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WORLD TOUR ANNOUNCES 2008 SCHEDULE
London, UK: The World Match Racing Tour has announced its schedule of events for 2008 including a new Tour stage in Korea with over $320,000 in prize money. The total prize purse for the 2008 Tour season now stands at $1,720.000, the largest in the sport. The prize purse has increased by over 20% from 2007.

The overall winner of the Tour will be crowned 2008 ISAF Match Racing World Champion. The schedule of events is as follows:

Date - Event - Location - Boats
March 19-23, Brasil Sailing Cup, Vitoria Brazil, SM40
May 8-12, Match Race Germany, Langenargen Germany, Bavaria 36
May 21-25, Latium Match Cup, Rome Italy, Solaris 36
June 10-15, Korea Match Cup, Gyeonggi Korea, BW36
June 18-22, Portugal Match Cup, Troia Portugal, SM40
June 30-July 6, Match Cup Sweden, Marstrand Sweden, DS37
August 28-31, Danish Open, Frederikshavn Denmark, DS37
Sept 2 - 7, St Moritz Match Race, St Moritz Switzerland, TBD
Oct 7-12, Bermuda Gold Cup, Hamilton Bermuda, IOD
Dec 9-14, Monsoon Cup, Terengganu Malaysia, F36

* May 1 - 4 Celebration China Qingdao, China 2 WMRT Exhibition Event

100 points will be awarded to the top 8 positions at each World Tour stage with 25 points to the stage winner. Teams will count their best five events plus the final stage, the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia worth 150 points. In 2007, no less than five teams had a shot at winning the World Championship going into the final event creating an exciting finish.

The World Championship will again receive worldwide television coverage with 10 shows broadcast to over 15 international networks reaching over 600 million homes in 55 countries. The Monsoon Cup in Malaysia is also expected to be broadcast again LIVE following the success of 2007 where the event generated over six hours of live coverage on Eurosport and ESPN. Plans are also in place for the new Korean Match Cup to be broadcast live as well. In addition, broadband viewers will be able to follow highlights of the World Championship via the website www.worldmatchracingtour.com and at www.Sail.tv

In addition to the ten events that make up the World Championship, the tour will also be announcing the schedule for 20 new tour qualifying events. Each Tour stage will have two qualifying events from which the winning teams will earn an entry into the main Tour event. .

" This is a great opportunity for us to use the Tour to seed the next wave of match-race skippers and potential America9s cup skippers. We have a whole crop of up and coming sailors looking for an opportunity to compete against the best" said Tour Director, Craig Mitchell.

www.worldmatchracingtour.com

SOUTH ATLANTIC PURSUIT RACE
The South Atlantic isn't giving anything away to the two boats leading the Barcelona World Race fleet as they race towards the finishing line off Barcelona. Overnight, race leading Paprec-Virbac 2 nearly held its own and then this morning, it was able to grab back some miles from the chasing boat, Hugo Boss. But the tide has turned again and this afternoon Hugo Boss was the faster boat in pursuit.

The overall effect of this has been something close to a stalemate, with Hugo Boss able to grab just 13 miles over the last 24 hours. Unfortunately for the guys on Hugo Boss, at this stage of the journey around the world, they need to grab bigger chunks if they hope to overtake Paprec-Virbac 2 before the finishing line.

"We had a busy day yesterday, with pretty strong winds, averaging 30 knots, but gusting up to 50," Hugo Boss co-skipper Andrew Cape said. "It's going to be a bit slower going for us for the next 48 hours. Over five to six days, we hope we can cut their lead a bit more, but we're in vastly different situations. Paprec-Virbac 2, I think, is ahead of the front that just passed us. If she manages to stay in front of that, she'll have regular wind. We have a bunch of (weather) obstacles in our way, so we'll just have to hope the situation plays out the way we hope."

The contest behind is also getting closer as Mutua Madrilena has pulled within 200 miles of Temenos II, with both boats streaking towards Cape Horn in great sailing conditions. The pair are making good about 300 miles per day, with Temenos II expected to pass Cape Horn, now 436 miles away, overnight on Friday night / Saturday morning.

There is a bit further to go for Educacion sin Fronteras who are still some 1600 miles from the famed Cape. But Servane Escoffier and Albert Bargues have had a good day, making nearly 300 miles in the past 24 hours. Albert is projecting they will be at Cape Horn within a week.

Although it is very difficult to project a finish date this far in advance, it appears as if the leading boat will be pulling in to Barcelona around the 8th of February, plus or minus a couple of days.

www.barcelonaworldrace.org

* Channel 4 in the UK is set to broadcast the first episode of a six-part series, The Barcelona World Race, beginning this Sunday, January 20th. Further screenings will be shown on the digital channel More4, so be sure to check local listings in the UK. The six episode programme will be shown as a weekly series.

Setanta Ireland will broadcast the first episode on Monday, January 21st. And M-Net in South Africa will launch the show on January 30th. Sun Sport Florida will begin the series on the 26th.

The series has been produced by leading production company Sunset + Vine/APP. The Barcelona World Race series tells the full story of the inaugural edition of this two-handed, non-stop, around the world race.

The six part series is Executive Produced by Andrew Preece and Richard Simmonds and directed by Ewen Thomson who has credits for Project Catwalk, ! The Challenge - Everest and Jamie Oliver - The Naked Chef.

Over 20 broadcasters around the world have committed to the series. Keep checking the Barcelona World Race website for the latest details.

OUTSTANDING FINISH FOR AUSTRALIAN OPTIMIST NATIONALS
Optimist sailor Shelley White had a big finish at last week's 2008 AIODA International Optimist Australian Championships in Victoria, closing the regatta out as top Australian competitor and second overall in a fleet of 73 boats. Sailing in Optimist 'Wildcard' and using an Ullman sail, White's performance qualified her for the Australian Optimist Worlds Team. The team will travel to Cesme, Turkey in July to compete at the IODA World Sailing Championship. Ullman Sails is committed to providing the fastest one design sails.

For more on the 'Fastest Sails on the Planet,' contact a local loft and visit www.ullmansails.com

JOYON STEPS UP THE PACE TOWARDS BREST
Exactly as he planned yesterday, Francis Joyon is working hard today to find the best sailing conditions for the final few days of his round the world voyage. The SW'ly wind has allowed him to remain on the Great Circle route, taking him directly towards Brest. Caution is still very much the watchword, as he listens to his boat, worn out after 55 days of sailing and with more than 25,000 miles on the clock after the voyage around the world's oceans. This evening, IDEC will start to experience some gales, generated by a low-pressure area circulating in the North Atlantic. On seas, where the swell is now in the right direction, the large red trimaran will be picking up speed again, but her skipper will continue to remain attentive right up until the end, in order to look after his equipment and avoid any breakages. Going through the Azores at lunchtime today gave the single-handed yachtsman a taste of home ... "IDEC will manage to obtain some more fine days, with 450 to 500 miles under her belt..." With 1100 miles to go to the finish, Francis is now expected to arrive in Brest sometime on Saturday night..

While still refusing to talk about Brest and the finish, Joyon has nevertheless confirmed that he will be taking advantage of some fine conditions to reach the tip of Brittany very quickly: "Going through the Azores, it is true that it is beginning to feel a bit like home," he admitted. "IDEC will manage to achieve some more good days of sailing 450 or 500 miles..." With 1100 miles to go to the finish, Francis is now expected to arrive in Brest sometime on Saturday night...

www.trimaran-idec.com

TORVAR MIRSKY TO DEFEND WARREN JONES REGATTA
Perth, Western Australia: Fremantle skipper Torvar Mirsky will be back this year to defend his position as the current holder of the International Warren Jones Memorial Youth Trophy, against a line-up of world class young skippers.

It has been a fruitful year for the young Western Australian, who has climbed from 48th on the world ranking ladder this time last year, to 11th at the last count, one step down from his best in October last year.

The young Fremantle sailor is the highest ranked skipper ever to contest the Warren Jones Regatta, and owes his climb up the ladder to successes in Europe on the senior match racing tour, with the highlight a win at the French grade 1 event.

More recently he finished a very creditable fifth in Malaysia's Monsoon Cup, about which he commented, "it's definitely the biggest match racing event there is, and to be fifth in it is a big deal for us."

The line-up of talent for this, the 6th Warren Jones Youth Regatta, includes another past winner, New Zealand's Adam Minoprio, who put his name on the trophy in 2006, and South of Perth's Keith Swinton, who lost last year's event on a finishing line penalty.

Overseas skippers from New Zealand, Sweden and Italy will face Australians from Sydney, Adelaide and three locals, on the Swan River's Freshwater Bay for the event that runs from 2nd to 7th February, and is organised by the Western Australian Yachting Foundation.

It is 25 years ago this year that Australia II won the America's Cup from the New York Yacht Club, in an historic campaign that was masterminded by Warren Jones.

This regatta in his memory is suitably a match racing event, with skippers going head to head in a series that will hopefully help them onto the international circuit. -- John Roberson

Competitors:
Torvar Mirsky, AUS
Keith Swinton, AUS
Adam Minoprio, NZL
Laurie Jury, NZL
Evan Walker, AUS
Simone Ferrarese, ITA
Phil Robertson , NZL
Robert Gibbs, AUS
Stuart Pollard, AUS
John Back, SWE
Tom Spithill, AUS
Nick Deussen, AUS

55 YEARS OF HORNET DEVELOPMENT AT THE LONDON BOAT BOAT SHOW
Shoestring, a Hornet built in 1953, will be on display at the Collins Stewart London Boat Show

A new prototype Hornet developed by Devon Composites will be competing in the Yachts and Yachting Battle of the Classes this Sunday at the Excel Boat Show. The boat features a completely new deck layout taking inspiration from the modern skiffs and includes a space frame mast support and self draining floor. The first production boat is nearing completion and the Class eagerly awaits this exciting development. Orders for ten boats have already been taken. Prices start from 2250 GBP for a basic hull and deck. For more information please contact Ivor Woodland at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Meanwhile Shoestring (K191), which was home built by three students in 1953, will be on display in the dockside area on Saturday and Sunday. After being campaigned for many years it was then stored in a barn for over thirty years. Roger Devereux recently restored her and will be racing her on the Classic and Vintage Racing Dinghy Association open meeting circuit this year. She is still in original condition and has sails made by Ratsey and Lapthorn dated 1956 and a cotton spinnaker of the same age.

More on the Hornet, including a special Boat Show ticket offer, at YachtsandYachting.com: www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=139804

NEW POWERBOAT FROM DANISH YACHT
The new 38m Dayboat from Danish Yacht has just started build in Skagen in Denmark, following tank testing of hull forms in Gothenburg in December.

Reinforcing the successful relationship between Danish Yacht and the Norwegian naval architect, Espen Oeino, this exciting project is set to pioneer a new area of powerboat design. With her carbon fibre hull, giving a weight saving of at least 25% over conventional composite build, the new powerboat is expected to achieve speeds in excess of 50 knots, powered by twin diesel engines.

The boat will have an astonishing stopping distance of about 3 boat lengths at 50 knots with her jet propulsion and handling her will be a dream, with her calculated design parameters to provide tight turning circles at speed. Nothing will be spared on her interior, which will be completed to the highest modern standards by the skilled craftsmen at Danish Yacht.

http:www.danishyacht.com
Press report and pictures on strawberrymarketing.com

DUBOATS HOPE TO LEAVE THEIR MARK
The Duboats Yacht Racing Team, winner of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Races, is once again intent on striking a bold vision in this year's Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race to start on Friday.

The team will be led by skipper/ navigator, French yachtsman Christophe Vanek, and co skipper Yousef Bin Lahej from the UAE.

The team will enter the race with a Beneteau First 34.7, attributed the "Best Sail Yacht in the Middle East" award at the inaugural Arabian Gulf Yachting Awards 2007.

Vanek, aged 42, is one of the most talented and experienced sailors in the UAE with several years of marine practice and sailing stature behind him. He has not only three America's Cup campaigns under his belt, he has also won the Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race 3 times in the past, as well as many other races.

Bin Lahej, 27, is the only Emirati skipper to enter the competition and is undoubtedly the best local sailor in the GCC.

He has been with the Duboats team for 2 years now and is the first UAE national to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Bin Lahej is also the first UAE national to win an international sailing event, the Al Bareh International Regatta in Bahrain.

Vanek and Bin Lahej joined forces 2 years ago and have proved to be a winning team ever since.

The Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race is a classic passage event covering 360 nautical miles and takes the boats from the relatively shallow waters of the Arabian Gulf to the deep waters of the Indian Ocean, passing through the famous Straits of Hormuz. -- Gulf News: www.gulfnews.com/sport/Sailing/10182826.html

Event site: www.dubaimuscat.org.ae/

CHANNEL TIMBER HAZARD
Timber from a sunken Greek cargo ship is being monitored by the MCA to prevent it becoming a hazard to small boats. The 7,000-ton Ice Prince was carrying of untreated sawn timber when she foundered south of Portland Bill on Tuesday after her cargo shifted.

Around 2,000 tons of timber of different sizes broke free from the ship, and it has spread over an area 10 miles in length. The bulk of the timber was reported earlier today to be 22 miles south of Littlehampton, and small vessels are being advised to avoid the area.

Coastguards expect the timber to start washing ashore along the south coast over the next few days. -- Motor Boats Monthly, www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080017175352mbmnews.html

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 Colin Jenkins: I am very pleased to be able to announce that a new version of Sailwave is available for download from the Sailwave website ( www.sailwave.com ) . Over the years facilities have been added for specialised events, like those utilising Appendix LE Addendum C of the RRS, to the detriment of the once simple platform that Sailwave was. This new version addresses that by hiding everything away other than those options frequently used for club racing and small championship events. You can simply enable the hidden options as required. Out of the box, Sailwave now provides a very clean and straightforward interface.

There are some exciting things in the pipeline. Due to the widespread international use, a global emperical handicap system is under development. A single click will send your handicap class and elapsed time data back to the Sailwave server for analysis and integration - with the resultant class/rating lists available for download for use at any time; seamlessly if you are using Sailwave but the the ratings can be used in any software. Other developments include better personal handicap facilities, a scripting language and better publishing facilities; essentially a refocus on grass roots club sailing and regattas.

Editor's note... this is not a commercial product. It's a FREE regatta scoring program.

FEATURED BROKERAGE
2002 IMX, 135,552 Euros, Lying Malta

This is a seriously fast yacht that has proved to be very competitive in her class. She was built with the full racing package and has a full sail wardrobe. Most of her sails are in as new condition. The current knowledgeable owner has maintained the boat in pristine condition and with an asking price less than half new replacement cost she looks good value for money.

Brokerage through YachtsAndCruisers.com: www.yachtsandcruisers.com

Complete listing details and seller contact information at www.yachtsandcruisers.com/boat/Imx/23435/

THE LAST WORD
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