Acura Key West Race Week Preview

This weekend 48 Melges 24 teams from nine nations across North America and Europe are gathering in the beautiful Florida Keys to prepare for the legendary ACURA Key West Race Week which kicks off on Monday morning. USMCA Director of Communications Joy Dunigan will be bringing us daily reports from the race course so keep watching this space for all the news.

This opening event of the 2007 Melges 24 North American and World Ranking Series has attracted its usual high quality field and among those hoping to snatch the victor's laurels are Britain's John Pollard sailing Excellent; Frenchman Philippe Ligot's 2004 Melges 24 World Championship winning Partner & Partners team with Francois Brenac at the helm; Norway's Lars Horn Johannessen in Sister Stein with Laser maestro Eivind Melleby on the tiller; Franco Rossini's Blu Moon crew, who won the 2001 Melges 24 Worlds in Key West; and Ireland's Olympic Star sailor Mark Mansfield who is helming Team Gill for British expat Simon Strauss, now based in New York.

The Italian's have sent a small but perfectly formed team which includes Riccardo Simoneschi aboard Giacomel Audi Racing plus Giovanni Masper and his reigning European Champion Joe Fly Team with Gabrio Zandona at the helm, making a welcome return to the Melges 24 fleet after time off to pursue other projects.

The US contingent is naturally determined to keep the Key West crown on home soil and with the likes of John Porter and his Full Throttle crew from the Mid-West; Dave Ullman of Team Pegasus, Stephen Pugh with Seadon Wijsen at the helm of Taboo and Argyle Campbell aboard Rock N Roll, all from California; and Chris Larson aboard Scott Holmgren's Rosebud from Oaklahoma all flying the Stars and Stripes the Europeans will certainly have a battle on their hands.

In addition to the usual suspects there are a few dark horses to watch out for this year. 1964 Olympic Silver Medallist Keith Musto from the UK is guest helming for American Nick Maxwell aboard Startack and is always one to watch, particular if the weather is light. At the other end of the age spectrum fellow Brit John Gimson, one of the UK's hot young Olymic Squad members who was snapping at the heels of the old guard at the 06 Melges 24 Worlds in Hyeres, is helming Bateauneuf for Eamonn O'Nolan and hoping to build on his experience at the front of the fleet. The third mystery team to watch out for is Miles Quinton's Mojo. Miles, from Southampton, England, has been racing on and off in the fleet for some years, but for 2007 has put together a hot new team which this week includes 2001 Melges 24 European Champion and French America's Cup star Cedric Pouligny plus crew members Rob Larke and Jim Schwerdt, who are both well known faces at the front of the Melges 24 fleet. Miles is planning an extensive campaign on both sides of the Atlantic for the 2007 season and Team Mojo will deinitely be one to watch this year.

As always its going to be a great opener to the season so stay tuned for all the latest news. For full entry lists and results visit WWW.PREMIERE-RACING.COM