MIAMI, FLORIDA (January 30, 2004) --Breathless was the word to describe the final of four days of racing at the 2004 Rolex Miami OCR. To 503 sailors competing in the regatta's 11 Olympic and Paralympic classes, no wind on Biscayne Bay resulted in the cancellation of all racing. Yesterday's results, therefore, have determined class champions and left those who were within striking distance of the leaders disappointed. The regatta winners, most with sights set on competing in the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, counted their performances here as critical, since this is one of North America's largest ISAF Grade One ranking events. The 323-boat fleet, flush with world champions, Olympic medallists and America's Cup veterans, represented 39 nations.

ST. THOMAS, USVI (January 27, 2004)--When it’s "off" season in other spots around the world, Caribbean racing will be in full swing at the start of the 31st International Rolex Regatta, hosted by St. Thomas Yacht Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands. From March 26-28, the three-day regatta is compact yet large in terms of offering dependable tropical trade winds, warm water and serious competition for everything from over-50 foot "Sleds" right down to beach catamarans.

Miami, Florida, USA - Saturday, January 24, 2004 - By Michael Grandfield

The 2000 Olympic Gold Medal team of Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT) proved to be in top form as they took the overall win at the 2004 North American Championship. The Austrians lead from the first day and never finished lower than 3rd in a very competitve fleet of 27 boats from 12 countries.

The USA team of John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree finished 7 points behind Hagara/Steinacher, taking 2nd place overall. Lovell and Ogletree also captured the North American Champions title as the first North Ameican boat.

Third place overall went to Olivier Backes and Laurent Voiron (FRA).

There has been rumors and discussion for some time about the future of "open class" racing within santioned Hobie Class regattas. We now have the official word from IHCA (International Hobie Class Association), NAHCA (North American Hobie Class Association) and the Hobie Cat Company.

To sum it up, IHCA has notified NAHCA that it is violating IHCA rules by allowing non-Hobie catamarans in sanctioned events. Hobie Cat Company agrees with the IHCA position, and NAHCA has now agreed to eliminate open class racing from it's events after 2004.

Read the three letters, one from each organization, that explains there position.

The 2nd Great Texas Catamaran Race will be held as on Father’s Day week. The race will start in South Padre Island on June 16 and finish on Galveston Island on June 20.

The Great Texas is a 300 mile off-shore beach catamaran race held in four legs. Racers start and finish on the beach. The four legs have the distances of 100, 100, 70 and 30. Last year’s inaugural race was a great success and everyone is excited about sailing the Texas coast again.