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Clipper Ventures Plc announces today the sale of the Assets and Brand of Zapcat Racing to Martin Jupp the Managing Director of ZCR Ltd.
Zapcat Racing is the largest one-design offshore powerboat racing class in the world and 2009 will be the 8th consecutive year that UK Championships have been held.
Martin Jupp is also the Managing Director of Vortex Racing Ltd - the UK’s leading Zapcat Dealer and Zapcat Experience / Events Company and whose race team are current National Zapcat Champions.
Four motorboaters made a hasty retreat from their burning thirty-six foot boat this afternoon.
Solent Coastguard were contacted by a nearby vessel at 1.00 pm to report that the motorboat, Rochford was on fire in Chichester Harbour.
The Coastguard then received a mayday broadcast from another vessel Eskimo reporting that they were alongside the motorboat and taking off its four crew.
The clock showed 1am and the rain had been falling for hours, but as Telefonica Blue limped home last into Rio de Janeiro this morning they delivered a lesson in positive thinking.
"There's a lot to be pleased about," said skipper Bouwe Bekking.
"We are definitely able to challenge Ericsson 4," added navigator Tom Addis.
For an outsider it would have been easy to imagine the last 42 days, 22 hours, 55 minutes and 12,300 miles had been a glory procession for the Spanish team.
Oxford won the 155th Boat Race by 3 ½ lengths with a power surge in the second half of the Race reminiscent of last year.
Cambridge won the toss and chose Surrey, something perhaps indicating that they would go hard off the start. They did this and were just in the lead after one minute and had stretched this to a third of a length after another minute.
Oxford though drew back by the Mile and led by half a second in a time which was only three seconds outside the record.
Lewmar announces the release of the new Lite Touch Composite Winch Handle. The Lite Touch was developed using the latest winch handle technology providing an easy to use, lightweight yet affordable winch handle that floats. Constructed from strong composite material for extreme rigidity, the Lite Touch features a push button locking mechanism and PowerGrip handle. The Lite Touch uses a universal bi square designed to fit all current manufacturers' winches.
"This close," said Ian Walker, looking at a one-inch gap between his thumb and forefinger. "We were this close to making the call."
But like three other boats in this fleet of five, they didn't. Ericsson 3 were the only team to head east at the 36-degree south scoring gate and it was the move that won them the longest leg in the history of the race.
Green Dragon, meanwhile, went south with the rest of the pack and ultimately lost the drag race across the Southern Ocean, the victims of a boat speed deficit that Walker rated at about "10%".
When they arrived this afternoon, fourth place theirs after 42 days, 13 hours and 57 minutes of racing, the frustration at that decision was not far from the surface.
Champagne was sprayed, crew members were mobbed and all against the backdrop of a leaderboard that puts Ericsson 4 firmly in control of this race. But Torben Grael and his crew were in no mood for premature celebrations when they finished leg five in second place tonight.
"This race is a long way from over," the Brazilian said. "It feels fantastic to be here, but the race is not over until it's over."
"Anything can happen," added Brad Jackson, Grael's watch captain. "If we don't finish a leg the others will catch up pretty quick."
Zodiac dealer, Pennine Marine has announced that they will be holding a demo day on Bank Holiday Monday 4th May from 9.00am to 6.30pm at the Coniston Hall Hotel, Coniston Cold, Skipton, North Yorkshire.
The one day event, held at Coniston Hall Hotel's private lake gives visitors the opportunity to be taken out on the water by fully trained drivers in a range of Zodiac RIBs and tenders.
Showcased during the day will be a selection of Zodiac RIBs and Inflatables from the Pro, Pro-open, Cadet and Yachtline Deluxe ranges powered with Suzuki outboards.
Ericsson 3 has finally crossed the finish line in Rio De Janeiro to win Leg 5.
After an agonising march to glory, Swedish skipper Magnus Olsson and his men officialy finished at 10:37:57 GMT.
On arrival, a jubilant Olsson, buoyed by the result, said: "It's unbelievable. We had a fantastic strategy when we needed it. Aksel (Magdahl) did a fantastic job on that. We executed that strategy in a very good way.
"We were so tired but we were fighting on with tremendous spirit right to the end, everybody worked well with each other. And, finally, we nursed the boat really well and didn't have any breakdowns."
With neither of the Ericsson boats emerging from StealthPlay yet, all we can tell you with any certainty is that both are still over 50 miles from the finishing line. Within 50 miles, their positions become visible - StealthPlay or not.
So we head into what will be a final night - or partial night - at sea for the leading boats, not knowing exactly how far off they are.
Aksel Magdahl, navigator on the presumed leader, Ericsson 3, spoke to Amanda Blackley earlier today and said he anticipates a finish as the sun comes up in the morning, which would translate into a finish near 0830 GMT.