Last chance for a Sunsail Birthday Bargain..
Remember the incredible 35% discount off the charter price on selected sailing holidays in the Austral-Asian region, is only available until the end of the year. Join Sunsail in celebrating 35 years in the business and while your there, grab a fantastic bargain for your next sailing holiday. Vessels are booking fast so don't miss out! The world’s largest yacht charter operator have NOW stationed a diverse range of yachts throughout SE Asian waters, so they can offer great all year round sailing opportunities to both their cruising and racing clients. Some yachts are still available in January for the Royal Langkawi Regatta, February - Phang Nga Bay Regatta, May - Top of the Gulf Regatta, and June - Koh Samui Regatta 2010. Visit Sunsail Asia website www.sunsailasia.com and receive regular updates on Sunsail's new activities in the Asian region contact Tel: +66 (0)76 239057 Email: sales@sunsailasia.com

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CONTENTS

1. EDITORIAL - December peak season - Extreme 40 Sailing Series Asia in Singapore 11th-15th Dec and Asia Superyacht Rendezvous from The Chedi Phuket on 17 & 18 Dec added to an already busy program.
2. AUSTRAL - ASIAN NEWS - Don't miss out on the World Yacht Racing Forum (9-10 Dec) - Singapore next up for the Extreme 40 Sailing Series Asia - 2010 Subic to Boracay Race & Boracay Cup - OC Events introduces Tour of Arabia and Indian Ocean 5 Capes Race - Vale Geoff 'Megga' Bascome, aged 62 - Singaporean's top YOG Asian qualifiers in Thailand - Anyone for Optimist sailing in Sudan? - 2010 IRC Rules published on the IRC website - Enter the 2011 Around Australia Ocean Race & Rally - 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year - ISAF Annual Conference - The President has spoken - Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012 - New scoring system for ISAF World Cup - Sail Bahrain released by Iranian authorities - Subic Bay Commodore's Cup replaces President's Cup
Up next - Phuket King's Cup (Nov 28th - Dec 5th) - ISAF World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) - Monsoon Cup (1-6 Dec)
3. INTERNATIONAL NEWS - 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Who is playing out who in the America's Cup?
Follow the: Clipper Race - World Match Racing Tour - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
4. WORLD SPEED RECORDS - Alain Thbault l'Hydroptere 50.17 knots World Record - Alex Caizergules breaks World Kiteboarding Record
5. "Unluckiest sailors of the month" - Clippers collide in Capetown - Actual First casualty of the Transat Jacques Vabre Race - Sébastien Josse BT also has the sinking feeling - Bitter disappointment for Alex Thomson - GROUPAMA 3 abandons JULES VERNE TROPHY

1. EDITORIAL

December not only marks the middle of the 2009-10 Season but also peak period for news coverage at popular SE Asian regattas. The 20th Raja Muda Regatta went of with a bang and the Malaysian Match Racing Championship was won by Hazwan Hazim's - Taring Pelangi. The Phuket King's Cup Regatta kicked of in fine style together with the final leg of the prestigious ISAF World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) and blue ribbon Monsoon Cup completing the traditional annual events in grand fashion.

It turns out we are not done yet for the year, the five Extreme 40 Sailing Series Asia catamarans make their next appearance in Singapore from the 11th-15th Dec and the revitalized Asia Superyacht Rendezvous and the famed ‘Feadship Challenge’ will be held from The Chedi Phuket on 17 & 18 December. As we can't be in two places at once and the very diverse range and quality of media coverage available at sailing events these days, we advise subscribers to go directly to the events website were short daily video clips, images and news can be found with a few clicks of the mouse.

The 2009-10 AYGP Championship pointscore will be updated straight after the King's Cup is completed.

Finally some news from the Philippines the NOR states the Subic to Boracay Race starts on Saturday 20 February and the Boracay Cup will take place from the 22nd to 27th February, following the race down from Subic. Also the Subic Bay Commodore's Cup will replace the President's Cup after the 2010 China Sea Race from Hong Kong finishes in Subic. Four days (April 7th - 10th) of inshore racing will be hosted by Subic Bay SAGS (Saturday Afternoon Gentleman’s Sailing) and the Subic Bay Yacht Club. This event will also replace the President's Cup in the AYGP Championships.

All these topics and much more on the International yacht racing scene is either covered (Below) and regularly updated on the AsianYachting website. We welcome any comments from the circulation list about the new email notice format to connect to the web edition.
Enjoy!
Capt Marty Rijkuris

2. AUSTRAL - ASIAN NEWS

2.1 Don't miss out on the World Yacht Racing Forum (9-10 Dec)
Over 400 delegates and 70 speakers are heading to Monaco next week for the second edition of the World Yacht Racing Forum (9-10 Dec), this year co-located with the inaugural Yacht Racing Design & Technology Symposium and 1st International Superyacht Coatings Conference. Following the success of last year’s first Forum in Monaco, the conference has once again attracted some of the leading industry figures and sailing personalities to join the discussions and debates over the two day period. The conferences start next Tuesday 8 December with a welcome drink at the Yacht Club Monaco, the event’s host yacht club, where participants will have the opportunity to meet and network in an informal way. WYRF Chairman and World Champion Sailor Peter Gilmour will then officially open the Forum on Wednesday 9 December. Those of us who cannot attend can feast their eyes on: http://www.worldyachtracingforum.com/

2.2 Singapore next up for the Extreme 40 Sailing Series Asia
The inaugural Extreme Sailing Series Asia successfully got underway in Hong Kong on 20th-24th Nov which coincided with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's annual 'Around the Island Race'. The five Extreme 40 catamarans next appearance is in Singapore from the 11th-15th December. After that it is Muscat, Oman (1st to 5th Feb 2010) turn to host the third and final event for this season. Bids have already been received for the future series from a number of other venues across Asia. Each event consists of five days of racing, combining the established format of short, easy to understand races, a media day, VIP sailing days and special events. The Extreme Sailing Series Asia Notice of Race, SI's, Results, Photos and short daily Video clips on the Asian circuit can be found at: http://www.extremesailingseriesasia.com/

2.3 Subic to Boracay Race & Boracay Cup
By popular demand the race to Boracay will start at midday on Saturday 20 February. The Regatta Organising Authority is the Boracay International Regatta Committee and the Inter Island Sailing Foundation under the auspices of the Philippine Sailing Association. There is a free choice of route either to the West of Mindoro Island up the Verde Island Passage and through the generally calm patch on the North East corner of Mindoro or alternatively taking the route East of Mindorao Island with a probable long beat to the finish. Following 2 very successful President's Cup Regattas in Boracay in 2007 and 2009, it has been agreed that the Boracay Cup will take place from the 22nd to 27th February, following the race down from Subic, The format of 2 island races and 2 days of windward leeward races is the same as the President's Cup has been. This time the Keelboats and Ocean Multilhulls will be joined by the Hobie 16s and Hobie Tigers, who will be competing in the West Pacific Hobie Championships in Boracay at the same time as the Subic to Boracay Race. More info and NOR contact the Boracay Cup Secretariat Telephone: (63-2) 400 9326 Email: phc@philhobie.com

2.4 OC Events introduces Tour of Arabia and Indian Ocean 5 Capes Race
04:11:09 The growth of competitive sailing in the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean has taken a further step forward as the sailing events company, OC Events (Asia), launches two new premier racing circuits. Building on the foundations of the Asian Record Circuit established by Dame Ellen MacArthur in 2007 onboard 'B&Q', and the Extreme Sailing Series Asia presently being staged in Hong Kong, Singapore and Muscat (Oman), OC Events (Asia) have now launched two inaugural premier racing events - the 'Tour of Arabia' and the 'Indian Ocean 5 Capes Race'. The launch of the first of the new Arabian 100 (A100) Class trimarans, Oman Sail's Majan, is the catalyst for the creation of these two new ground-breaking offshore racetracks. On the 10th Nov, Majan set out from Kuwait City in the north of the Arabian Gulf on a five-leg tour that covered 1,700 nautical miles (3,150km), to trace out and test the route of the future 'Tour of Arabia' race. Stopping in Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Majan's voyage finished up in Muscat, Oman. The premier edition of the 'Indian Ocean 5 Capes Race' Majan will trace out this new course taking the big dive south for a giant tour of the Indian Ocean Capes facing the challenges of all the combined might of the Southern and Indian Oceans. From the heat of the tropics, frustrations of the windless Doldrums at the Equator to the towering waves of the Roaring Forties. Majan plans to set out on the 6th February, 2010, on this 15,000 nautical miles (27,780km) course, passing the Capes of Ras Al Hadd (Oman), down to Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), across the frozen wastes of the Southern Ocean to Cape Leeuwin (SW Australia), past Cape Piai on the tip of the Malaysian peninsula (the southernmost point of mainland Asia, just to the west of Singapore), and back underneath Cape Comorin (southern tip of India) to Oman on the Arabian Peninsula that should take between 35 and 40 days including stopovers. As the class of large ocean going trimarans like Majan (sistership to Thomas Coville's Sodebo) grows, it is planned for this to develop as a recurring event on the ocean racing calendar. Find out more on OC Events at http://www.oceventsasia.com and the Arabian 100 Class at http://www.A100class.com

2.5 Vale Geoff 'Megga' Bascome, aged 62
Died at sea last month off Borneo, delivering a Volvo 60 from Cairns to Hong Kong. He collapsed on deck half way from Bitung in Indonesia and Sandakan in East Malaysia - the crew were unable to revive him. Megga grew up in South Australia were he was involved in sailing at the Port Lincoln Yacht Club and mascot for the Waybacks Football Club. Went on to become a well respected Navy clearance diver and Vietnam War veteran. The Australian Sailing community has lost one of its most colourful characters. Friend to thousands and so willing to give up his time and knowledge to help someone out or teach youngsters how to sail was a most respected yacht delivery skipper with the utmost respect for the sea and strict navigation principles. At least he was doing his favourite thing - out covering lots and lots of blue water miles. Our condolences to his Mother Clarice who hand sewed the extra footage into his T-shirts, daughter Jo, son Graeme, three grand children, brother John, sisters Ann & Jillian and nieces & nephews. The great man will live on and not just at the BBQ named in his honor at Lincoln Race Week each February but as John F. Kennedy announced in 1962 “We all came from the sea. We are tied to the ocean, and when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came.”

2.6 COMPETITIVE PRICES OR COMPETITIVE SAILS?
Ah the Fall ... When the only thing falling faster than leaves are sail prices as sailmakers 'traditionally' race each other to the bottom. Unfortunately, you tend to get what you pay for. At Quantum they pride themselves on Quality - no matter what the season. While now is the perfect time to get the best deal on Quantum Sails, be assured that this is one of those rare moments when you will actually get more than you paid for! Contact your nearest Quantum representative and get a truly good deal on the industry's highest quality sails by visiting: http://www.quantumsails.com

2.7 Singaporean's top YOG Asian qualifiers in Thailand
Fifty sailors from Thailand, Japan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, India, China, Malaysia and Indonesia were in Pattaya for the first continental qualifier for the inaugural 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to be held in Singapore in August 2010. Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Thailand hosted the YOG Asian qualifier for the One Person Dinghy Boys and Girls events in conjunction with the 2009 Byte CII Asian Championship. At this event, three qualifying places were up for grabs in both the boys and girls categories. In the boys’ event, 2009 Byte CII World Champion and Asian Youth Games champion, Darren Choy (SIN), 15, proved his mettle to finish as top performer among the YOG candidates, followed by his compatriots Nathan Tang, Terence Choo, Chai Xun and Mark Wong. In the girls’ event, Singapore’s Airiel Ruth Ho came out tops amongst the YOG candidates followed by fellow Singapore and Natasha Michiko Yokoyama and 2009 Byte CII World Female Champion and Asian Youth Games Silver medalist Najwa Jumali. In the Open Byte CII Asian Championship event, top honours went to 17 year old Keerati Bualong (THA) who is also the 2007 Byte CII World Champion and 2009 Laser Radial Youth World Champion, with Darren Choy and Nathan Tang claiming the Silver and Bronze. The girls’ event was won by Airiel Ruth Ho, followed by Kamolwan Chanyim of Thailand and Natasha Michiko Yokoyama taking the bronze. Meanwhile, over at Jomtien Beach at the Pattaya Cup, the Singapore windsurfers performed well to secure podium positions in the YOG windsurfing class, the Techno 293. In the girls’ division, Asian Youth Games Bronze Medalist Audrey Yong and Amanda Ng finished in second and third positions. While in the Techno 293 boys’ division, Jeddy Tan missed the bronze medal by a mere five points settling for fourth place, and teammate Chuah Jun Ler followed behind in fifth position. Event Website http://www.varuna.org / Byte Class website - http://www.bytechamps.org - Techno 293 class is at http://www.techno293.org

2.8 Anyone for Optimist sailing in Sudan?
Sudan is the latest recipient of a fleet of Optimists sponsored by the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) under its "6 for 5" development program. Twelve Optimists have been purchased by the Sudan Sailing Federation from Far East Boats in Shanghai and will be based at the Blue Nile Sailing Club. The club which is housed in the historic Melik gunboat used in the 1898 Sudan campaign has traditionally sailed in Khartoum One-Designs, a Morgan Giles 18ft sharpie dating from the 1930s. The acquisition of the Optimists is among the first fruits of a long-term plan managed by Mohamed Hadi Karim to develop "modern" sailing and to compete internationally. An instructor training course is also being sponsored and will be given by a coach from Algeria, the current African champions. IODA has highlighted Africa as one of its main development areas and this year has also sponsored additions to the fleets in Angola and the Seychelles. For further details see http://www.optiworld.org/develop.php

2.9 2010 IRC Rules published on the IRC website.
Follow this link to find the English and French rule texts, rule changes summary and information about rule number changes (important for those writing Notices of Race and Sailing Instructions for races using IRC 2010). Goto: http://www.ircrating.org/en/latest-tech-news/223-2010-irc-rule-texts-a-changes.html

2.10 Enter the 2011 Around Australia Ocean Race & Rally
203 boats have already reserved places to sail around Australia in the 2011 Around Australia Ocean Race and the 2011 Around Australia Ocean Rally, says event organiser Bob Williams. A key feature responsible for the rapid take up in slot reservations is that participants can start and finish from a principle port of choice. Crew changes are permitted at stop-over ports. These features are responsible for the rapid take up of Race and Rally event Slot Reservation. The Race event spans over five months and 12 months for the Rally. The entrant list is now available on the event website: http://www.sailaroundaustralia.com.au

2.11 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year
Torben Grael and Anna Tunnicliffe joined the sailing world's most prestigious list of winners as they were named the 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year at a spectacular ceremony held in Busan, Korea. Torben Grael in his winning speech said, "It's an honour to be here. It's not the first time I've attended this award ceremony, but it's truly a different feeling to stand here". For Anna the Olympic gold medallist, the accolade comes at an exciting career juncture. She continues to lead the ISAF Sailing World Cup rankings in the Laser Radial, but after a successful foray into the women's match-racing discipline, has decided to focus her attention on the Elliot 6m for the 2012 London Olympics. "I have just made the decision to match race," said a jubilant Tunnicliffe following the Sailor of the Year ceremony. "I'm still going to cross train in the Laser Radial, and I'm hoping to try and do both at the trials, but now my main focus is going to be match racing." More at http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor

2.12 ISAF Annual Conference - The President has spoken
ISAF President Göran Petersson delivered his President's Report during the first day of meetings for the Council of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) held in Busan, Korea today at the ISAF Annual Conference. During his report the President highlighted key areas of athlete representation on Council, governance, the environment, universality, training and development, and the need for strategic planning and decision making in relation to the Olympic Games and the ISAF Sailing World Cup. Full details of all the decisions made at the ISAF Annual Conference and all ISAF Committees, which will be published on the ISAF Meetings microsite: http://www.sailing.org/meetings

2.13 Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012
ISAF announced that, as a result of actions taken by the ISAF Racing Rules Committee and the ISAF Council during the ISAF Annual Conference, several changes in The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012 will take effect on 1 January 2010. Rule 18.2(c) will be changed to prohibit a newly discovered and potentially dangerous tactic that was an unintended consequence of the current wording of this rule. The revised rule will no longer permit a boat to tack just before she reaches a mark and, as a result of her tack, become entitled to mark-room from boats that had been clear ahead of her when they reached the zone. A parallel change in rule B3.1(c) outlaws a similar tactic in a sailboard race. The definition Obstruction will be changed so that a boat racing will no longer be an obstruction to other boats that are required to give her room or mark-room. This change will simplify the analysis of some situations near a mark in which both rules 18 and 19 apply, and it will not otherwise change the 'game'. Additions will be made to the definition Party to correct unintended omissions. The revised definition will mean that, whenever redress is requested for a boat by the race committee or considered for a boat by the protest committee, that boat will be a party to the resulting hearing. Also, a race committee that requests redress for a boat will also become a party when its request is heard. A new rule, rule C2.12, will be added to the Match Racing Rules. It will prohibit a tactic at the windward mark that the match racing community does not wish to allow. After the 2009 rulebook was printed, ISAF revised its Advertising Code and, in so doing, eliminated all references to Category A advertising. References to the Advertising Code in Appendices J, K and L will be changed to make them consistent with the revised Code. Changes made in detail at: http://www.sailing.org/rrs/supplement1

2.14 New scoring system for ISAF World Cup
The ISAF Sailing World Cup announced a revised scoring system for the 2009-2010 season, which begins in Melbourne, Australia later this month. The ISAF Sailing World Cup incorporates seven events across Australia, the USA, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain to form the definite series for Olympic and Paralympic sailors. Following its debut season in 2008-2009 - which featured over 2,000 sailors representing 65 nations - the World Cup returns to the same venues in 2009-2010 to build on its initial success. ISAF's Executive Committee approved the following recommendation to modify the World Cup scoring system for 2009-2010: "For the overall SWC series score five out of seven events will be counted; at least one of the discarded events shall be a European SWC event. The Top 20 scoring system used during the 2008-2009 SWC will remain the same for the 2009-2010 SWC." Find out more about the ISAF Sailing World Cup series, the events, classes and sailors at the ISAF Sailing World Cup website http://www.sailing.org/worldcup

2.15 Sail Bahrain released by Iranian authorities
Wed 2 Dec: Statement from Andrew Pindar OBE, Chairman of Sail Bahrain. The yacht owned by Sail Bahrain was stopped on its way from Bahrain to the Gulf city of Dubai on Wednesday when it "may have strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters," the British Foreign Office said. "Iran was holding five British sailors Sam Usher, Olly Smith, Luke Porter, Oliver Young and David Bloomer after stopping their racing yacht in the Persian Gulf". Mr Bloomer is a sport DJ for Radio Bahrain. We received confirmation from the Foreign Office at 0830 this morning that our sailors had been released by the Iranian authorities. We are all absolutely thrilled with the news. It has been an extremely worrying time for all of us and particularly for the families and loved ones of those on board. The team has sent out a boat to meet the crew, where our Team Director, Nick Crabtree is looking forward to accompanying them safely to shore. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Foreign Office and the British and Bahrain Embassies for all their help and for bringing the matter to a swift conclusion and to the Iranian authorities for their understanding. Team Pindar/Sail Bahrain statement at: http://www.teampindar.com The detaining of this boat shoots the SNG theory that racing or sailing near the Iranian border is safe!

Latest News: Line honors in the 17th Dubai to Muscat race went the Arabian 100, Majan, skippered by Paul Standbridge, crossing the finish line off Bander Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman at 18:44 49sec on November 28, 2009. -- More at: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=149709

2.16 Subic Bay Commodore's Cup replaces President's Cup
Commodore of the Subic Bay Yacht Club announced that the 2010 China Sea Race from Hong Kong will finish in Subic Bay and that it would be followed by 4 days (April 7th - 10th) of inshore racing under the banner of the Commodore’s Cup 2010. Racing will be hosted by Subic Bay SAGS (Saturday Afternoon Gentleman’s Sailing) and the Subic Bay Yacht Club, with the experienced hand of International Race Director, Jerry Rollin on the helm. Being a superb natural harbour protected from the China Sea, Subic Bay is an ideal spot to finish the China Sea Race, as at Subic Bay Freeport, there is the large marina with facilities for pulling out yachts if required. Many hotels and restaurants, and the Filipinos’ legendary hospitality provide a welcome for visiting crews. For more info and NOR contact the Subic Bay Yacht Club +63 47 252 5211 or Email Jeremy Simpson at: js@jeremysimpson.com

2.17 DK 46's still on Top of the Podium
If your serious about forming a racing team and joining the racing class at major regattas in the region, there is a specially modified Mark Mills designed DK46's, that has won nearly every major event in the Austral-Asian region on the market. DK is one of the most technologically advanced composite manufacturing facility in the SE Asian region. The design office works on high performance IBM CAD/CAM systems which are data supply linked to production and directly command the five-axis milling machine that accurately cuts hull plugs and moulds. Contained within the 110,000 sq ft facility is a multi-cycle computerized temperature oven (25m x 5m x 3.5m), a spray chamber (18m x 6m x 5.5m), an engineering workshop and a dedicated laminating room. In addition, DK also has an in-house 40m long autoclave to cure carbon fibre and kevlar finished products. So what are you waiting for? Serious Yachts for Serious Sailors can be found at http://www.dkyachts.com

3. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

3.1 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
Got nothing to do over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Organisers anticipate a fleet of 112 yachts at the Boxing Bay start (Dec 26th) on Sydney Harbour for the annual 628 nm summer blue water classic. The fleet size is a substantial increase on last year's 100 starters and just four shy of the 60th anniversary fleet when
entries spiked considerably. International entries are again strong with 11 yachts sailing for Spain, the UK, Netherlands, USA, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. The smallest and oldest boat in this year's fleet is James Connell and Alex Brandon's 34 footer, Zephyr, while the largest will be the five 100 footers. -- To keep up with all the news and tracking during the race, Log onto: http://rolexsydneyhobart.com

3.2 Who is playing out who in the America's Cup?
Nov 4rd: The 33rd America's Cup challenger, BMW Oracle Racing, took one on the chin, when the rig on their 90x90-foot trimaran failed and dropped the mast over the side, while going upwind in 9 knots of wind. Within minutes of the boat reaching the dock, skipper Jimmy Spithill stepped off and thanked all the support boats and contingencies that are built into the program for getting everyone back onshore safely. After a quick assessment of the damage and some further boat modifications by Nov 10th, the American Challenger of Record for the 33rd America’s Cup left the dock with its giant wing sail attached for the first time, marking a major milestone in the campaign.

The wing was first unveiled on Sunday evening, when the tent where it had been assembled was opened up. After a day of load testing, in the early hours of Tuesday morning it was attached to the BOR 90 trimaran for the very first time. “This is just an amazing moment,” said James Spithill, the helmsman for the team. “As sailors, we’re just very excited to try this out. We can’t thank the guys on the build and shore teams enough as they’ve put in a massive effort to get this ready for us.” A wing of this scale has never been built for a boat. In terms of size, the wing on the BOR 90 dwarfs those on modern aircraft. Towering nearly 190 ft (57 m) above the deck, it is 80 percent bigger than a wing on a 747 airplane (102 ft / 31 m). “This was a massive undertaking,” said Tim Smyth (NZL), who, along with Mark Turner (NZL), has been overseeing the wing construction team in Anacortes and in San Diego. “Building a wing sail of this size was something new for all of us, and we’re proud our guys were able to rise to the challenge.” Getting the BOR 90 off the dock with the wing was a major mission in itself. The wing needed to be attached to the boat in near calm conditions, before Spithill carefully maneuvered away from the dock with the wing down, in a horizontal position, assisted by numerous RIBs. The first testing sessions consisted of gently working up the loads on the boat and wing as the sailors become familiar with the new system. Full-scale testing of the cutting-edge rig will continue over the coming weeks as the team prepares to face Alinghi in the America’s Cup Match probably in Valencia during February 2010. But that is another story, more news at: http://bmworacleracing.com/ or keep up with the breaking BMW Oracle Team news at: http://bmworacleracingblog.blogspot.com/

4. WORLD SPEED RECORDS

4.1 Alain Thbault l'Hydroptere 50.17 knots World Record
l'Hydroptere's record campaign in the Mediterranean ended in great style on Sunday November 8th as Alain Thebault and his ten crew smashed the record over one nautical mile, exceeding 50 knots. The World Sailing Speed Record Council has ratified the new nautical mile (1.852 km) world record of 50.17 knots (92.91km/h) set by Alain Thbault (FRA) and his crew of 10 on l'Hydroptre, improving their previous record of 48.74 knots set on September 4th. An average speed of 50.17 knots over one nautical mile is the new record to beat over this distance. Alain Thébault and his crew members now have the speed records on both distances over 50 knots, that is 51.36 knots over 500 meters and 50.17 knots over one nautical mile. -- http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/

4.2 Alex Caizergules breaks World Kiteboarding Record
Ludertiz, Namibia (November 15, 2009) - Frenchman Alex Caizergues (F One) has broken the world kiteboarding speed record with an incredible time of 50.98 knots, breaking his previous world record of 50.57. Rob Douglas (Cabrinha) also set a new American outright speed sailing record with an equally impressive time of 50.95 knots, just three one hundredths of a knot shy of Alex Caizergues. Many other competitors also recorded noteworthy times including Sebastian Cattelan (Solid) who completed a run of 49.51 before falling foul of equipment problems. Christophe Prin-Guenon (F One) got 48.44, Jerome Bila (Genetrix) came in with 47.73. Charlotte Consorti (F One) again led the ladies with a speed of 44.27 knots. Fast, but still a full knot short of Sjoukje Bredenkamp's outright record of 45.20 set last year. The Luderitz Speed Challenge, is where many of the world's top kitesurfers descend on the remote Namibian town of Luderitzeach year to compete during the month of November against each other and the clock, with the ultimate prize being the world outright speed sailing record of 51.36 knots set by the French hydrofoil l'Hydoptère in September of this year. -- Full details at: http://www.luderitz-speed.com/

5. "Unluckiest sailors of the month"

5.1 Clippers collide in Capetown
A dramatic start to Race 4 of Clipper 09-10 in Cape Town saw eight of the boats cross the start line for the 4,700-mile race to Geraldton, Western Australia, while a collision between Hull & Humber and Cork, Ireland resulted in the two teams returning to harbour. None of the crew were hurt and the Race Director and shore team assessed the damage to Hull & Humber's port aft quarter and Cork's bow. Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, was watching the action on the water said, "This is a closely contested race and this kind of thing happens in fiercely competitive racing. The race is underway - eight boats are racing off towards Geraldton in Western Australia." The two damaged boats in Capetown, underwent repairs as speedily as possible and have since been relaunched and sent on their way to Geraldton. With no hope of catching up the two clippers will now have to abide by the race committees ruling when awarding their respective points. More details at: http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com

5.2 Actual First casualty of the Transat Jacques Vabre Race
Actual, the new trimaran of Yves le Blevec and co-skipper Jean Le Cam capsized in a position approximately 22 miles north of Cherbourg around 1645hrs GMT. Reported to have been making around 20 knots of boat speed in approximately 23 knots of wind, the boat is reported to have pitch-poled. The two co-skippers are reported to be safe, are inside the boat OK and have requested help but did not issue a Mayday. The pair are awaiting assistance from the lifeboat.

5.3 Sébastien Josse BT also has the sinking feeling
13 November 2009: Just before 1800 GMT, Sébastien Josse and Jean-François Cuzon were confirmed safe and sound, and in a helicopter heading back to Terceira (Azores). A helicopter from the Portuguese Air Force came to the crew's rescue. This episode has put an end to an extremely stressful and anguishing day. Aboard a yacht two thirds full of water following significant damage to the coachroof, the two BT skippers had activated their EPIRB distress beacon this morning at 1020 GMT. The rescue operation was immediately kickstarted by the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre), in conjunction with the BT technical team and the Transat Jacques Vabre Race Direction. A full salvage operation is underway to recover the boat. http://btteamellen.cmail1.com/t/y/l/ujiua/iikyahhd/r Watch the footage sent by the Portuguese Navy of Sébastien and Jean-François being rescued at: http://www.btsebjosse.com/multimedia.asp

5.4 Bitter disappointment for Alex Thomson
16:11:98 Once again, Alex Thomson and co-skipper Ross Daniel were forced to head for the Azores, limping north with Hugo Boss taking on water after they hit something at high speed yesterday afternoon. After a night at slow speed trying to keep the damaged area, an indentation of about 30 cms, Thomson and Daniel's race is over, all too soon. If the anger and frustration feels like déjà vu after having to pull out of last year's Vendée Globe with structural damage, Thomson's shred of consolation this time is that he had done a good job through the worst storm and had earned a strong position with Hugo Boss. But this afternoon that was a bitter pill to swallow. He had certainly achieved the objective of giving former boat captain Ross Daniel a first hand insight into the rigours of ocean racing on the Open 60 with a view to maximising gear reliability for future endeavours. When Daniel went forwards after striking an object with a thud during yesterday afternoon he found four tonnes of water in the watertight compartment. “It is impossible to repair it, not because it is very big, but because there is water coming in and we can't stop it from coming in. And so we will retire from the race and head for the Azores.” Thomson confirmed this afternoon. “ We had told ourselves we had done the worst part of it. We had been through the storm and probably had had the worst of it. We had been knocked down by a breaking waves, and this boat is strong as hell. I am totally confident in with its strength in any way, in fact I am amazed that you can put a boat through that. So I am quite pissed off that we are having to retire from the race because someone has discarded some rubbish in the sea which has caused a hole in the hull.” Read all about it on: http://www.alexthomsonracing.com/

5.5 GROUPAMA 3 abandons JULES VERNE TROPHY
(November 16, 2009) - It was at 1216 UT when Franck Cammas the skipper of the 105-foot trimaran Groupama 3, called the Jules Verne Trophy team to inform them that an aft beam bulkhead had broken, leading to serious damage to the float. Despite the storm, Groupama 3 slowly made headway towards Cape Town some 1,700 miles away (3,000 km) and is therefore abandoning this particular Jules Verne Trophy. At around 1200 UT today, a big cracking sound dashed the hopes of Franck Cammas and his nine crew in their bid to break Orange 2's round the world record from back in 2005 (50 d 16h 20'). A bulkhead attached to the aft beam simply gave up the ghost in the harsh conditions as the giant trimaran was sailing with her sails angled at 90° to the true wind in a powerful NNE'ly air flow and rough seas. The crew knew they had to go fast to stay in the right sector of the warm front, hot on their heels, in order to drop down towards the Cape of Good Hope with the Brazilian low. The resulting weakness then caused the windward float to fissure and, in light of the sizeable damage, the crew immediately stopped the boat and concluded that it would be necessary to abandon this round the world attempt. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/yz899r4

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