NEW ZEALAND have become the first national team to lodge their challenge for next year's Admiral's Cup, the biennial offshore championship.
Britain has also announced its line up for the event, which will be sailed in their home waters of the Solent next August.
However, it now looks increasingly certain that Ireland will not enter the event, largely because of the high cost of building new big boats or the lack of suitable, competitive alternatives for charter. Whether this problem, known for several years, extends to other smaller nations remains to be seen their successful formula devised for the America's Cup, Team New Zealand will include a new 46 footer, to be skippered by all round champion sailor Russell Coutts; the mid sized boat is the ILC 40 footer Mean Machine, skippered by Tom Dodson, who sailed for Ireland on Jameson II in 1993, and David Barnes will skipper Georgia Express, the team Mumm 36 being built in Auckland.
All three British Olympic silver medallists from Savannah will compete on their three boat squad. Graham Walker re enters the fray with a new, Farr designed Corel 45; ILC 40 Pigs In Space is the mid size boat, while Bradamante will be the Mumm 36.
January's Key West regatta in Florida has become an established barometer for offshore sailing for sailors and owners from around the world. The 1997 edition will be no exception, as one deign classes now comprise 50 per cent of the fleet.
The most impressive growth story at the regatta belongs to the Mumm 30 Class. Introduced in 1995, 11 of the 30 foot Farr production boats raced at Key West, last January. The entry is expected to match or exceed the fleet that competed recently in the first Lewmar Mumm 30 Cup in Annapolis, Maryland.
Irish interest Comes from David Best's Sidewinder from Holywood, Co Down, who will be hoping to improve on his successful debut at Annapolis where he and his crew finished ninth in a fleet of 33 boats from around the world.
Meanwhile the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has voted against allocating another medal to sailing for the Sydney 2000 games.
The IOC has further decreed that sailing must achieve a 30 per cent quota by 2004, suggesting that another existing class may have to be dropped after Sydney.
Under the "Christmas Presents' Department" heading, an excellent gift this Yuletide might be the Irish Sailing Association's (ISA) 50th anniversary celebration video. It is available from the ISA offices at a special offer price of £25, including the association's new tie.
