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RACE FLEET ENJOYS DOWNWIND RIDE TO HOBART -- LAST TO ARRIVE OVERNIGHT
With the US entry Rosebud declared the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race overall IRC handicap winner yesterday, divisional places within the fleet are being decided today with yachts finishing in Hobart under spinnakers before a gentle southeast breeze.

Ray Roberts' Cookson 50, Quantum Racing has won IRC Division A for canting-keeled yachts over Matt Allen's Jones-designed Volvo 70 Ichi Ban with the Farr 98 maxi City Index Leopard (Mike Slade) in third.

Rosebud, a Farr-designed STP65 owned by American Roger Sturgeon, won IRC Division B over Ragamuffin (Syd Fischer), a Farr TP52 with Yendys (Geoff Ross), a Reichel/Pugh 55, in third.

The hot new Reichel/Pugh 40 Chutzpah (Bruce Taylor), showing extraordinary downwind qualities in placing fourth overall behind Rosebud, Ragamuffin and Quantum Racing, has won IRC Division C over Bill Wild's Welbourn 42 Wedgetail, with the Rogers 46 Shogun (Rob Hanna) third.

David Beak's Mr Beaks Ribs, a Beneteau First 44.7, has won IRC Division D over the modified Farr 40 AFR Midnight Rambler, which is jointly owned by Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas. They won the storm-ripped 1998 Sydney Hobart race with the little Hick 35 Midnight Rambler and had three crewmembers from that race sailing with them this year.

Mr Beaks Ribs, with a campaign managed by Ian Short, is lying second in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Blue Water Pointscore (after Graeme Wood's TP52 Wot Yot which placed fourth in IRC Division 1 in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race). The downwind conditions that predominated for the race did not suit Mr Beaks Ribs, which is at her best upwind.

The ten-boat Sydney 38 one-design division is still to be decided.

IRC Division E is still being decided among the 11 yachts in that division still at sea.

Sailors With disABILITIES, David Pescud's Lyons 54, has won PHS (performance handicap) Division A over Toyota Aurion V6, the former Brindabella (Andrew Short), with the Volvo 60 DHL - the Daily Telegraph, skippered by Tornado silver and bronze Olympic gold medalist Mitch Booth, third. PHS Division B is still being decided among the eight division yachts still racing.

The sole Cruising Division yacht, Michele Colenso's Capriccio of Rhu is currently due across the line in the early hours of Dec 31.

rolexsydneyhobart.com

* After a record-equalling 44th race south where he felt like a "passenger not a participant", sailing senior Lou Abrahams has declared it's time to hang up his sea boots with his Sydney to Hobart racing career over.

After racing across the finish line on the Derwent River at 8.14am yesterday on his trusty 38-footer Melbourne yacht Challenge, Abrahams revealed he is unlikely to line up for the Australian classic again.

But the 80-year-old said he wants to still be part of the race, intending to fly, rather than sail, to Hobart next year to be part of the celebrations.

"I didn't realise I was quite as un-agile and I struggled for a while with my legs," said one of the most respected and loved members of the Sydney to Hobart fleet, who yesterday matched the record of the late John Bennetto in racing south 44 times.

"It was hard work. I don't think I'll make another again.

"You're just too old to do things on deck. It makes it harder on the crew I think.

Fellow octogenarian Syd Fischer fared better, with the 80-year-old claiming second place in the race for the over- all honours.

The third member of the 80-plus club contesting the 63rd Sydney to Hobart, John Walker, was yesterday still at sea but is expected to make it in time for the new year celebrations. -- Amanda Lulham

www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22988425-5001023,00.html

COLLINS STEWART LONDON BOAT SHOW
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, and will welcome some 140,000 people, encouraging visitors to take to the waters.

Visitors to the Show have a plethora of exciting features to explore and enjoy such as Start Boating, Deck Games, an interactive Watersports Zone, Anchor Watch, Classic Boats and the Guinness Bar. There will also be a chance to climb aboard the HMS Exeter, the very first Royal Naval Destroyer to the Show.

www.londonboatshow.com

BACK IN THE GAME - AT TOP SPEED
Following a 48-hour tune-up in the pit lane in Wellington, Hugo Boss rejoined the Barcelona World Race overnight Friday and has since taken up the task of chasing down race leader Paprec-Virbac 2 with vigour.

By the end of the day Saturday, Paprec-Virbac 2 had extended its lead to 923 miles as Hugo Boss struggled to break free of the New Zealand coastline and out into the offshore conditions where she revels. But since then, skippers Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape have driven Hugo Boss like a freight train. At 14:00 GMT on Sunday, the lead was down to less than 800 miles and Boss was still sailing 5.5 knots faster.

The main reason for the 48-hour pit stop was some trouble with the rudders on Hugo Boss. There was movement in the rudder cassettes and the 'pop-up' rudders were developing a tendency to swing up at inopportune moments.

The standout performance of the week must go to Educacion sin Fronteras. Skippers Albert Bargues and Servanne Escoffier have battled hard all week in difficult Southern Ocean conditions. They finish the week with the best 24 hour run, and over the past seven days, Educacion sin Fronteras made up over 200 miles on the race leader - by far and away their best week at sea yet.

Meanwhile, third-placed Temenos II is closing in on New Zealand, where they will be forced to make a pit-stop to deal with their damaged keel. Skipper Dominique Wavre says until the boat is hauled out and the experts look at the keel, it is impossible to say how long they will be forced to stop. But over the course of this week, they have gained over 50 miles on the race leader. They are expecting to be in Wellington on New Years day.

Day 50- December 30, 14:00 GMT - Position report with distance to leader

1. Paprec-Virbac 2 - Jean Pierre Dic K / Damian Foxall - 0
2. Hugo Boss - Alex Thomson / Andrew Cape - 793
3. Temenos 2 - Dominique Wavre / Michele Paret- 1541
4. Mutua Madrilena - Javier Sanso / Pachi Rivero - 2064
5. Educacion Sin Fronteras - Servane Escoffier / Albert Bargues - 2846

Abandoned - Veolia Environnement - Roland Jourdain / Jean Luc Nelias
Abandoned - Estrella Damm - Guillermo Altadill / Jonathan Mckee
Abandoned - Delta Dore - Jeremie Beyou / Sidney Gavignet
Abandoned - Prb - Vincent Riou / Sebastien Josse

www.barcelonaworldrace.com

AUSTRALIAN LASER CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 300 strong Laser fleet completed two testing races off Blairgowrie to kick off the 2008 Australian Laser Championships yesterday where world champion Tom Slingsby (AUS) has taken an early lead in the Standard fleet.

With over 19 countries represented, the boat park resembled a meeting of the United Nations. In recognition, teams raised their national flags at last nights welcome function as the sun set over Port Phillip.

However, once racing got underway yesterday, it was all action with a 20-25 knot southerly filling in at 3pm and two back to back races. A tiring day for all.

The fortitude of the 47 strong all Aussie 4.7 fleet was admirable. In the end it was a Tasmanian clean sweep with Rohan Langford 1,2 and Jack McCullum 1,4 dominating. Jarrad Lincoln of Victoria scored 3,6 to be well in the hunt.

The 120 strong Radial fleet competed in two divisions with Klade Hauschildt of Queensland, Sarah Blanck of Victoria and Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands all scoring 1,2 to lead a very tight pack.

In the Standard fleet, again the 130 boat fleet was split. Tom Slingsby from the NSW Central Coast showed his class with two bullets to lead from Roelof Bouwmeester (NED) and Deniss Karpak (EST) both on 4 points. Interesting to note Bouwmeester and his sister are both currently holding down second place in their respective fleets.

Results from the Laser Standard fleet will decide which Australians will compete at the Laser World's off Terrigal in February.

The Regatta continues today with two more heats in the eight-race qualifying series which will be followed with a four-race Finals series concluding on January 4th.

www.yachting.org.au/site/yachting/event/13897/default.html

SO WHAT HAPPENS JANUARY 14?
Alinghi, with a brand new legal team on board, signalled this weekend that they are seeking to re-open aspects of the NYSC decision.

The issuing of the settlement order could trigger either

(a) an Alinghi appeal or;

(b) the head-to-head, multi-hull duel in October or;

(c) a settlement between Alinghi and Oracle where they agree on new rules for a traditional Cup regatta, involving all challengers.

As much as (c) is desired, it seems unlikely now. Alinghi's new legal action seems designed to delay either the multi-hull option or the conventional America's Cup regatta. That's the new sport - delay. Many think Alinghi is playing for time right now, playing catch-up in the development of a 90ft catamaran or trimaran to take on Oracle in the multi-hull challenge.

Time was what many think Alinghi wanted when they petitioned the NYSC to delay the Oracle-led regatta until May 2009. This delayed the court's final settlement order - an appeal cannot be lodged until this order is published - to January 14. Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli could have more legal cards up his sleeve yet. They can still appeal or find new ways of pulling off a legal filibuster.

If Alinghi are aiming for a multi-hull challenge, they need time to catch up to Oracle who quietly progressed their design at the same time they petitioned Alinghi to agree to a conventional regatta.

Confused? Irritated? Don't blame you. For a brief moment there, sport threatened to break out again. The mature, sportsmanlike thing for Alinghi to do is option (c) above. Accept the decision, shake hands, and negotiate a conventional regatta where Team New Zealand, Team Origin and others can compete for the world's greatest yachting prize and hopefully emulate one of the most exciting sporting events of 2007. -- Paul Lewis in the New Zealand Herald, his full article at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=531&objectid=10484689&ref=rss

* Bob Fisher weighs in: The America's Cup is back in the New York state supreme court. Alinghi's boss, Ernesto Bertarelli, has hired a fresh set of lawyers to plead the case that Larry Ellison's challenge for a one-on-one match in 90ft multi-hulled yachts was not properly made and thus cannot be entertained. He suggests that Ellison's challenge did not adequately describe the challenging vessel. It is thin ground for a legal challenge and Judge Herman Cahn is likely to reject it.

sport.guardian.co.uk/sailing/story/0,,2233378,00.html

ROLEX YACHTSMAN & YACHTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Joining the year-end "best of" lists is US SAILING's short list of nominees for the 2007 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. Established in 1961 by US SAILING and sponsored by Rolex Watch, U.S.A. since 1980, the annual presentation of US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards are widely regarded as the sport's ultimate recognition of an individual's outstanding on-the-water achievements for the calendar year. Over its history the coveted award has been presented to 34 men and 31 women, including these notable sailors who have claimed the honor multiple times: Ed Adams, Betsy Alison, Dennis Conner, Courtenay Dey, JJ Isler, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki, Buddy Melges, Ken Read, Lynne Shore, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner.

Nominees for US SAILING's 2007 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award: America's Cup Champion Ed Baird (St. Petersburg, Fla.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Clay Bischoff (Coral Gables, Fla./New York, N.Y.); Pan Am Games Laser Gold Medalist Andrew Campbell (San Diego, Calif.); IFDS Sonar Disabled Sailing World Champion Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.); J/22 North American Champion Greg Fisher (Annapolis, Md./Columbus, Ohio); Snipe World Champion Tomas Hornos (Swampscott, Mass.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Pete Levesque (Portland, Maine/Annapolis, Md.); Lightning World Champion Jeff Linton (Tampa, Fla.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Colin Merrick (Portsmouth, R.I.); Fullpower Melges 24 World Champion Dave Ullman (Santa Ana, Calif.).

Nominees for US SAILING's 2007 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award: Princess Sofia Yngling Champion Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Amanda Callahan (Canton, Mass.); Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Champion Emily Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Liz Hall (Tiverton, R.I./Washington, D.C.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Lisa Keith (Marblehead, Mass.); Lightning World Champion Amy Linton (Tampa, Fla.); IFDS Skud-18 Disabled Sailing World Champion Karen Mitchell (Deerfield Beach, Fla.); Pan Am Games Laser Radial Gold Medalist Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); and Good Luck Beijing Laser Radial Champion Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.).

www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex

HOW TO BE A WINNING SKIPPER
Do you ever wonder why the teams that win regattas also look good when doing so? It is most likely that they have spent a lot of time practicing...and skippers and owners have dressed their teams in team gear. So don't you think that it's time you and your team look AND sail like winners? Come to Camet.com and see our line of sailing gear and start winning!

www.camet.com

COUNTDOWN TO WINNERS FOR TOP YACHTING AWARDS
Winners of the Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year will be announced during the Collins Stewart London Boat Show, January 2008.

Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year finalists include disabled sailor Geoff Holt, who achieved his "Personal Everest" in 2007 by sailing around the UK single handed; Skandia Team GBR members, World and Pre Olympic Champions Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, who are World Ranked Number One and are the only team from any class, and any nation, who have finished top three at every ISAF grade 1 event this year; Mike Golding who risked his own life to rescue a fellow competitor in the Velux 5 Oceans race in appalling Southern Ocean conditions, thus ruining his own chances of winning the race; and Sir Robin Knox Johnston who completed the Velux 5 Oceans race at the age of 68, thirty-eight years after his original (the first non-stop) solo circumnavigation of the world. This ranks Sir Robin as one of the oldest competitors ever to complete this feat.

Finalists in the young sailor category include Alistair Masters, an RYA Youth Squad 15 year old who has dominated domestic and international competition in the Techno 293 junior windsurfing class, and has won two gold medals and one silver at the last three world championships; Holly Scott, winning crew member of Mirror World Championship 2007, who with her skipper (Anna Mackenzie), was the first all-girl team to win the title; Topper World Champion Michael Wood, who devotes hours of his private time to train other youngsters in the RYA West Zone Squad; Tom Gillard, the first RYA Team GBR sailor to win the 420 European Championships in Medemblik; and Laurence Greenough, who has overcome adversity to enter the RYA South West Topper Zone Squad.

Winners of both awards will be voted for by the Yachting Journalists' Association (YJA). Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony on Tuesday 15 January 2008 at The Painted Hall, the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

BLUE BOAT PRIZE TO O'PEN BIC
Bic Sport was honoured to receive the "Blue boat" Prize from the hands of the French Minister for Ecology and Sustainable Planning and Development, Mr Jean-Louis Borloo, for its O'pen Bic dinghy.

The Blue Boat prize, bringing with it a prize of 20 000 Euro, is awarded on an annual basis by the "Federation des Industries Nautiques" (Federation of Nautical Industry), for either boats or equipment that show a strong commitment to the environment and sustainable development. With this prize, the FIN is looking to help reduce the impact that the nautical industry has on the environment, and to keep our seas "blue".

This year's prize sought to commend the ecological design of a boat and/or its equipment. More than 20 projects were examined by the FIN, assisted by the ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency) and Mr Patingre, independent consultant in Eco Design.

The O'pen Bic was singled out at different levels:

- For its design and production: low energy consumption (short production cycle, low electricty consumption), few resoures used (rejection rate 2.5/1000, recycling of any surplus material), low emissions (closed circuit cooling of moulds, no gas emissions, no solvents).
- For its use : development of dinghy sailing with kids and teenagers, awareness of the boat's environmental attributes.
- For its life-cycle : the material of the boat is potentially recyclable (polyethylene, wood and polyethylene foam).

openbic.com/news/blue-boat-prize-2007-awarded-to-the-open-bic/?lang=en

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 John Jameson: As I write the Rolex Sydney Hobart is nearing an end and looks going down as one of the less newsworthy ever. So it allows one's attention to drift to comtemplate why a competitor at this level retires with a spinaker wrap around the mast. (Berrimilla - Retired - spinnaker wrapped around the mast)

Keelboat racing is notorious for delivering up grumpy old men with lots of money and power, and not all come with seamanship developed to high standards. There are some "Yachtsmen" of advancing years as famous for their dummy spits as their on-water achievments. I wonder what the story was here.

* From Donal McClement: Why not write a story about the fact that the Cork Harbour One Design's, designed by William Fife lll & built in Carrigaloe, Co Cork in 1896/97 (9 in total at that time) are undergoing a full resurgence with 4 fully restored, 2 undergoing restoration and 1 more possible. In addition "JAP" C 4 has been competing, with huge sucess in the Classic Regattas in the Med, for the past 6 seasons Maybe Cork is leading the way yet again. It is a crying shame, considering to so called Celtic Tiger, that the 21's are still rotting.

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THE LAST WORD
Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. -- Bill Vaughn

No issue for January 1, back on the 2nd. A Happy New Year to all! Here's hoping for Peace on Earth in 2008.

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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