The Scotland based, 47 foot Jus'do It 3's owner and skipper Ian Darby broke two toes when a rock fell, but the pilot will not let it stop the race. The 37 foot Getaway Sailing 2 will be piloted by Russian sailors, including Dimitry Moshkov, who would not accept defeat when a crack was found in the keel of their 85 foot maxi Trading Network/Alye Parusa. It was the only boat left to race, for the Russians, who refused to step down after the inspector's find. In addition to the determined Russians, other competitors in the yacht race includes two boats from the Netherlands, a British vessel, and one from the US, Germany, Switzerland, France and New Caledonia.

In the 63rd competition, the Wild Oats XI, piloted by Mark Richards, finished the 723 mile race in only 46 hours and 24 minutes. In 2005, the very same vessel won after wiping an hour off of the prior record to finish in 18 hours and 40 minutes. Richards will be piloting the Wild Oats XI again, and will not say if he thinks a record will be set. That said, he will provide stiff competition for the other boats. The potential boats to challenge Wild Oats include Skandia and Ichi Ban.

There was a fleet of upwards of 3,000 boats to watch the start of the race in the Sydney Harbor. There was a favorable northerly wind, that would lesson after a day. On the third day, line honors will be decided, but many of the boats will take four or five days. The oldest competing sailor is the 86 years of age, John Walker, a local native of Sydney and a 25 year competitor. He will be piloting the 33 foot boat Impeccable. Syd Fischer is a handicap favorite, and at 81 is piloting the ship Ragamuffin. He has both line honors and handicap victories under his belt.

The race was first held in 1945, and has been racked with severe storms and weather in prior races. This includes the 1998 storm, which claimed the lives of six sailors and brought seven boats to the bottom of the ocean, and more recently in 2007, eight sailors had to abandon ship as it was sinking, and three sailors were airlifted to receive medical attention due to injuries suffered in the storm. All of the sailors observed a minute of silence on this decade anniversary of the deadly race. Over all the race will prove to be exciting, with classic competitors and new faces.

Photo Credits: 1

• Sailing Smart By Buddy Melges, Charles Mason with illustrations by Ted Brennan If you have ever thought about sailing, this is a book that you absolutely must read before ever setting foot on a lake. You’ll learn everything there ever was to know about sailing techniques as well as plenty of other useful information that may keep you safe out on the......
• Festival Center and Island Global Yachting Hosts Dubai Boating Festival on October 24 and 25, 2008 This last weekend, Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th of October, Festival Center teamed up with the Island Global Yachting (IGY) to host the first annual Dubai Boating Festival in the Festival Marina. The Festival offered a two day schedule full of action for all ages and levels of......
• Sacramento Marina, Sacramento, CA     The Sacramento Marina is located in: Sacramento, CA Phone: 916.264.5712 Boat launch? Although the marina does not have its own ramp, there is one nearby. They state: "The Miller Park launch ramp is located near the entrance channel to the Marina. It is accessible by vehicle, by......
• Trinity Alps Marina, Lewiston, CA Trinity Alps Marina is located in: Lewiston, CA Phone: 530.286.2282 Average Water Depth: Trinity Lake varies in depth according to the time of year. Please call ahead before you arrive to check the current depth level. Marine Standby Channel: At this time the marina does not monitor a marine standby......
• Stingray Boats Stingray Boats resides in Hartsville, South Carolina. In only a few short years, Stingray Boats has emerged as one of the leading independent manufacturers of boats in the entire Nation. With more than 225,000 square feet worth of space designated for manufacturing, Stingray boats has one of the most technologically......

• 10 Foot Diameter Inflatable, Kid Pools Pools Pools & Spas Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Foot Pedals Sewing Collectibles
• Wild Flower Seeds Plants, Seeds & Bulbs Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Duck Boat Hunting
• Pontoon / Deck Boats Powerboats & Motorboats Boats