Sail Racing

“What you have to remember about this regatta is that it’s not just racing,” said race organizer Herv Dorvil, his speech drifting seamlessly between French and English. “It’s about bringing together the French and the Dutch and the sailors from three different islands and doing something we all love.”The sixth annual Course de l’Alliance, hosted by the Sint Maartin Yacht Club

For Australia’s hard-core sailors, the question isn’t whether you’re going, but how many you’ve sailed (so far). Even among the most hardcore of this decidedly hardcore country, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, or “The Hobart” as it’s known, represents a serious challenge. The brochure goes something like this: start on Boxing Day (December 26) on one of the world’s most brilliant starting

A Look at the 2009 Sydney-Hobart RaceAmongst Australia’s hard-core sailors, the question isn’t whether you’re going. It’s a question of how many you’ve sailed (so far). Indeed, amongst the most hardcore of this decidedly hardcore country, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, or “The Hobart” as it’s known, represents a serious challenge. The brochure goes something like this: Start on

“You can travel around the world, sail on any and every boat, and you’ll never find anything quite like the log canoe.” With a pipe in his teeth and a beard on his chin, Mike Spicer may have been the first to drop this line, but he was certainly not the last.

While the next Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) doesn’t kick off until 2011, gears are spinning rapidly to get the various pieces in place so that teams can design boats, build boats and start test sailing their craft. As the past two editions have made completely clear, VOR teams that start early, train hard and are the most prepared are certain to be strong contenders, if not outright winners. It was no