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WILD OATS DISMASTS, ONE CREWMAN INJURED
Porto Cervo, Sardinia: Australian supermaxi Wild Oats XI, the record holder for the Sydney to Hobart race, was dismasted in dramatic fashion during Race Three of the Rolex Cup Maxi Yacht World Championship off Porto Cervo today.

Incredibly, only one crewmember, Sydneysider Peter Shipway, was injured when the 42-metre high carbon fibre mast exploded into three pieces and crashed over the side. Shipway was taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs. Four other crewmen were hurled into the water during the incident. They either managed to swim back to the yacht and were dragged aboard or were picked up by support boats.

The rig along with the new mainsail and headsail were dumped overboard within 15 minutes and the yacht then returned to Porto Cervo under its own power. A doctor went aboard as Wild Oats XI entered port to check on Shipway's condition. He then arranged for him to be transported ashore on the yacht's inflatable support boat so he could be taken to hospital for further assessment.

Even before the yacht had reached port Oatley declared to his 24-man crew that no effort would be spared in trying to have the 30-metre long yacht repaired and on the start line for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race on December 26. Oatley is determined to give his yacht and crew every chance to score a third consecutive line honours in the 627-nautical mile classic. Wild Oats XI will be shipped back to Australia from Italy almost immediately while plans are put in place for a new rig and sails to be made.

It appears that the mast broke as a consequence of the failure of rigging supporting it. Crew reported hearing one relatively small 'bang' then what was literally an explosion as the hollow carbon fibre spar broke into pieces and crashed down around them. With the balancing pressure of the rig then gone and the massive 12-tonne canting keel at its maximum tilt to windward Wild Oats XI rolled to windward so violently that the four crewmen were thrown over the side and Shipway was injured.

Wild Oats XI was only four minutes into the 65-nautical mile race when the mast broke. What is confounding the crew is that there was only 11 knots of wind and small, choppy seas at the time while for 45-minutes prior to the start there was no sign of problems when they were sailing upwind in 14 knots of wind and a considerably more severe sea state.

"We've never had anything like this happen in ten years of offshore campaigning," said Mark Richards. "We could understand it more easily if we were pounding upwind in rough seas and strong winds, but that wasn't the case here."

It is expected that an effort will be made tomorrow to salvage the shattered sections of the mast and the sails in the hope that more light can be shed on the cause of the problem. -- Rob Mundle

LONG DAY AT THE MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP
Race two of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup was a day of high drama. The 65 nautical mile Coastal Race took all four divisions all the way up the outside of the Maddalena Islands to Lavezzi and the southern tip of Corsica, returning back down the channel and beyond to the islet of Mortoriotto before a final return leg to the finish off Porto Cervo. This time the critical moment in proceedings was shortly after the start (when Wild Oats XI lost her rig).

Conditions at the start were uncomfortable, but not treacherous. A northeasterly Grecale at 15 knots had replaced the Mistral of yesterday. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Race Committee had set the start inside the Maddalena channel to afford some protection from the far lumpier sea state directly outside Porto Cervo harbour.

In the Racing Division, Alfa Romeo pulled away gradually from Morning Glory and was the first yacht to reach the Monaci rocks. By Lavezzi, the furthest point from Porto Cervo, Crichton reckoned they had 20 minutes on Morning Glory and had every chance of winning the race on the water and handicap. It was not to be. As she launched out of the channel at Capo Ferro on the leg to Mortoriotto she stalled.

With the wind fading the wait for all the yachts to finish in the Cruising and Mini Maxi divisions is expected to be a long one. The race time limit is 2200 and at the time of writing there are two boats left to finish the race, one in Cruising and one in Mini Maxi. Unofficial, provisional results in Cruising put Arne Glimcher's Ghost (USA), first home on the water and on handicap. Velsheda (GBR) got the better of her J Class sister Ranger (CAY) both on the water and on handicap. Viriella (ITA) is the only finisher in the class, a number of retirements and non-starters. For the Mini Maxis, Carlo Puri Negri's Atalanta II looks to have won on handicap and on the water, with Out of Reach (MON) in second.

The wind for tomorrow is expected to be WNW at 13- 17 knots, increasing to 16-18 knots in the later afternoon.

Current Provisional Standings

Racing
1. Loki, Stephen Ainsworth AUS, 2-1-3.0
2. Morning Glory, Hasso Plattner GER, 1-3-4.0
3. Rambler, George David USA, 3-4-3.0

Wally
1. J One, Jean Charles Decaux GBR, 1-2-3.0
2. Dark Shadow, Antexis Ltd 5-1-6.0
3. Indio, Andrea Recordati ITA, 2-4-6.0

(Race 2 results unavailable for Cruising & Mini Maxi at the time of going to press)

Cruising
1. Ranger Rsv Ltd, USA, 1-1.0
2. Velsheda, Turbat Inv. Ltd USA, 2-2.0
3. Viriella, Vittorio Moretti ITA, 3-3.0

Mini Maxi
1. OPS 5, Massimo Violati ITA, 1-1.0
2. Atalanta II, Carlo Puri Negri ITA, 2-2.0
3. Aegir, Brian Benjamin GBR, 3-3.0

.www.yccsmaxi.it

CONGRATULATIONS TO FRANCK CAMMAS & CREW ON "GROUPAMA III"
Gori propeller is the chosen brand of propeller for high performance multi hulls and grand prix yachts, including GROUPAMA III, which broke the record crossing the Atlantic in less than 4 days, with an average speed of 28.1 knots.

Gori propeller when folded does not auto rotate, and has the lowest drag of all sailboat propellers. Find out more at .www.gori-propeller.com

ALINGHI AND ACM MOVE FORWARD
Alinghi, Defender of the 33rd America's Cup, gave a progress report on preparations for the 33rd America's Cup at the Société Nautique de Genève. This gathering marked the start of the 33rd America's Cup campaign and a return to business after the August break. Brad Butterworth, team skipper was accompanied by Hamish Ross, general counsel and Michel Hodara representing America's Cup Management.

The group announced several developments in the preparations for the 33rd America's Cup. The first is that the design consultation period, due to start in mid September, will last for six weeks and will result in the definition of the class rule. The consultation will be facilitated by an expert consultant to ensure the views of all five challengers are represented. Secondly, Brad explained that the clear intention regarding the development of the rules is to have a "tight design box" in order to facilitate close racing. "Our objective is to create a tight design box rule that will ensure the emphasis remains on sailing skill and exciting racing as we have recently seen during the 32nd America's Cup, this together with large, visually impressive state-of-the- arts boats will help us achieve our vision for the next Cup," he declared during the press briefing in Geneva. "We are keen to return the America's Cup to the romantic era of J-Class size yachts, albeit updated with the very latest technology. This will create a superb spectacle and event for sailing fans worldwide."

It was also announced that in the next few days there will be a Competitor Commission meeting to discuss the 33rd America's Cup and elements of the Protocol, with the aim to mould this edition into an even greater success than its predecessor.

ACM also confirmed today that Valencia has been approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers and has now been officially ratified by all the Spanish Authorities for the 33rd America's Cup. This completes all contractual proceedings regarding the venue for the Cup in 2009. ACM also confirmed that United Internet Team Germany has been officially accepted as the 5th challenger.

"Most of the team is now back from the summer break and we are pressing ahead with preparations for the next Cup in 2009, with a particular focus on developing the new class rule through consultation with the five confirmed challengers," said Brad Butterworth, adding: "These new class rules will be released on 31st October 2007, 18 months before the first pre-regatta with the new boats, and two months earlier than initially planned."

Butterworth also took the opportunity to clarify and further explain aspects of the Protocol that have been misinterpreted over the summer period, see the Q&A at .www.alinghi.com

* At today's SNG press briefing, Alinghi general counsel Hamish Ross spoke about the court proceedings, reiterating that there were two proceedings; the original complaint and the more recent injunction requiring the process to be speeded up and asking for a place to be designated for the Golden Gate's multihull challenge and the race conditions to be defined. He said that court action was not needed to get SNG to agree to speed things up, a phone call would have sufficed. His comments on the GGYC challenge are best left until later.

"The issue in court is a very simple one," said Ross, it is whether the Spanish challenger is entitled to be accepted as a challenger under the terms of the Deed of Gift. GGYC has raised two complaints; one is that CNEV is not an incorporated yacht club and the second is that it hadn't held an annual regatta before it challenged."

After citing a number of clubs that were not incorporated and/or had not held annual regattas, over the last 25, or so years, Ross said "Of course, the most significant of all is the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron: challenger in 87; challenger 92; winner in 95; defender and winner, in 2000, and then lost, of course, to Alinghi in 2003, which was never incorporated in that entire era." -- Marian Martin in BYM news, .www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=14846

SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW
The Southampton Boat Show in association with ITV Meridian returns to Mayflower Park this September. Celebrating its 39th year the Show, which has Europe's largest purpose built on-water marina, takes place from 14-23 September 2007. This year, the Show will see an exciting line up of famous boats on the feature berth of the Hydropool Marina. Not only will Sir Robin Knox-Johnston be there with his Open 60 "Lombard Marine Finance", along with Mike Golding and the Open 60 ECOVER but TEAMORIGIN, Official Challenger for the 33rd America's Cup, will bring the newly liveried GBR 75 race training America's Cup boat to the Show.

.www.southamptonboatshow.com

ABDERDEEN DRAGON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Two more races and a discard revealed a completely new leader board at the Abderdeen Dragon World Championships in Dun Laoghaire last night (Wednesday) where Germany's Tommy Muller moves to the top of the 68-boat fleet by a narrow margin.

Four Irish boats stay in the top ten with top placed Neil Hegarty dropping from third to sixth overall with a 20 and 34th scored yesterday.

In a big upset for Marcus Wieser, the overall leader after four races, the German sailing Ukraine entry Bunker Queen, was judged OCS in race five but last night was one of four competitors with a protest against the race conmmittee.

The German helmsman did not recover earlier form in race six counting 56th in the afternoon race.

Light conditions prevailed on Dublin Bay again with winds never reaching 10 knots. A strong flood tide dictated tactics in a day when a long port tack off the start line was favoured by the majority of the fleet in both races.

Ukraine's Yvegen Braslavets was the winner of race five. He was followed by Britain's David Palmer who discovered he too was OCS only after crossing the finish line. Switzerland's Uli Libor took his place with Lars Jensen of Denmark third.

Light but steady conditions from the West remained for the afternoon race with some bright sunshine and it was won by the new overall leader Muller. Second was Swedens Lars Idmyr and third Germnany's Stefan Link.

Racing continues Thursday with race seven and concludes on Friday with race eight and a second discard.

.www.dragonworld2007.com

* A new batch of photos by Gareth Craig, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , in the Eurobutt Gallery .www.scuttlebutteurope.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,30/

... and on Gareth's site: .www.fotosail.com/07dragonworlds

CORK WEEK ANNOUNCES CARROLL CHALLENGE CUP FOR TP52
Planning for the TP52 2008 Season is well underway and a new trophy is up for grabs.

The Organisers of Cork Week 2008 have announced that The Carroll Challenge Cup will be awarded to the best TP52 racing under IRC next July at Cork Week which takes place from July 12th to July 18th next.

The Trophy was presented to the Royal Cork Yacht Club in the summer of 1858 and it was a prize in Club Races during the 1850s and 1860s. It has pride of place in the Club Trophy Cabinet and the decision to award it to the prestigious TP52 is sure to attract interest from across the class which is set to grow by the addition of 10 new boats this year.

The first entries for Cork Week 2008 have already been received and organisers are looking forward to the most successful event yet

Full details of the event, can be found at http://www.corkweek.ie or +353 21 483 1179 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

TRANSAT 6.50 CHARENTE-MARITIME/BAHIA
Thirty years after the race was created, the 16th edition of the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia will leave from Fort Boyard on Sunday the 16th of September 2007.

Previously known as Mini-Transat, the Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia was created by British skipper Bob Salmon to react against the high technical and financial expenditures during the OSTAR (The transat) in 1976.

The aim of the race was basically to permit everyone to participate including those that didn't have a large budget and to avoid any kind of abuse; the sailing boat size couldn't be over 6.50 meters. The two first editions, organized in 1977 and 1979, shed light on that spirit: there was an official departure from England, but then the skippers were free to declare their arrival in Antilles. Years after year, the Transat 6,50 became a star race without giving up to its basic spirit. Still approachable even for lowest budgets and amateurs, it became an unavoidable step for skippers that aspire to a solo racing career.

The Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia is, for sure, the most International solo race with not less than 16 nations represented. The 16th edition will join together Slovenians, Americans, Polish, Australians, English, Spanish, Italians, Swiss, Belgians, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Germans, Finish, Czechs and Croatians.

Is the Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia victim of its success? Yes it is! As a consequence, there will be 84 skippers lining up this year (series boats and prototypes). There could have been a hundred, if we consider the attraction that the Transatlantic has on amateurs and semi-professional skippers. And they represent all the generations, youngsters and less young, men and women. There will be nine women to leave on the 16th of September.

Sunday the 16th of September
6.30 am: The boats start to leave Port Boyard

11 am: Start of 16th Transat Charente-Maritime/Bahias
Off Fort Boyard

Estimation of the first arrivals at Funchal (Madeira Islands)
From Friday the 21st of September

Thursday the 4th of October
Funchals' prize giving

Saturday the 6th of October
Start of the second leg from Funchal (Madera Island) to Salvaldor de Bahia (Brazil)

Estimation of the first arrivals at Salvador de Bahia (Brazil)
From the 25th of October

.www.transat650.org

OYSTER MARINE LTD
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Project Managers
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Apply in confidence by email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

SHORT TACKS
* Sally Barkow (USA) stormed to victory at the ISAF Grade 1 Trentino Women Match Race, defeating World Championship silver medallist Katie Spithill (AUS) in the final. Barkow and her crew bounced back from the disappointment of missing the podium at the Olympic Test Event in China, by demonstrating their match racing prowess on Lake Ledro in Italy. After winning the round robin with a 10-1 score, Barkow swept through the knockout stages. She defeated Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) 2-0 in the semis, before dispatching Spithill 3-0 in the final. -- .www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j1qFnizvw&format=popup

* Two British sailors, Dee Caffari and her co-skipper Nigel King, finished their qualifying sail for the 2007 Transat Jacques Vabre (TJV) race onboard the Open 60 racing yacht Aviva. Caffari and King successfully completed the 1000-mile qualifying sail, from La Rochelle to Gosport.

Caffari has recruited King for the two-handed transatlantic race based on his extensive offshore racing experience. The pair first sailed together competitively in this year's Calais Round Britain Race as part of a five-man crew. King has since competed in La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro but was disappointed to have to retire after technical difficulties with the boat's electronics. Following today's successful qualification Caffari and King will now train together in the build up to the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

The 4,340-mile race signifies the next step of Caffari's rapid development into competitive Open 60 racing as she prepares to compete in the Vendee Globe 2008/09 and become the first woman to sail solo around the world in both directions. The Transat Jacques Vabre sets sail from Le Havre, France on 3 November 2007 and finishes in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.

* After an intense season, crowned by the victories in the Calais Round Britain Race and Rolex Fastnet Race, the Open 60 PRB is back in the shed for a month of maintenance in preparation for the next circumnavigation by Vincent Riou and Sebastien Josse in the Barcelona Race.

"We seek to gain weight and to better balance the boat" explains Pierre-Louis Pillot, Project Manager. To conclude this task, the team has engaged the work of two specialists in composites who have come to lend a hand to the PRB team.

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 Theo Rye: Regarding Suzie Marwood's query about the term "Corinthian" (Scuttlebutt 1306), the earliest references I know of in yachting are to races held by the Clyde Yacht Club in the 1860s. In the Badminton Library "Yachting" published in 1894, in the chapter on "Scottish Clubs" and referring to the 1863 season;

"the Corinthian regatta of the club..... had formed part of each season's programme of events for some years, and had been the means of cultivating a true taste for amateur seamanship. Many a member can look back to his first Corinthian race as the beginning of his practical experience in yacht racing. ...The only conditions of the regatta are that 'Yachts may carry their ordinary paid hands, but no extra paid hands, and must be steered by members of a yacht club' ".

In this period a paid hand could never be a member of a yacht club, so the requirement was effectively for an amateur to helm. By the end of the 19th century there were numerous dedicated Corinthian yacht clubs (notably the Royal Corinthian YC of 1872, the Royal Portsmouth Corinthian YC and Forth Corinthian YC of 1880, the Teign Corinthian YC (original SC) of 1889 etc.)

These Clyde races in the 1860s may therefore represent a relatively early example of identifying the "Corinthian ideal" of participation purely for the love of it; which is, we are told, strictly the definition of an amateur. I assume this is an extension of the notion of the Corinthians living hedonistic lifestyles, but I cannot help with who first made the link from that to amateur sport.

* From Roger Johnstone: In 1308, Steve Old reasonably asks what's the next addition to the Maxi yacht category. With apologies to all shipbrokers, how about "Panamaxi" - largest day racer that can transit the Panama Canal ?.... then "Suezmaxi" and so on...

FEATURED BROKERAGE
ZANA (also known as KONICA MINOLTA), the Brett Bakewell-White designed 98' Supermaxi is for sale by tender. Closing date is the 12th of October. She was designed to be a no compromise record breaker, with an eye towards being converted to a canting keel yacht; she has all the potential that is needed to be a future record breaker, and available now!

Please contact Berthon International Yacht Brokers for tender
instructions and more details. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or +44 1590 679222

THE LAST WORD
Everything you can imagine is real. -- Pablo Picasso

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.

www.YachtsandCruisers.com the new place to buy and sell prestige boats, the website has been designed to showcase high-end boats. People looking to buy prestige boats will be able to easily navigate their way around the site quickly. The portfolio of thousands of boats can be viewed by category, make, location and price. Alternatively the 'Advanced Search' facility will benefit those buyers who have a specific boat in mind.

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