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COPA DEL REY CAMPER AUDI
The embat wind, eight to twelve knots, gave a brilliant start to the 26 Copa del Rey Camper Audi. The first day of races in which four of the six participating classes made their debut (IMS 570, IMS 670, IRC and X-35), was fast and races were held on time, from 13:00 hours The 26 Copa del Rey Camper Audi, organised by Real Club Náutico de Palma and Real Federacion Española de Vela had three racing areas sailing simultaneously, instead of the one only area that was used traditionally.

A total of 76 boats, representing four classes, sailed windward-leeward races of 7 to 10 nautical miles. The biggest excitement was seen in the IMS, with crowded and equal fleets.

In IMS 670, the favourite boats showed their talent and finished in the top places in both races. The quality of teams can be seen in the overall results with a double tie between first and second classified and also between third and fourth. The leaders are Lucío Pérez's Movistar and José María Van der Ploeg's Turismo Madrid, both on board an X-37.

There was a collision in this group between Vindio and Viguetas Cases in the second race, forcing both boats to abandon the race. Vidio was on port tack but could not manoeuvre to give space to Viguetas Cases, hitting her on the side. The boat will spend all night being repaired while the team has a hearing with the International Jury to solve the protest lodged against Vindio.

The IMS 570 had its debut in this 26 Copa del Rey Camper Audi and offered a lovely show, with a very equal fleet sailing very close together. From the 29 participating boats, the best was Dufour 44 Ícaro, owned by Luis Mas. With a first and second place she leads the overall standings with two point advantage over second classified Comet 41S Power Plate-Hempel, with Catalan pre-Olympic sailor Toni Rivas at the helm.

The one design X-35 also made their debut today. Most of the 14 participating boats sailed very close today showing the equality of the teams. But the same boat won the two races. Boat Marina Rubicon's performance, skippered by Canary Island Match race sailor Jose Ponce, had an outstanding performance.

Another class that makes its debut in the 26 Copa del Rey Camper Audi is the IRC class, the group in which 24metre length maxi Bon Bon participates. This US boat won the two races in real time but she did not gain enough advantage to be the winner in corrected time and was finally third.

Tomorrow from 13:00 hours the six participating classes of the 26 Copa del Rey Camper Audi will compete. It will be the debut in this edition for the Transpac 52 and GP 42. All the attention will focus on the new GP 42 class that also sails in real time; in fact, the Copa del Rey Camper Audi scores for the Spanish Championship.

http://www.regatacopadelrey.com

BALTIC SPRINT CUP: LITHUANIA TO LATVIA BY COASTAL EXPRESS
The latest leg of the bank DNB NORD-sponsored Baltic Sprint Cup provided a fast and bumpy ride over the 110-mile course from Klaipeda in Lithuania to Ventspils in Latvia. Starting from the beautiful Lithuanian sail training ship Brabander the cruiser-racer fleet left the line off Klaipeda at 1340 with a 1.5-mile windward leg followed by a starboard-tack spinnaker fetch in a strong and squally SWly to the port entrance. A gybe to port and a northerly course followed giving a few hardy holidaymakers on the long golden sands north of Klaipeda an excellent view.

Part of Klaipeda's annual Festival of the Sea is in honour of all those lost at sea. An impressive parade of sail and wreath-laying ceremony took place on Sunday 29th July under the overall direction of Port Captain Viktoras Ludocovicius. Three lines of ships and small craft left the harbour in naval formation headed by the SAR ship Sariai (Captain Vytautus Saulenas) and included the Baltic Sprint Cup fleet which took their start as the parade headed home.

The powerful Solair (60ft X-yacht, Peter Ufer) ate up the miles to score another line honours victory arriving at 01.08, with Jorn Bock's Fruhstuck Director and Sheila Cooke-Witte and Karsten Witte's Gunvør XL in close pursuit. The lively conditions were not deemed suitable by the skippers of Cutting Edge 1 and 2 and in view of the inexperience of some of their crew members the wise decision was taken by both boats to withdraw from the leg and rejoin the regatta when conditions had abated. The Lithuanian entry Vakare diverted to the Latvian port of Liepaja when a crew member sustained a head injury and after medical checks continued her journey with all crew on board.

Leading the fleet on points overall with one leg left to sail are Class A Fruhstuck Director (Jorn Bock) 1, Philomena (Eggert Schutt) 2, and Gunv0r XL (Sheila Cooke-Witte and Karsten Witte) 3; Class B Schuddelfrost (Friedrich Bohnert) 1, CHAOS quarante (Thomas Nielsen) 2, and Meltemi (Graf Sauma) 3. -- Alan Green

http://www.balticsprintcup.com

B&G PRE-COWES & FASTNET SERVICE
As part of the B&G Regatta Support Program we will once again be out on the water and on the pontoons providing technical support and race assistance at Cowes... However this year why not email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it NOW and request a Support Form to resolve your queries in advance? The NEW Deckman v8.2 is now available with Winning Tides, the ultimate Solent tidal data, and GRIB US integration.

For free upgrades, installation and a demonstration on navigational tips to beat the competition email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

http://www.bandg.com

OK DINGHY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
In Leba, Poland, Nick Craig (GBR) won his third consecutive OK Dinghy World Championship after scoring a second and a first in extreme conditions that tested all the sailors to the limit.

This championship has been one of the most open for a number of ears with five nations in the top ten. In the top 20 there were six from New Zealand, clearly showing form in the breezy conditions as well as four from UK, three from Germany and two from Denmark.

When Craig receives the world championship trophy he will be only the second person in the 50 year history of the class to win the title three years in a row. From 1991-1993, Bo Staffan Anderson (SWE) won three of his four world titles. Craig is now in a position to rewrite history at the world championships next year in Warnemunde, Germany. -- Robert Deaves

1. Nick Craig, GBR, 11
2. Mark Perrow, NZL, 27
3. Karl Purdie, NZL, 27
4. Karsten Hitz, GER, 34
5. Paul Rhodes, NZL, 44
6. Gunter Arndt, GER, 46
7. Jorgen Lindhardtsen, DEN, 47
8. Matt Stechmann, NZL, 59
9. Andre Blasse, AUS, 62
10. Fabian Gronholz, GER, 65

http://okdworlds2007.com

RS:X YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
After finishing registration the competitors (Youth) entered the first race at 12:00. Wind: 10 to 23 knots, W, minimum waves. The Under 21 category are waiting for their start till 14:00.

114 competitors from 16 countries stood at the starting line of the first ever c. Youth under 19 will compete for the world championship. Sailors under 21 - have class championships. The fleet with the most competitors is the RS:X Youth Men with 65 sailors. They have been divided into two groups yellow and blue. This year in Sopot the competition is very strong with this year's ISAF Youth World Champion Pierre Le Coq and other top ranked sailors present. Registration and measurement was open for two days. Saturday's practice race was interrupted by wind condition. (lack of wind).

The official opening ceremony took place on Saturday evening on Europe's longest wooden pier. The regatta was opened by the mayor of Sopot Jacek Karnowski.

Two of the planned races in the Youth category took place both for men and women. The judges were considering starting a third race however it was called off due to wind conditions. Two races were also conducted in the U21 category. There were no protests.

The full classification after two races is available on the web page: http://www.skz.sopot.pl/?module=pliki&plik%5Bkategoria%5D=skz_wyniki

CORK WEEK 2008
Europe's Premiere Biennial Regatta, Cork Week, will take place in the picturesque village of Crosshaven, on the South Coast of Ireland, from July 12th to 18th, 2008.

Recognised as probably the most enjoyable, competitive Regatta in the world, Cork Week continues to attract people from all over - the majority of whom come back time after time.

Cork Week has a unique combination of world class racing alongside a shore based entertainment programme that caters to all tastes.

The Notice of Race will be available from Mid August. Check out http://www.corkweek.ie for further information

470 INTERNATIONALE - ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
Milan, Italy: Important decisions were taken at the Annual General Assembly of 470 Internationale, governing body of the International 470 Class, that took place the 14th of July 2007 in Estoril, Portugal. Besides the approval of the common administrative items on the agenda, the General Assembly voted in favour of proposals aiming at the improvement of the relation of sports and professionalism of the 470 Class.

Enforcement of RRS 42, wind speed limit in Class Rule C1.1: following to a proposal of the Australian 470 Class Association, signed by the multiple 470 World Champion Malcolm Page, the General Assembly voted in favour of the reduction from 10 to 8 knots the wind speed limit from which pumping, rocking and ooching may be allowed. This Class Rule change will be then submitted to the ISAF for its approval.

Coloured hulls (Class Rules D1.1.c): following to a proposal of the Management Committee, the General Assembly voted in favour of the deletion of the provision which states that the outside of the hulls shall be only white, thus answering to the possible demand of sponsors to personalize the hulls with their brand colours. This Class Rule change will be then submitted to the ISAF for its approval.

Honorary Membership: the General Assembly, on a proposal of the Management Committee, granted the Honorary Membership to Mr. Alain Corcuff (FRA), actual Secretary General of the 470 Internationale and its tireless and most valuable officer, as well as Race Officer at the Class Championships, for at least three decades.

Future championships: the General Assembly, based on the bids received from National Class Associations, granted the right to organize the following championships to:

- Junior World Championship 2009: Greece, Thessaloniki
- Junior World Championship 2010: Qatar, Doha
- Master's Cup 2008: Bulgaria, Varna
- European Championship 2011: Scotland (GBR), Largs*

* subject to positive conclusion of the site inspection

http://www.470.org

OPTIMIST WORLDS
On Day 4 of the fleet racing wind returned to give a fantastic day's racing in average 24 knots, rising to an officially recorded 32 knots at one time. With waves of less than one metre this is the stuff Optimist sailors revel in.

Benjamin Grez of Chile with 2/9 edged into a 5 point lead over Chris Steele (NZL) who had 8/13. James Anfossi (BER) lead the chasing pack followed by Sacha Pelisson (FRA) who was finally able to discard his OCS.

The great surprise to Class cognoscenti is the performance of the Austrians whose prevous best result was the long ago 33rd of Denise Cesky and who are not accustomed to the open waters of Cagliari Bay. Lara Vadlau from Klagenfurt - scarcely a mecca of sailing - lies in 9th place and her team-mate Benjamin Bildstein in 11th, while another team-mate Lukas Hussmann had the best results of the day with 1/4.

Just leading Lara for the girls' prize is Alexandra Maloney (NZL) from the rather better known Murray's Bay. Pre-regatta favourites Rachel Lee (SIN) and Stephanie Zimmermann (PER) were less happy with the conditions.

While the hot-shots revelled in the conditions, at the other end of the fleet there were relatively few who were unable to cope (note that the score-sheets do not distinguish between DNF and DNC). While maybe the Kenyans do not have the experience to compete at this level Oliver Jones is to be congratulated in actually finishing one of the races in today's winds. -- Robert Wilkes

http://www.optiworld.org/ioda-news.html

NEW RECORDS
The WSSR Council announces the ratification of 2 new World Records:

Record: Outright 24 hour record
Yacht: Groupama 3
Name: Franck Cammas FRA and 9 crew.
Dates: 19th to the 20th July 2007
Start time: 23: 52 GMT 19th July
Position: 40 59.93N, 69 56.09W
Finish time: 23:48 GMT 20th July
Position: 45 38.16N, 52 51.16W
Distance sailed: 794nm
Average speed: 33.08 kts
Previous record: Bruno Peyron, July 2006, 766.8nm, 31.95 kts

Record: New York to the Lizard. Transatlantic record
Yacht: Groupama 3
Name: Franck Cammas FRA and 9 crew.
Dates: 19th to the 23rd July 2007
Start time: 18: 02: 55 GMT 19th July
Finish time: 22: 00 49 GMT 23rd July
Elapsed time: 4 days 3 hours 57 minutes 54 seconds
Average speed: 29.26 kts
Previous record: Bruno Peyron, July 2006, 4d 8h 23m 54s

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

CLASS 40 MONDIAL
The Morbihan Mondial 40 is the first time that the rapidly expanding fleet of Class 40's has contested a world championship. Based out of La Trinite Sur Mer from the 20th to 22nd July the event drew sixteen yachts with the leading lights of the Class 40 fleet along with Class 40 newcomers Peter Harding and Miranda Merron aboard their new Jaz Marine built Owen Clarke Design '40 Degrees'.

Here is a report In Miranda's own words

'After what has seemed like an eternity of working 7 days a week to get 40 Degrees through measurement and to La Trinite in time for the inaugural Class Worlds, the Morbihan Mondial, we have had a fabulous weekend of fun. Other than half a practice race with half the crew (it was pouring with rain, and aperitif time, so most of the fleet opted to go in), Friday was the first time that we have lined up with other boats. The aim for us was to learn how to set the boat up, and enjoy ourselves. We have had three days of 15-20 knots and sunshine. The race committee at the SNT are not afraid of setting long races and making sure everyone gets the most out of the conditions. We were treated to two coastal races on Friday (two 6th places), and two on Saturday (two 2nd places), the second of which was a 50 mile affair around Belle Ile, and didn't start till early afternoon. On Saturday night we discovered that we were lying 2nd overall with several boats very close behind, so the pressure was on to perform in the last race on Sunday. We led for much of the race, with Atao Audio System, which won the first four races, constantly trying to get ahead of us. We managed to hold it all together, including some interesting sail changes, and 40 Degrees crossed the finish line in 1st place by a few metres, to give us 2nd overall.

The next major Class 40 outing for '40 degrees' will be the RORC annual Fastnet race and we are all looking forward to seeing how Miranda and Peter fare with their new steed. -- http://www.owenclarkedesign.com/da/58076

Top ten final places, Class 40 Worlds:

1. Atao Audio System (D.Vittet)
2. 40 Degrees (M.Merron)
3. En avant les enfants (Y.Berrehar)
4. Palanad II (Jm.Viant)
5. Courrier de nuit (G.Trenteseaux)
6. St Glin Glin (P.Doin)
7. Groupe 5 (P.Carpentier)
8. IX Fun (O.Rabine)
9. Appart City (Y.Noblet)
10. Dimension Spas (F.Scheeck)

Full results on www.snt-voile.org/classements/classement.php?course=138

SHORT TACKS
* A fantastic welcome has been extended to the seventy boats that have travelled to the Waterford Harbour Sailing Club for the 2007 RS Feva 3 Mobile European Championships. Competitors in the practice race were treated to a fly-pass by the local rescue helicopter, followed by a visit from a group of playful dolphins, and topped off by a wonderful opening ceremony. Racing runs until 3 August and, with the sun finally shining, it looks set to be a great event!

* Having set out on 6th July from Saint-Malo to carry out his qualifying run, the skipper of Delta Dore arrived in Lorient (his home base) on Wednesday 25th July after sailing 4700 miles. 19 days alone at sea for Jeremie Beyou, enough time to sail to Newfoundland and back. During the voyage the skipper experienced almost every type of weather. A long upwind tack to begin, then a downwind return journey in winds reaching 35 knots in squalls. These conditions will have enabled Jeremie to really get to grips with his large monohull before he sets sail in mid August to race two-handed in the Fastnet with Sydney Gavinet.

* Jean-Pierre Dick's Paprec-Virbac 2, which was launched in February and has been half way round the world, is out of the Rolex Fastnet Race because of keel problems.

The Open 60 was taken out of the water, at its base in Lorient, for a complete check over and was found to have several cracks in the upper part of the keel blade, close to the pivot point.

Asked whether the boat would be repaired in time for the Barcelona World Race, Dick said "We planned the launching for early in the year, so that we would have time to iron out the problems you always expect with a new prototype. A new keel will have to be made in New Zealand, but we expect the boat to be back in the water at the beginning of October. That will give us the delivery voyage, from Lorient to Barcelona, to finally set it up." -- BYM News, http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=12963

* Today, Monday July 30, Thomas Colville will leave Bali on a 3700 miles crossing to the Seychelles. If the south east trade winds are stable, he will attempt to establish a new record for the crossing and has not rules out the possibility of going for the solo 24 hour record.

Having arrived in Bali several days ago, Coville and his team have checked over the maxi-trimaran Sodeb'O (32 metres by 16,55), which had covered 5300 miles since leaving Sydney to reach Bali via Noumea.

The trimaran, designed by Irens - Cabaret, was launched in Australia on 21 June and Coville elected to return to France by a rather unusual route: New Caledonia, Indonesia, the Seychelles, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Gibraltar to arrive at Sables d'Olonne in mid September. The various stopovers mean that various experts can be embarked, to allow them to check over technical equipment. -- BYM News, http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=12933

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 Roger Johnstone: I wonder how many others will have read of the sad passing of Chris Law and have recalled his part in the UK's 86/87 America's Cup bid with "White Crusader". AC 33 may have provided some stunning tele., but even that can't beat some of the footage from the Fremantle Cup - especially the "White Crusader" showdown match with "America 2" with the (I think) Gary Jobson commentary. I still have the video somewhere of C4's "Great Australian Boat Race" series. Great stuff, and if you've never seen the footage worth trying to track down.....

THE LAST WORD
The fearless are merely fearless. People who act in spite of their fear are truly brave. -- James A. LaFond-Lewis,

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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