This is for the Brits, Aussies and Kiwis:

I saw in a maritime magazine just now that the Whitbread race has been renamed the Volvo Ocean Race !! Moreover, while it will begin Sept. 23 in Southampton, it will end in Goteborg. What happened to Whitbread? How did they let a Swedish car mfgr. get hold of it? I take it the UK, Oz and Zild, along with the USA, will be main contenders again?

What is the Whitebread race?

jimthedog

Jimthedog: As a friendly suggestion, for things like this try typing the words into the Yahoo search box. I just typed "Whitbread race" there and up came a whole bunch of links about it. Try it, you'll like it. The only reason I did not send this as a private message is that perhaps others underestimate how wonderful Yahoo search box is.

I take it the UK, Oz and Zild, along with the USA, will be main contenders again?

Indeed. Grant Dalton, the Kiwi skipper who just cleaned up in "The Race", the circumnavigation contest for supercats, is planning another crack at "The Volvo" (yrch, it's still the Whitbread to me). Having just sailed around the world in 60-something days, he will be starting all over again in a few months - loopy!

Is Whitbread a beer? Seems I heard , saw, whatever ....
And don't they also give a book prize?
wow

Dear wow: to tease you gently, by typing "Whitbread" into Yahoo search box I found that Whitbread is a large Brit food company that did sponsor some book awards.

I found that Whitbread is a large Brit food company that did sponsor some book awards

William, me old china, Whitbread is the prince, nay, the sine qua non of British beers. I don't know whether they withdrew sponsorship because of financial difficulties or because Volvo used the old swede and outbid them.

As our time/space challenged lounge lizard has already informed you, we don't expect to be involved in it. We don't EXPECT to win it. We KNOW we will win it. Oh, and rather wonder why other countries enter and put us to the trouble of proving it. Dalton's boat will be so fast that they will need to take out fire insurance on the English Channel.

- neddy (salt water runs through his veins like wooden legs) seagoon.

Is this the race that used to be the "americas cup" till a a kiwi won it some 10- 15 years ago?
and then the winner got upset because all the US "sports" broadcaster had trouble realizing that NZ wasn't Austrailia? and persisted calling him an Ozzie?-- i remember a tv shot of someone talking through gritted teeth-- obvious ready to kill a US report on the spot as the reporter asked him again was NZ a state or provance of Austrailia?

Is this the race that used to be the "americas cup" till a a kiwi won it some 10- 15 years ago?

Nope. The America's Cup remains the same, it is, after all the oldest contested trophy in modern organised sport. It is also a match-racing trophy, which until about ten years ago, meant that the racing involved was no match for watching grass grow in terms of it excitement level. After Australia won it, then the US won it back, changes to the boats and the rules, and the involvement of the permanently manic commentary of Peter Montgomery, the sport has managed to become more interesting to landlubbers like myself.
The Whitbread (now the Volvo) is a round the world race in boats that are bigger and, more importantly, stronger than those used in The America's Cup, which boats would snap like pretzels if raced in the Southern Ocean, part of the route for the Whitbread.

. It is also a match-racing trophy, which until about ten years ago, meant that the racing involved was no match for watching grass grow in terms of it excitement level.

Of course, our Maximillian was speaking strictly about his own attitude towards match racing. I used to do sailing very similar to the America's Cup. Well, it was a triangular course, and there were buoys to sail around, just like the big boys have. In a Noelex 22 foot trailer sailer, admittedly, but it was just as exciting. To be in AND TO WATCH, QUORDLEPLEEN, AND TO WATCH!

[Stalking off in high dudgeon BerLOODy East Coast peasants, if it wasn't invented there, it isn't worth a flying fu..damn, high on wine, down on the real New Zealand, hurt feelings, what's wrong with Port Nicholson that filling it in wouldn't cure, Hastings isn't even on the flamin' coast fer cryin' out loud, where does he get off, mutter-mutter-mutter ... emoticon]

exciting. To be in AND TO WATCH, QUORDLEPLEEN, AND TO WATCH

Sorry, CapK if my little jibe suggested that I was not on the right tack. I became a fan after watching West Island 1 split like a banana in San Diego, and Prada's outstanding performance made me a convert. I'd still like to know what they shoot ole Pete up with, though.

An aside from the (normally) supranationalist Max - The perfect cricket result. India, land of my forefathers, coached by a Kiwi, winning, which pales into insignifance against the really great part - AUSSIE LOST! Seeing the insufferable Shane Warne lose his cool and get hammered around the park is the ultimate spiritual tonic.

CRICKET ALERT

I'm about to start a fund to take a contract out on John Wright for high treason. They must pay him in chicken tikka masala, white axminster carpet and dead cats. If India can do that to the Australians, we may as well send the Auckland Grammar School first eleven to play India. If it has to happen, it may as well be done to Jafas.



America's Cup Alert

As for precious Pete, they shoot him full of speed, I'm sure of it. The prefrontal lobotomy has already taken.

Oh, and don't forget Kookaburra off Perth. But that was before you were a convert, wasn't it? The Australian banana boat.

- AUSSIE LOST! Seeing the insufferable Shane Warne lose his cool and get hammered around the park is the ultimate spiritual tonic.

Yesss!!!!

This, though, was of course only the icing on the cake - because a couple of days earlier (would you credit it?) England had come back from one Test down to beat Sri Lanka!

Have to say the India-Aussie series was more dramatic, though - final few moments of the third Test (19 runs to get, three wickets in hand!!) saw me give up on work all together and glue my nose to cricinfo. Oh dear...

Hurrah for England. Hurrah for India. And NZ not doing too badly against Pakistan either, eh?

cheer

the sunshine warrior