Following a four year programme of racing across Europe, on Monday the first day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup was scheduled. For the first time, the challengers were sailing for their lives, with elimination looming after two Round Robins.
But the weather didn’t fully cooperate. For the more than 50 thousand spectators in the AC Park on a holiday Monday, it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day; the first for weeks. But on the water, the wind needed for fair racing never (...)
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Russian adventurer-sailor Fedor Konyukhov is confirmed as the first competitor in the Antarctica Cup Yacht Race (ACYR).
Starting in December 2007, Fedor will attempt to sail his 88.58 ft. boat "Alye Parusa" around the challenging 14,500 nautical mile Antarctica Cup Racetrack and in doing so claim the inaugural world record for sailing solo, non-stop, around the Antarctica Cup Racetrack and become the first ocean racing sailor to circumnavigate Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. (...)
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For the first time since dismasting during Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13, Italy’s +39 Challenge has taken to the waters off Valencia. The team has stepped an old ‘version 4’ mast it has acquired, and made adjustments to its sails and equipment so that they fit with the mast. Friday the team went sailing to test the equipment.
In the meantime, the team is working feverishly to repair its broken "version 5" mast. 12 to 14 people are working around the clock to (...)
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City firms are set to battle it out on the water in the 2007 BMW City Challenge, the popular Docklands-based summer yacht racing series, which takes place from May-September. Following the success of the 2006 event, title sponsor, BMW has agreed to add a fifth series, allowing more companies the chance to take to the water and defend their hard-fought city reputations.
Staged in the Royal Victoria Dock, the event attracts leading institutions from throughout the capital including (...)
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So here we sit in the container downloading data after a monumental day. We went for it today in winds averaging around 18 knots. Plenty of spectators and all cameras rolling. Everything was working. Everything was in place. I could feel the extra load on the knot as I slipped from the restraining anchor. Once into the wind Sailrocket lifted out and the next moments were perhaps the scariest I’ve ever had.
Once again she headed for the beach like a horse to the barn. I knew from our first (...)
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