America's Cup - the latest pix, Volvo and more

Team Telefonica picking up speed after exiting the Strait of Malacca, during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China. (Credit: Diego Fructuoso/Team Telefonica/Volvo Ocean Race)  Diego Fructuoso/ Team Telefónica/Volvo Ocean Race

America's Cup – We have all the fine details from the AC72 launches in Auckland yesterday, the competitors' forum and Iain Murray's conversation with Sail-World's Richard Gladwell and the New Zealand media.

There may still be time for another 2013 America's Cup competitor to emerge, from the Asia Pacific or Europe, but the runway is getting short as Big Fella explains.

Emirates Team NZ's AC72 is craned into the water with Luna Rossa already in, both feature the new top wingsail section  Richard Gladwell

The Sail-World team will be continuing to provide very detailed America's Cup coverage, with news from New Zealand and San Francisco as it happens.

This Volvo Ocean race leg is getting more interesting. We talked to former VOR CEO Glenn Bourke about this event down at the Festival of Sails - We'll publish the full interview in the next few days.

Day 2 of the Warren Jones International Youth Regatta 2012, at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. This event has launched the career of a host of match racers. These are the names you will see on the World Match Racing Tour in the years to come.

True Blue Racing at the Warren Jones Regatta   Jordan Reece

America's Cup: Plenty of questions surface after Competitors' Forum Richard Gladwell, Regatta Director Iain Murray revealed after the Competitors Forum that changes were under consideration for the America's Cup including a change to a point for the day system, rather than per race; shorter courses of just 30 minutes; and possibly a place for the AC45's in the America's Cup regatta; plus the physical demands expected of the sailors and how that was shaping racing formats.... [more] Share this story

Warren Jones Regatta - True Blue Racing undefeated after opening day Jordan Reece, Warren Jones International Regatta - True Blue Racing has set the early pace taking six wins from six starts to have a clear lead after the opening days competition. The day started with a strong easterly breeze around 22 knots with competitors sent out with the small jibs and reefed mainsails. True Blue Racing had a first flight bye match allowing the team to watch the others start off... [more] Share this story

2011/12 NSW O'pen BIC Cup at Port Stephens (PSSAC) Bevan McKavanagh, Round 2 of the 2011/12 NSW O'pen Cup took place this past weekend with a solid turn out of 41 sailors taking part. Conditions were close to perfect for the two days, good 10-15 knot breezes for the two days without any of the rain forecasted ever failing during the regatta.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Camper sail into their comfort zone Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race - The crew aboard Camper may be facing gale force winds and huge seas, but with confidence, they feel that they are now sailing into their comfort zone. Chris Nicholson's team spent so long bashing upwind during their training for the VOR that the 35-knot winds forecast to pummel the fleet within the next 24 hours as they race through the South China Sea are little worry for them.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Game on en route to South Cape of Vietnam Volvo Ocean Race, The Volvo Ocean Race fleet are maintaining the pace and pressure at 2200 UTC this evening as Iker Martinez and the crew of Telefonica lead the fleet towards the South Cape of Vietnam, some 261 nautical miles (nm) ahead. Even though the team had to back up to free some plastic stuck in the daggerboard, since 1600 UTC today they have been making small gains on the entire fleet... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Danger not over yet + Video Volvo Ocean Race, Telefónica navigator Andrew Cape couldn't hide his relief at being clear of the Malacca Strait – but said the danger is not over yet.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's Mar Mostro returns to ocean life Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race - Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: Last night we waved goodbye to the Straits of Malacca and the hustling, bustling Singapore just to its south, and returned to the ocean life (our fourth different body of water this leg: the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Malacca Strait, and now the South China Sea).... [more] Share this story

Warren Jones International Youth Regatta - Tough day on the water John Roberson, Warren Jones International Youth Regatta - Sydney sailors head the leaderboard at the end of the day one with Jordan Reece and David Chapman both undefeated after a tough day on the water. Jordan Reece, who came into the event as the top ranked skipper, has six wins on the scoreboard, while David Chapman scored five.... [more] Share this story

Hardy Cup at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron preview Peter Campbell, Hardy Cup 2012 - The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's annual regatta again looks set to be an Australia versus New Zealand sailing clash. The prestigious regatta, the concept of eminent Australian yachtsman and Squadron member Sir James Hardy, with seven crews sailing the Squadron's fleet of Elliott 6 sports boats.... [more] Share this story

470 Junior Worlds: Italian crew notch another two wins Kristine Lederis, Four days of racing have now been completed at the 470 Junior World Championships at Takapuna Boating Club on Auckland's North Shore, and two more days of full racing remain before Friday's medal races for the top ten boats in each fleet. The Italian duo of Simon Sivitz Kosuta and Jas Farneti are leaps and bounds ahead in the Men's fleet, winning every race except the very first. The pair of t... [more] Share this story

Dangerous surf conditions forecast for NSW coast Penny Robbins, Roads and Maritime Services has issued an alert following Bureau of Meteorology advice that dangerous surf conditions are forecast to develop from Port Macquarie to the Victorian border from early tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.... [more] Share this story

Alarm and anger grow as LightSquared threatens USA GPS system Nancy Knudsen, GPS-enabled devices could be compromised if a plan to expand the United States' broadband system goes forward, yet the company that proposes to build a broadband cell-phone communications network it calls LightSquared, 4G-LTE wireless broadband, seems to be as yet completely undaunted by marine industry concern that the vital GPS system is under threat... [more] Share this story

New Maritime Advisory Council for NSW Office of the Minister for Roads and Ports, A new 11-member council has been formed to govern boating safety and waterway issues.... [more] Share this story

Sailing World Cup Standings taking shape after opening events ISAF, Standings for the 2011-2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup are beginning to take shape after Sail Melbourne and US Sailing's Rolex Miami OCR, the opening two regattas of the seven series World Cup. China's Lijia Xu has had the perfect start to her World Cup campaign winning Laser Radial gold at Sail Melbourne and the Rolex Miami OCR.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Gut wrenching setback for Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race - Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: Yesterday I said it was going to be a make or break 24 hours. It appears now – after a full 24 hours – that we were headed for a breaking. Puma's Mar Mostro pulled to within a few hundred yards of Groupama and Telefónica late yesterday... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Almost finished running the Malacca gauntlet Volvo Ocean Race, The Malacca Strait nightmare is almost over with just 60 nautical miles standing between the leaders and the open ocean. Team Telefónica and Groupama sailing team were inseparable overnight as the leading pack of three was reduced to two, with PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG snagged by a net and left more than 10 nm behind in third.... [more] Share this story

470 Junior Worlds: Blasting down the back straight Richard Gladwell, The final reach to the finish line is always a great piece of action for sailing photographers - none more so than today in the 470 Junior World Championships off Takapuna Beach, Auckland City. Sail-World's camera caught the front end of the fleet on the final charge to the finish line in a beautiful Takapuna seabreeze.... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race Leg 3 - Upwind battle Oliver Dewar, Global Ocean Race - The first night at sea for the double-handed Class40s was an upwind battle in around 20 knots as the fleet left the shelter of Wellington Harbour following a one-month stopover and hammered out into Cook Strait led by leg two winners, Conrad Colman, and South African skipper, Adrian Kuttel, on their Akilaria RC2, Cessna Citation.... [more] Share this story

SB3 Australian Championship and Crown Series Bellerive Regatta preview Peter Campbell, SB3 Australian Championship and Crown Series Bellerive Regatta are just two upcoming national events for sports boats to be held on Hobart's River Derwent. Hobart is set for a feast of super fast sailing from next weekend through to Easter, hosting national and state championships and regattas for high performance sports boats, including the one-design SB3 class.... [more] Share this story

18ft Skiffs - Mark Heeley chats with Mr Coxon + Video Bob Killick, Team Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabus won again and successfully defended their Australian 18ft Skiff title.... [more] Share this story

Belcher and Page victorious at 2012 Rolex Miami OCR Belcher & Page 2012, Sailors Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page came out of the 2012 Rolex Miami OCR victorious and now they share with us the experience and excitement of their win which marked a first in the regattas history. Finally managed to win the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. After two silver medals in our last two attempts, it was a nice feeling for Malcolm and I to come away with the Gold.... [more] Share this story

Whitsunday Sailing Club maintains investment Ian Grant, Whitsunday Sailing Club despite being geographically disadvantaged from the main stream of Queensland sailing, has maintained a strong investment in attracting the local youth sailors to compete in class racing on Pioneer Bay. Club Flag Officers have always encouraged the new generation members to enjoy their dinghy sailing irrespective of the results.... [more] Share this story

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