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FORECAST GOOD AS ALINGHI CHASE CUP GLORY
Alinghi will try to clinch the America's Cup for a second time Tuesday after their first attempt at winning sailing's oldest and most coveted prize was stymied by a lack of wind.

The Swiss defender is leading Team New Zealand 4-2 in the best-of-nine series and one more win would write them another page in the history books as being the first European team to defend the America's Cup.

The match point was due to be raced on Monday but the wind never picked up and settled enough to get the match started.

The forecast for Tuesday is perfect for match racing, with a southeasterly sea breeze starting at 10 knots and working up to about 16 knots later in the afternoon.

* Louis Vuitton might not renew its sponsorship of the America's Cup after this series.

With Alinghi needing just one more win over Emirates Team New Zealand to retain the Auld Mug, the Paris-based luxury goods company doesn't know if it will continue to support a competition that is "all about money."

"It's not for sure, but there are some kinds of philosophical disagreement over the future of the cup," Louis Vuitton spokesman Bruno Trouble told The Associated Press.

"We're in the America's Cup because it's much more than sport: it's elegance, tradition ... if the game is to take the cup to new grounds to make it just another sporting event to be commercial, then I think not only Vuitton, but most of the luxury good companies, would be willing to quit."

Vuitton has been a main sponsor of the America's Cup - international sport's oldest competition - since 1983, when the challengers' series became known as the Louis Vuitton Cup.

But Trouble says his company disagrees with Alinghi's focus.

"The audience of sailing is not as wide as soccer or rugby," he said. "I think the Swiss did very well by picking Valencia and by building up the event ... but the whole duration of this cup they've talked about money. We don't like this very much." -- International Herald Tribune, www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/30/sports/EU-SPT-SAI-Americas-Cup-Louis-Vuitton.php

* American sailor Paul Cayard has been in talks with Desafio Espanol and could be set to become skipper and helmsman of the Spanish team, if Alinghi wins the Cup. Cayard is, however, undecided at present as to whether he wants to compete in the America's Cup or the Volvo Ocean Race.

Cayard skippered Pirates of the Caribbean in the last Volvo Ocean Race and, after suffering many problems with gear failure, managed to steer the Volvo Open 70 into second place overall.

If Alinghi were to lose, Desafio Espanol's future is uncertain, since the team's main sponsors are Spanish companies, with no interest in the New Zealand market. Desafio is, therefore, waiting to see the outcome of the America's Cup matches, but has asked key members of the team to retain rented accommodation, in Valencia, until the result is known. -- Santiago Robatto in BYM News, www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=11309

* Having spent more than 2 billion Euros on infrastructure, Valencia is keen to keep its grip on the Cup. One forecast puts the long-term return at 3.6 billion for the city and 2.4 billion for Spain.

The Spanish have formed a new Valencian yacht club to lodge their challenge, having previously used Spain's national sailing federation. Iberdrola's interest in funding the Spanish team is not conditional on Valencia keeping the Cup; any major European market would do.

There are growing signs that 10 of the 11 challengers from this Cup will throw their hats into the ring. Forging ahead already is United Internet Team Germany, which has hired Pole Karol Jablonski away from the Spanish as skipper.

Amazingly, the German team have already started to construct a new boat even though the design rules have not been fixed.

Bertarelli is believed to want to expand the reach of the Cup, perhaps encouraging a South American challenge.

The Swiss have been remarkably tight-lipped on whether they want to keep the existing ACC class or not. They are believed to have set the end of 2007 as the guillotine for all major decisions but will outline their thinking this week; unless of course Team New Zealand win three races on the trot to steal the Cup. -- Tim Jeffery in the Telegraph, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/07/03/sosail103.xml

Official site: www.americascup.com

BARCELONA WORLD RACE
Spanish brewery Estrella Damm announced that it will sponsor the first Spanish entry in the Barcelona World Race 2007, and they have chosen the Catalan Guillermo Altadill, one of the most respected and experienced professional sailors in the world, to skipper Estrella Damm's boat.

The Barcelona World Race will start in Barcelona on the 11th November and for the first time will see the best professional sailors from both solo and fully crewed disciplines competing against each other in teams of two, in high performance Open 60 monohulls, non-stop until they return to Barcelona

"The deal between Estrella Damm and the Barcelona World Race encompasses our commitment to the City of Barcelona which has been a long-standing tradition by the brewer. Besides, this new challenge upholds the target of perpetuating the brand Estrella Damm with the best international sporting events. In 1992 Damm was the first brewer sponsoring the Olympic Games, and recently the company has sponsored the 32nd America's Cup with the Emirates Team New Zealand and Desafio Espanol team," commented Enric Crous, General Director of Damm Group.

With Catalan skipper Guillermo Altadill, the campaign will benefit from a skipper born and bred in Barcelona who has circumnavigated the world an incredible six times. Altadill, a father of four, aged 45, has competed in two Volvo Ocean Races (2005/06 onboard Team Ericsson and 2001/02 onboard Assa Abloy), two Whitbread Round the World Races, The Race onboard 'Club Med' and was part of the crew that raced around the world on Cheyenne in 2004. He has 18 transatlantic crossings and six circumnavigations under his belt so far. He has been the Spanish champion in the Soling class and Tornado class and coached the Olympic gold medallist in Atlanta in 1996 in the Tornado class. Most recently, he was part of the German America's Cup team, United Internet Team Germany.

British sailor Neal McDonald is joining the Estrella Damm Sailing Team as Performance Technical Manager from now until the start of the Barcelona World Race. McDonald brings extensive experience to the team with his background in offshore racing at the very highest level. The team is in discussion with top-level offshore skippers and an announcement will be made in due course to confirm the co-skipper.

* Swiss skipper, Bernard Stamm, who announced his participation in the Barcelona World Race on 1st June with Conrad Humphreys as co-skipper, has been forced to withdraw from the double-handed, non-stop round the world race that starts on 11th November.

The team purchased Jean-Pierre Dick's ex-Virbac-Paprec with the aim of improving this new boat in the colours of 'Cheminees Poujoulat' for competition in the Barcelona World Race in preparation of improving his prospects for the solo Vendee Globe in 2008, however it now appears necessary for Bernard Stamm's technical team to go through a complete and extensive refit of the boat. This major work is not compatible with the preparation and participation in a round the world race that starts in November and Bernard Stamm has decided to reorganise his plans, and will now participate in the Transat Jacques Vabre. The shorter length of a transatlantic race will give the opportunity for the boat to return in Europe before the end of the year and to go through a thorough refit early 2008. In the meantime, Cheminees Poujoulat will participate in the Rolex Fastnet that starts from Cowes, Isle of Wight on the 12th August. Bernard Stamm will be the defending IMOCA 60 winner after winning the last edition in 2005.

www.barcelonaworldrace.com

AREA SALES MANAGER - CONTINENTAL EUROPE
Gori propeller A/S manufactures and markets the patented Gori folding propeller. The propeller is designed for sailboats up to 150 foot and sold through a network of distributors worldwide.

We seek an Area Sales Manager with responsibility for Continental Europe. The role includes support of the existing distributors as well as calling on boat builders, boat dealers and other potential customers. The role also involves participation in trade shows and approximately 100 travel days annually.

We expect that you have marine industry sales experience and an interest in sailing. You are fluent in English as well as either French, Spanish or Italian. It is our preference that you work from our office in Denmark, but a location in one of the major markets could be an option.

For further information please contact Jens Guldborg, Director of Business Development This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.gori-propeller.dk

TOUR VOILE
Only one leg was sailed this afternoon next to Dieppe. With a wind between 25 and 30 knots and some heavy showers the teams competed in hard weather conditions. In order to facilitate the crossing of the Raz Blanchard the organisation of the race has decided to stop tomorrow night in Cherbourg.

The team of Ville du Port - La Reunion (Gabriel Jean-Albert) did a good race today: "we like to sail in the breeze when it gets speedy." We often have these conditions at home. We did a very good start and made an interesting move downwind on the right of the course. We surfed the waves and quickly increased the gap". The team finished 13th in the overall ranking but is still aware of the fact that "every race is another white page". It was also a very nice recovery for Toulon Provence Mediterranee - COYCHyeres, which finished second after a bad start.

The boat Manche Basse-Normandie (Benoit Charon, Nicolas Jossier) missed the podium only 3 seconds after Courrier Dunkerque (Daniel Souben). For the next stop of the race in Basse-Normandie the crew has to be very careful: "it is never easy to pass home, it's a very big psychological pressure. So we're just going to forget about where we are and try to do our best".

Ile de France (Victor Lanier, Nicolas Pauchet) followed by Tahiti et ses Iles (Teva Plichart) and Manche Basse-Normandie keeps the lead in the overall ranking, despite its bad results today. Saint-Malo Purflo Team SNBSM (François Lebourdais, Pierre Hingant) will tomorrow be sailing with the blue "Honda Civic Hybrid" spinnaker of the leader in the amateur ranking. Caisse d'Epargne - HEC - Ecole Navale (Herve Gautier) keeps the lead in the student ranking. Good news for: EIGSI - Charente Maritime - dismasted yesterday, they are now back in the race and will be sailing tomorrow morning.

The Mumm 30s will start the second offshore leg of the Tour de France Sailing Race tomorrow. Instead of sailing directly to Granville, the president of the Race Committee, Sylvie Viant, prefers to make a stop halfway for safety reasons. "We took this decision along with the Race Director Christine Briand because of the bad weather. There will be a strong wind blowing South-West, sometimes up to force 7 or 8. Were we to follow the original plans, the Mumm 30s would cross the Raz Blanchard in very dangerous sea conditions, as the wind would be facing the current. So the boats will stop tomorrow at the headland of the Cotentin". The race will start at 6am tomorrow, for a 99 nautical mile-long offshore leg in bay of Seine. -- Anatole Lucet

www.tourvoile.fr

HSH NORDBANK BLUE RACE: OUTSIDER IS FIRST SHIP HOME
The crew of the Elliott 52 was welcomed with great cheers in Cuxhaven. "Welcome home" was written across the T-shirts worn by the welcome committee that came to greet them, and the coast guard vessel Hermann Helms sent water fountains into the grey skies across the Elbe estuary. The victorious crew even saw fireworks being lighted in their honour, when their silvery yacht crossed the finish line off Steubenhoeft at 16.14 hours local time.

More than a hundred friends and relatives had gathered to welcome the Atlantic sailors after their exhausting journey. It had taken the German-New Zealand crew 14 days, 20 hours, 14 minutes and 10 seconds to complete the course from Newport on the US-American East Coast to Cuxhaven (Germany). The big welcome will be in Hamburg.

Five fair-haired young ladies squeezed and hugged the 57-year old skipper mercilessly: The Hansen daughters welcomed back their father. All smiles despite the strain that showed through on his face, Hansen commented his first transatlantic race: "I'm ever so happy. Our goal was to make the trip in two weeks. It has taken us a bit longer, but it was a great time. I'm glad to have such a fabulous crew. At the moment we are also first on corrected time, and all the others still have to finish the race," says Hansen. Yacht designer Greg Elliott from New Zealand is evidently happy with the result of his canting keel carbon racer launched in November 2006.

The team of Parsifal III was forced to quit the HSH Nordbank blue race. Taonga has ripped her main and has also withdrawn from the race.

Low spirits prevailed on the biggest yacht of the fleet. A chain of unlucky events forced the crew of the Parsifal III to quit the race. The boom was damaged during a jibe, a halyard winch was ripped off, and so was the mizzen footrope.

"We are unable to use neither main nor mizzen anymore, so we can't haul the sails close any more," reported a team member in an Email from on board. Unable to repair the damage, Parsifal III cannot continue on the race course around Scotland. Instead, the 54-meter Yacht will now motor through the English Channel towards Cuxhaven.

The Marten 49 Taonga from Jochen Claussen (Hohenaspe/Germany) also transmitted bad news on Sunday: "The main is ripped for a couple of meters at the leech, so we have to change course to Belfast and find a sailmaker. The race is over for us". 21 yachts are still out at sea fighting for a victory in the HSH Nordbank blue race.

www.hsh-nordbank-blue-race.com

BE QUICK! THE SCORPION "SPORTS V" DEMO BOAT IS UP FOR GRABS
She's the fastest RIB on the Solent right now. The Scorpion "Sports V" was first shown at RIBEX 2007 and features many of the latest Scorpion innovations and designs. Built to Graham Jelley's exacting requirements, the 8.75m LOA "Sports V" undertook her maiden voyage to Cherbourg in under two hours and has proved to be fast and economical.

Full details and all the latest news at www.scorpionribs.com or contact Scorpion RIBs on +44 (0) 1590 677080.

BOUNDER LOSES KEEL, CAPSIZES
The Juan K design, Little Bounder, lost its keel in a position 2.5 miles-south east of St Catherines Point Lighthouse on Saturday - all 14 crew were lifted off to safety.

The yacht, without its owner, the former RORC Commodore Chris Little onboard, was out sail testing with a strong crew of local sailors onboard including Ben Wood, Jeremy Elliot, Kevin George, and Richard Lovering.

At 1.30pm, Solent Coastguard received a 999 mobile phone call from the skipper. A coastguard spokeswoman said: 'The informant reported that all 14 crew were on the upturned vessel. All were wearing lifejackets and the vessel was slowly sinking.

The coastguard rescue helicopter Whiskey Bravo was scrambled and airlifted the crew members to its base at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hants, around 30 minutes after the capsize. -- www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=35268

* Photos from Rick Tomlinson on TheDailySail: www.thedailysail.com

MEAN MACHINE SKIPPER FINED
At a hearing at Folkestone Magistrates, Dirk De Ridder, skipper of the racing yacht 'Mean Machine', was fined 6000 Euros and 4200 costs for going the wrong way up a traffic lane in the Dover Straits Traffic Separation Scheme.

On 13th May 2007 the racing yacht 'Mean Machine' was on a positioning voyage from Portsmouth, UK to Scheveningen, Netherlands prior to taking part in a race. At about 1850 the 'Mean Machine' was detected slowly entering the South West lane on a heading of 055 degrees.

She then proceeded for 6.5 miles in the wrong direction in the South West lane, contrary to Rule 10(b)(i) of the Colregs.

The yacht's plan had been to follow the separation line/zone between the South West lane and Inshore traffic Zone very closely. De Ridder failed to realise that wind shifts would cause him problem, which they ultimately did. Soon after gybing it should have become apparent to De Ridder that his course was taking him into the South West lane.

'Mean Machine' passed close ahead of a crossing vessel before passing between two South West bound vessels.

The 'Mean Machine' was identified by a passing merchantman. Dover CNIS contacted the 'Mean Machine' by radio. The yacht then altered course and crossed the South West lane at right angles as required by rule 10 of the Colregs.

Mr Mike Toogood, CNIS Manager at Dover Coastguard, stated "'Mean Machine' was crewed by nine people. If the yacht's position had been better monitored then the vessel 'drift' into the South West lane would have been quickly detected. Also by being so tight to South West lane he was asking for trouble. The results of his action were totally foreseeable.

Safety in the Dover Straits Traffic Separation Scheme is dependant on all vessels, no matter what shape size or description, closely following the requirements of rule 10 of the Colregs." -- BYM News, www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=11334

STARS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE
With seventy boats, one hundred and forty sailors, numerous sailing legends and awesome conditions, sailing history will be made this week. It is 6:00 pm in Cascais, Portugal and the boat yard is empty except for trailers. In the marina, Stars are lined up for as far as the eye can see.

Over 1,600 sailors have shipped their boats to Cascais, found housing, hired coaches and made countless sacrifices to attend the 2007 Combined Sailing World Championships. Making it to Cascais is an accomplishment in and of itself. Walking around this spectacular venue, one runs into some of the most accomplished sailors in the world; the highest concentration of which are right outside the media center at the Star class staging area.

This should give you a general idea of the caliber of the competition that will be vying to qualify their country for the 2008 Olympics and at the same time win this year's world championship title:

Those who have represented their countries multiple times, in the Star class or any other class, at the Olympics: Torben Grael (6), Peter Bromby (4), Mark Reynolds (4), Xavier Rohart (4), Marcelo Ferreira (3), Mateusz Kusznierewicz (3), Hal Haenel (3), Iain Percy (2), Freddie Loof (2), Robert Scheidt (3) and there are at least six other skippers and crews who have been to the Olympics once.

Those who have won multiple gold medals at the Olympics: Torben Grael (2), Marcelo Ferreira (2), Mark Reynolds (2) and Robert Scheidt (2).

Those who have won multiple medals at the Olympics: Torben Grael (3), Marcelo Ferreira (3), Mateusz Kusnierewicz (2), Mark Reynolds (3), Hall Haenel (2) and Robert Scheidt (3).

Those who have won Olympic class world championships: Torben Grael (1), Marcelo Fereirra (2), Freddie Loof (2), Mark Reynolds (2), Xavier Rohart (2), Pascal Rambeau (2), Robert Scheidt (6) and Hamish Pepper .

Those who have placed among the top three in the Finn Gold Cup: Mateusz Kusnierewicz (5), Freddie Loof (4), Andrew Simpson (2) and Xavier Rohart (2).

Those who have been involved in America's Cup campaigns: Torben Grael, Iain Murray, Andrew Simpson, Andy Horton, Luca Modena, Francesco Bruni, Carl Williams, Andrew Scott and Mark Mendleblatt.

Those who have won an Olympic gold medal and are waiting for their skipper to arrive from the America's Cup competition: Magnus Liljedahl.

There is at least one Optimist world champion among the galaxy of talent that is heading out into the Atlantic for the first race of the world championships on Tuesday. -- Lynn Fitzpatrick

CORRECTION
The dangers of cut and paste... the top ten from the recently concluded Etchells Worlds were NOT all British, as was listed in yesterday's issue. Here's the correct nationality breakdown:

1. Andy Beadsworth, GBR, 18 points
2. Jud Smith, USA, 25
3. Ante Razmilovic, GBR, 29
4. James Howells, GBR, 31
5. Tom Hughes, USA, 38
6. Noel Drennan, AUS, 43
7. Jon Andrews, NZL, 51
8. Nils Razmilovic, GBR, 54
9. Peter Duncan, USA, 56
10. Jake Gunther, AUS, 64

THE LAST WORD
When I die, I want to die like my grandmother who died peacefully in her sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in her car. -- Anon.

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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