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A few weeks ago I wrote a rather pessimistic editorial about how a Hong Kong Government suffering from substantial lack of imagination was unlikely to give the nod to a proposed Louis Vuitton match race event in Hong Kong harbour. I suggested that “the Hong Kong Government are a short-sighted lot, lacking in imagination, and probably unable to appreciate the enormous media and pr exposure that a LVWS event in Hong Kong would generate for the city.” And I even made a bet with a friend that an LV Trophy event wouldn't happen here.

Now I am absolutely delighted to report that I have lost my $100, and there will indeed be a Louis Vuitton Trophy match racing event in Hong Kong, facilitated by a handout of unspecified size from the Government's HK$100million Mega Events Fund. Jeffrey Lam, chairman of the MEF assessment committee, said “mega events (such as the Louis Vuitton Trophy) will enrich the travel experience of visitors, raise Hong Kong's profile internationally, showcase Hong Kong‘s capability to host world-class events, and reinforce our position as the events capital of Asia.”

The proposed ‘race village' is to be adjacent to the Star Ferry Pier near Central, and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club will be providing logistical and technical support for the series, which will run for a fortnight in November 2010. LV couldn't wish for any better support.

Thank you, the Hong Kong Government, for starting to really put sailing on the map in this part of the world.

And as if that piece of news wasn't enough in itself, the Extreme 40s are on the way to Hong Kong as part of the Extreme Asia Sailing Series. Part of the Hong Kong regatta 20-24 November will be the RHKYC Around the Island Race on 22 November, and the other venues for the Series will be Singapore (11-15 December) and Muscat (1-5 February 2010). Wow! Now Asia really is on the map!

And then there were five. China Coast Race Week 2009 Lindsay Lyons, RHKYC, A depleted entry list of five boats crossed the RHKYC Club line in Victoria Harbour at 1600hrs this afternoon, victim of approaching typhoon Lupit, which has now weakened and veered northwards.... [more] Onsend this story

Vestas Sailrocket - Will it all come together? Sail-World.com and Paul Larsen, Latest news from the Vestas Sailrocket Team, who are running out of time on their final attempt at breaking the World Sailing Speed record... [more] Onsend this story

Rolex Middle Sea Race prizegiving concludes 2009 race Sail-World.com and KPMS, The Rolex Middle Sea Race prize giving is always emotional and is held in the majestic Sacra Infermeria, which dates back to 1574 and was originally built by the Knights of St John as a hospital to care for its sick and injured.... [more] Onsend this story

Rolex Middle Sea Race - Completing the race Double-Handed KPMS, Rolex Middle Sea Race. Two admirable feats of seamanship ended in Marsamxett Harbour in the early hours of Friday morning. The last two yachts completed the 606 nautical mile course. Double-handed. Short-handed racing is as much about the preparation and the mind-set, as it is about the execution.... [more] Onsend this story

Alinghi 5 sails with new, longer mast Alinghi Media, The team stepped the new Alinghi mast yesterday at the base on America's Cup Island of Al Hamra and were eager to try it for size during the training session today. As Murray Jones hopped off the boat at the end of the day, we got his reaction as design team responsible for the mast and rig programme: 'It went really well.... [more] Onsend this story

Frenzy blows mast - full sequence of images Paul Gilbert, A good start in HBCS Coastal Classic for`Frenzy' ended prematurely, at the first corner when she lost her mast. Paul Gilbert / www.aquapx.com caught the action... [more] Onsend this story

Coastal Classic: Alfa Romeo smashes the Race Record Richard Gladwell, The 100ft Reichel-Pugh design owned by New Zealander, Neville Crichton, has set a new race mark of around 6hrs 45 minutes - a time to be confirmed by race officials. ONE Sport's Martin Tasker was aboard for the ride north and told Sail-World that she had stayed above 20kts all the way up the Northland coast before dropping back to 12 kts for the final stage, on the wind from Cape Brett.... [more] Onsend this story

Vestas Sailrocket - One of those days as Mother Nature refuses to play Paul Larsen, Latest news from the Vestas Sailrocket Team, who are running out of time on their final attempt at breaking the World Sailing Speed record.... [more] Onsend this story

50% of maritime debris is plastic ABC Science Online and Sail-World, Alistair McIlgorm of the National Marine Science Center in Coffs Harbor Australia says '6.4 million tons of debris reaches the world's oceans each year.' 'Of that, 80 percent is thought to come from land based sources, more than half of the rubbish is believed to be plastic'... [more] Onsend this story

70 boats expected for Traditional 22 ft Dhow Sailing Championships Sail-World.com/Sharon Allison, Heat 1 of the Traditional 22 ft Dhow Sailing Championships takes to the water on Saturday 24th October. It will be interesting to see who wins and to take a good look at the design of their boat and sail. The 22 ft dhow is the training boa,t not just for new sailors, but it is also the prototype for the 43 ft & 60 ft racing dhows... [more] Onsend this story

Busan Cup Women's International Match Race skippers announced Mark Chi/ISAF, The Busan Cup Women's International Match Race to be held from 30 October to 4 November has finalized their list of skippers for the 2009 ISAF Grade 1 women's match race.... [more] Onsend this story

America's Cup Defender takes hard line on Trustee claims Alinghi Media, The Societe Nautique de Geneve Comite Central responds to the Golden Gate Yacht Club's latest letter: 'The SNG Comité Central is fully supportive of the Club's decisions to date concerning the 33rd America's Cup, including the selection of Ras Al Khaimah as the venue [...],' it writes.... [more] Onsend this story

Golden Gate counters Swiss claims over America's Cup rules and venue Sail-World, The Challenger for the America's Cup, Golden gate Yacht Club has filed papers in rebuttal of many of the claims made by Societe Nautique de Geneve ahead of the Hearing in the New York Supreme Court on 27 October 2009.... [more] Onsend this story

Extreme 40 Circuit without Title Sponsor for 2010 as iShares withdraws Sail-World.com/OC Events, The Extreme Sailing Series, owned and organised by OC Events, is looking for a Title Sponsor after the withdrawal of iShares for the 2010 season.... [more] Onsend this story

Rolex Middle Sea Race images - onboard DSK and fleet aerials Carlo Borlenghi and Bruno Cocozza images, The Rolex Middle Sea Race - Photographer Bruno Cocozza was onboard DSK Pioneer Investments and offers this gallery of images, showing just what 'race life' is about. Photographer Carlo Borlenghi took to the air and offers these images of various yachts crashing their way through the ocean.... [more] Onsend this story

 

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