT SHOWS
National Boat Shows, organiser of the Southampton Boat Show and the London Boat Show at ExCeL, is delighted to announce TEAMORIGIN, the British sailing team intending to bid for the 33rd and 34th America's Cup, as an exciting new feature to both shows.

TEAMORIGIN, which is making a British bid for the oldest trophy in international sport, the America's Cup, will bring the newly liveried 'GBR 75' race training America's Cup boat to the Southampton Show and will also deliver a team presence at the London Boat Show at ExCeL.

TEAMORIGIN, which is headed up by Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London's victorious bid to host the 2012 Games and Paralympics Games, is aspiring to win the America's Cup and bring the world's longest running sporting event back to British shores for the first time since its inception over 150 years ago.

At the Southampton Boat Show for the first three days, the TEAMORIGIN race boat will be moored on the Hydropool marina, with visitors to the show able to meet the crew both on the boat and at the feature stage at various times during the show.

www.teamorigin.com

POWERBAR THREE PEAKS YACHT RACE
The PowerBar Barmouth to Fort William Three Peaks Yacht Race combines yachting and mountain running (and a little bit of cycling) into one of the greatest adventure challenges in British sport. The race is now in it's 30th year and it's sail/run format has been copied in similar races as far away Hong Kong and Tasmania.

Teams comprise 3 sailors and 2 runners, and their aim is to sail from Barmouth on the Welsh coast to Fort William in Scotland, via Caernarfon and Whitehaven, climbing to the summits of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis on the way. (The athletes cycle from Whitehaven into Ennerdale and run up and down Scafell Pike from there.)

In total this is 389 miles of difficult coastal sailing, 18 miles of cycling and 72 miles of running, with 14,000 feet of ascent to reach the highest points in Wales, England and Scotland. The race is open to monohull yachts only and engine power can only be used close to port, but yachts can be rowed, or even pulled along by crew members on the shore. There are no handicaps or adjustments, it's a straight race and the first team to get their runners back to their yacht in Fort William, having completed all the mountains, wins the coveted Daily Telegraph Cup.

There are other trophies to race for as well. The fastest runners over all 3 tops are the 'Kings of the Mountains', and there are cups for the fastest run on each peak too. Equally prestigious is the 'Tilman Trophy', named after the great mountaineer and sailor who inspired the race. This is for all round performance and is for the fastest yacht which has put 4 team members onto a summit.

The race attracts some of the world's best sailors and runners, as well as teams who hope just to complete the course, which is a considerable achievement in its own right.

The race started at Barmouth on June 23rd.

www.threepeaksyachtrace.co.uk

WHAT DO THESE SUCCESSFUL SAILORS HAVE IN COMMON?
Simon Hiscock & Chris Draper - GBR - 49er - World Champion 2006 Darren Bundock & Glenn Ashby - AUS - F18 & Tornado - World Champion 2006 Holger Jess & Wofgang Hunger - GER - 5o5 - World Champion 2005 Stellan Berlin - SWE - 2.4 - World Champion 2006

Top sailors like them win international titles with HOLMENKOL race coatings.

Get AquaSpeed, SEALnGLIDE, LUBEnSPEED, SportPolish in order to get the best out of your boat.

Easy and time-saving applications, long-time high performance, easy to understand systems: Buy the License to win on www.holmenkol.com/bilder/download/Haendler_Aquatic_weltweit.pdf

ETCHELLS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
With winds regularly gusting over 30 knots and gales forecast for later in the day the Race Committee at the Etchells World Championhip in Cowes was forced to abandon all races on day one of the championship. Initially the boats were held ashore while the Committee assessed the situation but by noon it became clear that conditions were not going to improve and the decision was made.

The first race of the championship is now scheduled for Tuesday 26 June, with the first warning signal at 1100. Tuesday's forecast is for a slight improvement in the weather with less rain and fewer squalls.

Possibly the only crew happy to see no racing today is that of GBR1352 Arbitrator who have been busy through the night affecting repairs to their boat following a major port/starboard incident on yesterday's practise race start line. They are hoping to relaunch the boat this afternoon so will be ready to race in the morning.

www.rcyc.co.uk

ISAF SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships start in Cascais, Portugal on 28 June, with well over 1,600 sailors lining up to dispute 11 World Championship titles and Olympic qualification. The two windsurfing fleets are set to provide some of the most spectacular racing in the windy Cascais conditions - we take a look at some of the title favourites. The RS:X windsurfer makes it debut at the Olympic Games in 2008, but whilst the board might be new, there are many familiar faces heading up the challenge for medals in Cascais. Both fleets offer at a fascinating contest between youth and experience and although the class is just over one year old, some engaging rivalries have already begun to form.

The Neil Pryde RS:X replaced the Mistral as Olympic equipment for the Men's and Women's Windsurfer events at the start of 2006. Compared to its predecessor the RS:X is more of a hybrid board, wider and shorter with a larger sail and more in line with the modern windsurfing world.

Cascais should provide a great setting for the windsurfers, with planing conditions (when the board lifts out of the water to 'plane' across the surface, reducing drag and increasing speed) prevailing. This should provide some spectacular racing and in theory will favour the taller, heavier sailors. However second guessing the wind is always a risky business and with just one discard in the series it is likely that success in Cascais will require more than just a one-trick pony. More - www.sailing.org/default.asp?PID=21056

150TH GOREY REGATTA
Over 80 boats competed in the 150th Gorey Regatta, held on Jersey's east coast beneath the ramparts of the imposing 13th century Mont Orgueil Castle. Entrants from the UK and France joined Channel Island sailors for the two-day historic event, which saw over 20 races attract cruisers, dayboats, dinghies and catamarans.

AForce 5 westerly breeze provided challenging conditions on the first day, with plenty of dinghy capsizes, a couple of retirements and some minor breakages. The conditions certainly didn't deter the competitors'enthusiasm - not least that of the youngsters in their Optimists who stood their ground among much bigger craft on the congested start line.

Indeed one of their number, Fleur Moisan, was presented with a new award, the Edward Heath Memorial Trophy, for her tenacity in the demanding conditions.

Full results at www.goreyregatta.org

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

MOTH EUROPEAN AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Lake Garda, Italy: Day 1, Race 1...was CARNAGE! Another day of 20 something knot winds and short, sharp chop left a wake of destruction. On-shore WAGS were on-hand to receive broken rudders, fetch trolleys and administer TLC to battered egos.

Amec (a.k.a AMEX, an investor/designer in 'Blade-Rider') was the BR pace car of the day, in lap 1-2. However he let the side down in race II with an OCS was DSQ'd and therefore DNF (with a broken foil). Local favourite, Italian Rainmondo, with the prototype BR is now out of the running, with a boat that's been stripped of its foil, its rudder and whatever else required. The scene on the field was bewildering. Boats were flying everywhere upwind and downwind; lapping each other and stuffing it left right and centre. Every mark rounding was a mine field of obstacles- moth wings in the air and skippers scrambling to re-right. Occasionally, a mothie was to be found hunched over the hull showing signs of having lost "the will to foil!"

So, to summarise; positions 1-5 were claimed by the dark side. The Blade-Brigade seized the day. Gentleman racers and those sailing designer Moths (Simon Propper) and modern Classic (Doug Culnane) who went out for "a bit," fear-not were safely in by now.

Race II, saw a greater death toll, as the wind frothed and the lake bubbled. -- from the International Moth Class Association, www.int-moth.org.uk/ResultsWorlds07.htm

Top five after 2 races:

1. Rohan Veal, AUS, 2 points
2. Scott Babbage, AUS, 5
3. Sam Pascoe, GBR, 10
4. Adam May, GBR, 11
5. Les Thorpe, AUS, 12

Event site: www.circolovelatorbole.com

Photos by Oskar Kihlborg, www.kihlborg.se at scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/ in the World Championships

GRAHAM DALTON COMPLETES HIS QUEST
Congratulatons to Graham Dalton on finishing the circumnavigation he began last October in the Velux 5 Oceans race. Race rules prevented him completing it within the timeframe of the event, but Dalton memorably said that "hell would freeze over" before he quit.

A solo circumnavigation is always a struggle, but some people do seem to get more of a fair wind while others appear destined to battle uphill all the way. The 54-year-old Kiwi is in the latter category, for sure.

Nothing about his feat has been easy. A dismasting on the last leg of the Around Alone four years ago crushed his ambition to race round the world. Before he set out to do it again, his son Tony, who had been a great encouragement, died of cancer. During the first leg of the 5 Oceans, his wife Robbie discovered she, too, had cancer and underwent treatment during the first leg, unknown to her husband.

Dalton's own misfortunes were numerous: his mast was blown off trestles and damaged just before the start. Rudder and sail damage forced him to make stops in Medeira and the Kerguelan Islands, his food supplies were contaminated by a diesel leak, his electronics were stolen during a pitstop in Brazil, then his keel bulb fell off in port and he had to build a new one.

Finally, when Dalton left to try to catch the fleet up he ran into a storm near Bermuda, suffered autopilot failure and was forced into port again. That made it impossible to join the restart of the race in time for the last leg from Norfolk to Bilbao.

By continuing anyway he has demonstrated the indomitable will and stubborn determination to succeed that are the hallmarks of the true adventurer. You have to take your hat off to his gritty persistence.

From Elaine Bunting's blog:
www.ybw.com/yw/blog/elaine_bunting.html

-- Excellent sequence shot of AC cameras, computers, underwater probes and fibre optic cables on her blog as well...

DE PAVANT AND COL PARTNER FOR TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE
Kito de Pavant has chosen Sebastien Col, the helmsman of Areva Challenge, the French Team for the 32nd America's Cup, as co-crewman of Group Bel for the Transat Jacques Vabre. This two-crew transatlantic race, leaving from Le Havre on 3 november 2007, for Salvador de Bahia (Brazil), will be the first race for this new 60 foot monohull, currently being built in Italy.

"I am not the kind to make conventional choices" confesses Kito. The skipper has already decided upon a transalpine boatyard for the construction of Groupe Bel and the unusual combination of the talents of the Van Peteghem-Lauriot design office with that of Guillaume Verdier for its design.

Col has been French champion of the Laser in 1997, Melges 24 world champion in 2004, world number 1 in match racing in 2006 and helmsman of the French Class America this spring in Valencia.

Kito could have chosen an expert in oceanic racing, but he admits "looking for a different kind of interaction. I felt like changing horizon and like me, Sebastien is first and foremost a sailor rather than a regatta racer. "Beyond the race, there is the question of managing the boat. Being capable of listening to her. Hearing when she suffers. It is very important to me. "Seb" has this ability".

www.groupebel-voile.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Andy Pilcher: Emirates Team New Zealand has to win the America's Cup for one, simple reason.

With the Cup being held in Europe, the races are on from about 1:00am - 3:00am NZ time, not counting the build up before the race, or post race debrief and interviews etc.

With upwards of 90 percent of the New Zealand population watching the races live, people are turning up to work (& school) late, bleary-eyed and unfocused on anything other than discussing the details of last nights race.

Productivity is going to plummet, people will be sacked and everything is going to turn to custard.

Come on lads, please bring the Cup home, we're only two races into this regatta and I don't think my health can stand it much longer...

THE LAST WORD
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a persistent one. -- Albert Einstein

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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