The Australian skipper, James Spithill, who helmed BMW Oracle's giant trimaran to victory against Alinghi in Valencia in February, will compete against Ben Ainslie and his crew in a series of races over the next four days, including a clockwise round-the-island race on Thursday.

They will compete in America's Cup boats used in Valencia in 2007, a far cry from Spithill's explosive adventures in the Extreme Sailing Series in 2008. "I spent most of that regatta upside down so have a good idea what the temperatures are like," said Spithill. "I have not done much monohull sailing in the past few years and our last event in Sardinia was a shocker but we're really looking forward to it. Team Origin are the favourites – we have done nothing but big trimarans over the past few years while they have done a lot of events in monohulls. But we are slowly getting up to speed and hopefully by the end of the week, we will have figured it out."

For Team Origin, the four days of America's Cup racing are more about raising the profile of racing than about winning though both Ainslie and team principal Sir Keith Mills are known to be bad losers. "The main challenges are going to be the weather, the strong tides and the competition," said the three-times Olympic gold medallist.

"If we were doing this race in multihulls it would probably be harder for us but they are a really strong team so it is going to be tough anyway. Knowing these waters well is an advantage but the BMW Oracle navigator, Ian Moore, lives on the Isle of Wight so he knows these waters as well as we do.

Read the full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/7923224/Cowes-Week-2010-...

Britain took the ultimate prize at the 2010 RS Feva World Championships, Carnac, France, this weekend as RYA National Junior Squad teenagers Owen Bowerman and Charlie Darling topped the podium claiming RYA Team GBR’s first ever Junior World Title at the event. The pair also won the Open and Under-18 categories at the event picking up an impressive three World titles in total.

Ex-Junior Squad and current RYA 29er Transitional squad sailors Jack Hawkins and Christopher Thomas also picked up silver at the event making it a ‘1,2’ for GBR and rounding off a fantastic showing at the event for the team.

It was a high scoring five days of competition with the waters off Carnac Yacht Club throwing up a variety of conditions for the 140 boats in attendance giving the top sailors an opportunity to really push to their full potential over the week.

Havant’s Bowerman and Pytchley’s Darling, took it in their stride keeping their results the most consistent throughout the 14 races racking up a 15 point lead to claim the title in emphatic style.

Saturday morning wasn't the best start for Cowes Week. Competitors and visitors woke to a grey, drizzly day. Whilst attending the Extreme 40 Skipper's Briefing that morning, I overheard one of the French organisers call it "a very British day."

But this did little to dampen the spirits of the nine professional crews, who were clearly - after a practice, non-point scoring day on Friday - ready to race.

I was lucky enough to join the Oman Sail Team this weekend - The Wave and Masirah - as the 'fifth man', strictly NOT a member of the crew (a team of four), but a spectator. My only role onboard was to shift weight from one side to the other.

I have never sailed with a 'proper' professional crew before, and I was immediately struck by the calmness on board. The crew of The Wave were young (Skipper CJ, or Paul Campbell-James, is the youngest ever skipper of the Series at 27) but so impressive. All the time they were cleaning rudders, dagger boards, tweaking the rigging, raising/lowering the traveller, tightening halyards - and this was a relatively quiet race!

The offshore morning race from the Royal Yacht Squadron to the mainland at Calshot, got off to a shaky start. The pack clung to the shore for the first beat, my crew keeping a constant eye on the depth guage as they tried to grab every inch of water on each tack.

Read the full story here: http://www.yachtingworld.com/news/493760/extreme-series-a-real-crowd-pleaser

Sunsail chose the opening day of Cowes Week 2010 to announce that they are replacing their entire fleet of SunFast 37s with 42 new First 40s for the 2011 season. To accompany this they have also launched a new product line called ‘Sunsail Racing', aimed at making yacht racing accessible to everyone, with a worldwide charter racing calendar (and accompanied by the suggestive slogan ‘Have your way with us!'). While Port Solent in the UK will be the home of Sunsail Racing involving 22 regatta packages next year, it's open to experienced and novice sailors alike, covering events from Antigua to the Whitsundays.

The First 40 (pictured) was chosen as a "proven winner after winning ‘Crossover boat of 2009' and getting a 1,2 in the Sydney Hobart," said Sunsail's Global Brand Manager, Simon Conder. "It has a spacious cockpit, large wheel and can be sailed by 12, meaning Sunsail will be able to hold an event for over 500 people!"

Sunsail have long used Groupe Beneteau for their charter fleets worldwide. The Sun Fast 37 fleet in the Solent is now six to seven years old, so the new First 40's make a timely natural progression. "Our racing clients aren't so interested in interior volume," says Marketing Director Andrew Bromilow, "but the performance of the First 40's is very exciting. The first boat will be at the Southampton Boatshow, and we will have all 42 by the start of the 2011 season."

Expect the entry list for the Sunsail fleet at Cowes Week 2011 to fill up quickly then, as crews relish the thought of getting their hands on a new boat in a bumper one-design fleet.

As a teenager, Simon Hiscocks was captivated by solo sailors’ tales of derring-do on the high seas and throughout his dazzling Olympic career, the dream of racing big boats around the world entirely alone, has refused to fade.

So when the Artemis Offshore Academy was recently launched, the two-times Olympic medallist – silver at Sydney in the 49er followed by a bronze in Athens 2004 – started to see a future in sailing beyond his 49er campaign for London 2012.

“It offers an opportunity to get into a game that is hard to get into without a lot of resources, where someone is providing boats and knowledge.

It would be almost impossible for someone like me to find those resources,” said the 37-year-old father of two who will get his first taste of Open 60 racing when he takes the helm in the Artemis Challenge during Cowes Week.

Hiscocks thinks he has the all-round skills required of a long-distance solo sailor, but admits his Olympic success has tested only a few of them.

“There is a lot more required of this sort of sailor compared to an Olympic sailor and chances are I might not be very good.

"I’ve never done any solo sailing offshore but am a jack of all trades which is what you need to succeed.

‘‘I like the idea of being under a lot of pressure and having everything thrown at you.”

Read the full story here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/7919393/Cowes-Week-2010-...

Cowes Week - Day 1 preview

Sat 31 Jul 2010 10:49 BST

There's a definite buzz in the air as competitors make final preparations for their first day on the water on the opening day of Cowes Week, writes Sue Pelling.

Credit: Sue Pelling / CWL

Rain fails to put a damper on opening day of Cowes Week

Both Black and White Group classes will head west from the RYS line with the Extreme 40s first off at 1000. Much of the day’s action will take place in the eastern Solent, after a short beat White Group competitors will head to the shallow area east of the Bramble Bank, and Black Group will also finish from the east. The Black Group committee boat will be stationed near Browndown, east of Gilkicker Point.

A westerly Force 4 promises excellent racing, although a cold front over the south of England has produced early morning drizzle, this is forecast to move away during the morning leaving brighter conditions in its wake.

As well as the thousands of amateur sailors taking part this week, the big boats in IRC Class Zero will be battling in out for one of the most prestigious trophies of the week, The Queen's Cup. This cup was first presented by the Royal Southampton Yacht Club by Queen Victoria in 1897 in her Diamond Jubilee year. This race will be hotly contested by the competitively strong big boat fleet including the Charles Dunstone’s TP52, Rio which won the race last year. Rio is joined by two other TP52s, Pace and LECG Smart. Another one to watch out for is Sir Peter Ogden’s brand-new Mini Maxi, Jethou, who’s come all the way from the Med specifically for this event.

The Extreme 40 catamarans are taking part in the UK leg of the Extreme Sailing Series at Cowes this week. Watch out for these fast multihulls as they head off on their daily long distance race from the Royal Yacht Squadron line this morning. This afternoon will see the nine professional race teams battle it out from their base off Egypt Point for the action-packed, daily short-course races.

On shore visitors to Cowes Week can enjoy the many social events including live entertainment on the Gill stage in the Cowes Yacht Haven starting at 1600. Entertainment on Cowes Parade kicks off at 1200, and a disco at East Cowes Marina starts at 2030.

Resources:

www.cowesweek.co.uk Cowes Week event website

French skipper Armel Le Cléac’h on Brit Air has won the first leg of Solitaire du Figaro.

Yann Eliès (Generali Europ Assistance) and Eric Peron (Skipper Masif 2009) crossed the finish line in second and third place respectively. The 45 skippers participating in the first leg of La Solitaire du Figaro from Le Havre to Gijón are now all moored on the pontoons getting some well-deserved rest after more than three days at sea. First rookie to finish was Yann Richomme (DLBC) in seventh place overall.

At precisely 01:42:32 a.m. on Saturday Armel Le Cléac’h on Brit Air crossed the finish line two miles outside the port of Gijon, on the Spanish Coast after 83 hours, 14 minutes and 32 seconds racing. He covered the 515 miles from Le Havre to Gijón at an average speed of 6.9 knots. Brit Air’s skipper has participated nine times in the Solitaire and scored three leg wins.

Read the full story here: http://www.sail-world.com/UK/index.cfm?SEID=0&Nid=72749&SRCID=0&ntid=0&ticker...

The Extreme Sailing Series returns to Cowes for the fourth consecutive year, and 2010 will host more days of racing than ever before. The fleet will be put through its paces over six days, with a mixture of short courses - which the circuit has become renowned for - and longer 'classical' Cowes Week races, stretching the legs of the catamarans and the tenacity of their crews.

Once again the Race Village at Egypt Point will have a mix of high-end corporate hospitality, along with bars and food outlets for everyone. There will even be DJs playing in the evening.

Every morning from Saturday 31 July to Thursday 5 August (except Tuesday 3 August) there will be a long distance morning race, starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron line. Lasting up to 1 hour, the longer races will pitch the teams' boat speed head-to-head on relatively open water.

The short course racing will take place at Egypt Point every afternoon. For the first three days these will start at 15:00. For the final three, the entertainment will begin from 16:00 with racing from 17:00, to ensure as many of the Cowes Week competitors can enjoy the top flight action, after the waters are largely clear of the Cowes Week racing yachts.

Nine teams are anticipated to be on the start line including current Series leader Yann Guichard and his men on Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, defending Series Champions, Oman Sail Masirah led by Loick Peyron, double Olympic Gold Medallist Roman Hagara with Red Bull Extreme Sailing and local hero Mike Golding with Ecover Sailing Team. New entry for the event, Veolia Environnement skippered by legendary ocean racer Roland Jourdain, will be lining up among them.

Mike Golding, skipper of Ecover Sailing Team commented: "It is always nice to be sailing in familiar waters, in front of a home crowd, but that also comes with additional pressures. We had a good result in Sete and we are hoping to reach the podium for the Cowes event. It will be interesting to see the teams' performances on the longer races - I'm sure boat handling will be crucial, as will the communication onboard. It's a long race compared to the short sharp 20 minute racing we are used to, I'm sure concentration will also be key to success on the water. The Island is famous for its tidal currents, and I'm hoping local knowledge will help us gain a bit of an advantage over some of the other teams in that area."

TEAMORIGIN has announced their team for the 1851 Cup. Included in the team are three time Olympic Gold sailor Ben Ainslie, two time Olympic Gold sailor Iain Percy and Gold medalist Andrew Simpson.

The 1851 Cup, which sees TEAMORIGIN challenge current America's Cup holders, BMW Oracle, during a series of match races in the Solent, takes place on Thursday 5 August. The teams will race clock-wise around the Isle of White following the original course of the America's Cup in 1851.

TEAMORIGIN Sailing Team listing for 1851 Cup Event:

Ben Ainslie - Skipper & Helmsman
Iain Percy - Tactician
Andrew Simpson - Strategist
Juan Vila - Navigator
Mark Mendelblatt - Upwind Traveller
Anthony Nossiter - Runner/Pit Assist
David Carr - Runner/Aft Grind
Warwick Fleury - Mainsail Trim
Chris Brittle - Forward Grind
Will McCarthy - Main Grind
Mark McTeague - Forward Grind
Christian Kamp - Trim Down
Simon Daubney - Trim Up
Rodney Ardern - Pit
Julien Cressant - Mast
Matt Cornwell - Mid Bow
Matthew Mitchell - Bow

Three hundred Optimist sailors took to the water in Portland Harbour over the weekend to help celebrate the start of the two-year countdown until the beginning of the Olympic games in 2012.

Watched by members of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) the 300 young sailors successfully co-ordinated eight tacks in a row after a signal – a common training challenge that has never been attempted in such huge numbers before.

The challenge took place before the practice race which kicks off an exciting week of sailing in the Volvo Musto Optimist British National and Open Championship.

The youth regatta welcomes 498 sailors across three classes from across Europe, Asia and even Oceania.

Later in the week the Optimist fleet will be treated to a visit from Olympians Sarah Ayton and Saskia Clark who will be taking time out of their busy schedule to go out on the water with the youth sailors and offer advice and tips.

Triple Olympian champion Ben Ainslie began his journey to the top of the sport in an Optimist and he will be making an appearance during the week as well.