The best way to classify the ISAF World Championships is to say that it is a festival of sailing. 11 regattas going on at the same venue at the same time, 2000 sailors, 6 racecourses, it is a great display of our sport. For the purpose of exposing the sport through media, this is a great idea. Also, for the Star sailors, it is fun to mix with the other sailors; most of whom we never see because our regattas are usually stand-alone events. The “big mix” is more common in Europe at places like SPA Week, Kiel Week and Yeres Week where many classes are racing. Being altogether also give a more Olympic flavor to the regatta.

Further there are some economies of scale. International Juries, Race committees and administrations are pooled for the use of all classes. Cadiz is one of the few venues on the world that could host such a large group. The Marina at Porto Sherry is quite large and there is plenty of room for mooring the keelboats. On the other side of the venue there is a ramp that has to be 500 meters long and all the dinghy

The recent analysis of Team New Zealand 2003, by Peter Menzies, is very interesting. First, because it is the first of it

We are down to the short strokes now. As I write this Alinghi is leading Oracle 3 to 1 in the Louis Vuitton final so I am assuming the America

The Star World Championship this year attracted 103 competitors from 25 nations including 11 former world champions and seven different nations in the top eight places. To say that the fleet was deep is and understatement. The class is stronger than ever and the promise of beautiful California weather guaranteed a large turn out in Marina del Rey. For the first time that I can remember the highest placing American was fourth. This speaks to the internationality of the class. The new weight limit has changed things a bit. The last two Star World Championships have been won by former Finn Champions, Freddie Loof and now Ian Percy. Is there a message here?

Walking around the boat park in the morning is an interesting experience. Many of the crews who have been sailing stars for 20 years are not recognizable. Most have lost 10-30 kilos due to the weight limit. Not having been one of the proponents of the weight limit, I have to admit: Star sailors in general look a lot more athletic than five years ago and they probably should thank Alex Hagen for prolonging their life by 10 years. The Star is still a very powerful boat and given the lower weights of the crews, both skipper and crew have to hike harder. Enter the Finn sailors. If any group of people knows how to hike it is Finn sailors, right?

Ian Percy, Finn Gold medallist from Sydney 2000, and Steve Mitchell put on a clinic in Marina del Rey. Both were straight-leg-hiking most of the windward legs. Both were extremely fit and once again the bar has been raised on Athleticism in sailing. After a 19th in the first race, they found their stride and never finished out of the top 5. They were in that magical grove where you know you are fast, you relish the conditions, it seems you can

I have done some cross training in sailing before; like in 1978 when I went from crewing to a fourth in the Star worlds right to crewing for a second in the 505 worlds. But I have to say that going from 30 foot waves, icebergs, snow storms, 45 knots of winds and 32 knots of boat speed TO 3 inch waves, 10 knots of wind, 4 knots of boat speed, 80 degree water and 95 boats on the starting line is biggest contrast I have had in our sport in a two week period. And yet, both were fantastic!

When I last wrote in Seahorse, I explained my reason for joining Grant Dalton