La Rochelle

LA ROCHELLE, France -- Life in this city on the Atlantic coast plays out under the crooked eyes of gargoyles and across a landscape of medieval towers - even the motto in the glossy travel brochures is drawn from an event that happened more than 300 years ago.But during the past week, this port town rich in history has done itself up like an MTV video. Illuminated in what looks like the light from an oversized disco ball, the harbor is made over with twirling strobes and speakers blasting rock music.

A few months ago, the organizers of the Volvo Ocean Race announced that Baltimore would be a stopover port in the spring of 2001, but the 32,250-nautical-mile course also has a few new wrinkles. The competition, formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race, will begin in Southampton, England on Sept. 23 next year and then run through four oceans and 10 stopovers in the next nine months. "During the last 12 months, our team has spent many weeks traveling the world and evaluating possible venues, taking into account the amount of international media that each port could potentially generate and the location and quality of the facilities on offer," said Helge Alten, chief executive of the race.

Auckland, New ZealandPopulation: 1,600,000Official languages: English, MaoriWeather: Marine West Coast, average temperature range 50 to 86Government: Parliamentary democracyHistory: Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, contains 14 extinct volcanoes and is the site of an old fort that provides fine views of the harbor.Tidbit: Auckland is called the City of Sails because it has more than 120,000 boats in the water.Sao Sebastiao, BrazilPopulation: 40,000Official language: PortugueseWeather: Humid subtropical, average temperature range 50 to 86Government: Federal republicHistory: Sao Sebastiao is 361 years old, with a city center full of 17th century buildings, many of them constructed with indigenous materials such as seashells.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- When crews in the Whitbread race finally cross the English Channel and lay eyes on the shores of Britain -- a sight they haven't witnessed since starting the around-the-world race nine months ago -- an odd thing could happen.They may all turn around.Only 450 miles are left in this punishing endurance contest, whose last leg begins today off La Rochelle and is set to finish tomorrow afternoon in Southampton, England. But after nearly 31,600 miles of dead-serious sailing, the last miles could prove downright kooky.

The nine-boat fleet competing in the Whitbread Round the World race bid farewell to Annapolis yesterday, setting sail from the Chesapeake Bay for the start of Leg 8. The send-off was a success for the local entry, Chessie, which won the start before thousands of vessels anchored north and south of the Bay Bridge. The Whitbread boats, which landed in Baltimore on April 22, will race to La Rochelle, France, then complete the race in Southampton, England, later this month.Pub Date: 5/04/98

Status: Day 6, Leg 8Standings:Boat, Nautical miles to finish1. Toshiba, 1,767.12. Merit Cup, 1,767.83. EF Language, 1,777.44. Innovation Kvaerner, 1,778.15. EF Education, 1,783.66. BrunelSunergy, 1,792.57. Swedish Match, 1,793.38. Silk Cut, 1,830.09. Chessie Racing, 1,840.6(as of 00: 04: 37 GMT)Boat beat: The American yacht Toshiba grabbed the lead from Merit Cup yesterday during the eighth leg of the race. Toshiba, seventh in the overall standings, was just 0.7 nautical miles ahead as the boats sailed through the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- It will be fitting for this journey -- a trek across the pond that has proven to be anything but predictable.When the next-to-last leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race ends here today, surprise victors and teams long considered star-crossed are likely to be at the front of the pack.The nearly two-week trip from Annapolis to La Rochelle has been one of the wildest yet in this nine-leg, marathon sailing adventure around the globe.Battling for first are Toshiba and Silk Cut -- two hard-luck teams led by dueling British skippers.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- The boats in the Whitbread Round the World Race have watched most of the globe pass under their hulls, but the final hours into this ancient port were among the most significant.As the nine boats completed their trek from Annapolis to La Rochelle, they did so by marking several milestones. The finish offered a first-ever top trophy for hard-luck team Toshiba, a surprise third for Chessie Racing, a best-ever fourth by the all-women's boat, EF Education, and what was expected to be a big enough boost to EF Language to seal its overall victory in the nine-leg Whitbread.

A few months ago, the organizers of the Volvo Ocean Race announced that Baltimore would be a stopover port in the spring of 2001, but the 32,250-nautical-mile course also has a few new wrinkles. The competition, formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race, will begin in Southampton, England on Sept. 23 next year and then run through four oceans and 10 stopovers in the next nine months. "During the last 12 months, our team has spent many weeks traveling the world and evaluating possible venues, taking into account the amount of international media that each port could potentially generate and the location and quality of the facilities on offer," said Helge Alten, chief executive of the race.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- When crews in the Whitbread race finally cross the English Channel and lay eyes on the shores of Britain -- a sight they haven't witnessed since starting the around-the-world race nine months ago -- an odd thing could happen.They may all turn around.Only 450 miles are left in this punishing endurance contest, whose last leg begins today off La Rochelle and is set to finish tomorrow afternoon in Southampton, England. But after nearly 31,600 miles of dead-serious sailing, the last miles could prove downright kooky.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- Chessie Racing was in an abyss, hundreds of miles behind the rest of the fleet off the Grand Banks in the Atlantic, when bowman Rick Deppe decided to call home."

LA ROCHELLE, France -- Life in this city on the Atlantic coast plays out under the crooked eyes of gargoyles and across a landscape of medieval towers - even the motto in the glossy travel brochures is drawn from an event that happened more than 300 years ago.But during the past week, this port town rich in history has done itself up like an MTV video. Illuminated in what looks like the light from an oversized disco ball, the harbor is made over with twirling strobes and speakers blasting rock music.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- The boats in the Whitbread Round the World Race have watched most of the globe pass under their hulls, but the final hours into this ancient port were among the most significant.As the nine boats completed their trek from Annapolis to La Rochelle, they did so by marking several milestones. The finish offered a first-ever top trophy for hard-luck team Toshiba, a surprise third for Chessie Racing, a best-ever fourth by the all-women's boat, EF Education, and what was expected to be a big enough boost to EF Language to seal its overall victory in the nine-leg Whitbread.

LA ROCHELLE, France -- It will be fitting for this journey -- a trek across the pond that has proven to be anything but predictable.When the next-to-last leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race ends here today, surprise victors and teams long considered star-crossed are likely to be at the front of the pack.The nearly two-week trip from Annapolis to La Rochelle has been one of the wildest yet in this nine-leg, marathon sailing adventure around the globe.Battling for first are Toshiba and Silk Cut -- two hard-luck teams led by dueling British skippers.

Status: Day 6, Leg 8Standings:Boat, Nautical miles to finish1. Toshiba, 1,767.12. Merit Cup, 1,767.83. EF Language, 1,777.44. Innovation Kvaerner, 1,778.15. EF Education, 1,783.66. BrunelSunergy, 1,792.57. Swedish Match, 1,793.38. Silk Cut, 1,830.09. Chessie Racing, 1,840.6(as of 00: 04: 37 GMT)Boat beat: The American yacht Toshiba grabbed the lead from Merit Cup yesterday during the eighth leg of the race. Toshiba, seventh in the overall standings, was just 0.7 nautical miles ahead as the boats sailed through the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

The nine-boat fleet competing in the Whitbread Round the World race bid farewell to Annapolis yesterday, setting sail from the Chesapeake Bay for the start of Leg 8. The send-off was a success for the local entry, Chessie, which won the start before thousands of vessels anchored north and south of the Bay Bridge. The Whitbread boats, which landed in Baltimore on April 22, will race to La Rochelle, France, then complete the race in Southampton, England, later this month.Pub Date: 5/04/98

LA ROCHELLE, France -- Chessie Racing was in an abyss, hundreds of miles behind the rest of the fleet off the Grand Banks in the Atlantic, when bowman Rick Deppe decided to call home."

It became clear that the Baltimore-to-Annapolis leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race was the least serious portion of this grueling competition when Silk Cut pulled up to Merit Cup yesterday to perform an act of piracy.On a starboard tack not far from the rusty smokestacks of Sparrows Point, the ominous purple shark's head on the hull of the British boat sliced within 20 feet of its rival.A crewman on Silk Cut hurled what appeared to be grenade into the cockpit of Merit Cup, sending the sailors scrambling.

It became clear that the Baltimore-to-Annapolis leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race was the least serious portion of this grueling competition when Silk Cut pulled up to Merit Cup yesterday to perform an act of piracy.On a starboard tack not far from the rusty smokestacks of Sparrows Point, the ominous purple shark's head on the hull of the British boat sliced within 20 feet of its rival.A crewman on Silk Cut hurled what appeared to be grenade into the cockpit of Merit Cup, sending the sailors scrambling.

Auckland, New ZealandPopulation: 1,600,000Official languages: English, MaoriWeather: Marine West Coast, average temperature range 50 to 86Government: Parliamentary democracyHistory: Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, contains 14 extinct volcanoes and is the site of an old fort that provides fine views of the harbor.Tidbit: Auckland is called the City of Sails because it has more than 120,000 boats in the water.Sao Sebastiao, BrazilPopulation: 40,000Official language: PortugueseWeather: Humid subtropical, average temperature range 50 to 86Government: Federal republicHistory: Sao Sebastiao is 361 years old, with a city center full of 17th century buildings, many of them constructed with indigenous materials such as seashells.