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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1472 - 27 MARCH

Brought to you by boats.com Europe ( http://www.boats.com ) and Yachtworld.com Europe ( http://www.yachtworld.com ) Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to editor@scuttlebutteurope.com

SNG FRUSTRATED WITH MEETING OUTCOME Following the meeting that was held at the Societe Nautique de Geneve in Switzerland with representatives from both SNG and Golden Gate Yacht Club, Lucien Masmejan, lead counsel for the defending yacht club, expresses:

"Despite having had great hopes for today's meeting with GGYC, we were very disappointed with the outcome. GGYC adopted the same approach that it took last year coming to the meeting with a fixed position rather than to discuss and find a resolution in accordance with Justice Cahn's Order.

We are particularly frustrated by the GGYC's assertion that the agreement made in front of Justice Cahn to 'toll the case' so that the Defender would have 10 months notice as per the Deed of Gift no longer applies and that racing should take place in October 2008.

GGYC confirmed that it has already started building its boat for the America's Cup Match and stated that SNG has time to build a boat by October 2008 but should this not be possible that SNG should compete in an existing boat. This clearly is an extension of the GGYC's strategy to win the America's Cup at all costs as it would guarantee an absurdly miss-matched race - precisely the opposite of the racing that we have come to expect from the America's Cup.

We remain committed to trying to move the fight from the court room back to the water but the actions of GGYC are making this extremely difficult to achieve. GGYC has successfully guaranteed itself entry via the Courts to the America's Cup Match for the first time, despite its strong statements that its legal action was for the benefit of all Challengers. We will use all avenues open to us to ensure that they are forced to compete in a competitive race in the spirit and tradition of the America's Cup."

http://www.alinghi.com

... AND BACK TO COURT The Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG) has decided to request Justice Cahn determine the dates for the event, as contemplated in his Order of 19 March 2008.

This decision comes following an unsuccessful meeting on Wednesday between representatives from the SNG and the GGYC. Having exhausted every available effort for a settlement and reached a deadlock in discussions with GGYC, on Wednesday evening (New York time), SNG filed a letter with the New York Supreme Court requesting a hearing to determine the date for the 33rd America's Cup Match that honours the 10-month notice period stipulated in the Deed of Gift and takes into account the GGYC's prior agreement that this notice period would be tolled pending Court proceedings.

"Larry Ellison wants the America's Cup, but he doesn't seem to be prepared to win it through a competitive regatta on the water," declared Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi president. "Through his actions he has successfully eliminated 12 entered teams, destroyed plans for a 2009 multi-challenge event in Valencia and through the legal system has guaranteed himself a place in the America's Cup Match, something he has never before achieved on the water. Now Larry Ellison seeks to win the America's Cup through its legal strategy rather than racing Alinghi on the water. GGYC continues to mislead SNG: it had agreed to suspend the 10-month notice period for the duration of the legal proceedings, however now wants to force us to race in a timeframe that won't allow SNG to prepare its defence or an event that will satisfy Cup enthusiasts."

The nature of the request to Justice Cahn for a 2009 Match is detailed in the letter sent to Justice Cahn (see http://scuttlebutteurope.com/pdf/260308_letter_to_justice_cahn.pdf ). Subject to when and how Justice Cahn resolves SNG's request, it is hoped that further Court proceedings will be unnecessary. SNG has reserved all of its rights as the holder of the America's Cup and as a litigant in the New York courts.

"SNG has repeatedly stated that it wants the competition back on the water and out of the courts; however the GGYC's consistent rejection of a competitive and sporting match in 2009 has given the Defender no alternative but to return to Justice Cahn," said Lucien Masmejan, lead counsel for the SNG.

AGILITY: ULTIMATE D0-IT-All DESIGN Tagged as the ultimate do-it-all design, the Camet Agility short is ideal for any seasonal outing with an aerobic component. In addition to the shorts breathable and versatile function, the two-tone shell features side pockets placed high for easy access when sailing. CametflexT is 98% nylon and 2% CFlex double weave with 3 way mechanical stretch. The yarns are specifically processed to resist deformation. The resulting fabric has great stretch and no propensity to hold moisture, with a super durable water repellency.

See it at http://www.camet.com

'JACKY' ROGGE SAVES SAILORS BOYCOTT GRIEF The untimely tragedy of Chris Law's death last summer made me think then about the affects of an Olympic boycott.

In his case, a seemingly invincible man felt he was in some way unrecognised and under-appreciated because some committee somewhere decided that British sailors staying away from the Olympic regatta in Tallinn would affect Soviet foreign policy. The experience of 1980 resided in Law for the rest of his unsettled life.

Back then, Olympic boycotts were a weapon of mutual distrust in the Cold War. It was against this background that Ted Turner set up the Goodwill Games. Turner was still very much one of ocean racing's great characters and a winning America's Cup skipper whose business extended not much beyond a billboards and the Atlanta Braves.

In 1980, the British government ducked the boycott issue (shades of the Cricket World Cup and Zimbabwe here) and left it to individual sports federations to make up their minds. The sailors and equestrians stayed at home. Few others did. Law was in his prime then; serious medal material. Eddie Warden-Owen, now the new chief executive of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, was another to have his chance of medal taken away.

Back to today.

Only half an ear or an eye was needed to the news over the weekend to know that four words were being joined: Tibet-China-Olympics-Boycott.

The IOC seemed to want to forestall any such talk with president Jacques Rogge taking the unusual step of issuing a statement on Easter Sunday saying the "Olympics are a force for good" and that change in China will come "by opening up the country to the scrutiny of the world".

Sailors tend to think Jacques Rogge as one of their own. Most call him Jacky, familiar from his three Games from 1968 in which he sailed for Belgium. He will have witnessed first the impact of the partial boycott in 1976. -- Tim Jeffery, his full article in his blog at http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/timjeffery

JPMORGAN ASSET MANAGEMENT ROUND THE ISLAND RACE With 94 days to go to this year's JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, entries at 507 show an increase on the same point in 2007 and there are still savings to be made for those entering before 29th March 2008.

One of the yachts making a racing debut is Infinity of Cowes, a brand new CNB95 (See http://www.cnb.fr/cr-infinity_uk.php )from the custom wing of Beneteau. The boat is currently undergoing sea trials in France ready for delivery to her British owner. With a 95 foot length overall and 23 foot beam Infinity of Cowes is cutter rigged and will be racing in the IRC division.

Returning to defend the title he has held since 2001 is Mike Slade, current monohull record holder for the race. This year he will be the skipper of ICAP Leopard, the Supermaxi that holds the record for the Rolex Fastnet Race, crossed the line second in the 2008 Sydney-Hobart and took monohull line honours in the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race 2007. The crew will include Volvo 70 and America's Cup sailors.

The charity aspect of the race continues in 2008 as competitors are encouraged to "make their race count" by racing or fundraising for charity. This year will see a new initiative with the launch of the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race Charity Squad. The four official race charities - The Ellen MacArthur Trust, Breast Cancer Care, Prostate UK and Macmillan - will select one boat to act as an ambassador for them during the race and join the Charity Squad. These boats will feature bespoke yacht branding and an attractive package from the Round the Island Race partners. The aim of the Charity Squad is to communicate the charity message to a wider audience and encourage more people to "make their race count". Anyone interested in fundraising and racing on behalf of one of the charities, or applying to be one of the charity boats, please contact Into the blue direct: lucy.harwood@intotheblue.biz

Entry online is available through http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk which also includes a useful guide for newcomers to the event.

LIFE RAFT & SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT - SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY - SERIOUS ABOUT SAVINGS Life Raft & Survival Equipment (LRSE) has been in the safety business for 25 years. LRSE is an authorized dealer for all major life raft brands and has an extensive service facility as well. They are also authorized dealers for Avon and Zodiac Inflatables. With the US dollar being so low relative to the Euro you can save significant money buying your safety gear or inflatable from a US company. Shipping is no problem at all. So go to http://www.lrse.com or call+1-401-683-0307 and see what you can save!

GITANA 13 TO ATTACK THE NORTH PACIFIC CROSSING The maxi-catamaran's 2008 record campaign in the colours of the LCF Rothschild group continues. Just weeks after its victorious finish in San Francisco, where it racked up a new reference time from the Route de l'Or (New York - San Francisco via Cape Horn) in 43 days 3 minutes and 18 seconds (a time approved by the WSSRC), the crew of Gitana 13 will take to the seas again. Lionel Lemonchois and his men will be attacking the North Pacific crossing record between San Francisco and Yokohama; a record which today belongs to French sailor Olivier de Kersauson and his crew aboard a 34 metre trimaran Geronimo. The crew of Gitana 13 will have to better the reference time of 14 days 22 hours 40 minutes and 41 seconds to be able to add a new record to their conquests.

Given the latest weather information from Sylvain Mondon (Meteo France), Gitana 13 may well set off to tackle this new record at the end of the week: "We were aiming for a gap around 27th, 28th March but the window seems to have shifted slightly and today we're focusing more on a departure between 29th and 31st March. The situation which the various weather files are presenting will enable the crew of Gitana 13 to gain westing for 3 to 4 days to hunt down the tradewinds. It's an attractive configuration in terms of gaining ground along the route."

http://www.gitana-team.com

FEDOR ON CODE RED ICEBERG ALERT Day 60: Fedor Konyukhov, the Russian solo yachtsman trailblazing a record circumnavigation around the Antarctica Cup Racetrack is calling for 'water...no Ice' today after learning of icebergs as high as 45S that are threatening his route across the South Atlantic.

C-CORE, the Canadian iceberg-tracking agency, can detect bergs as small as 100m in size and has warned of one at 45S 8W, the same latitude that Fedor is sailing along. The problem for Konyukhov is the millions of bergy bits and growlers that will have broken off these mega icebergs and drifted further north, which neither the satellites nor the radar on Fedor's 85ft yacht Trading Network Alye Parusa' can pick up.

Race organisers based in Albany, Western Australia, the start and finish point for this record attempt, have already closed the inner lane of this 3-lane Racetrack between 55-60S because of the thousands of bergs now drifting northwards from the Ross Sea. Today, they have issued a Temporary Rules Relaxation applicable to SECTORS 11 and 12 of the Racetrack and have instructed Konyukhov to adopt a Waypoint of 44S, 10W. This requires Fedor to sail outside the northern boundary (45°S) of the Outer Lane for a period of time. The next mandatory Waypoint is 45S, 0W/0E (Prime Meridian). Fedor will not incur time penalties whilst sailing under these instructions. Race Control anticipate receiving more iceberg tracking data today to assist the monitoring of iceberg presence on the Racetrack and may issue further instructions at a later date.

At least the weather is co-operating. Lee Bruce, Fedor's American based weather router reports: Fedor is making his way north-east to skirt the icebergs predicted to the south of his track across Sectors 11 and 12 of the SOUTH ATLANTIC ZONE of the Racetrack. This forecast assumes trying to make the proposed ice waypoint of 44S 10W. It would be best to get to 44S sooner because NNW 40-50 knots is forecast for portions of the 28th/29th March.

http://www.antarcticacup.com

OYSTER MARINE New Yacht Sales Negotiator We have an an opportunity for a negotiator with proven selling ability, to be based at our Head Office in Suffolk.

The successful candidate will almost certainly be an experienced yachtsman, whereas marine industry knowledge, particularly yacht broking, and a second language would be useful, but not essential.

You will need to have the right outlook to sell a top quality product to a world market and earn the respect and confidence of our clients.

We will provide training, the support of one of the most successful teams in our industry, and a product range that, in the quality cruising yacht sector is second to none and well known throughout the sailing world.

Oyster is a well-established double Queen's Award company with an international outlook. Remuneration is negotiable, but for the right candidate would be seriously attractive.

Applications will be treated in the strictest confidence and should be sent by email to: recruitment@oystermarine.com or in writing to Murray Aitken, Joint Managing Director Oyster Marine Ltd, Fox's Marina, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 8SA

4TH J-CLASS REPLICA TO BE BUILT The J-Class Association will soon make an announcement to the press that a fourth replica is to be built. Details are scant at present, but a contract has been signed between an owner and a shipyard for the build of the yacht. She will join two other replicas in build at the moment - of Endeavour II and of a Ranger variant - as well as a replica of the original Ranger built in 2002. With the three original Js that are still sailing - Shamrock V, Velsheda and Endeavour - the total class will increase in number from four to seven. More news on development within the J Class will follow in May's issue of Classic Boat. -- Steffan Meyric Hughes, Classic Boat, http://www.classicboat.co.uk/auto/newsdesk/20080225161442cbnews.html

11TH HOUR HUNT FOR MONEY Times are tense within Volvo Ocean Race HQ at present. While there are several strong teams lined up and rearing to go, others, including some yet to show their head above the parapet, are still struggling to make it to the start line with just seven months to go before the race kicks off from Alicante.

A recent team to emerge has been Carbon Challenge, who unlike the others has made the commitment to the race by formally entering, but are still beating on the door of board rooms to secure the necessary funding.

One aspect of this campaign not fully expressed in the initial press is simply the calibre of the people involved with it. As Tom Weaver who is co-ordinating the sailing team points out: "It is a big group and these are people I've worked with before mostly in the America's Cup - they were some of the smartest and definitely the most talented guys in the AC, but who knew nothing about sailing when I met them."

This is no idle banter. With Carbon Challenge operating out of a small office in Valencia, their advisory board includes Uwe Sasse whose career has been in the sports marketing and the sport fashion industry. Sasse founded and for the first year managed United Internet Team Germany. His wife Jacqueline is CEO and Commercial Director of the Carbon Challenge was once Commercial Director for Eurosport. It was she who acquired United Internet as the backer of the German Cup team. Her company subsequently won the contact to co-market Club Goleta the official guest hospitality programme for the 32nd America's Cup.

Kiwi Brand Manager Gavin Brown (right), now Brand Manager for Carbon Challenge, has worked in the sailing and sports fashion industry, most notably for Line 7 where he came up with the Red Sock campaign for Team New Zealand in Auckland. For the 32nd America's Cup he was Head of Licensing for ACM.

Involved on the periphery of Carbon Challenge is also former FIFA Marketing CEO and one time Alinghi General Manager Patrick Magyar.

Full article, another must-read, at The Daily Sail:

http://thedailysail.com/ism/articles.nsf/Features/FC2255B66480B907802574120037CB97?OpenDocument&Page=1

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From David Pitman: IRONIC

Is it not ironic that two of the biggest events in yachting - Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup - have both embraced Catamaran racing whilst the delegates at the ISAF have slung out the only high performance catamaran from their 4 year circus event - the highly developed International Tornado Class.

The Volvo Ocean Race injected sparkle into their event with the introduction of the Extreme 40 Catamaran Class at stopover Ports and now a legal challenge allows the America's Cup to go forward with a Catamaran challenge! I can't wait to see what comes out of the box and just how fast they go.

Wake up ISAF delegates and smell the future!

* From Jim Champ: re: "Yachtsman's Claims Over Shetlands Postponed... Stuart Hill, 65, planned to argue that the islands were only passed from Denmark to the Scots crown in the 15th-century as security for a debt."

In other news, the Government of Italy said "OK, we might have withdrawn our troops for a few years, but all Britain south of Hadrian's Wall is still part of the Roman Empire, and by the way there's 1500 years back taxes owing...

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NO FRIDAY ISSUE THIS WEEK Your humble narrator will be travelling to, and enthusiastically participating in, a single-malt Scotch tasting (90 different ones!) Thursday night. Back, a bit older and wiser, for the Weekend Edition.

THE LAST WORD The woman you're with should always be younger than the whiskey you're drinking. -- Anon.

The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt Europe do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or sponsors.

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