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GROUPAMA STARTS JULES VERNE ATTEMPT
At 07h 50' 17''(GMT) Thursday, the ten men on Groupama 3 set off on the Jules Verne Trophy attempt. They will need to cross this same line, between Lizard Point and the Creac'h lighthouse, after rounding the three capes, prior to 15th March at 00 hours 09 minutes 21 seconds (GMT) to snatch the round the world record. The reference time held by Bruno Peyron since 2005 is 50 days 16 hours 20 minutes 4 seconds.

In a fine NW'ly breeze of around fifteen knots, under one reef main and staysail, Groupama 3 was making over 25 knots en route towards Cape Finisterre this Thursday morning when she passed in front of Claude Le Breton, the WSSRC representative (World Sailing Speed Record Council).

The weather conditions have been good for this first day at sea since the breeze has clocked progressively round to the North, filling in to twenty five knots, and it should now shift round to the East near the Spanish coast, reaching more than thirty five knots. Indeed, Groupama 3 was benefiting from the passage of a front over Brittany, pushed by a zone of high pressure shifting eastwards: initially sailing along the eastern edge of this high pressure, Franck Cammas and his team should then quickly make their escape on fine seas along the coast of Portugal, since there will be an offshore breeze.

As a result the first 24 hours are likely to enable Franck Cammas and his nine crew to make it as far as Lisbon by Friday morning. At an average of over 27.6 knots during the first six hours, Groupama 3 already has a lead of over 34 miles on the reference time set by Bruno Peyron.

www.cammas-groupama.com

BACK IN BUSINESS AT ACURA KEY WEST 2008
There was much rejoicing around the Conch Republic on Thursday. The wind gods smiled on Acura Key West 2008, presented by Nautica, delivering excellent racing conditions and bringing much joy to both competitors and organizers.

Event organizer Peter Craig wisely held the fleet of 262 boats onshore in the morning while waiting for updated information. Since the forecast still looked promising at noon, the AP Flag (postponement) came down and the armada of racing boats was sent out to the Atlantic Ocean.

Lo and behold, conditions proved even better than expected with the wind starting at 5-8 knots from the southwest then clocking around to the north and increasing to 12 knots. That allowed for two races on all four courses and resulted in an awful lot of happy faces when the boats returned to port.

There was minimal shakeup in the standings with the lead changing hands in only five of 16 classes. However, the difference between the first and second boat in the other 11 classes is six points or less and things could change dramatically before this series concludes. It sets the stage for an historic final day at Acura Key West 2008 with organizers moving the first gun up one hour and planning to conduct three races.

For two decades, there have been very few three-race days at Key West. Now, in the 21st season of the largest winter regatta in North America, there could possibly be a pair of three-race days. Prospects of that happening are quite great as the forecast is for 15-20 knot winds on Friday.

There was a change atop the ultra-competitive Farr 40 class with Barking Mad jumping from third to first on the strength of a bullet in yesterday's second race. Skipper Jim Richardson has finished sixth or better in the 25-boat fleet for all five races and now holds a four-point advantage over opening day leader Mascalzone Latino.

Blu Moon, the Swiss entry skippered by Franco Rossini, remained atop the Melges 24 class by counter-balancing an 18th in Race 4 with a victory in Race 5. Helmsman Flavio Favini said the team will be hard-pressed to hold of the likes of WTF (Alan Field), Tresvailles.com (Benoit Charon), Pegasus 505 (Ullman) and Full Throttle (Brian Porter), all of whom are within striking distance.

www.premiere-racing.com

A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
Ullman Sails is dedicated to providing the best sails and service possible - no matter where you are or what sailing you do. In Sydney, our sailmakers are making sure competitors are ready for the upcoming 18-foot Skiff World Championships. In Brisbane, we're building catamaran sails to cruise the Australian coastline. In Denmark, we're coaching youth Optimist sailors who are willing to endure the cold to go sailing. And in Key West, our customers are hoping for one more day of good breeze and another championship regatta title.

For more information, contact a local Ullman Sails loft and visit www.ullmansails.com

OFF THE COAST OF BRAZIL
Gitana 13 exited the Doldrums yesterday morning and since then has gradually picked up a more sustained air current in the form of easterly winds from the Saint Helena high-pressure system. On Thursday morning, the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild was sailing off Recife, on the northeast coast of Brazil.

With their equator crossing on Wednesday 23 January at 8:24am - after just 6 days, 14 hours and 52 minutes at sea - Lionel Lemonchois and his crew of nine have already delivered an impressive performance on the route leading Gitana 13 from New York to San Francisco.

For four of the ten men onboard, this incursion into the South Atlantic represents a first. For Lemonchois, however, this is his 13th equator crossing. Given the early hour of the crossing, Team Gitana did not perform any particular ritual when they crossed the "line" separating the northern and southern hemispheres.

Gitana 13's average speed, which had slipped to 10-15 knots for more than 24 hours, climbed back above 20 knots last night. This pace should increase further during the day and remain there for around 48 hours. "The next stretch is shaping up pretty nicely for us, and the descent toward Cape Horn looks like it will be fast despite a tricky passage that we'll have to negotiate in the next two days. We'll be on a beam reach until we're opposite Rio de Janeiro and the wind moves aft, but then it should be back abeam the rest of the way to the Horn," said onboard navigator Dominic Vittet.

www.gitana-team.com

172ND AUSTRALIA DAY REGATTA
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 172nd Australia Day Regatta ocean race to Botany Bay and return tomorrow, 26 January 2008 has attracted record 46 yachts specifically entered for the City of Sydney Sesquicentenary Trophy and the Geoff Lee Trophy.

The race, a traditional part of the 172nd Australia Day Regatta, gets under way from Sydney Harbour at 11am from a line north of Shark Island.

It is also the first Short Ocean Point Score and Ocean Point Score races for 2008, with total entries exceeding 80 boats, although not all are expected to race.

The Geoff Lee Trophy goes to the line honours winner among those yachts nominated as Australia Day Regatta entries in addition to the SOPS and OPS. Winner of the City of Sydney Sesquicentenary Trophy will be the yacht with the lowest PHS corrected time.

The Botany Bay race fleet includes many yachts that competed in the 63rd Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, including Andrew Short's Toyota Aurion V6 (the former Brindabella), Ed Psaltis' AFR Midnight Rambler, Geoff Hill's Swan Song, James Connell and Alex Brandon's Zephyr and Greg Zyner's Morna, the two small boats that placed first and second in IRC Division E of the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Other entries include the two major trophy winners in last year's Australia Day Regatta – Dick Cawse's Vanguard (line honours winner) and the Tribal Syndicate's Spearhead (PHS winner).

The 172nd Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour is the world's oldest continuously held sailing regatta, first conducted in 1837 to mark the arrival of Captain Phillip's First Fleet in Sydney Cove in 1788. Phillip and his ships first anchored in Botany Bay but later sailed north to the magnificent Sydney Harbour, today the site of Australia's largest city.

More than 120 entries have been received for the 172nd Australia Day Regatta on the Harbour which starts at 1.15pm from a line to the east of the Regatta flagship, HMAS Kanimbla, moored near Rushcutters Bay.

Bringing a touch of nostalgia to the historic event will be fleets of Classic yachts, including gaff-riggers, Historical Skiffs and replicas of the spectacular gaff-rigged 18-footers of the early 1900s. - Peter Campbell

THE VIEW FROM KEY WEST
While there was no wind forecast for Acura Key West yesterday, there was action aplenty in New York where Justice Cahn heard arguments from both the Societe Nautique de Geneve and the Golden Gate Yacht Club on the validity of the American challenge. Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi president and Brad Butterworth, team skipper, took time out to chat to the media on site about the court hearing, which resulted in the Judge inviting SNG to make further submissions on the matter. "The hearing on Wednesday was positive for SNG as the Judge demonstrated he is sensitive to the central issue: the validity of the GGYC challenge," said Ernesto Bertarelli. "We now have until Monday to study the GGYC documents and to submit additional papers to the court on this matter which will close proceedings," he added.

Prominent yachting media at the Key West briefing kept the Alinghi Farr 40 sailors on their toes with some probing questions...

So if the Judge rules the GGYC challenge invalid, what would the future hold for the Cup? EB: "We would get the 33rd America's Cup back on track for a 2011 multi-challenge event along the lines of the Protocol, Rules and Regulations that were agreed upon last year by no less than 12 entered challengers, with a further five waiting in the wings."

What are the plans for Valencia?
EB: "We intend to have a multi-challenge America's Cup in Valencia in 2011 and in the meantime we are working with the city to make sure the Darsena remains animated until the Cup returns."

If Alinghi wins in court, and should they accept the RTYC as their Challenger of Record, then would a GGYC challenge be accepted for the 33rd America's Cup?
EB: "It is too early to comment on this given that, until the Judge rules definitively, the CNEV is still valid. However, for the sake of speculation, we would of course rather beat the GGYC on the water in an AC90 than continue fighting this out in the court with them, but we have an obligation as trustee of the America's Cup to safeguard the event and the rules. We cannot accept an invalid challenge."

Has SNG accepted the RTYC challenge?
EB: "CNEV is the valid Challenger of Record and shall remain so until a final and definitive judgment has been issued. If and when this happens, SNG will have to consider the challenges it has received in the meantime."

What are your thoughts on the 3rd Way proposed by Team Origin of the RTYC?
EB: "We have a vision for the Cup and we intend to cooperate with any challenger that shares this vision. In Team Origin's letter, they expressed that they share our vision for a multi-challenge Cup in Valencia, Spain in 2011."

What brought about this lawsuit in the first place?
EB: "This lawsuit was brought about and has been pursued by the GGYC. We did not choose to go to court. We consistently worked and hoped for a resolution and by the end of 2007 we had agreed a Protocol and the Rules and Regulations for a 33rd America's Cup, all of which were supported by the 12 entered challengers involved in the process."

www.alinghi.com

NAVAL ARCHITECT REQUIRED
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Please apply in writing to:
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www.duboisyachts.com

AINSLIE MASTERS TRICKY CONDITIONS
The second day of racing at the Finn Gold Cup in Melbourne proved to be challenging with light and shifty wind.

Multiple World and Olympic Champion, Ben Ainslie (GBR) made his way through the fleet to cross the line a few meters behind Florian Raudaschl (AUT). The young Austrian who had nurtured a good lead around the course could not match Ainslie speed on the downwind leg. To further his disappointment, Raudaschl found himself disqualified for starting early giving the race victory to Ainslie.

Michael Maier (CZE) enjoyed the lighter conditions to finish in second place and improve his overall results after a very disappointing start in the regatta.

Australian Anthony Nossiter improved from a poor start to take 3rd place. "I was on the second row but I decided to sail conservatively on the beat. I played the shifts in the middle of the race and passed a few on the run."

Dan Slater (NZL) capitalised on his earlier outstanding results with a 4th place which gives him a comfortable lead on the overall standings, 12 points ahead of Ben Ainslie (GBR). He is the only sailor with one digit results so far. -- Corinne McKenzie

HOOKING UP THE TRADE WINDS
Paprec-Virbac 2's great "Trade Winds escape" continues, and the Franco-Irish duet has gained a whopping 169 miles over the past 24 hours. The situation is still tactically uncomplicated for Hugo Boss, but despite the "lovely conditions" described by Alex today, things could be a bit better as speeds stay in the lower range, while things remain unsettling on the rudder front. During the night, Temenos II made a move to the west and has reduced the lateral gap with Mutua Madrileña, but as predicted Dominique and Michele dramatically slowed down today. The two boats fighting for third place now have to face a very unclear weather situation.

Hugo Boss is still slogging along at 7,5 knots while Paprec-Virbac 2 is roughly twice as fast. The "Men in Black", as Jean-Pierre Dick calls them, lose around 15 miles every two hours, and there simply isn't anything they can do about it. "It's a straight line job, we're at the top of the high and it's very simple", said Alex who could have added "and very frustrating". As mentioned yesterday, Hugo Boss still experiences rudder problems which do not seem to be easily fixed on board. "We repaired it again", explained the skipper, before admitting tha! t things did not really improve - the crew faces a big challenge, considering a substantial part of the port rudder blade is missing.

French Multihull legend Loïck Peyron, recent winner of the singlehanded B2B Transat, and Roland Jourdain, Route du Rhum title holder who unfortunately had to pull out of the Barcelona World Race after dismasting while lying in third position, will both join us tomorrow during the live video conference. Don't miss that special event, starting at 13:00 GMT.

Day 75 - January 24, 16:00 GMT - Position report with distance to leader

1. Paprec-Virbac 2 - Jean Pierre Dick / Damian Foxall - 3375 To Finish
2. Hugo Boss - Alex Thomson / Andrew Cape - 819
3. Temenos Ii - Dominique Wavre / Michele Paret- 1785
4. Mutua Madrilena - Javier Sanso / Pachi Rivero - 1829
5. Educacion Sin Fronteras - Servane Escoffier / Albert Bargues - 3101

www.barcelonaworldrace.org

ITALIAN DROP-OUT LEAVES WARREN JONES YOUTH REGATTA GAP
Perth, Australia: Young Italian skipper Simone Farrarese has made a last minute withdrawal from the Warren Jones Youth Regatta, saying lack of sponsorship forced his decision, and leaving a gap for a possible replacement.

Regatta chairman Skip Lissiman commented, "The unfortunate thing is this event has become very popular amongst the world's youth match racing sailors and we receive a lot of interest from the international teams to compete.

"We would have liked to give another international team the opportunity to come here, but at this late notice that may not be possible considering the logistics of arranging flight bookings, etc"

The organizers, the West Australian Yachting Foundation, received 21 expressions of interest for the 12 places in the 2008 regatta, that runs from 2nd to 7th February, and is hosted this year by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, on Perth's Swan River.

The event is a priority for youth sailors, because it includes a two day match racing seminar, with speakers including legendary match racer Peter Gilmour, America's Cup winner Skip Lissiman, and this year possibly current super-star James Spithill.

Other competitors in this year's event come from as far afield as Sweden, New Zealand, and a strong contingent from the eastern states of Australia, with local skipper Torvar Mirsky defending the trophy he won last year.

The regatta comprises four days of tough on the water action in a fleet of Foundation 36 yachts, with the 12 crews sailing a double round robin series, before the top two skippers progress to a first to win two race final. -- John Roberson

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 Harwood-Bee: Before anybody gets excited about the ISAF letter presented to Justice Kahn, may I suggest that they read it in full. Hopefully they will understand that it says very little to contribute to the case. In fact it confuses itself (hardly surprising for ISAF) in one line it refers to KEELBOAT, which most sailors would probably accept as a monohull. Later it switches to KEEL YACHT, a term that I and many others would consider to be any keeled vessel including multihull. It's definition of a keel is 'a fixed hull appendage attached approximately on the hull centre plane, primarily used to affect stability and leeway'.

Not everybody considers a keel to be 'fixed'. and I quote a dictionary definition: In sailboats, keels use the forward motion of the boat to generate lift to counter the lateral force from the sails. Keels may be fixed, or they may retract to allow sailing in shallower waters.

The etymology of the word is from Anglo-Saxon ceol, Old Norse kjoll, = "ship" or "keel". As for multihulls being keel or keeled yachts? I have sailed catamarans over many years. Every one of them had 'keels ' that would fit the ISAF definition.

It is my submission to Judge Kahn that the whole subject is a red herring. Nonsense used as ammunition between protagonists that increasingly has nothing to do with sailing and more with some personal vendetta between Bertarelli and Coutts. Pathetic.

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THE LAST WORD
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