Tommorow 5 boats will hit the starting line and race
from Falmouth England to Charleston.  This race serves as a 
feeder race for September's Around Alone race.  All 5 are Around
Alone entrants.
	Class I will see two new Finot Open 60's.  Fila will be
skippered by Giovanni Soldini.  Group 4 will be skippered by
Mike Golding.
	Fila has a good amount of sea time on her.  One question
is how Soldini will react after the tragic loss of a crewmember
in April. This loss occurred during Fila's Atlantic crossing record attempt.  
 One would assume that Soldini's professionalism will
get him through any worries, but one never  knows.  Golding
has less time in Group 4 boat and in these type of boats in general.
	One of the 60's will be the first boat to Charleston.  It would
seem that Soldini's greater experience should provide an edge.  
Golding's track record in other forms of global racing is great, but
his learning curve in the Open 60's will be steep,so edge to Soldini.
	Class 2 will have 3 50 footers battling it out.  Minoru Saito, 64, from
Tokyo, helming Shuten-Dohji II will be using the Atlantic Alone to
prep for a 3rd Around Alone.  
	It is likely that the two new Finot 50's in Class 2 will outpace
Saito.  Britisher Mike Garside will sail Magellan Alpha.  Garside
already has a England to Charleston round trip under his belt.
The other Finot 50 is CCP Cray Valley, a boat that J.P.
Mouligne has several years of sailing time in.
	Mouligne expects the race to feature a lot of light air sailing.
Further, he doesn't think conditions will permit a breaking of the
22 day record set 4 years ago.
	The race should break down into a double match race.  One
pairing will be the Finot 60's, the other Finot 50's.  Experience is 
on the side of Soldini and Mouligne.  
	For updates visit: www.torresen.com/aroundalone/aanews.htm &
 www.aroundalone.com