FEATURES

Hidden talent
Former Olympic downhill skier turned multihull racer PIERRE-YVES JORAND is one of the quiet forces that help drive the Alinghi team. JORAND describes the background to Alinghi's multihull programme and takes a close look at one of its intrinsic elements —the D35 'cat-and-a-half'

The beast is born
Designers ROB and TOM HUMPHREYS are joined by America's Cup navigator MARK CHISNELL to tell the story behind Team Russia's powerful-looking and characteristically innovative new Volvo Ocean Race challenger

An increasing challenge
BMW Oracle have called many of the shots to date in the 'battle' of the 33rd America's Cup but momentum may now be swinging back towards the Defender. TIM JEFFERY talks to BMW Oracle skipper RUSSELL COUTTS about the task ahead…

No more glue
First it was the stitching that was being chased out of modern sailmaking to be replaced by adhesive, now those same glues may soon also be on the way out. SCOTT MILLAR

REGULARS

Commodore's letter
DAVID AISHER

Editorial
ANDREW HURST

Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON reports from a lively Marseille as the Quantum Racing TP52 moves up a gear, hydraulic's maestro GIOVANNI CARIBONI talks about 'those' canting keels, more legal news from Noo York… BLUE ROBINSON inspects IAN WALKER's Volvo Race entry… and Olympic measurement 'issues'

World news
Gery Trentesaux goes for the hat-trick, as Briand returns, Marc Thiercelin goes for the fifth… the TP52s battle for redress in Marseille, light isn't always right in New Zealand, where the Cup sailors have started to look closer to shore for the next dollar, Nicho goes for third (Volvo) time lucky, Bond returns to the stage in Oz, IRC survives and thrives at Block Island and DOBBS DAVIS bemoans America's reluctance to 'travel'. PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE and IVOR WILKINS

Rod Davis
What happens when three (fast) men find themselves stuck in a motor car…

Olympic and small boat news —The discipline
GøRAN MARSTRØM is less worried about the specifics of ISAF's decision to abandon the Tornado than he is about the regressive message that it sends out

Design
—Faster faster... Canting keels… been there done that, says HUGH WELBOURN who is busy chasing stability in an altogether different —and much lighter —direction

Seahorse raceboat build table —Level rating, anyone?
Yet another new IRC40, this one from Javier Soto Acebal in Argentina. Alejandro Bottino

50 RORC news
—Hot stuff
There were more than a few visiting Rolex Commodores' Cup challengers taking on the various home teams at this year's British IRC championships... EDDIE WARDEN OWEN

Seahorse regatta calendar

Sailor of the Month
Very inshore versus extremely offshore...