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Vanishing Act—Sailing News from the U.S. and Beyond

As the leaders of the nonstop, double-handed Barcelona World Race (BWR) approach the finishing line, the final opportunities for tactical tomfoolery are here. Jean Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron, aboard Virbac-Paprec 3, have dominated this race for months and the two are only too keenly aware of the threat poised by double Spanish Olympians Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernández aboard Mapfre, some two hundred miles astern. Given the importance of the next few days, Dick and Peyron have entered into a 36-hour 'ghost' mode, and have been dark since Thursday, thus robbing their pursuers of the chance to watch their progress, at least for a small while. 'Let's play' was the comment offered by the leading Frenchmen. It will be interesting to see how this maneuver plays out. More inside.

Jaume Mumbrú onboard We Are Water - Barcelona World Race  © We Are Water

For BWR skippers Jaume Mumbru and Cali Sanmarti, aboard We Are Water, some 2,500 miles astern, the situation is more sober as they are about to encounter a serious drubbing, weather-wise, that could see Force 12 conditions. 'The barometer has gone down to 956mb, we are preparing for the worst-possible scenario,' said Mumbru. As of their latest report, Mumbru and Sanmarti were running away from the storm under a storm jib only (mainsail fully dropped), making roughly eleven knots. Check out the report inside and stay tuned for more BWR updates, as they become known.

In nascent offshore sailing circles, the All-American Offshore Team (AAOT) has announced their 2011 roster. This fledgling team plans to race the STP65 Vanquish in a series of high-profile offshore events in order to train tomorrow's offshore racing leaders. This year's team includes some names you've probably heard of and some you probably haven't, at least yet. Much like the Volvo Ocean Race, the AAOT chooses members aged 18-30; this year's team boats an mean average age of 23, with no sailor older than 27. Also like the VOR, each AAOT member brings crucial offshore skills to the table besides knowing how to make a boat go fast. 'In just four weeks we received over 250 applications,' said Mark Towill, the AAOT's general manager. 'What it really came down to was offshore sailing experience and the diversity of additional qualifications. Our schedule doesn't allow for much training and it's vital that we put our best foot forward.' Read more about the AAOT and find out who made the cut, inside this issue.

Congressional Cup - Long Beach YC - Day 3  Rich Roberts ©

And in California, action is hot at the Congressional Cup, where Italy's Francesco Bruni currently leads the standings. American interests are well represented by Dave Perry and Taylor Canfield (USVI), two of the country's better-known match racers. The total take-home purse for this event is $40,000, with $10,000 for the winner. Read more inside, be sure to check out Rich Robert's image gallery and stay tuned for more as this event unfolds.

Lastly, Cup fans take note: the March 31 deadline to enter the 34th America's Cup is fast approaching and there are now two additional and unnamed teams in the mix, bringing the total number of participating teams to ten. These two new teams will be making their formal announcements soon, perhaps as early as next week. 'With the deadline for entries coming at the end of this month, it's fantastic to have two more competitors in the line-up this week,' said Iain Murray, Regatta Director for the 34th America's Cup. 'This brings us up to 10 teams in the competition with a little over a week remaining before the deadline for entries.' Stay tuned for more on these developments, as they become known.

May the four winds blow you safely home.

David Schmidt, US Editor Sail-World.com

Barcelona World Race: 'Ghost' mode as We Are Water breaks boom Barcelona World Race, Barcelona World Race competitors Virbac-Paprec 3 and Mapfre are now invisible. When the two boats were both last ‘live' Virbac-Paprec 3 lead by 250 miles, Mapfre sailing east of the track of the leading boat. Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron are due to re-appear this evening again, returning from their self imposed exile from the public tracking system.... [more] Share this story

Barcelona World Race skippers facing intense conditions Barcelona World Race, The Barcelona World Race skippers aboard We are Water prepare for the worst as they face a severe Southern Ocean storm while Virbac-Paprec 3 enter 'stealth' mode. The GRIB files show stronger winds near the coast so by tacking early towards North Africa they will reach better pressure soonest, but will be sailing an unfavorable angle for longer.... [more] Share this story

Rolex International Regatta day 1 images by Ingrid Abery Ingrid Abery images, Rolex International Regatta day 1. This gallery of images is by photographer Ingrid Abery.... [more] Share this story

International Rolex Regatta day 1 Leighton O'Connor images Leighton O'Connor images, International Rolex Regatta St. Thomas day 1 images presented by photographer Leighton O'Connor.... [more] Share this story

IFDS Blind Match Racing Championships semi finals David Staley, IFDS Blind Match Racing Championships semi finals have been sailed off Royal Perth Yacht Club in Matilda Bay. Top ranked sailor after the round robins, Vicki Sheen (GBR), selected Craig Gordon (AUS) as her opponent for the first matches. Russell Lowry (NZL) and Luigi Bertanza (ITA) sailed the other semi final series.... [more] Share this story

ISAF publish urgent submissions for mid-year meeting ISAF, ISAF has now published the Urgent Submissions for the 2011 ISAF Mid-Year Meeting that will be held in St. Petersburg, Russia from fourth through the eighth of May. The Urgent Submissions are all related to the Event and Equipment choices for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.... [more] Share this story

World Match Racing Tour a marketing platform World Match Racing Tour, The World Match Racing Tour is an effective marketing platform for brands to realise their business goals... [more] Share this story

Sodebo's amazing adventure circumnavigating the globe Kate Jennings translation, The sequence of events in Sodebo's circumnavigation of the globe details the amazing adventure of Thomas Coville... [more] Share this story

Antigua Sailing Week 2011 superb sailing and guaranteed fun Louay Habib, The 44th Antigua Sailing Week starts just one month from today and already sees an influx of over one thousand competitors and exactly 100 boats entered to date. The Caribbean's longest-running and most famous regatta will take place at Nelson's Dockyard and English Harbour.... [more] Share this story

Images of the Heineken regatta 2011 at Puerto Rico Bob Greiser, Outside Images, Outside Images' Bob Grieser is at the Heineken regatta 2011 in Puerto Rico, and presents this gallery of a windy day with lots of sun.... [more] Share this story

International Rolex Regatta:Seeking sun, fun and fierce competition Barby MacGowan, International Rolex Regatta St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The three-day event, which starts tomorrow, has increased its participants over last year, with 77 teams signed up in IRC, CSA (Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker), IC 24 and Beach Cat classes.... [more] Share this story

Congressional Cup day 3 - Four way fight Rich Roberts, Congressional Cup, Long Beach (California) is being sailed from March 22nd to 26th. If Bruni, the defending champion, stays alone on top, he'll have the privilege of choosing which of the other three he meets in the semifinals.... [more] Share this story

Race to Mackinac reaches 300 entries in 45 days Rachelle Treiber, Race to Mackinac - Chicago Yacht Club announced today that the 2011 Race to Mackinac presented by Veuve Clicquot has 343 entries. 'We are delighted that interest in our race is once again so strong. As we say on our boat, ‘It's going to be a very busy lake.' said race chairman Greg Freeman. 2011 marks the 103rd running of 'the Mac,' the world's oldest annual freshwater sailing distance race.... [more] Share this story

What does a 'mixed event' mean for a singlehanded class? Markus Schwendtner, There are rumors that ISAF has received 65 or more submissions for the events of the 2016 Olympic Games. The battle is expected to be in two areas - the keelboat lobby against the dinghy lobby, and the question what happens with the two board sports that foolishly have been pitched against each other in the provisional November slate... [more] Share this story

Spring training camps for US Olympic and Paralympic athletes Dana Paxton, March is Spring Training season for more than 75 members of the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics (USSTAG) and the US Sailing Development Team (USSDT).... [more] Share this story

National Sailing Hall of Fame to honor first class of inductees Jan Harley, National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame (NSHOF) is set to honor its first class of inductees on October 23, 2011. The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame is now taking steps to determine the first 15 inductees with the confirmation of its selection process. Nominations will be accepted from the general public.... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Ten teams now entered with a week to entry close America's Cup Media, With the entry deadline of 31st March fast approaching, two more teams have been accepted as competitors for the 34th America's Cup. Formal, public announcements by these two teams, revealing their identities, nationalities and plans are expected as early as next week. (Three teams are now undisclosed)... [more] Share this story

Images from the Congressional Cup: Day 2 Rich Roberts, Top US photographer and journalist, Rich Roberts, presents a gallery of images from the second day of racing at the Congressional Cup, Long Beach, California.... [more] Share this story

Congressional Cup day 2 - Canfield needs no sympathy Rich Roberts, Congressional Cup day 1 may have been winless for Taylor Canfield, but today proved to be different. Canfield, from the U.S. Virgin Islands followed his 0-7 West Coast debut with a 4-1 record.... [more] Share this story

All-American Offshore Team announces 2011 members Jan Harley, The All-American Offshore Team (AAOT) is setting a course for a new generation of sailors to move into open ocean racing. The age range for AAOT was modeled on the age cutoff for the Volvo Ocean Race with nine sailors between the ages of 18 and 30 selected to join the AAOT Management Team.... [more] Share this story

ISAF South American Nations Cup Regional Final number one in Brazil ISAF, The first ISAF South American Nations Cup Regional Final for 2011 will take place from 24-27 March this week at Porto Alegre, Brazil.... [more] Share this story

ISAF World Sailing Rankings March 2011 release ISAF, ISAF World Sailing Rankings for 23 March 2011 have been released. Spain and Great Britain top the rankings, followed by France.... [more] Share this story

Argo Group Gold Cup - Will Ben Ainslie take the challenge? Talbot Wilson, Winner of the past two Argo Gold Cups, Ben Ainslie has been invited to the 2011 event. Will Ainslie make it a hat trick? Organizers have offered the British ace the chance to run his string of wins to a historic three-in a-row in this classic match race competition.... [more] Share this story

All-American Offshore Team leads a new generation Kirsten Ferguson, All-American Offshore Team - In announcing the members of its 2011 sailing roster, The All-American Offshore Team (AAOT) is setting a course for a new generation of sailors to move into open ocean racing.... [more] Share this story

Velux 5 Oceans Sprint 4 Sustainability Award focuses on Power Velux 5 Oceans, Velux 5 Oceans Sprint 4 skippers will discuss sustainable power generation, management and preservation while alone at sea. Power will be the theme for the sustainability award for ocean sprint 4 of the Velux 5 Oceans.... [more] Share this story

Barcelona World Race - Fleet faces 50-60 knots Barcelona World Race, Barcelona World Race co-skipper Ludovic Aglaor, of Forum Maritim Catala, today demonstrated that rounding Cape Horn does not necessarily equate to hitting the home stretch.... [more] Share this story

Charleston Race Week - America's largest regatta adds fifth course Charleston Race Week, Charleston Race Week – Now that the entry list topped 270 boats for this month, it became apparent that the organizers of 2011 Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week had a small problem. 'The last thing we've ever wanted to do was tell people we don't have room for them, but that's the position we found ourselves in,' explained Randy Draftz, the event's Race Director.... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: AC45's together as a fleet on the Hauraki Gulf Ivor Wilkins, Four of the five AC45's were together as a fleet on the Hauraki Gulf today, with Emirates Team NZ remaining in the shed. This is the first time that the AC45's have been together as a fleet, two boat training is expected to start in the next couple of days, with Defender, Oracle Racing, expected to do their own thing with their two boats and the Challengers, Artemis Racing (SWE) and Emirates Team... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Four AC45s flying on the Hauraki Gulf + Video America's Cup Media, The development of the new AC45 class reached another significant milestone in Auckland, New Zealand today when four of the high-performance catamarans lined up for a sailing session in the Hauraki Gulf. In a 10-15 knot breeze, the four yachts sped along at speeds reaching the mid-20 knot range, often within a couple of metres of each other. 'What we learned today is that we made the right deci... [more] Share this story

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