Brought to you by boats.com Europe with the support of OC Events, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

A NEW BOAT FOR THE NEXT AMERICA'S CUP
The Protocol for the 33rd America's Cup was revealed on Thursday afternoon, detailing the broad outlines of the next event. Among the highlights was the introduction of a new class of boat, to be 90 feet in length overall, sailed by a crew of around 20 sailors. The final design rule for the new class will be issued on or before 31 December 2007.

The Challenger of Record is the Club Nautico Espanol de Vela which has agreed on the Protocol for the 33rd America's Cup with the Defending Yacht Club, the Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG).

The Protocol was announced at a press conference in Port America's Cup on Thursday at noon, by Michel Bonnefous, the CEO of the event organisers, Brad Butterworth, the skipper of the winning Alinghi team, and Hamish Ross, General Counsel of Alinghi.

The venue for the 33rd America's Cup has not been announced. But it was acknowledged that there is an existing relationship with Valencia and a host city agreement with the city is being pursued. The selection of Valencia, or an alternative European venue, will be made and announced on or before 31December 2007.

"Today we have a natural relationship with Valencia and Spain, and obviously we are discussing extensively the renewal of Valencia as a venue, but we haven't reached an agreement so far. I imagine if we can reach an agreement with Valencia it will happen fairly soon, so we will be able to announce it quickly," said Michel Bonnefous, who also confirmed he would be stepping back his involvement in the next Cup, but not retiring. "If not, we start the process - for two or three months - to select another venue. We have a few cities already who have told us of their interest in hosting the America's Cup."

The 33rd America's Cup will take place no earlier than 2009 and no later than 2011. It will consist of pre-regattas (potentially to be used as qualifying for the main event), along with the 'main event', comprising Trials, Challenger Selection, and the America's Cup Match. This schedule will be confirmed on or before 31 December 2007.

As with the 32nd America's Cup, the SNG has appointed ACM to manage, organise and finance the 33rd America's Cup.

ACM is also charged with appointing a Race Committee and Measurement Committee along with a Chief Umpire. ACM will establish a Competitors' Commission, with representation from the Defender and Challengers, which will hold regular meetings as a forum to exchange information.

Clearly, the biggest change will be the new class of boat, which Butterworth described as being something that will open the door to new teams, as all the teams in the next Cup, even existing ones, will start from the same level.

"Everybody seems to want a new boat that is bigger, more exciting and difficult to sail, and faster which is the emphasis behind it," Butterworth said. "We're trying to develop something more exciting. These boats have been fantastic but I think they have got to the end of their life and people are looking for something bigger and faster, harder to sail. The guys will have to be athletic; they will be tough boats to sail."

In the pre- regattas, teams will compete in the existing America's Cup Class boats. There will be at least 18 months between the publication of the new Class Rule and the first race in that class.

ACM will now work on fleshing out the details of the new Class Rule, selecting the venue, and publishing the Competition Regulations and Event Regulations. -- www.americascup.com

* It would have been unthinkable two years ago but the best combination of skipper and tactician in the modern America's Cup - Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth - could square up against each other in the 33rd staging of the event... Butterworth nailed his colours to the Alinghi mast yesterday.

Bertarelli has said "the Russell story is in the past" - meaning no reconciliation - while Butterworth has now emerged as a leader in his own right, supported strongly by his fellow 'Tight Five' Kiwis.

It would seem unlikely that the most successful skipper/helmsman in 156 years of Cup history will sit out a second series, especially when billionaires Larry Ellison of Oracle and Patrizio Bertelli of Prada/Luna Rossa have come up short in their second and third campaigns... Coutts says he "has options" for a new tilt at the cup. Team New Zealand have ruled out his return but Ellison is said to have spoken to him while the possibility of a new challenge with new backing remains strong.

If the 33rd Cup is held in two years' time, the labour market will be super-heated. Already Francesco de Angelis, skipper of the Italian team in the last three cups, has left Prada/Luna Rossa.

French nuclear power generator Areva is planning a huge increase in budget for the French team bearing its name and Ben Ainslie, Team New Zealand's tune-up driver, says he has an agreement in place for his own participation in the next cup with an unnamed team. -- Tim Jeffery in the Telegraph, full article at: www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/07/05/sosail105.xml

X-YACHTS OPEN WEEKEND
X-Yachts (GB) Limited invite you to join us at Hamble Point Marina, Southampton where we will be holding an Open Weekend on 21st & 22nd July 2007. On display will be the X-35, X-37, X-40, X-41, X-43 and X-46. Also, we will have a selection of approved pre-owned X-Yachts for sale. Please call or email us to confirm that you will be joining us. The opening hours are: Saturday 21st July 10.00 - 17.00 Sunday 22nd July 10.00 - 15.00. For further information, please contact Kirsty Wheeler on +44(0)23 8045 3377, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We look forward to welcoming you here in Hamble.

ISAF SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Cascais, Portugal: Big waves and big breeze made for a terrific third day of racing at the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal. The Finns and the Ynglings joined the action today, with the highly-anticipated British-Yngling showdown living up to its billing in a fascinating first race.

The sun shone again in Cascais today and the Nortada wind picked up, gusting up to 20 knots on the race courses further out to shore. Whilst the shifty conditions turned up a few surprises earlier in the week, today was generally one in which the pre-regatta favourites showed their best form.

Top three by class after Thursday's racing:

Tornado
1. Fernando Echavarri / Anton Paz, ESP, 25 points
2. Carolijn Brouwer / Sebastien Godefroid, BEL, 29
3. Xavier Revil / Christophe Espagnon, FRA, 35

Finn
1. Emilios Papathanasiou, GRE, 2
2. Ed Wright, GBR, 5
3. Jonas Hogh-Christensen, DEN

Laser
1. Simon Groteluschen, GER, 12
2. Thomas Le Breton, FRA, 14
3. Paul Goodison, GBR, 14

Laser Radial
1. Lijja Xu, CHN, 9
2. Nufar Edelman, ISR, 21
3. Tania Elias Calles Wolf, MEX, 22

Star
1. Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada, BRA, 8
2. Xavier Rohart / Pascal Rambeau, FRA, 10
3. Iain Percy / Andrew Simpson, GBR, 12

Yngling
1. Shirley Robertson / Annie Lush / Lucy MacGregor, GBR, 3
2. Sarah Ayton / Sarah Webb / Pippa Wilson, GBR, 5
3. Sharon Ferris / Raynor Smeal / Shandy Buckley, NZL, 8

49er, RS:X Men and RS:X Women have their first race today, Friday 6 July. The 470 men and women start racing on Saturday.

www.cascaisworlds2007.com

* Sail TV has been appointed as the exclusive Broadband Live Broadcaster for the ISAF Sailing World Championships. The channel will be broadcasting live coverage of the Medal Races for 2 hours daily from 9-13 July. Live coverage will not be available on any other broadband platform and Sail TV is proud to be offering this exclusive opportunity to sailing fans around the world.

The channel will be providing two modes of coverage from Cascais, with a daily news update which is free to view, and live programming coverage of the event will be available for a one-off payment of 4.99 Euros for the five days of coverage. The Live show will then be available once 'off-air' to subscribers if they wish to watch the show later at any time.

See www.sail.tv

FOR SALE:
Offshore Challenges currently have a set of direct built female moulds for a Farr designed Open 60. The hull and deck moulds are situated in Cowes (UK) and available for immediate shipping. Offers for the moulds need to be placed by July 13th 2007. The moulds will be destroyed if no offers are received or none accepted. For further information please contact Kevin Bennetts at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

FARR 40 OPEN NORDIC CHAMPIONSHIP
Hanko, Norway: The inaugural Farr 40 Open Nordic Championship will take place July 5-8 at Hanko, Norway. Hosted by the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (Kongelig Norsk Seilforening, KNS) with support from the Hanko Yacht Club and the Farr 40 European Fleet Association, the regatta is the third stop on the Farr 40 Class European Circuit. The island of Hanko is located in the southeastern part of Norway at the Oslo Fjord, not far from the Swedish border. The race course is exposed to sea breezes from the southwest and generally offers very good and fair sailing. A large international fleet of 28 Farr 40s representing eight countries has entered, 18 of which made the journey over by ship non stop from the Farr 40 European Championship at the Rolex Settimana delle Bocche in Italy.

The Scandinavian Sailing Federation will award its gold, silver and bronze medals to all crewmembers of the regatta's overall winners. In addition to the Nordic Champion's trophy, a trophy will go to the skipper of the top Scandinavian (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden) boat.

The Farr 40 Class will next compete at the Skaw Farr 40 Race Week (July12-14) in Skagen, Denmark and Rolex Baltic Week (Aug. 17-19) in Neustadt, Germany, followed by the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, August 29 - September 1.

www.kns.no/Norsk/REGATTA/NOM_Farr_40/Information
www.farr40.org

FIRST HOME, BUT TWICE FACED RISK OF SINKING
The first two yachts to complete the Royal Southampton's 510-mile offshore race from the Solent to northern Spain have arrived at Santander.

Taking line honours were Andy Hill and Matthew Lathoud who were first in to the Real Club Maritimo on Tuesday evening with their J105 Only Just at the end of a gruelling voyage in the Southampton-Santander Express race which saw them in danger of sinking on at least two occasions.

They arrived at the finish line just before 8pm, Spanish time on Tuesday evening. Second boat home, the Swan 40, Bastet, crewed by Paul Rowlinson and Nicholas Metcalfe arrived in the early hours of Wednesday morning

The remaining two yachts still in the race should reach Santander on Thursday. They are Gary Clements and Chris Knowlton on the Southerly 100, Coryphagna, and Tim Wilson and Richard Haynes on the Dragonfly 920 multihull, Cold Fusion.

Of the ten yachts who crossed the start line in mid-Solent on Saturday, started by Club member and round the world yachtswoman Dee Caffari, six have retired into ports both sides of the English Channel after succumbing to fierce weather soon after the start.

At the finish line, Andy Hill said twice they found their boat taking on water and had had to contend with short seas and 14ft waves, long spells of manually pumping out water, as well as sea sickness.

Race sponsor offshore yachtsman Paul Metcalf, of the Cowes yachtbuilder firm Sail Ventures is due to arrive in Santander to also greet the competitors who have completed the race. -- Michel Ford

www.rsyc.org.uk

ULLMAN SAILS IN 2007 TRANSPAC RACE TO HONOLULU
Ullman Sails wishes all our TransPac customers in the 44th Race to Honolulu, Good Luck, Fair Sailing and a Safe Passage: "Adrenalin", Santa Cruz 50; "Bolt", N/M 55; "Brilliant", J/100; "Cheetah", Peterson 68; "Holua", Santa Cruz 70; "Horizon", Santa Cruz 50; "Hula Girl", Santa Cruz 50T; "IT'S OK", Andrews 50; "Locomotion", Andrews 45; "Medicine Man", Andrews 63; "Psyche", Cal 40; "Relentless", Santa Cruz 52; "Skylark", Santa Cruz 70; "Traveler", Northwind 47; "Uncontrollable Urge", Columbia 30 SY; and "Westerly", Santa Cruz 70.

For the "Fastest Sails on the Planet" contact your nearest Ullman Sails loft and visit www.ullmansails.com

ALINGHI HOMECOMING TOUR
Alinghi is bringing the trophy to Switzerland for a "Homecoming Tour" and the entire team (130 team members and their families) plans to arrive in Geneva on Sunday 8 July onboard a Swiss Airlines plane with the Auld Mug. Alinghi team members will head to the Parc des Eaux Vives to celebrate with the public at a festival from 17:00, that will include music, live TV interviews on big screens and a full team presentation from 19:30. At 21:30 a concert with an international guest star will kick off and there will be fireworks at 22:30.

From Geneva, members of the team will continue the Alinghi "Homecoming Tour" to Zurich (10 July), Bern (12 July) and Lugano (14 July).

Each one of these homecoming stopovers will include Alinghi photographic projections on famous landmark buildings the night before. These will tell the story of Alinghi and the path to winning the America's Cup for the second time. Each day the Cup will be on display from 10:00-20:00, team members will be present for autograph signing opportunities hourly at 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00 and film footage of the racing will remind public of this historic achievement.

www.alinghi.com

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR TOP YACHTING AWARDS
Nominations for the prestigious Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year awards open at 12.30pm on Friday 14 September, on the Raymarine stand G088 at the Southampton Boat Show. Dee Caffari (current Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year) and Katie Miller (current Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year) will be among those opening the nominations.

The general public are invited, and encouraged to complete nomination forms, entering candidates who they believe should be awarded for their achievements. Nominations can range from a well-known figure in the yachting or power boating world, to a commendable member of a boating club.

Both awards recognise British sporting excellence in power or sail and acknowledge achievement - such as breaking a world record, a phenomenal win, overcoming adversity, or showing exceptional bravery and courage.

The Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year title is currently held by Dee Caffari who won the award for the world record she set as the first woman to sail single-handed, non-stop around the world against prevailing winds and currents. For Dee the world challenge was a long-held ambition. Katie Miller scooped the Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year award for her single-handed circumnavigation of the UK in her boat Elektra in 2006. Her inspirational three-month voyage raised funds for The Ellen MacArthur Trust to enable even more children suffering with cancer to experience the thrills and beauty of sailing.

From 14 September nominations can be entered directly from http://www.raymarine.com and www.yja.co.uk . Alternatively pick up a nomination form at the Southampton Boat Show, sailing clubs nationwide, or from RYA affiliated clubs.

SHORT TACKS
* As the 2007 America's Cup draws to a close, we reflect on the dramatic events in Valencia and look forward to plans for the next contest, the 33rd America's Cup. We hear from a variety of the leading personalities intergrally involved in this year's Cup - Ernesto Bertarelli, Brad Butterworth, Grant Dalton, and editor of the America's Cup website Peter Rusch.

We also hear from Laser Radial sailor Lizzie Vickers who talks us through the fierce level of competition in the women's field as they battle to spearhead the British challenge at the World Championships in Cascais.

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

* Up to 120 yachts are due to set out round the Isle of Wight this weekend with the Royal Southampton Yacht Club's Island Double - a double-handed race around the Island - and part of the hugely successful Double Handed Series, sponsored by McGuigan Wines.

It takes place on Saturday, July 7 starting from Cowes, off The Barge.

From Cowes, competitors head west towards the Needles and then make their way round the south of the Island.

The current monohull record was set in 2004 by Chris Little's previous Bounder, a Farr 45, sailed by Chris and Mike Richards. Their time of 5 hours, 58 minutes knocked six minutes off the existing time set by a Swan 56, Noonmark V1 in 2003. The multihull record is held by the Firebird catamaran, Phoenix, sailed by Martin Hutchings and Tim Hazel, and was set in 1996 at 4 hours 44 minutes and 29 seconds.

* And speaking of Chris Little's current Bounder...The new IRC 55 Bounder capsized on Sunday June 30 off St Catherines Light House on the south side of the Isle of Wight, when the keel broke off from the hull. 14 Crew were safely lifted from the upturned hull by Coastguard helicopter when the crew alerted the Coastguard by mobile phone. Bounder was designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian, built by Goetz Custom Boats, USA.

Photos of the boat post-capsize courtesy Rick Tomlinson ( rick-tomlinson.com ) at scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/ in the new Capsizes and Mishaps section...

* Lots of new photos in the Eurobutt gallery: more pics from the final race of the America's Cup from Jan Pehrson ( www.JanPehrson.com ), the RORC IRC Championship from Mark Lloyd ( www.lloyd-images.com ), and the Swan European Championship from Rick Tomlinson ( rick-tomlinson.com ) -- see scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/

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 Simon Baker: Well they said all along that there was no second in the America's cup, but in the end, that's all there was!

THE LAST WORD
Live so that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip. -- Will Rogers

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

Scuttlebutt Europe is available via email:
To subscribe visit scuttlebutteurope.com

Editorial and letter submissions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/content/view/7/6/