Weekly round-up

Too busy watching the tennis? Catch up with last week's news here...

Above: Rob Greenhalgh and his Panther Team GBR taste victory in the Tour Voile

The month long lap of France that is the Tour Voile kicked off last weekend. Britain has representatives in each of the three classes, the most hopeful prospect being Rob Greenhalgh and his Panther Team GBR who got off to a promising start in the 'prologue' race. John Greenland looked at the British boats taking part and the complete list of entries. At the start in Dunkerque Greenhalgh and co then put in a distinctly average show in the first scoring races, while bad weather caused the first offshore race to be postponed.

The 40ft trimaran Mollymawk had her second consecutive win in the two handed Round Britain and Ireland Race. James Boyd spoke to winning skipper Ross Hobson. At the Olympic classes regatta at Kiel Week, continued gale force winds were reaping havoc. Most racing ended up being crammed into the final day.

Rob Boulter's Thunder II dominated the big boat class at the RORC's IRC Nationals, but was eventually won by the Farr 52 Bear of Britain.

The Gotland Rund got underway last weekend with a large contingent of Volvo 60s (more than in the VOR itself in fact). The Gotland Runt course record fell to a 60ft trimaran while Neal McDonald sailing in his old steed ASSA ABLOY won the monohull division. But the news was soured when we heard that a 65 year old Finnish yachtsman had been lost, presumed drowned during the race.

The Farr 40 racing in Sardinia, the warm-up regatta to the Europeans concluded with an Italian winner.

Monday saw the London debut of the brand new Open 60 Hexagon sponsored by HSCB bank and skippered by Grant Dalton's big brother Graham. Open 60 virgin Peter Bentley had never been out on such a beast before and described what it was like to sail her. At her launch James Boyd spoke to one of her designers, Merfyn Owen about why this new Open 60, purpose built for Around Alone is faster than Kingfisher.

While the Tour Voile was still gale bound in Dunkerque, Rob Greenhalgh's skiff crew on RMW Marine, proved they could survive without him. We previewed the next Skiff Pro Tour event coming up in Germany, plus the giant ISAF World Sailing Games, Ford Cork Week, the Oppie Worlds in Texas and the glamorous Swan Cup in Porto Cervo.

On Tuesday the two English teams being fielded in July's Rolex Commodore's Cup were announced. Meanwhile in Marstrand, Russell Coutts continued his winning ways in the opening rounds of the Swedish Match Cup and in Marseilles there were perfect conditions for the first day of ISAF's World Sailing Games.

Our round-up of the weekend's dinghy open meet reports included the preview to the Typhoon Fireball Nationals, the Firefly Open at Royal Harwich Yacht Club, the Vintage National 12 Open meeting held at Earlswood Lakes, Hayling Island Sailing Club Solo Open Meeting for the Tyler Trophy, Oks at Overy Staithe, the Flying Fifteen Northern Championships 2002 and the Phantom Inland Championships at Bala Sailing Club

Tim Kroger spoke to madfor sailing about how Le Defi Areva French America's Cup campaign is taking over German bases and what the make-up of the team is - plus top sailing photos from Christian Fevrier. En route back from Kiel Week Thierry Dubois' Open 60 Solidaires was involved in a major collision.

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Graham Dalton's new HSBC-sponsored Hexagon