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JULES VERNE TROPHY; GROUPAMA 3 READY FOR TAKE OFF
Today, Thursday 6th December, Groupama 3, skippered by Franck Cammas will be on standby. Docked at Lorient, NW France, its home port, the 31.50 m trimaran with four records already under its belt, will wait for favourable weather conditions to begin its Jules Verne Trophy attempt.

At the Lorient base, the crew is virtually complete. From Brazil, South Africa and all around France, the sailors have joined the maxi-trimaran which they know so well, since the majority of them were aboard during the four records broken between May and July: Discovery Route, Miami New-York, North Atlantic crossing and the distance covered in 24 hours.

Under the direction of team manager, Stephane Guilbaud, the ten adventurers are gradually entering into what will be their daily routine around the planet.

On the floor of the big sail loft, the gear is spread out and stored in themes. In the clothing category, each of them have their first name emblazoned on their own boxes: underwear, foulies, fleeces, jackets, dry suits and duvets. As regards food, 50 bags have been packed, which are numbered and adapted to the nutritional needs of the sailing zone in question. The repair material and spares have also been placed in the bilges of Groupama 3 after being carefully weighed.

The trip out to sea scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday has been put back due to the bad weather. Like the trawlers, Groupama 3 remains quayside.

Prior to making Ushant, from where the Jules Verne Trophy most often sets out, they will have to wait for code green (start in 24 hours), this particular code preceded by code yellow (likely start in 48 hours) and code orange (possible start in 96 hours).

Patience then...

The crew:

Franck Cammas
Franck Proffit
Steve Ravussin
Frederic Le Peutrec
Loic Le Mignon
Sebastien Audigane
Ronan Le Goff
Jan Dekker
Jacques Caraes
Sylvain Mondon - onshore weather router

www.cammas-groupama.com

TRADEWINDS AND DISMASTING
Armel Le Cleac'h is heading towards the Cape Verde archipelago after dismasting shortly before lunchtime UTC, whilst sailing in the tradewinds again. Pretty much all the fleet in the Transat Ecover BtoB have hit the trades now, with Loick Peyron leading the way and heading due North towards the Canaries at an average of over 13 knots...

The news fell this lunchtime: Brit Air had dismasted after escaping the Doldrums and was sailing with eased sheets. "It occurred around lunchtime French time. I was down below when I heard a big crack. The mast broke and fell on the side of the deck. I'm a bit anxious about the damage it's done to the deck. There was a bit of wind and sea but it wasn't stormy. I had to try and sort out the mess pretty quickly. I managed to get the mast clear of the boat and it sank fast along with everything else. All I have left is one outrigger so there's not enough to make up a jury rig.

"The Cape Verde islands are about 400 miles away so I'll try and head there. I'm currently under motor at a reduced speed because both the wind and the sea is on the nose. My shore crew is trying to find a solution. We're looking at whether there's enough fuel or whether we can rendezvous with a ship to refuel or organise a tow. I don't understand how it happened. I had about 20 knots of breeze, a bit of chop and not too much sail as I'd reduced earlier this morning. I'm disappointed but I'll have to make do with it for now" detailed Armel Le Cleac'h, contacted at the radio session from the Paris Boat Show.

The tradewinds have already settled over the zone to dish out over 20 knots of breeze, which is set to fill in still further over the coming hours as they clock round more to the East: the monohulls will then be able to ease their sheets and accelerate to over fourteen knots. The next two days at least should see the daily averages slightly exceed 300 miles and the Canaries are just a little over 1000 miles ahead now... with a possible approach from Saturday evening.

Rankings at 12/05/2007 18h00
1. Gitana Eighty, 2482.20 to finish
2. Generali, 35.40
3. Safran, 36.00
4. Groupe Bel, 41.20
5. Foncia, 82.80
6. Ecover, 117.80
7. Cheminees Poujoulat, 153.00
8. Maisonneuve, 216.10
9. Roxy, 216.30
10. Cervin EnR, 230.70
11. Akena Verandas, 231.00
12. Aviva, 327.80
13. Spirit of Canada, 365.50
14. Great American III, 379.10

transatbtob.com

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN HISTORICAL RESTORATION
Venture, an elegant yacht of Edwardian period design, by G. L. Watson. Unexpected circumstances require the present owner to stop the restoration of Venture. She is 55'x42'x12'x8'4" and 27 tons. Originally built by J. Samuel White at Cowes in 1924, she is presently located at Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts USA. This is an opportunity for a new owner to undertake this substantial, but eminently viable project at a particularly good exchange rate.

For more information about Venture or Gannon and Benjamin, see www.venturerestorationproject.com or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

JEAN-BAPTISTE DEJEANTY AND NORBERT SEDLACEK TO ENTER THE VENDEE
Clearly the Vendee Globe 2008/2009 is an attractive proposition. Two more skippers have just confirmed their pre-registration for the round the world race that will begin in Les Sables d'Olonne: the Austrian yachtsman, Norbert Sedlacek and the Frenchman, Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty. There will therefore be at least 27 sailors taking part in the Everest of the Seas sailing single-handed around the globe. A first.The Austrian yachtsman, Norbert Sedlacek, 45 years old is setting out again in the hope of completing the voyage: in the last edition of the Vendee Globe, a damaged keel forced him to retire from the race. He is back to complete his dream on board the same boat that he managed to sail back and repair, showing some exceptional determination.The young French designer-yachtsman Jean-Batiste Dejeanty, will only be 30, when he sets sail in the Vendee Globe and this is of course, his first attempt. The Norman has already taken part twice in the Transat Jacques Vabre, on board the boat he built himself.The two men may not be favourites for the great single-handed race around the planet, but they will certainly willingly accept the title of strong outsiders.

www.vendeeglobe.org

GIPSY MOTH IV: STAR OF THE WHYTE & MACKAY EARLS COURT BOAT SHOW
The all-new Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show isn't just about exciting shows and Christmas shopping, it's shining with stars from sailing past, present and future. See Sir Francis Chichester's world-famous Gipsy Moth IV; watch Dee Caffari live by satellite in her first Transatlantic race; Michael Perham - the Transat Kid - auctions Cheeky Monkey; Gigi, the Cape Horn-rounding Contessa 32 takes a newly restored bow. There's the Earls Court Boat Show Hall of Fame in Association with Yachting World, the Steve Curtis Power Boat Display, good food, Guinness and much, much more.

The all-new Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show: you can't beat boating in the heart of London!

www.earlscourtboatshow.com

* Cheeky Monkey will be auctioned live on stage at the Whyte and Mackay Earls Court Boat Show at 5pm on Thursday 6th December.

Cheeky Monkey is the Tide 28ft yacht that the then 14 year old Michael Perham sailed single handed across the Atlantic earlier this year breaking the world record to become the youngest person in the world to do so.

Several sealed bids have already been received and judging by the considerable interest received; we can reveal that there is a strong possibility that this piece of British Maritime history might go abroad.

Michael is selling Cheeky Monkey to help raise funds for his exciting bid to become the youngest person to sail around the world single handed. Over a million pounds is needed for him to be able to attempt his quest and Michael will be generously offering the Prince's Trust a percentage of the bid.

Telephone bids can be called in at any time to 07973 370 489.

Sponsorship details can be found at Michael's website www.sailmike.com

Mike says; "The thought of saying goodbye to Cheeky Monkey puts a lump in my throat but with dreams as big as mine, one has to do whatever it takes so I can look forward to hunting down huge waves in the South Atlantic."

ISAF MATCH RACE RANKINGS
French skippers Mathieu Richard and Claire Leroy both hold on to the Open and Women's top spot in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings released 5 December.

Mathieu Richard (FRA) may have lost out to Ian Williams (GBR) in the battle for the ISAF Match Racing World Championship title, but the 31 year old Frenchman holds on to the world #1 spot in the Open Rankings. In the Women's Rankings, Claire Leroy (FRA), who was named 2007 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year in November, stays in the top spot for an incredible 20th consecutive Ranking release.

Top ten, open rankings:
1. Mathieu Richard, FRA
2. Ian Williams, GBR
3. Paolo Cian, ITA
4. Sebastien Col, FRA
5. Bjorn Hansen, SWE
6. Staffan Lindberg, FIN
7. Damien Iehl, FRA
8. Eugeniy Neugodnikov, RUS
9. Pierre-Antoine Morvan, FRA
10. Peter Wibroe, DEN

Top ten, women's rankings:
1. Claire Leroy, FRA
2. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN
3. Katie Spithill, AUS
4. Christelle Philippe, FRA
5. Sally Barkow, USA
6. Jenny Axhede, SWE
7. Silke Hahlbrock, GER
8. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED
9. Linda Rahm, SWE
10. Silja Lehtinen, FIN

www.sailing.org

18TH IMPERIA WINTER REGATTA
Very light wind today for the last Laser and RS:X racing day in the Imperia Winter Regatta. On the northern Tirreno a high pressure area was standing since the beginning of the day not allowing a fresh wind to blow: the Race Committe delayed the first start until early afternoon.

No races had been sailed for RS:X so there isn't any change in the final results. The winner is Lituanian Juczas Bernotas who scores three times the first place out of the four sailed races while in the second and third place respectively finished Austrian Kfir Duldner and Swedish Johan Ekstedt.

Its a pity that even in 2007 not many Italian sailors took part in the IWR, while sailors coming from far away countries choose to come to Imperia for a winter training and race.

Laser Standard class could go at sea and sail one more race with a westerly wind up to 6/7 knots.

Thanks to another first place French Emmanuel Taine from Hyeres could win the final results scoring the same points of Italian Giacomo Bottoli in the second place. Another Italian sailor, Marco Gallo finished at third place in the overall result thanks to the last race OCS scored by Swiss Bulley who previously was in front of him.

While Lasers and RS:Xs are leaving IWR the new fleet of double handed 420 and 470 teams are arriving at Oneglia harbour where from 7 to 9 December the IWR will go on. Many teams coming from Austria, Croatia, Finland (they got to Imperia some weeks ago for training), France, Germany, Greece (10 crews), Monaco, Slovenia, Spain (3 female 420 teams) are already rigging their boats.

Main sponsor of IWR is the famous hat company Borsalino: a special Borsalino prize will be awarded to the winners of 470 class both male and female.

The IWR is an ISAF Grade 3 event. -- Laura Jelmini

i-w-r.com

CORK WEEK ONLINE ENTRY
Drawing on years of experience, both as a competitor at and organiser of events, Dave Meagher, Chairman of the Cork Week Race Committee, has designed an on-line entry system for next year's event, which takes place from July 12th to 18th 2008. "Effectively, all you need is your Sail Number and a credit card and you're on your way to competing at the world's friendliest Regatta," says Meagher. The on-line system automatically picks up boat details from the IRC Database.

For those entering before February 1st 2008 , the Organising Committee have decided to maintain the 2006 Entry Fee. "Many of our competitors have been coming to Cork Week for many years and we see this as a way of recognising their loyalty to the event,"

Check out www.corkweek.ie for on-line entry and we also invite you to register to the Cork Week 2008 Newsletter in order to receive future updates.

THE AC TANGO
From Magnus Wheatley's Rule69 Blog:
Quite unbelievable stuff coming out of the AC grapevine right now with Russell Coutts writing possibly the most incredible peace offering ever to Brad Butterworth last night requesting that the Cup be held in Valencia in 2009 (yes 2009!) in the new AC90 leviathans!

Oracle are also attempting to keep the Cup in Valencia after this next event and this is all with the other Challengers backing most notably Origin, TNZ and zee Germans. Now the ball is directly and squarely back in the Alinghi camp and if they refuse this deal then they will be clearly un-masked as a team that doesn't want to get this event on. This is big news for the smaller teams - we're all ears Ernie and ACM!

Magnus Wheatley has the letter at www.rule69blog.com/media/Letter-Alinghi-4-dec-2007.pdf

Tribune de Geneve:
The Geneva-based Alinghi yacht team is set to announce its decision on the future of the 33rd America's Cup, originally set for 2009 in Spain, organizers said on Tuesday. "It should not take much longer," a spokesman for the yachting race's organizing body AC Management told AFP. Internal meetings on the subject will be held this week between Alinghi, AC Management and Societe Nautique de Geneve which represents Alinghi, the spokesman added. -- www.tdg.ch/pages/home/tribune_de_geneve/english_corner/news/news_detail/(contenu)/167346

Turkish Press:
Oracle has sent Alinghi a new compromise proposal over the rules for the 33rd America's Cup, originally set for 2009 in Spain, but has not yet received a reply, a spokesman for the US syndicate said Wednesday.

A letter outlining the proposal, signed by Oracle skipper Russell Coutts, was sent to the two-time defending Swiss champions Tuesday one day after the US team met with challengers in Valencia where the yacht race is to be held.

"Time is running out and a key requirement for all competitors is certainty. We are now approaching a point where we need to know what sort of race we will be competing in," Coutts wrote in the letter. -- www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=205552

Valencia Sailing:
What will Alinghi announce? Without any doubt whatever they think will bring them the biggest advantage. Why should they do anything else?

First of all, we think it doesn't make any sense to believe Alinghi would agree with BMW Oracle to hold a conventional event here in Valencia in 2009. Last month ACM had announced the postponement of the event and it is difficult to see how they might change their intention two weeks later. Given the tense relations between Alinghi and BMW Oracle in the 32nd event it is even more difficult to see how they could rapidly agree on a new protocol with the additional hurdle of Russell Coutts being the CEO of the American team.

One could argue that if 2009 is not feasible then why not hold the event in 2010 or 2011? Again, the "Russell Coutts factor" might be the biggest hurdle.

Alinghi could always appeal Justice Cahn's decision but again we can't see what advantage they would gain from that. The decision was quite clear and strong and the Swiss might have very slim chances in succeeding. The CNEV might always appeal but we understand this possibility is getting increasingly weaker due to political pressure on Zulueta, Chirivella and Pombo.

The "Deed of Gift" race is in our personal opinion the most plausible scenario. Why? Because it gives Alinghi the best option to start the 34th event with a clean sheet and avoids any negotiations for the 33rd. When BMW Oracle presented their challenge last July they set the dates of the races for the 4th, 6th and 8th of July 2008, ten months time, as the Deed of Gift requires. Justice Cahn can reset these dates and start counting ten months from the date of his decision or from the date of the last hearing. Whatever the case, it should be between July and September 2008.

The "million-dollar" question is where is the race going to take place? ACM has stated that it doesn't guarantee Valencia in case of a catamaran race.

We have heard a speculation it could be a very windy place. There is no need to travel too far from Valencia to find such a spot, Tarifa the wind surfer's paradise is located in southern Spain.

Obviously this is a pure speculation and the only limitation set by BMW Oracle's challenge is that it takes place in the Northern Hemisphere. Lorient,Tarifa, Key West, any bets? -- valenciasailing.blogspot.com

INDUSTRY NEWS
* London's largest annual event, the Collins Stewart London Boat Show, will take place at ExCeL - the heart of London's entertainment district - from 11-20 January 2008. Now in its 54th year the Show promises to offer something for all - from seasoned enthusiasts to boat novices simply interested to discover what all the excitement is about. The Collins Stewart London Boat Show will welcome some 140,000 people, encouraging visitors to take to the waters sailing, boating and to partake in activities on the water.

Visitors to the Show have a plethora of exciting features to explore and enjoy including new attractions as well as firm favourites such as Start Boating, Deck Games, an interactive Watersports Zone, the ever popular Anchor Watch, Classic Boats and the sailors' favourite: the Guinness Bar. There will also be a chance to climb aboard the magnificent HMS Exeter moored on the impressive marina, the very first Royal Naval Destroyer to be present at the Show.

Throughout the Show, the Cutty Sark Trust will be working on selected artefacts from the main conservation project, restoring this famous Tea Clipper badly damaged by fire in May. Visitors to the Show will get a chance to see a mix of cutting-edge science as well as time-honoured craftsmanship. -- www.londonboatshow.com

* ClearPoint High Definition Weather will become the weather service reference for the next generation of sailors in France, thanks to an agreement between the U.S.-based company and Groupement des Equipages Professionels du Yachting (GEPY), the French association of captains and crew, based in Nice, France.

"ClearPoint is the easiest to use weather service on the market," said M. Jean-Marie Lacarriere, Secretary General of GEPY and founding training instructor at the maritime training institute of Nice (INSEIT). "The service is also very easy to use, providing clear and precise information, based on more than 180 weather information sources. The interface is really intuitive, and displays more than 20 essential weather applications on one single screen. It is also easily accessible using any Internet connection, both on sea and on land. All these attributes have led to our decision to elect ClearPoint as our new weather service for our training sessions," said M. Lacarrriere.

The GEPY was founded in 2002 and brings together captains and crew members with a French or foreign (STCW) certificate. The association also gathers businesses related to sea-going yachting professionals whose occupation deals directly with the crews. The organization has about 400 members and is the only French captains' organization of its kind in France for French crew members.

The ClearPoint team is this week at the Paris Boat Show, Hall 2.1 Stand D42, including Dawn Riley, former General Manager of the French Areva Americas Cup team who is the newly announced ambassador of the ClearPoint brand.

* Following the announcement of the acquisition of Matrix Masts in New Zealand, Hall Spars & Rigging also announced the addition of a full-time technician in its Mediterranean location.

The Italian office, based in Civitanova Marche and managed by Andrea Merani, enhanced its after-sale service capabilities with the addition of technical expert and skilled sailor Mike Brady. Brady has worked for Hall since 1997 in the area of after-sales maintenance and service, and will concentrate on assembly, stepping and maintenance for Hall clients in the Med. -- www.hallspars.com

* Liberty Yachts based in Plymouth has been appointed UK and Ireland agents by CR Yachts of Sweden.

CR Yachts is a family run company founded in 1989 by Charles and Marita Rutgersson. Charles spent 15 years working in the Swedish yacht building industry prior to starting CR, and the company has now built over 150 boats.

The CR performance cruiser range consists of 31, 36, 40, and 47ft plus a new 43ft model due in 2009. The deck saloon range includes models of 38, 40 and 48ft, with a new 44ft model under development.

Liberty Yachts was established in 1986 as a boat sales and charter company. The company has been managed by Simon Beeby since 1993 and continues to run yacht sales and charter operations. -- www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20071027102556ibinews.html

THE LAST WORD
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. -- Thomas Jefferson

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 Artemis 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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