Issue # 153

 Today's Sailing News 

(C)update: No Wind Again

Once again an attempt was made to sail Race 4 of the 30th America's Cup.  Once again everyone showed up but the breeze.  The teams drifted and swam, but there was a lack of wind.

Due to the current situation of 3 days of racing as opposed to 4 days of no racing, the match schedule has been altered.  Via negotiations with teams, organizers and broadcasters today will see another attempt at Race 4.  This was to have been an off day.

Will tonite be any better?  New Zealand forecasters call for NE winds increasing to 10 knots.  Later in the week 15-20 knot north easterlies are expected.  This would not seem to be a forecast for a certain race, but it is better than it has been.

A high pressure still rules the weather.  However, as this system creeps to New Zealand satellite data shows some wind on the west side of New Zealand's North Island.  This 10-15 knot wind could make it to Auckland and provide satisfactory race conditions.

Also due to the schedule change the race will not be televised live in the USA, but rather at midnite on ESPN2.

The Home team for the Olympics

Coming this fall in Sydney Australia will be the Summer Olympic Games.  Australia as the host country should perform well.  One sport with a special Australian tradition is sailing.

The home sailing team is a strong one.  It has 4 Olympic medallists, 5 world champions and 5 medal winners at the Pre Olympic regatta.

Jessica Crisp, Mistral women sailboard

Anthony Nossiter, NSW - Finn dinghy

Michael Blackburn, - Laser dinghy

Melanie Dennison,  Europe dinghy

Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell,  - 470 women dinghy

Tom King and Mark Turnbull,  - 470 men dinghy

Neville Wittey, Joshua Grace & David Edwards,  - Soling keelboat. This team has won a Soling world title.

Darren Bundock and John Forbes,  - Tornado catamaran
Forbes was a Bronze medalist in 1992, both Bundock and Forbes winners of the Tornado world championship

Colin Beashel and David Giles,  - Star keelboat  Bronze medallists in 1996 games.

The tempo of Olympic class events begins to pick up this month.  March 5th to the 10th is the Bacardi Cup for Star boats.  The 11th to the 19th is the Olympic selection trials in New Zealand.  On the 12th the Laser worlds begin.  The 14th see the start of the 49er worlds.  Finally, on the 29th the Star Western Hemisphere championships start.  Sailing Daily will cover these important Olympic sailing events.