Bermudian Peter BROMBY is one of 20 sailors to receive Olympic Scholarships from the IOC  © Ben RADFORD/Getty Images	ISAF have announced their TV partnership with Octagon Csi and Sportshows Television for the 2007 Worlds in Cascais	James SPITHILL was on top form to win his group round robin at the Gold Cup in Hamilton © Gold Cup/Charles ANDERSON

Short Tacks - Friday 13 October 2006

ISAF has appointed Octagon Csi and Sportshows Television for the broadcast coverage and distribution of the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships. The Championships will take place in Cascais, Portugal from 28 June to 13 July with the world’s top Olympic Class sailors lining up in what promises to be a spectacular competition.

Helping agree the TV partnership was one of the first tasks of the newly formed ISAF Marketing and Media Department. Claire FROST has joined the Secretariat to head up the new department.

Next year’s Worlds is the major qualification event for the 2008 Olympic Games, and the build up to Beijing is becoming ever more intense. Amongst those making their preparations are the 20 sailors who will receive funding from the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity Scholarships to assist them in qualification and preparation for the 2008 Games.

In the USA the Olympic preparations are also heating up as the Tornado fleet launches a month of US Olympic Pre-Trials in California, whilst in Great Britain Athens gold medallists Sarah AYTON and Sarah WEBB (GBR) have new crew in the shape of Pippa WILSON (GBR).

WILSON joins the team for her first regatta this weekend, as AYTON and WEBB go up against their former helm Shirley ROBERTSON (GBR). The double Olympic gold medallist, who gave birth to twins in July, is making her return to the Yngling class at the ISAF Grade 3 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta in Weymouth, Great Britain.

Over in Hamilton, Bermuda, James SPITHILL (AUS) went 5-0 on the second day of the ISAF Grade WC King Edward VII Gold Cup to top the Group A round robin in stage four of the 2006-2007 World Match Racing Tour. After his boat was struck by lightning on Wednesday, the defending champion was on top form yesterday, as was ISAF Nations Cup winner Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), who led the way in Group B.

This weekend the skippers set to contest the VELUX 5 OCEANS will face off against each other for an opening in port race in Bilbao, Spain, whilst the Sail for Gold Regatta also hosts the first ever SKUD18 European Championship.

In Brazil, the Pre-Pan American Games Regatta will see some major stars out on the water. The entry list includes eight-time World Champion Robert SCHEIDT (BRA) back in the Laser, just a week after picking up the silver medal at the Star Worlds. Over in Spain the ISAF Grade 2 Punta Lagoa Women's Match Race concludes.

Next week the Soling Worlds get underway in Annapolis, USA, whilst, after the Olympic Test Event and the 470 World Championships, China hosts the Mistral Worlds.

ISAF

VELUX 5 OCEANS 2006-2007
Skippers Ready For Warm Up In Bay Of Biscay
Saturday 14 October will see the skippers of the VELUX 5 OCEANS battling against each other in a special inshore regatta off the coast of Bilbao, Spain. With just over a week to go before these intrepid heroes set off on their solo voyage around the world, the people of Bilbao and the surrounding region will get to see the power and speed of the high performance Open 60s up close.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 14:50

International 49er Class Association News
Ten Years Of Olympic Status - Mackay Boats Profile
A decade on from becoming the Olympic Skiff event equipment, the International 49er Class Association is publishing a series of articles to celebrate ten groundbreaking years on the Olympic Classes scene. The third article is a profile of the 49er manufacturer Mackay Boats.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 12:55

Beijing 2008
Rankings Boost And A New Crew For AYTON And WEBB
Olympic gold medallists Sarah AYTON and Sarah WEBB (GBR) have cause for a double celebration - not only have they been announced as world number two in the latest Yngling ISAF World Sailing Rankings, but they have also secured a new crew member to join their quest for Beijing gold.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 07:20

US SAILING News
Volvo Ocean Race Panel At Annual Meeting
US SAILING is organizing an exciting, educational panel on the Volvo Ocean Race on Friday 17 November during US SAILING's Annual Meeting, taking place at the Newport Hyatt Hotel on Goat Island.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 10:18

Soling World Championship 2006
Soling Fleet Heads For Annapolis
The largest Soling fleet to race in North America in the past eight years will gather on Monday at the Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis, USA for the 36th running of the Soling World Championship. The fleet of 39 boats includes nine Europeans, six South Americans and six Canadians along with American sailors from Chicago, Milwaukee, New York and Connecticut.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 14:06

Beijing 2008
Tornados Launch Month Of US Olympic Pre-Trials
Three-time Olympians and Athens silver medallists John LOVELL and Charlie OGLETREE (USA) head the Tornado catamaran fleet that leads off US Olympic Trials West on Friday, with three autumn weekends of US SAILING Olympic Pre-Trial events in Southern California.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 09:21

King Edward VII Gold Cup 2006
SPITHILL, RICHARD Lead Eight To Quarters
The preliminary round robins are complete and the quarter-finalists set at the 58th annual ISAF Grade WC King Edward VII Gold Cup, stage four of the 2006-2007 World Match Racing Tour. Reigning event champion James SPITHILL (AUS) and ISAF Nations Cup winner Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) topped the two round robin groups.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 08:33

Beijing 2008
Olympic Solidarity Scholarships To 20 Sailors
20 sailors will receive scholarships from the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity to assist them in qualification and preparation for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition in Qingdao, China. Sailors from 14 nations will receive the funding support to help them realize their Olympic dreams in China.
	Friday, 13 Oct 2006 08:05

RYA News
Skandia Team GBR Website Gets A Facelift
The Skandia Team GBR website, www.skandiateamgbr.com, has gone under the knife and has now emerged with new a fresh look and additional features.
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 15:34

ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007
ISAF Announces TV Partnership
The International Sailing Federation has appointed Octagon Csi and Sportshows Television, for the broadcast coverage and distribution of the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships.
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 15:50

IOC News
IOC Signs TV Rights Agreement For The Middle East
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that it has awarded the 2012 Olympic broadcast rights in the Middle East to the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU).
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 11:10

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2006
Two Volvo 70s To Challenge For Line Honours
In a hard run to Hobart, the conditions which blessed the big end of town in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart, a Volvo 70 could beat the 30 Metre maxis Wild Oats XI and Skandia to the finish line according to Australia’s only Volvo 70 owner, Matt ALLEN.
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 09:49

King Edward VII Gold Cup 2006
Electrifying Start To 58th Gold Cup
The ISAF Grade WC King Edward VII Gold Cup commenced in varying conditions on Hamilton Harbour, Bermuda, but it is safe to say that never in the previous 57 editions has it experienced a morning quite like yesterday. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) and Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) both got off to 4-1 starts, whilst James SPITHILL’s (AUS) boat was struck by lightning.
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 08:12

Disabled Sailing News
IFDS Bulletin - September 2006 Published
The International Association For Disabled Sailing Bulletin for September 2006 has been published on the ISAF Disabled Sailing microsite – www.sailing.org/disabled.
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 08:21

ISAF Secretariat
New Marketing And Media Department
Claire FROST has joined the Secretariat of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), to head up the newly formed Marketing and Media Department.
	Thursday, 12 Oct 2006 08:00

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