Tidelines: Racers' tribute

Two of the Kiwi-skippered Volvo Ocean Race boats will have special crew aboard on the way from the Viaduct Harbour to the start tomorrow. After an approach from junior sailing organiser Richard Brown, three of our top juniors will sail with the superstars. Jo Aleh (Tanner Cup) and Alastair Thompson (Tauranga Cup) will be with Grant Dalton on Amer Sports One. The winner of today's P Class Championships at Torbay will be aboard Tyco with Kevin Shoebridge.

Forest challenge

Running and mountain-biking in an orienteering challenge gave America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race competitors a taste of something different in the Woodhill Forest last weekend. Organised by Suunto, one of the partners in the two-boat Amer Sports VOR Nautor Challenge campaign, the event had 12 teams of four given just two hours to find 18 control points using maps and Suunto compasses. Each member of the winning Volvo Event Management team received a Suunto wrist-top computer.

Water-watch

Three days of action at all levels of sailing make this 2002 Auckland Anniversary Weekend something special: From P-class championships at Torbay and Kohimarama, to the Volvo Ocean Race start on Sunday, and the New Zealand Herald Anniversary Regatta on Monday involving almost every class of sailboat.

Saturday: Auckland Championships, Part 1, Optimist, P-Class, Starling and 29er (Torbay); Auckland Laser Championships (Tamaki); Mahurangi race (BBYC); Cruising races (RYC and RNZYS); Cruising race to Kawau (VCC); Mahurangi festival of classic yachts.

Sunday: Volvo re-start, leg to Rio de Janeiro; Auckland Laser championships (Tamaki); Women skippers' race from Mahurangi (PYBC); Round-the-islands race (DYC).

Monday: Auckland championships, Part 2, Optimist, P-Class, Starling, 29er (Kohimarama); Passage races from Mahurangi and Rakino; Harbour courses from Orakei wharf; Auckland Laser championships (Tamaki).

Clubs and organisations planning activity on or in the water of either the Waitemata or Manukau harbours should register with the Auckland Regional Council Enviroline on 0800 80 60 40.