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NO SUN IN THE FUN
Racing in conditions more akin to his home waters of Galway Bay, Ireland, than the glamorous summer resort location of Porto Cervo, Eamon Conneely and the crew of Patches (IRL) kept their wits about them in difficult conditions to end the first day of the Rolex TP52 World Championship on top of the leaderboard, one point ahead of Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis (SWE). A statement of intent that the Global Championship crown is not to be given up without a fight.

Dawn broke with a windless, overcast sky, and a Low Pressure system positioned to the south of Sardinia bringing with it a day of, frankly, horrible weather. The competing crews were kept ashore until 1230 by Peter Craig and his team of race officials to allow some wind to fill in. It eventually did from the northwest, and at 1415 the first of two windward leeward races got underway in about 7 knots. Both courses today were two-lap courses, the first with a 1.5 nautical mile leg and the second race with a 2.2 nm leg.

Race winners were Patches who, after a moderate start position, found themselves on the correct side of a right-hand swing in the wind that saw boats on the left side of the course of the first beat under-laying the mark by some distance, and, in the second race - a much tighter affair - Artemis, who had been in second for much of the race before slipping past Mutua Madrilena (CHI) on the final run home.

Racing continues tomorrow with more windward-leeward courses and the first signal is scheduled for noon.

Weather-wise, tomorrow a more normal Porto Cervo service should resume. Resident expert Major Filippo Petrucci forecasts that the general situation will get better with early morning clouds gradually clearing in the afternoon. The wind will remain troublesome, certainly initially, with tomorrow likely to be the transition day between a northeasterly airstream and the fabled northwesterly Mistral. 10 -15 knots in the morning could well disappear completely as the rotation to the northwest begins in the early afternoon. As the westerly starts to arrive in late afternoon from the Straits of Bonifacio, the windspeed will start to pick up again. Petrucci is expecting the northwesterly to stay for two three days.

Current Provisional Standings

1. Patches, Eamon Conneely, IRL, 1-5-6.00 points
2. Artemis, Torbjorn Tornqvist, SWE, 6-1-7.00
3. Anonimo Q8, Riccardo Simoneschi, ITA, 4-3-7.00
4. Mutua Madrilena, Bablio Sail Project, CHI, 9-2-11.00
5. Cristabella, John Cook, GBR, 2-9-11.00
6. Mean Machine, Peter De Ridder, MON, 7-4-11.00
7. Windquest, Doug Devos, USA, 8-6-14.00
8. Glory, John Buchan, USA, 3-15-18.00
9. Cam Caja Del Mediterraneo, Leon/Sanchez, ESP, 5-14-19.00
10. Stay Calm, Stuart Robinson, GBR, 13-8-21.00

www.rolextp52globals2007.com

ISABELLE 1ST, MANUARD 2ND AND LE BLEVEC 3RD!
The young Franco-German skipper, Isabelle Joschke (Degremont-Synergie) crossed the first leg's line at 2h30min30sec UT (4h11min30sec French time).

As expected, Isabelle was stalled for a long time by the lack of wind near Madeira.

Isabelle spent 05 days, 15 hours, 33 minutes and 30 seconds to sail the 1,100 nautical miles of the first leg at the average speed of 8.11 knots. She's the first woman to win a Mini Transat leg.

First ten into Madeira:
1. Isabelle Joschke, Degremont - Synergie
2. Samuel Manuard, Sitting Bull
3. Yves Le Blevec, Actual
4. Ronan Deshayes, PCO Technologies
5. Adrien Hardy, Brossard
6. Fabien Despres, Soitec
7. Andraz Mihelin, Adria Mobil Too
8. Matthieu Cassanas, Ville De Balaruc Les Bains
9. Olivier Cusin, Energies Autour Du Monde
10. Sebastien Gladu, Clichy Sous Bois - Clichy Sur L'eau

All ten are Prototypes, the first Series boat in was Stephane le Diraison on Cultisol - Institut Curie, 23rd overall.

www.transat650.org

REGATES ROYALES - TROPHEE PANERAI IN CANNES
The 81 boat strong Dragon fleet took to the water on Monday in hopes of getting in its first race of the Regates Royales - Trophee Panerai. On Sunday, the fleet attempted to race three times, before the Race Committee abandoned racing for the day due to the extremely light winds.

But Monday was better. Light conditions were still dominant over the Cannes area, but the Race Committee was able to start the fleet in four to six knots of easterly wind, with the promise of a sea breeze to come. After one general recall, the fleet was more orderly under the black flag, and the second start was clean, with just one boat disqualified for starting early (although four more were ineligible to start today following a black flag disqualification on Sunday).

One day ahead of the 12 Metre Centennial World Championship, many of the 12 Metre fleet participated in Monday's race of the Societe Nautique de Geneve's annual regatta, which is serving as a 'pre-worlds' of sorts.

In the Grand Prix class, James Spithill on Kookaburra II got the better of Paul Cayard, steering Kiwi Magic, but the Kiwi boat had the stronger record over the two races sailed yesterday and today to come out on top of the division for the SNG annual regatta on the sea.

Similarly, Challenge Twelve won the Modern Class, while Emilia rode a pair of second place finishes to win the Classic division. None of the 8 Metres finished the race today, so Jacques Flori's France takes the title on the strength of Sunday's victory.

The 12 Metre World Championship starts in earnest on Tuesday at the Regates Royales - Trophee Panerai in Cannes. The conditions are expected to pick up with 10 to 15 knots Westerlies on the forecast. -- Sabina Mollart- Rogerson

www.regatesroyales.com

EARLS COURT: PUTTING THE 'SHOW' BACK INTO BOAT SHOW
From 1-9 December, the revamped Earls Court opens its doors to sailors, Christmas shoppers and show-goers visiting London. There's music and fashion shows, Riva, a spa for the footsore, the original special events Guinness bar, the National Maritime Museum's Hall of Fame, dozens of drams from the Whyte & Mackay family, acres of chandlery and boats! From a 'boat in a bag' to Gipsy Moth IV, a display of yachts on the pool and headline musical entertainment! The all-new Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show: you can't beat boating in the heart of London! www.earlscourtboatshow.com

ED WRIGHT STATES HIS CASE
Two crews named in the British sailing team for the 2008 Olympic Games in China were beaten at the Skandia Sail for Gold regatta at Portland, Dorset.

John Pink and Simon Wheeler got the better of Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes in the 49er class as did Nick Thompson over Paul Goodison in the Laser class.

Ed Wright, however, reinforced his case for the Royal Yachting Association to continue with a selection in the Finn class - so that he can prove himself against Ben Ainslie - by topping the fleet over Swede Daniel Birgmark. Ainslie was not competing at Portland but is resuming his Finn sailing after years with Team New Zealand America's Cup squad. advertisement

"They are keen to have us race each other," said Wright, whose problem, like every other Finn sailor in the world, is Ainslie's breathtaking record in the class since switching from Lasers after the Sydney Olympics.

Wright, the 2006 European Finn champion, has competed in the same event as Ainslie once before, in China last year. Wright wants the selection made after in the Worlds at Melbourne in the new year.

"I want to get to the Games where I believe I can win a medal," Wright said. "And I'd like the chance to sail against Ben in order to get to China." -- Tim Jeffery in the Telegraph, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/09/24/sosail124.xml

THOMAS JOHANSON SIGNS WITH ERICSSON RACING TEAM
Helsinki, Finland: Finnish sailor Thomas Johanson, has signed with Ericsson Racing Team as crew member in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. The 49er Olympic gold medallist from Sydney 2000 will be sailing with Ericsson's Swedish skipper Anders Lewander on the Nordic crew.

At the age of 38 Thomas Johanson is now writing a new chapter in his sailing career. After many years of inshore fleet racing and as skipper onboard a 60 foot multihull , Thomas is ready to take on his first round the world race.

Skipper Anders Lewander has, just like Thomas, a strong background in dinghies sailing, having been a member of the Swedish National Sailing Team. Amongst different and very varied sailing experiences - ranging from 49ers to Archipelago Raid - Anders has also sailed around the world on board Cheyenne/Playstation in the Oryx Cup 2005. He has been working for North Sails Sweden since 1994, and is a very experienced sail maker.

Ericsson Racing Team will participate with two boats in the next Volvo Ocean Race. One will have an international crew and the other will be all Nordic. The two crews will be part of one same team and the two boats will compete on an equal basis. Both of them will be built by Killian Bushe next to Ericsson's headquarters in Kista, Stockholm. Having two competitive crews in the next race will allow Ericsson Racing Team to train efficiently before the start of the race in Alicante Spain in October 2008.

www.ericssonracingteam.com
volvooceanrace.org

INTERNATIONAL C CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP
This week the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto have been hosting a class of boats even cooler, in our book, than the ORMA 60 trimarans. Every once in a blue moon, the world's most geeky sailors get together to race C-Class catamarans in an event that most know as the 'Little America's Cup' (except these days they will be sued by ACM's squadron of highly paid brand protection lawyers for calling it this).

The C-Class rule, was one of four rules developed for racing catamarans by the ISAF's predecessor, the IYRU back in the 1950s. Of these, the A-Class is probably the most successful in something approaching its original guise, while the B-Class is now effectively the Tornado. The D-Class, the biggest of the four, never really got off the ground, while the C-Class catamarans have spawned what on the one hand are the world's most efficient sailing machines but on the other are possible the world's most expensive sail boats for their length.

The C-Class rule simply limits length to 25ft, beam to 14ft and maximum sail area to 300sqft and the onus is therefore to produce the lightest boat that develops the maximum possible 'thrust', or lift to drag ratio, from the rig. If we think wingmasts are a new development - then C-Class catamarans were using them back in the 1960s. -- From the DailySail, full article, one of the the best your editor has seen on these remarkable boats, is in TheDailySail.com, for those wise enough to subscribe: thedailysail.com/ism/articles.nsf/Features/F1B060BAFB2877398025735D00299E69?OpenDocument&Page=1

Final Day report from the Royal Canadian Yacht Club:

The Fourth race started in 15-18 knots. The first start saw both boats start far apart and with their heavy air rig up the Cogito quickly took the lead. They were able to maintain a strong lead and held it until the top of the last windward leg when Alpha passed them. Alpha then held their lead for the rest of the race and ended up winning by a narrow margin of 16 seconds. The fifth race saw the wind die to 12-15 knots. Cogito maintained their dominance on the start line, pinning Alpha at the pin until a minute and a half after the start. However with the wind dying Alpha's boat speed proved too much for Cogito and Alpha was able to take the International C Class title in five straight races.

Complete reports at www.rcyc.ca

SPIDERTECH BLUE LINE
Fruit of research at Fiorenzi Marine Group, we are happy to announce the launch of a brand-new product named "Spidertech Blue Line". The sails are manufactured using our patented Spidertech lamination technology and have the capability of being adaptable to different boat ranges.

Spidertech Blue Line considerably cuts down the production time when compared to the standard tri-radial cutting process. It can be stocked and used when needed, without having to wait for long delivery times normally only acceptable by very organised racing teams. Spidertech Blue Line is a patent pending technology.

www.spidertechsails.eu/blueline.php

IT'S ON THE NOSE IN THE BAY OF BISCAY
Following the light wind and clear skies of the start, the Clipper fleet encountered totally different conditions overnight and through the early hours of this morning. A cold front has swept across the Bay of Biscay bringing rain and winds of 25 knots with occasional gusts of 30 knots. Since the fleet's departure the wind direction has been predominantly from the south-west which has proved challenging for the fleet as this is the direction they need to head. The necessary tacking has caused the fleet to split with Jamaica and Hull & Humber choosing a more northerly course and New York heading south with the rest of the fleet spread inbetween over a 100 nautical-mile line.

Race Director Joff Bailey said: "The boats are so close in terms of their Distance To Finish (DTF) that until the wind changes into the north-west we will not know who had the right tactics. Liverpool 08 and Durban 2010 and Beyond are doing well in a more central position but Hull & Humber or New York could pull up through the fleet if the wind gods smile on them."

Reporting from Uniquely Singapore last night Skipper Mark Preedy said: "We're trucking along at a steady 9 knots and the crew are starting to settle into the daily routine that will become very natural over the next three weeks."

The good news for the fleet is that once the cold front has passed the winds are forecasted to become more favourable north-westerlies allowing each of the boats to make a more direct route to the famous headland.

This second leg takes from the fleet from La Rochelle, France, to Salvador da Bahia, Brasil.

www.clipperroundtheworld.com

MOBY M30 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Porto Cervo, Italy: Entries for the Moby M30 World Championship 2007 are approaching record levels with 44 boats enrolled to date. The event, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), will take place in Porto Cervo from 1st to 7th October with the participants--currently from 15 nations--doing battle in windward-leeward races on the renowned regatta course off the north-eastern coast of Sardinia.

This is the 11th edition of the M30 World Championships and the third time the event has been held in Italy. The record for participants is 45, which was reached at the 2001 Championship held in Cagliari, Sardinia, yet with any last minute additions for the 2007 event, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda could very well blaze a new record.

Current World Champion Erik Maris will be present aboard Twins (FRA) to defend his title against entrants from Australia, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Monaco, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and USA. Among the 15-strong Italian contingent will be Federico Strocchi's Cheyenne, winner of the Italian M30 Circuit 2007. Cheyenne will be up against strong competition from Matrix Arca TX Active, owned by Luigi Melegari and Gianmarco Rinaldi, with America's Cup Veteran Tommaso Chieffi calling tactics.

M30 one-design racing is notoriously competitive and sailors to watch will also include reigning Farr 40 World Champion and former M30 World Champion (2000) Vincenzo Onorato with his Mascalzone Latino (ITA) and American Deneen Demourkas, who placed sixth behind Maris at last year's M30 Worlds, with her boat Groovederci. Jim Richardson, President of the Farr 40 class, will also compete with his Barking Mad alongside Terry Hutchinson, America's Cup tactician and former J/24 World Champion.

The first M30 was launched in August 1995, and in the 12 years since more than 200 boats have been built. -- Barby MacGowan

For further information, Notice of Race and entry list, please visit www.yccs.it or www.mumm30.org

Event site: www.mobym30worlds.com will be active from 1st October onwards

VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG LASER SB3 UK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hayling Island Sailing Club will host what is expected to be the most hotly contested event in the SB3 2007 calendar, the Volkswagen Touareg Laser SB3 National Championships from 26 to 29 September.

A dazzling line-up of talent will take part in the four-day regatta, with many of the biggest names in sailing joining the UK's most strongly contested fleet. Sailing legend Lawrie Smith is bringing back his 1992 Olympic bronze medal team of Ossie Stewart and Rob Cruikshank to compete in the SB3 for the first time. Similarly, Paul Brotherton, ex 49er champion and coach to the Gold Medal British Yngling team, will be competing with Bill Masterman and James Fawcett onboard.

The Cowes 2006 SB3 winner Russell Peters is teaming up with James Grant of Basilica Volvo Extreme 40 fame and local hero Greg Wells. Geoff Carveth, the reigning SB3 National and European Champion will be hoping to retain his title, while Glenn Bourke in Musto will be looking to continue his success after narrowly beating Carveth to win the Touareg Trophy at Skandia Cowes Week 2007.

Further information at: www.hisc.co.uk/payentry/laserSB3_nationals.htm
Entry List: www.hisc.co.uk/payentry/entries_laserSb3.htm

FEATURED BROKERAGE
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Complete listing details and seller contact information at: www.farrdesign.com/brokerage/Braveheart.htm

THE LAST WORD
The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them. -- 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.

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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