Aussies in Transpac and VOR, Etchells and AC turmoil

by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World team on 12 Mar 2015 Two Aussie super maxis set for the 2015 Transpac – entries from 60 boats from five countries around the Pacific region, so far, for the 2225 nautical mile race set for July 2015.

Three Supermaxis, Roy Pat Disney and Bob Oatley's Aussie-America team on the Reichel/Pugh 100 Wild Oats, Syd Fischer's Aussie team on his Ragamuffin 100, and Manouch Moshayedi's recently-renovated Bakewell-White Rio 100 from Newport Beach.

And while we are on numbers, there will be three and a half Aussies on the Volvo Ocean Race Team SCA as they head for Itajai in Brazil next Sunday. ‘The runner’ Sophie Ciszek (AUS)returns on board, having missed the last two legs due to a back injury, Stacey Jackson (AUS), Liz Wardley (AUS) and the half, lets claim Darren Bundock Bundy's best half Carolijn Brouwer (NED).

Richard Gladwell continues his intense coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race and will provide more great coverage thru the weekend. RG will be on board Alivimedica tomorrow for the pre-Inshore Practice Race.

Team Brunel have announced that the French sailor Laurent Pagès has broken broke two ribs during the stopover in Auckland, and will be replaced by the Dutch offshore sailor Dirk de Ridder.

De Ridder recently completed an 18 month suspension from racing over boat tampering in the 2013 America's Cup, he denies involvement in the incidents. The Volvo Ocean Race marks his return to professional sailing.

The Victorian Etchells State titles sailed on the weekend and the coverage from John Curnow, superb again. Other sailing writers should aspire to provide reports that are as interesting and insightful as John produces. Well done mate.

America's Cup turmoil continues with the news that Dean Barker has decided not to accept the position of Performance Manager/Coach and Executive Team Member offered to him following a four month period of restructure at ETNZ. Quite some acrimony there and it’s likely that Barker will turn up with another syndicate.

Meanwhile lawyers acting for the seriously unhappy former Oracle Team USA crewman, Kiwi Joe Spooner have advised that the AC45 #4 has been arrested by Marshalls in San Francisco. Previously lawyers for Oracle Team USA advised Northern Californian Court that the same boat had been sold to Team France in December 2013, so that is a puzzle.