The organisers of the Global Ocean Race 2011-12 (GOR) have great pleasure in announcing they have contracted with the Spanish island of Mallorca to host the start and finish of the circumnavigation. Situated in the Mediterranean, Mallorca will provide a stunning backdrop for the start and finish of this double-handed, round the world race: an event that is on target to attract 20 entries from over 11 nations.

The terraces of the Real Club Náutico of Palma have hosted the presentation of the twenty-ninth edition of the Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre, which will take place on the waters of the bay of Palma between Monday the 2nd and Saturday the 7th of August inclusive.

Palma, August 30th. The 29th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre has been presented today during a press conference held at the terraces of the RCNP. Javier Sanz, president of the Organizing Committee of the 29th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre, presided over the act, accompanied by representatives of the co-sponsors of the competition, Mapfre and Audi, and M ª Isabel González Carrasco, Sports Councillor of the City Council of Palma. "91 boats have registered for the current edition, whose level will be higher this year. We remain one of the most important events in cruiser racing in the world", said Javier Sanz. "The Copa del Rey isn't immune to the crisis, but we've managed to deal with it, and are meeting goals that seemed unattainable just some years ago. We remain true to the model we chose in 2007, when we reinvented the Cup: a regatta with monotypes and compensated time, with professional and amateur sailors, and the best boats”. "The main novelty this year”, he added, “is the three winners program: one in monotype, one in RI and one on IRC”. The President of the Real Club Náutico of Palma also thanked "the 200 people who are working behind this".

With an active racing season well underway, a fleet of top maxi yachts have committed to being in Porto Cervo to compete at the 2010 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. The event is a favourite gathering for these competitive and striking sailing craft, which will meet off Sardinia’s spectacular Costa Smeralda from 5 – 11 September.

2010 marks the 21st edition of this annual autumn gathering and, as usual, the international fleet will comprise a mix of the latest launches and those well known on the racing circuit. The regatta features some of the most impressive sailing yachts in the world. The primary limitation on entry is length: minimum rather than maximum - all yachts must be over 18.29-metres (60-feet) in length. This year the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup forms the final act in the 2010 Rolex IMA Championship series and also includes the inaugural World Championship for the Mini Maxi fleet.

The list of returnees is strong, with a good showing of the gargantuan supermaxis, including the 45-metre Saudade (MLT) and Salperton (CAY), and Hasso Plattner’s 44-metre Visione (GER), as well as the stunning classic-looking 42-metre J-Class, Ranger.

(Photo - Clipper Ventures PLC)

Having recently returned from their 35,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, Clipper Ventures is pleased to announce that the two British entries, Hull & Humber and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, will be taking to the race track once more by taking part in the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race (http://sevenstar.rorc.org/).

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race forms part of the Clipper fleet’s busy calendar of events this summer, during which the boats have been made available for charter for team building and corporate hospitality. It is all part of Chairman of Clipper Ventures, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s dream to get people into sailing either by taking up the challenge of the Clipper Race or simply getting on board a chartered yacht with Clipper Events.

The Notice of Race for the 2010 Rolex Osprey Cup has been posted by organizers St. Petersburg Yacht Club (St. Petersburg, Fla.) to the website.  The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 match racing regatta – scheduled for October 20-23 – annually attracts the world’s top women sailors such as defending Rolex Osprey Cup champion and 2008 Olympian Giluia Conti (Toscolano Maderno, Italy), 2008 Olympian Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brest, FRA), US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Anna Tunicliffe (Plantation, Fla.) Molly Vandemoer (Redwood City, Calif.) and Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.), world’s #1 ranked match racer Lucy MacGregor, and  ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year Claire Leroy (Nantes, FRA). Women sailors interested in competing should apply for an invitation online by August 1. 

The first ISAF Grade 1 match race regatta to be held after the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship at the New York Yacht Club in September, the Rolex Osprey Cup is expected to attract many of the teams working toward a berth at the 2012 Olympics in England.

The coastal city of Qingdao has gone from virtually unheard of outside China to a venue synonymous with world class sailing events. China's "Sailing City" grabbed the international spotlight with the organization of the highly successful 2008 Olympic games but sailing will be the spirit and legacy of Qingdao.

Two years after the Olympics, Qingdao continues this strong and successful sailing legacy by welcoming the world's premiere match racing circuit, the World Match Racing Tour. This is no coincidence as Qingdao has long been connected with sailing events. The earliest sailing race in Qingdao dates back to 1904, when the German Royal Yacht Club held a regatta there. This was also the earliest sailing event recorded in Chinese history. It truly is the birthplace of sailing in China.

The women who spent 51 days at sea in a tiny boat the length of two minis ended their epic 2,000-mile journey this morning at Tower Bridge in London.
 
By becoming the first women ever to row around mainland Britain their time of 51 days 16hours 42minutes has been accepted for a Guinness World Record.
 
Belinda Kirk, 35, from Bristol, Royal Navy nurse Laura Thomasson, 23, from Dover, IT support manager Beverley Ashton, 29, from Wantage, Oxfordshire and Angela Madsen, a wheelchair-bound 50-year-old grandmother and former US marine from Long Beach California are raising money for the services’ charity, Help For Heroes.
 
When they set out from Tower Bridge in London on June 1, they were taking part in Virgin GB Row 2010  - the world’s toughest rowing race.