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HAVE SOME MADEIRA, M`DEARS

Friday, May 9, 2008
Sport/Sailing
THE Cowes to Madeira Yacht Race is new to the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) sailing programme and is certain to provide some challenging and spectacular ocean sailing for the competitors.
On August 11, the race fleet will line up on the Royal Yacht Squadron line, at Cowes, and head for Madeira, some 1,480 miles away.
Organisers said the race to the Atlantic island is expected to attract some of the best offshore racing crews.
The return race to Cowes is forecast to provide an interesting tactical race, making the best use of the conditions experienced on the trip down to Madeira.
Solo sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “The RORC Cowes to Mad-eira race is a fantastic opportunity for sailing enthusiasts and adventurers to do some serious ocean racing, including an encounter with the north-east trade winds.
“It’s great that the Clipper 68ft round-the-world racing yachts will be on the start line. These are big, fast boats that respond to good crewing.”
Entries have started to come in from all over Europe from a wide variety of yachts, including the smallest boat to finish the 2007 Rolex Fastnet Race, Foggy Dew, skippered by Noel Racine, from La Havre, France. Clipper Vent-ures is expected to enter at least two yachts, The Clipper 68 is likely to be one of the biggest yachts on what already looks to be a competitive start line.
A new Archambault RC40, British Soldier, skippered by Nicholas Bate and crewed by the army sailing team will be competing.
An army spokesman said: “The race is an essential part of their training programme.
“The team is composed of soldiers, who have all seen active service in recent years and offshore racing is an ideal way to unwind when they return home from duty.”