Compiled by JULIE ASH
Jo Aleh, the first female to win the Tanner Cup since its inception in 1945, has had her first taste of America's Cup sailing.
The Auckland 15-year-old was invited to sail with Seattle's OneWorld Challenge, whose team includes previous Tanner Cup champions Craig Monk and Andrew Estcourt.
Aleh followed
the 1995 America's Cup, which encouraged her to take up sailing.
She joined the Kohimarama Yacht Club and has been racing for the past three years.
Aleh said she enjoyed sailing on the America's Cup boat and found the size of the boats, especially the spinnakers, amazing, although the creaking and groaning of the boat was a bit of a worry.
* * *
OneWorld Challenge's Mark Strube knows exactly where not to put his hands while out sailing.
Strube, of Florida, lost the end of his little finger in a training session when he grabbed the mainsheet block on the boom to help steady himself after he was caught off balance.
His finger got stuck in the mechanism, which sliced the end off it.
The grinder was immediately transferred to a chase boat and taken to shore along with the end of his finger but the tip could not be saved.
Strube said he was recovering well from the accident and hoped to be back on board for the upcoming international regatta.
* * *
Oracle Racing are making an effort to be friends with the other syndicates - off the water at least.
Oracle Racing hosted GBR Challenge at their sailing base last night.
Oracle went all out to make sure their British guests felt at home by serving up bangers and mash, courtesy of Oracle chefs Mark Reihana and Harry Lynsky, while the Union Jack adorned the bar. However, the line was drawn on serving warm beer.
The British are the second syndicate to visit Oracle - their first guests were OneWorld in November.
Oracle hope to invite every challenger to their base before racing begins. Prada were asked but declined.
* * *
GBR Challenge have reunited their two America's Cup boats with their tow boat.
GBR have bought the purpose-built 15.8m tow-boat that was originally with the Nippon Challenge team.
The tow boat has been used as a local fishing charter vessel since the last Louis Vuitton Cup.
It was originally built for the Japanese challenge, from whom GBR bought two boats.
GBR have affectionately nicknamed the tender Pier View after a pub near their base at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.
Pier View is capable of pulling two yachts at 13 knots, and will play a key role in weather data collection as well as storing the spare booms, sails and other equipment for when the boats are out sailing.
* * *
GBR Challenge are ensuring they have a good depth of sailors for future America's Cup campaigns.
David Carr, a first-year student studying sports education at Exeter University, has became an extended member of the GBR Challenge sailing team through a new scheme that GBR have introduced to give young talented sailors a chance to experience America's Cup sailing.
Although only 19, Carr has been given the chance to watch, learn and work with GBR over the summer.
* * *
Victory Challenge had reason to break out the bubbly with news that their helmsman Magnus Holmberg, along with Stefan Rahm, Lars Linger and Magnus Augustson, were named the Swedish Sailing Federation's 2001 Sailors of the Year. The federation has given the Victory Challenge sailors the prize for their success in the Swedish match grand prix sailing tour, the world cup series of match racing.
They won the 2000-2001 season and are leading the 2001-2002 season.
"The distinction goes mostly to sailors in the Olympic Games classes," Holmberg said.
The next event is in Auckland from March 12 to 17.
There are several America's Cup sailors taking part, including Alinghi's Russell Coutts, Team NZ's Dean Barker and Oracle's Peter Holmberg. Magnus Holmberg, Peter Holmberg and Barker are one, two and three in the standings.
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<i>Sips from the Cup</i>: Cup teams nurture young guest sailors
Compiled by JULIE ASH
Jo Aleh, the first female to win the Tanner Cup since its inception in 1945, has had her first taste of America's Cup sailing.
The Auckland 15-year-old was invited to sail with Seattle's OneWorld Challenge, whose team includes previous Tanner Cup champions Craig Monk and Andrew Estcourt.
Aleh followed
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