The latest Global Ocean Race (GOR) entry is the Franco-British duo of Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron: a team that will bring an enormous bank of offshore experience to the double-handed circumnavigation in a new and powerful Class40 Pogo S² from the Structures yard in Bénodet, Brittany.

For Mabire and Merron, entering the GOR is a fresh offshore challenge: “All adventures start with a wish, but also as a result of meeting people,” explains 53 year-old Mabire. “Miranda and I have already shared a few adventures and we trust each other implicitly on the boat, which is essential on a double-handed race,” he adds. Merron agrees fully with her co-skipper: “I am delighted to be racing with Halvard,” confirms the 41 year-old. “He has many thousands of miles of ocean racing experience and has been around the world a few times. Also, we work well together on the boat.”

The race village at the Segel-Club St. Moritz was buzzing today, with 12 world-class sailing teams making their final preparations for a week of fierce head-to-head competition in the St. Moritz Match Race, the sixth stage of the ISAF World Match Racing Tour Championship.

After a light dusting of snow on the hills above the lake overnight, St. Moritz sparkled in the morning sun. However, the unseasonably cold weather meant the trademark Maloja wind was absent today, leaving sailors to contend with an erratic and chilling northerly breeze. This was light and fitful at the start of the competitors’ registration and weigh-in session, but built to a useful 10-15 knots for the first practice session.

The Farr 40 Class Association today announced that the 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship will take place February 23-26 at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS), in Sydney, Australia. Immediately preceding the Worlds, the RSYS will host the Australian Championship from February 18-20.

“The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron is known for hosting top-level sailing regattas, and we couldn’t be more pleased to return to Sydney for our Class’ 14th World Championship,” said Farr 40 Class President Jim Richardson (Boston, Mass. /Newport, R.I.), owner of three-time world champion Farr 40 Barking Mad (2009 - Porto Cervo; 2004 - San Francisco; 1998 – Miami). “The Australian Farr 40 Class has a robust fleet from which we expect 12-14 Farr 40s. Along with 8-12 non-Australian entries, we expect to see over 20 Farr 40s in February.”

With a long history of collaboration with the Farr 40 Class, the RSYS counts among its members Guido Belgiorno-Nettis and Transfusion, a two-time Australian National Champion and runner-up at the 2010 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds, plus 2005 Rolex Farr 40 World champion Richard Perini and Evolution.