In this Issue:
Whitbread- Crash and bang to Baltimore
Mini America's Cup- Who are the finalists
One Design 35- Spring Update
AG2R- Atlantic Crossing Race

Whitbread Leg 7
    Currently the Whitbread fleet is pounding up the Atlantic Coast into the Chesapeake. With the wind on the nose in the 20 knot range, and the
Gulf Stream current pushing 3-4 knots north the
seas are steep and nasty.

    The unexpected leader is Brunel Sunergy. They gained this lead by making an improbable yet successful move to the east. The pre race conventional wisdom said stay in the Gulf Stream, don't go east and out of the current.

    Brunel did just that heading east away from the fleet. Brunel saw the wind headed Northeast. While they were able to sail straight for the barn the rest of the fleet to the west had to butt into the wind, tack on tack, which slowed them down.

    The latest update puts Brunel still 18 miles in the lead. In 2nd is EF Language, with Swedish Match 1 mile back in 3rd. Brunel is well inside the Chesapeake Bay and has 76 miles to go to the finish line. Her ETA is 1337 this afternoon. EFL's ETA is 1530.

    Check http://www.whitbread.org for up to the minute details

Mini America's Cup-Challenger Finalists

    The challenger's round robin phase of the Mini America's Cup Regatta is complete. The Italian Prada team was first with 5 wins, the French Yaka team was 2nd with 4 wins and Team Caribbean was last with 3 wins.

    This means France and Italy will move onto the challenger finals. Their match will start tomorrow. The format of their showdown is best of 9 races.

    Saturday will see the winner face home town heroes Russell Coutts and Team New Zealand in another best of nine series.

For more information visit: http://www.americascup2000.org.nz

One Design 35- Spring News

    Great Lakes Sailors lead the long list of new owners with five of the first twelve ONE DESIGN 35's headed for Lake Michigan. The first boat to arrive will be hull #2 for David Bowen [Hippy Chick] followed by hull #3 for Hank Berenbaum [China Cloud], hull #4 Bob Hughes [Heartbreaker], Hull #7 Joel Krissoff [Pronto] and Hull #8 Dick Devos [Windquest].

    One Design LLC has announced that 22 1D 35's have been sold which means that only five building slots are available for 1999 Key West Race Week. One Design LLC expects that 95% of the fleet will be competing at Key West.

    Hull # 1 owned by Tim Woodhouse was launched April 17th and sailed April 18th and April 19th to the delight of designers, builders and sailmakers. Hull # 2 will launch 4/25 and be in Annapolis for extensive sail testing. It will then head to its
Lake Michigan home.

    One Design LLC will have a One Design 35 at Jabins Yard in Annapolis from April 30th thru May 6 which will be available for viewing and sailing.

Please contact Torresen Marine to make arrangements

For more One Design 35 information visit: http://www.torresen.com/1D35/welcome.html

AG2R- Across the Atlantic Race

    Franck Cammas and Michel Desjoyeaux are in the lead of the transatlanticrace from Lorient, France to Saint Barthelemy,French West Indies. They have a 40 mile lead. They are butting into strong headwinds and difficult seas.

For more information visit: http://www.sail-online.com