MATCH RACING
Nippon Cup 2001 Cancelled
The Swedish Match Tours Nippon Cup 2001 has been cancelled by the events organizer, the Hayama Marina YC. The fourth event of Swedish Match Tour Year 3, the Nippon Cup 2001 had been scheduled for November 19 to 25, 2001.
A news release from organizers of the tour quoted HMYC commodore Kenichi Mitsui, who said, “We have made this decision due to heightened security worldwide since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. We feel the risks in arranging transportation for skippers to travel from US and Europe to Japan are too great at this time.”
As a result, Swedish Match Tour Year 3 will now be comprised of eight events. The Swedish Match Tour Championship Prize Purse will remain at $200,000 and the scoring will be based upon a skippers best six-of-eight finishes instead of the previous best seven-of-nine finishes.
The next event on the Swedish Match Tour is the Sun Microsystems Australia Cup, March 12 to 17, in Perth, Australia.
http://www.swedishmatchgp.com
RECORDS
VDH Up a Day on Monnet
As he passes the coast of southern Brazil, French navigator Jean-Luc Van Den Heede has picked up a full day, almost 450 miles in distance, on the pace set by his countryman Philippe Monnet during his record westward circumnavigation that finished on June 9, 2000.
Van Den Heede, who is sailing a custom 84-foot aluminum sloop specifically built for a solo westward circumnavigation, is 23 days into his attempt and has more than 19,300 miles to cover according to his latest report.
http://www.vdh.fr/gb/
