FEATURES

Hot seat
TOM SCHNACKENBERG has the inside story on creating the new AC33 Cup rule... and judges the result. Plus ROLF VROLIJK explains how the home team did not get it all their own way

No soft option
Just as everyone expected – or feared – Leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Singapore up to Qingdao was a boat-wrecker, which had changed the whole look of the fleet by the time that it set off south once again. TIM JEFFERY 

Right spotlight – wrong reason
In spite of having two of the fastest boats, designer MARC LOMBARD did not have a great Vendée Globe. Again. LYN HINES talked to LOMBARD after the finish and to his design associate ERIC LEVET about the technical highlights of the latest race

It came, it conquered... then it disappeared
DOBBS DAVIS visited Cuben Fiber creators HEINER MELDNER and RJ DOWNS to find out what happened to the 'miracle of 92'. Plus STEVE CALDER looks at current applications

Courtroom chronicles
They've all now had their day in court so it just remains to wait and see what their honours decide... Plus an angry SIR KEITH MILLS and the frustrations of an AC33 Cup Challenger

Ciao bello!
Sign Bertelli, Prada, Luna Rossa are back in Cup Town. Or are they? Giuliano Luzzatto

Act Two
– Part 2
BRITT WARD widens his look at developments in this year's Volvo 70 fleet with an examination of some of Farr Yacht Design's opposition

REGULARS

Commodore's letter
ANDREW MCIRVINE

Editorial
ANDREW HURST

Update
Tears for MARC GUILLEMOT, TERRY HUTCHINSON finds himself back on a road trip, CARLOS PICH follows the political dramas of 'sailing' in Spain and LYNN FITZPATRICK talks to some of the many friends and supporters of late Gold Medallist NICK SCANDONE

World news
PATRICE CARPENTIER goes onboard Foncia to get the story of MICHEL DESJOYEAUX's second Vendée Globe victory, and talks to BILOU about keel-less sailing, Auckland celebrates as the not-quite-the-Cup comes to town, more record hopes in Oz and another refined and successful Acura Key West. DOBBS DAVIS, IVOR WILKINS, ROB MUNDLE

Rod Davis
Events like the Louis Vuitton Series don't just happen by themselves. Props to the shore crews!

Olympic and small boat news
– Fast and smooth
ANDY RICE catches up with moderately successful... catamaran sailor GLENN ASHBY on the occasion of 'another' world title

Design – Voilà!
TANGUY DE LAMOTTE and JUAN KOUYOUMDJIAN describe the thought process and development behind their impressively-sexy, ultra-modern new sportsboat offering, the K650

Seahorse raceboat build table – A class is born
Nacira Design founder AXEL DE BEAUFORT is more than a little excited about the launch of the company's new NOD34 offshore one design

RORC news
EDDIE WARDEN-OWEN 

Seahorse regatta calendar

Sailor of the Month
Two quiet but important stars of the big game