NS Sailing World Cup - [EVERYTHING THREAD]

[Ormencia Bythoria]

Welcome, to the NS Sailing World Cup! I am Thadeus Smith, president of Ormencia Bythoria, and I am proud that our own city of Hood River, Oregon is hosting the inaugural event.

All nations are allowed a single representative, who will be their nations competitor in the Sailing World Cup. The races will be sailed in Lasers. All sailing is single-handed. Kinetics are NOT ALLOWED unless a race is called off.

After Round 6, the bottom four will be eliminated from the competition. Elimination rounds will each eliminate the bottom five. The Final rounds are match races between the top two teams.

There will be 4 total awards: 1st place, 2nd place, most improved, and the Gotta Go Fast award.

SCHEDULE:

May 12: Fleet Racing, rounds 1, 2, 3
May 13: Fleet Racing, rounds 4, 5, 6
May 14: Fleet Racing, Elimination round 1
May 15: Fleet Racing, Elimination round 2
May 16: Fleet Racing, Elimination round 3
May 17: FINAL ROUNDS: 1, 2, 3
MAY 18: FINAL ROUNDS: 4, 5

All teams need to post a roster with their nation's representative. Each nation gets one representative. If you have a team kit, post that too. I am accepting roleplay bonuses, proportional to the amount you roleplay.

The following nations are registered to participate:

Ormencia Bythoria (ORM)
Barunia (BAU)
Mattijana (MAT)
Spaam (SPA)
Juvencus (JUV)
Ethane (ETH)
Empire of Cats (EOC)
Karri National Union (KNU)
Pristilin (PRS)
Assistants of the Seeker of Cupcakes (ASC)
The Kaiser Colonies (TKC)
Boejoe (BJE)
Goluta (GLU)
Vamenlac (VAM)
New Lusitania and the Algarves (LUS)
Kep (KBC)
Greater Vakolicci Haven (VKL)
Liventia (LEN)
West Phonecia (KWP)
Vangaziland (VNG)
Thesi Erevnah (TEP)

[Ormencia Bythoria]

ORMENCIA BYTHORIA (ORM) ROSTER:

The Honorable President Thadeus H. Smith

_______________________________________________________________________________

"I want to represent"
"Sir, that's simply not doable. It's too much of a security risk. You need to stay secure."
"Screw the security risk, Jenkins, I want to represent. You know I'm capable."
"Sir, I can't allow it."
"Well guess what? I'm the president, and I can allow it. I'd like my car prepped in 15 minutes. I need to get some gear."

The President turns, quickly walking back towards his room. Jenkins waits until he is out of sight before muttering under his breath: "Goddamn it, Mr. President"

[The Kiaser Colonies]

The Kiaser Colonies will be represented by 3 time New Sydney to Highroyds race winner and perpetual national sailing champion in this category, Dan Shipperly.

[Barunia]

OOC: Barunia's trigramme is BAU, Liventia's is LEN. This thread may help

The Federación Baruniana de Vela (FBdV) is pleased to announce that Freya I'anson will represent Barunia. Freya has won the Festival of Sails at Del Pez three times, and came fifth in the women's heavyweight dinghy at the X Olympics in Electrum/Ceni

[Pristilin]

Hush now! Our profound leader- CEO Mr. Priston - will give an announcement as to who will represent the wonderful Pristilin in its first sporting event.

CEO Mr. Priston - "The competitor I have chosen to represent Pristilin is not only one of the hardest working housewives I have ever encountered, for her cleaning and cooking is superb, but her figure is also one of the only in Pristilin suitable for such an exhausting and athletically demanding task."

Citizens of Pristilin nod in understanding as they continue to munch on chips.

CEO Mr. Priston - "And I can not nominate myself for I have ... monetary matters to attend to during this season, therefore Ivory Menai, (wife of successful Vice Chairman of Religious Affairs, Terrence Menai), you are the representative for Pristilin. Congrats! I'm sure all those times you made sure your laundry never flew off your clothesline from the wind and every time you cleaned our yachts as a sign gratitude and loyalty, will sure come in handy as you prepare to win it all for Pristilin. Just make sure as you breeze pass your opponents on the water, remember to laugh!"

Ivory Menai with a nervous smile and multiple security men escorting her to the podium gladly accepts the honor to fight... err...compete for glory.

[Boejoe]

The boejoean capital building. Tyler City. Boejoe.

"Today is a wonderful day! Today, is the day, when we see who will, be the representative in the sailing World Cup. I hope that whoever is the Rep will be happy about being chosen" Tyler Qipe said in front of a huge crowd. He then took a piece of paper out and said "the sailing Rep will be the one and only, boejoean foreign affairs officer, Adam McGarry!" Then, Adam mcgarry walked onto the stage. "Thank you! Thank you!" Adam said. He was so happy about being chosen. "I hope that we're able to win!" Tyler Qipe said. "Your flight is scheduled for tomorrow Adam." Then, Tyler and Adam walked back into the capital building.

[Empire of Cats]

Setting Sail: The Empire of Catsian Team

The SeaCats

There has long been some part of sailing that has appealed to man. Something about taking to the sea, floating out, free to discover, to chart one's path as they saw fit, that has long appealed to the human desire for freedom. Indeed, at sea, there is little but you, the ship, and your thoughts to constantly keep you company. The Empire of Cats has had a long history of seaward expedition; located next to the sea and with a stunning, elegant beachfront, the empire of cats has long had many sailors and an active population of those who make their living at sea.

Meet The Team

Thomas Long, 24, is young in age but is among the most experienced sailors that the Empire of Cats has to offer. He has set national speed records among local races and national meets at the capitol and across the nation. He hails from the small town of Del Ria, in the southeast of the nation. He has been sailing for as long as he can remember, his father being a member of the Merchant Marine and his mother a fisherwoman in her own right. He is young, full of poise, and has much to offer.

The Ship

The ship, purchased shortly before the competition, is a small, elegant craft dubbed "The Spirit of Hope" by the press and officially named by Long and the Empire of Catsian Sailing Association (EOCSA) in a ceremony before the departure, with the name "Winged Victory" conferred upon it.

Paint Scheme

The Winged Victory is painted in a Royal Gold and Prussian Blue color scheme with white stripes. The paint scheme is two inverted Vs, one blue, one gold and placed almost on top of each other that point forward. The white stripes are in between the two. The rest of the ship, extending to the stern, is painted in gold-on-blue horizontal stripes that curl down into a loop, like a cane. At the bow, on the port and starboard sides, a stylized cat's head is painted in black and white silhouette roaring.

[Assistants of the Seeker of Cupcakes]

A short, red haired woman with a mouse on top of her head is seen sitting at a desk playing a game on her phone. Suddenly a beeping noise is heard and the woman sits straight up and say, "Wait, already? Kuso, I need you to set up the teleporter, quick please."
The woman stands up and the mouse jumps off of her head and runs off to do as she asked.

 As it was leaving the room a man walks in. The man sees the woman vault over her desk and says, "Mona wait! You didn’t leave anyone in charge yet." The woman, now named Mona, runs past the man and says, "I am positive that the nation will be fine without me for a few days. Just in case though, you are in charge. Tell the kids at the park that I won't be able to make it today." With that she dissapears down the hallway.

The last thing that the man heard from her was, "Kuso, my swimsuit!"

[Vangaziland]

Fritjof Vang is a former Major in the Army of Vangaziland. He is about a year removed from a deployment to a city-state in the desert. Fritz, as he likes to be called, carries himself as a regular guy. The only thing is, he is the son of Vangaziland's Head of State, the diplomatic Emperor known as Helios Vang. The Empire is named after his ancestors that built one small settlement into a nation and then a benevolent group of nations.

But Fritz tries hard to be a regular guy. His military service ended weeks ago. Now he has more time for his hobbies. He's been known in Vangaziland for his sailing, usually with a reproduction of an old Vannish knar.

He's been training for a few months competitively, even while in the Army. Now he is ready to make a splash in his first international competition. Besides, he's wanted to travel for some time now.

Several journalists will come to document the Prince's efforts. The Vangazi are avid sports fans and are enamored with the idea of watching Fritz compete on an international level. Some races will be carried by major sporting networks. All will be livestreamed over the internet with commentary. A few blogs have compiled info on all the racers and will interview as many participants as they can.

"Sailing has always been a part of Vannish culture", said Prince Fritz in a TV interview. "I've been training hard for this event. I just want to put a good foot forward for Vangaziland, see the sights and compete with top international competitors."

Prince Fritz has made the news recently for his extravagant "goodbye Army" party. It's Vangazi tradition to throw a party and celebrate your service after your term has completed. Vangaziland used to have a conscript policy, but the mandatory military service is now being phased out.

Fritz served as an officer in the volunteer, regular Army and served for many more years than the required terms. Now he is looking to get more into diplomacy and business.

Apparently, he is making time for more sports as well...

[New Lusitania and the Algarves]

FEDERAÇÃO LUSITANA DE VELA
Campeonato Mundial de Vela

Delegação Nacional - National Delegation

PEDRO NUNO BRANDÃO (LUS)
+10 (assistance team, coaching and friends/family invited)


Pedro in his Laser in the Atlantic.

Who is Pedro?
Pedro Nuno de Brandão is 20 years old, and was born in the town of Santa Cruz, in Torres Vedras, Estremadura. At the age of 12, he was forced to move to Lisbon, where he took up sailing as a pass-time with the Belém Clube Náutico. Later part of the Lisbon University team, Brandão was a promising kid winning the Junior Championship twice, the Estremadura Sailing Trophy four times, and, the Academic Regatta twice with Lisbon Uni.
Making a professional debut at the Costa do Sol-Estoril Race three years ago (placed 5th), Brandão has been a rising star to the sport. We caught up with him during World Cup training, in the Tagus River.
"Of course I'm excited for the NS Sailing World Cup. I'll get to sail with the best of the world. Of course i'll be in it to win it, but it's already a true honour to represent New Lusitania at such a prestigious tournament as this."
With national hopes on one man and his laser, Pedro Nuno is certain that this might be the start of something bigger.
Come on New Lusitania! Força Pedro!

OTHER SPORTS NEWS:
»The Fairytale Story of Torreense: Champions of New Lusitania
»Historic as Real Bragança and Desp.Guarda make it back to the Liga de Honra
» Weekend Preview: Football around the World this weekend.
OTHER NEWS (GENERAL):
»Hot Summer awaits New Lusitania - up to 42C in Sevilha!
»New Lusitanian Agenda: Weekend 12,13,14 May
»Fátima - The Story
»Escudo set to be stronger in next months
»Marcelo and Brandão - a Presidential duo, moving the country forward; mainland and Ultramar
MORE ON www.olusitano. pt and www.stl. com

[Thesi Erevnah]

CONVOCATION MEDIA NETWORK
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ANDERSON GAINS TO REPRESENT THÉSI ÉREVNAH IN NS SAILING WORLD CUP

THÉSI ÉREVNAH PROVINCE -- Competitive sailing has long been a leisure sport in Thési Érevnah and, though the Prefecture does not often enter the world stage, pride runs high for this year's Sailing World Cup. With the selection of Anderson Gains, a thrice-winner of the Kitkeggle Cup, to head Team Thesi, a new fever has swept the lands.

ANDERSON GAINS TO REPRESENT

"You can't have found a better sailor than Gains," stated Maxwell Pierce, Commodore of the Nordif Yacht Club, during this morning's press conference. "He's brought victory to us on several occasions. Win or lose, we're sending out a talented man and a top of the line laser. [Gains] body-torque techniques surpass those of his competitors [in the Prefecture], and he carries himself exceptionally well when straight legged hiking. The man staves off a death roll like you wouldn't believe! I couldn't be more pleased."

Gains' racing career began in childhood. The son of Andrea Finch-Gains and Dominic Gains, both retired members of the Thési Érevnah Olympic Sailing team, he was introduced to the sport and took to it well.

"This is my life and passion," Gains said during a press conference held at the LASER Classes Sailing Conference last autumn. "I don't claim to be the best. Sailing is more than winning. It's appreciating and respecting the water and wind. When I race, I bring the sport to the forefront and, hopefully, inspire young adults to involve themselves in it."

Gains' first grab at the Kitkeggle Cup came when he was only sixteen. Though soundly trounced in that race, the experience allowed him to come back stronger. He devoted himself to the task, training and honing his technique. He took the Cup five years later, and held it for the next two.

Talent alone does not a race win. Much research has gone into Gains' laser. The sailboat was designed and built by Trilectum Sailcraft, and christened Echo.

"It echos our people's hopes," said Trilectum Sailcraft's Research and Development Lead, Rachel Aubarri. "It also echos our cutting-edge approach to technological advancement and current trends found in most countries here."

The Echo is built to match specifications laid out for her class: the hull is 4.19 metres long, with a waterline length of 3.81 m.

"We paid close attention to balance and lines," said Aubarri. "And we looked at how [Gains] uses his body. Everything is customized to meld with him, down to arm length."

Colours were chosen by schoolchildren attending Tulgey Primrose Academy of the Arts. They selected a simple white hull with a Swithwardian sunburst at the bow.

"White is the color of freedom," explained their teacher, Mr Edward Hughs.

The same elegant colouration is reflected in the Echo's sails.

Sails are tantamount to the quality of any cat-rigged sailboat's performance. Echo's are reflective of advancements made in material fabrication. These are designed to capture the wind but strengthened to resist tears, a common occurrence in racing.

The uniform is also a step up from the average. Gains will race wearing TEP red and black colours, both in the leggings and top. The suit's material, however, is not standard. Hydrophobic and designed to work in harmony with his body, it offers an advantage over competitors.

According to suit's manufacturer, CoreSports, "Hydrophobic sailing gear repels and wicks away water while simultaneously working to keep you warm with a layer of micro fleece on the inside. The benefit of having hydrophobic gear: it will not retain water and therefore won't get heavy."

Gains' supportive team includes Vincent Paige. Good friends despite their long-time rivalry on the water, Paige will advise during the race. Also on board are Margaret Preston and John Atterwood as coaches. Morgan Highman, on loan from Slip and Enders Ltd, will serve as sailmaker. Corin Rosbury of Trilectum Sailcraft will serve as technical support.

Team Thesi arrived in Oregon, Ormencia Bythoria, last week in order to get a feel for the water.

"It's an honour to be here," Gains told reporters at this morning's press conference. "Sailing is Ormencia Bythoria's national sport. You can see that passion in people's eyes. The Hood has good feel. This will be a fantastic race."

Subscriber? Click here to keep abreast of Team Thesi!

---

OOC:

Thesi's trigramme is TEP. Let me know if you need any more information from me.

Cheers!

Swith

[Ormencia Bythoria]

Results for Rounds 1, 2, and 3 are in

"Ahem...Is this thing working?"

"We can hear you fine, sir!"

"Alright, then let's begin..."

ROUND ONE:

1 Adam McGarry (BJE) 1
2 Thomas Long (EOC) 2
3 Ivory Menai (LEN) 3
4 Freya I'anson (BAU) 4
5 Dan Shipperly (TKC) 5
6 Fritjof Vang (VNG) 6
7 (SPA) 7
8 (VAM) 8
9 (PRS) 9
10 (JUV) 10
11 Anderson Gains (TEP) 11
12 Mona (ASC) 12
13 (KNU) 13
14 (VKL) 14
15 Pedro Nuno Brandao (LUS) 15
16 (ETH) 16
17 (GLU) 17
18 (KWP) 18
19 (MAT) 19
20 (KBC) 20
21 Thadeus H. Smith (ORM) DNF

ROUND TWO:

1 Thomas Long (EOC) 1
2 Pedro Nuno Brandao (LUS) 2
3 (ETH) 3
4 (MAT) 4
5 (GLU) 5
6 Freya I'anson (BAU) 6
7 Dan Shipperly (TKC) 7
8 Ivory Menai (LEN) 8
9 (VKL) 9
10 (KWP) 10
11 Thadeus H. Smith (ORM) 11
12 Mona (ASC) 12
13 Anderson Gains (TEP) 13
14 (KNU) 14
15 (KBC) 15
16 Adam McGarry (BJE) 16
17 (PRS) 17
18 (VAM) 18
19 Fritjof Vang (VNG) DNF
20 (JUV) DNF
21 (SPA) DNF

ROUND THREE:

1 Fritjof Vang (VNG) 1
2 Anderson Gains (TEP) 2
3 Adam McGarry (BJE) 3
4 Freya I'anson (BAU) 4
5 Mona (ASC) 5
6 (GLU) 6
7 Ivory Menai (LEN) 7
8 (JUV) 8
9 Pedro Nuno Brandao (LUS) 9
10 Thomas Long (EOC) 10
11 (ETH) 11
12 (VAM) 12
13 Dan Shipperly (TKC) 13
14 (SPA) 14
15 (MAT) 15
16 (KWP) 16
17 Thadeus H. Smith (ORM) 17
18 (VKL) 18
19 (KNU) 19
20 (KBC) 20
21 (PRS) 21

STANDINGS:

Empire of Cats (EOC) 13
Barunia (BAU) 14
Liventia (LEN) 18
Boejoe (BJE) 20
The Kaiser Colonies (TKC) 25
New Lusitania and the Algarves (LUS) 26
Thesi Erevnah (TEP 26
Goluta (GLU) 28
Assistants of the Seeker of Cupcakes (ASC) 29
Vangaziland (VNG) 29
Ethane (ETH) 30
Mattijana (MAT) 38
Vamenlac (VAM) 38
Juvencus (JUV) 40
Greater Vakolicci Haven (VKL) 41
Spaam (SPA) 43
West Phonecia (KWP) 44
Karri National Union (KNU) 46
Pristilin (PRS) 47
Ormencia Bythoria (ORM) 51
Kep (KBC) 55

[Liventia]

Er, Ivory Menai certainly does not represent Liventia.

Liventia's Laser representative will be Rhonwen Gill, Olympic Laser Radial silver medallist.

[Ormencia Bythoria]

BREAKING NEWS: ORMENCIA BYTHORIA'S LEADER NATIONAL EMBARRASMENT

Hood River, OR... The Inaugural NS Sailing World Cup is underway, but not everybody seems to be enjoying themselves. Ormencia Bythoria's representative is none other than our GLORIOUS leader, THE HONORABLE Thadeus H. Smith. Unfortunatley, he hasn't been living up to his title.

"He capsized four times," remarked one unnamed participant. "And from the looks of it, he doesn't even know how to swim. He was holding onto the Laser for dear life. Funniest thing I ever saw."

When asked for a comment, Mr. Smith's only response was "F--- off!"

The office of the president has yet to release a statement."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Sir, I swear to God!"

"Jenkins, it wasn't that bad! The papers are making it seem worse than it was."

"Sir, I was there. Why didn't you tell me you couldn't swim?"

"..."

"You're an embarrassment to the sport."

"OK, so maybe I was exaggarating my skill just a little. But that's fine. I'm getting the hang of it now. Besides, I'm not last!"

"Second to last isn't much better, sir."

"I don't need the commentary. Oh, and can you sign me up for swimming lessons?"

"Goddamn it, Mr. President..."

[Ormencia Bythoria]

Er, Ivory Menai certainly does not represent Liventia.

Liventia's Laser representative will be Rhonwen Gill, Olympic Laser Radial silver medallist.

I have no idea how she got in your boat.

OOC: Updated in xkoranate.

[Spaam]

Virra Has Mixed Fortunes

Viessa Virra, Spaam representative in the Sailing World Cup, has had mixed fortunes in the opening rounds. An impressive seventh in the opening round was offset by broken keel in the second round, which led to her not finishing in a massive dent to her chances. Her engineers struggled to get her boat ready for Round 3, but with work incomplete on her boat, she could only manage 14th. Virra is now ranked 16 out of 21 nations, and with 43 points is far off the competition.

"Of course, it is quite disappointing after the good start we had to the competition," Virra said after the third race, "but we have a good team here. The boat wasn't quite sitting right in the water this round, but we have a day's break coming up, so the engineers think they can get it right. With any luck, we'll be able to claw back some positions and get a good run into the Elimination Rounds."

Read More...

[Empire of Cats]

Something's Adrift: SeaCats Soar to the Top

Hood River, Oregon - Well, three races into the competition, the SeaCats are sitting in the catbird seat in the rankings. They are the No. 1 team and Long is the toast of the sporting world here in the E.O.C. After all, it's not everyday that you see your newest recognizrd sporting club in a nation suddenly claw its way to the top.

Races 1 and 2 were great for Long, finishing second and first, respectively, but Race 3 left a bitter taste in our mouths as Long placed 10th.

"I definitely need to work on my speed going into the final stretch. I had it all figured out the first two times, but I couldn't figure it out the third. I mean, hey, it's great as is. I can't complain but I've got my work cut out for me now," said Long. "And a lot of work at that."

Nobody ever said that this was going to be easy.

"The EOCSA (Empire of Catsian Sailing Association) had no comment at this time, except to say that it was "an excellent start" to the tourney, especially considering that "he could have ended up like that poor bloke who capsized four times."

On that note, local commenters in Oregon have renamed the boat of Thaddeus Smith as "the Submersible". Upon his fourth capsizing, one international commenter even quipped that he had "a sinking feeling about this." -Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Edward Graham reporting.

---

Long's Way From Home: Anchors Aweigh

Portland, Oregon (Shortly after Race 3) - Thomas Long exhaled softly as he entered his rented apartment in Portland, exhausted by today's race. After a first-and-second place finish in the first and second races, he had finished tenth in the third one. It was not a happy feeling. But then again, it was enough to put him in first place, and he was happy about that.

He showered, cleaned, and then changed into normal clothes. He examined the blue-and-gold wetsuit he wore during the race. The big, black, stenciled letters along the side proudly wrote out the words "Empire of Cats". The roaring feline on the front also added another dimension to the wetsuit. Long liked it. It was intimidating, just like the Victory.

He loved the Victory. It was incredible and handled like a dream. He often wondered if it was the wind pushing it or simply if it was being moved by the boat's ability to meld with the river beneath. He shook his head in wonder.

His phone buzzed and he checked it. Sure enough, it wasn't anyone he knew. He was the only Catsian here in Portland, or the only one here for the race. He had wanted to take two of his teammates from back home, to help him tweak the Victory and provide moral support. But there simply weren't enough funds, most having gone to the Feral Feline's run through the IBC this year and the WBC earlier on. Not that he blamed anybody; sailing was one of the newer sports to be recognized by the government and he certainly knew that he wouldn't have invested heavily in a single representative who had no guarantee of victory.

But then again, after his excellent start, he was reading several online articles from home, and even some from abroad, praising his prowess and ability to handle his ship, how he was "a true master" and "at one with his ship". He wasn't sure about the first statement, but he certainly concurred with the second.

He had even seen some of the competitors around recently; four from Thesi, who had looked very imposing and who obviously knew what they were doing - he would have to keep an eye on them, but they seem nice enough when he had said hello - and that one man from Bythoria; the poor man had capsized so many times Long began to wonder if he was being paid to provide comic entertainment for the race.

As he headed out to eat, he proudly wore a special cap he had had been presented by the Sailing Association; emblazoned with the flag of the nation and with another roaring feline. It was sure to turn heads. But he had a right to be proud tonight. So far, things were looking pretty good. But there was a long way to go, and Long knew he had to keep his head up and his eyes open as the competition continued.

[Thesi Erevnah]

CONVOCATION MEDIA NETWORK
CONVOCATIONPOLITICSHEALTHTECHTRAVELSPORTS

NS SAILING WORLD CUP COVERAGE

---

ROUND ONE BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS
Beautiful weather in Hood River, Oregon,
today. Team Thesi off to a good start. Gains
handling well, oh, not a good start for Smith.
Oh! He's capsized. Gains closes - tack, you
bastard! - Gains avoids Smith to...[read more]


ROUND TWO BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS
Bad start for Gains. He's dropped into 18th.
Looks like his head isn't where it needs to.
Passing McGarry of Boejoe, Barunia laser won't
give up its place easily. Oh, and Gains is drop-
ping back again...[read more]


ROUND THREE BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS
Gains sweeping to the front of the pack. This
is the Man in his element. He's shaken that
earlier mishap to come in strong once more.
It's going to be close. McGarry won't sur-
render easily. Sail, you glorious bastard!
He takes it. Gains takes second...[read more]

Anderson Gains and Team Thesi Sail to Seventh
Rough sailing on Day One of the NS Sailing World Cup, mishaps litter the waters.

[READ MORE]

---

THESI SAIL LOFT

"Seventh, Andy," Corin glanced up from the wet sail stretched on the loft floor, "Not bad, mate. You came back round three. Don't be so glum."

Anderson remained tucked in his corner, elbows propped on the wooden shipping crate to better hammock his chin, as the sailmaker went back to his meticulous inspection. He hadn't any reason to feel down, of course. Yet-

"I almost ran over the poor bastard that first round," the sailor swept his hands upward to tussle still-damp hair. "Doesn't sit well with me."

"That 'poor bastard' is the Ormencia Bythoria President," Vincent chimed in, settling on a camp chair beside his friend.

Anderson rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me. If I hadn't veered, his head-"

"Yeah, well nobody said our sport wasn't deadly," Vincent's brows furrowed as he passed a mug of tea to his solemn companion. "You let that round throw you off. Seventh isn't bad. It's not where we want to be, though." A thick finger flicked up to poke Anderson's forehead. "Mate, focus. Tomorrow is tomorrow."

There wasn't any use disagreeing with Vincent. Anderson rubbed the red dot on his skin and allowed a soft smile to emerge. "Alright," he nodded after a quick sip of tea, "What do I need to look out for?"

"Adam McGarry, that bloke from Boejoe," Vincent said lightly. "He's got good form and handles his boat well. First in round one, in at sixteenth for second, and emerged third in the third. That second round cost him. Don't think he'll make the same mistakes tomorrow."

"Change in sails might help you there," Corin stood up and regarded the two men. "We should go back to A. They handled the draft better day before last. We're expecting similar weather tomorrow, I think."

"Alright, you're the god of canvas and line," Anderson gave the nod. "I'm comfortable with either option, really."

His eyes swept towards the lingering sunlight and the curvy silhouette occupying in the loft's doorway. Margaret Preston's figure was unmistakable.

"I thought I'd find you both conspiring in here," blue eyes twinkled as she joined Anderson and Vincent. "John will be along shortly. Interview and all that. Morgan's going over the laser. Once they get in, we'll prepare for tomorrow. John's bringing footage from today. He's analyzed things, and has some interesting pointers to offer, especially regarding Long and the SeaCats technique. Good sailor, that." Her lips momentarily pursed. "First order of business: let's not accidentally assassinate any dignitaries!"

"We won't," Anderson sighed before contemplating his next move.

"Listen," he began softly, "I want no quarrel, either -- We're sending over a bottle of scotch to Smith. Let him know, one sailing team to another, that we respect him for his spirit."

They nodded in agreement. The matter was settled, and the return of the sailor's game face caused his three companions to smile.

[Ormencia Bythoria]

The Honorable President Thadeus H. Smith sat at his desk and placed his head in his hands. "Have you been reading the news?"

Allysa (First Lady of Ormencia Bythoria) frowned slightly. "They're saying some bad things about you. I heard the terms 'national disgrace', 'un-presidential', and 'idiot' thrown around quite a bit." At this, she smiled. "But look on the bright side! If you somehow make a comeback, you'll be a hero! Everyone loves a good comeback story."

Thadeus' frown grew deeper. "Don't be ridiculous! I can't come back from that! It'd have to place first every time!"

Allysa patted his arm. "Cheer up, honey." As she planted a kiss on his cheek, she added: "We can always rig the tournament."

He laughed. "Goodnight. I'll be in in a few minutes."

As Allysa exited the room, Jenkins entered. "Sir," he said. "The representative from Thesi Erevnah sent this over. Said he figured you might need to cheer up."

"Did you see that man during the race? He nearly ran me over!"

"He apologized for it, sir."

"Not to me he did-Who did he apologize to?"

"..."

"Did you bug the competition, Jenkins?"

"I told you we needed increased security measures, sir."

Thadeus shook his head. "I don't like it."

Jenkins smiled. "Too bad, Mr. President. Goodnight. Sail well tommorow."

"Will do, Jenkins. Will do."

[Boejoe]

B.S.N

The famous NS Sailing World Cup has started! Here's a brief update on the Boejoean team.

Round 1: One of the greatest victories in boejoean history, with Adam McGarry making it into a first place! Adam had some great form out there here, makes Boejoe look great! We won't be able to say that for every round today unfortunately.

Round 2: One of the greatest defeats in boejoean history, with Adam McGarry getting us a shocking 16th place, making us plummet down the leaderboard. This defeat being such a huge one, hopefully Adam will make sure this doesn't happen again. This round making boejoe look horrible.

Round 3: Adam made a comeback this round managing to get third. We can see that he is now for sure gonna try and not make boejoe look horrible again like he did in the second round. It looks like he's got his game back on like in the first round. Hopefully, he keeps doing good.

Overall rank: it looks like we have managed to get fourth on the leaderboard today, which seems pretty good when you see the amount of nations participating. Hopefully, we can still make improvements and go up the ranks.

"We are doing okay, but I know we can do better! Let's all cheer for Adam!" Tyler Qipe said to the public. "I know I can do better and I'm gonna strive for first! My second race was an embarrassment and I will work to fix my mistakes" Adam told one of our reporters. We hope that Adam does well in his next races!

[Empire of Cats]

Heads Up: Keeping an Eye on the Other Competitors

Hood River, Oregon - Well, as we prepare to move into the next three races, it would probably be useful if we were to keep an eye on the leaders of the pack. So far, the race has been most interesting and has offered many surprises - even a nation's leader, Bythoria's, Thaddeus Smith, is racing - and among them is the fact that our very own Thomas Long is leading the entire fleet after three races, thanks in large part to masterful handling of the first and second races.

The Allied States of the Empire of Cats has 13 points in the race so far.

Here are the top five teams so far, in terms of rankings:

No. 1: The Empire of Cats, 13 points
No. 2: Barunia, 14 points
No. 3: Liventia, 18 points
No. 4: Boejoe, 20 points
No. 5: The Kaiser Colonies, 25 points

Though the rankings are certain to change before the final race, so far, the leaderboard is all within striking distance of the first spot, currently claimed by Thomas Long, our nation's representative. Within one point, and certainly a team worth keeping an eye on, is the team from Baruntia, hot on our heels. Liventia is also rather close, and Boejoe and the Kaiser Colonies both pose a threat to our continued run at the top.

We wish our competitors the best and hope that nobody is seriously hurt in the races and that it is a great time for all. -Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Harry Reed reporting.

[Ormencia Bythoria]

ROUNDS FOUR, FIVE, AND SIX ARE IN! FIND OUT WHO"S BEEN ELIMINATED HERE...

ROUND FOUR RESULTS:

1 (JUV) 1
2 Adam McGarry (BJE) 2
3 Viessa Virra (SPA) 3
4 Pedro Nuno Brandao (LUS) 4
5 Anderson Gains (TEP) 5
6 (KWP) 6
7 (KNU) 7
8 Thadeus H. Smith (ORM) 8
9 Rhonwen Gill (LEN) 9
10 Thomas Long (EOC) 10
11 Freya I'anson (BAU) 11
12 (GLU) 12
13 (MAT) 13
14 (KBC) 14
15 Mona (ASC) 15
16 (ETH) 16
17 Ivory Menai (PRS) 17
18 (VKL) 18
19 Dan Shipperly (TKC) 19
20 (VAM) 20
21 Fritjof Vang (VNG) DSQ

Fritjof Vang (VNG) was disqualified from this round due to a crack in the boom. He will receive 11 points for this race.

ROUND FIVE RESULTS:

1 Thadeus H. Smith (ORM) 1
2 Thomas Long (EOC) 2
3 (KNU) 3
4 (MAT) 4
5 Anderson Gains (TEP) 5
6 (KBC) 6
7 Freya I'anson (BAU) 7
8 Fritjof Vang (VNG) 8
9 Pedro Nuno Brandao (LUS) 9
10 Ivory Menai (PRS) 10
11 (GLU) 11
12 (VAM) 12
13 (KWP) 13
14 Adam McGarry (BJE) 14
15 Viessa Virra (SPA) 15
16 Mona (ASC) 16
17 (ETH) 17
18 (JUV) 18
19 Rhonwen Gill (LEN) 19
20 Dan Shipperly (TKC) 20
21 (VKL) 21

ROUND SIX RESULTS:

1 Anderson Gains (TEP) 1
2 Thadeus H. Smith (ORM) 2
3 Freya I'anson (BAU) 3
4 Pedro Nuno Brandao (LUS) 4
5 Fritjof Vang (VNG) 5
6 Mona (ASC) 6
7 (ETH) 7
8 Dan Shipperly (TKC) 8
9 (KBC) 9
10 (MAT) 10
11 (JUV) 11
12 Adam McGarry (BJE) 12
13 Ivory Menai (PRS) 13
14 (KNU) 14
15 Thomas Long (EOC) 15
16 (VAM) 16
17 Viessa Virra (SPA) 17
18 (VKL) 18
19 Rhonwen Gill (LEN) 19
20 (KWP) 20
21 (GLU) 21

STANDINGS:

New Lusitania and the Algarves (LUS) 35
Barunia (BAU) 35
Thesi Erevnah (TEP 37
Empire of Cats (EOC) 40
Boejoe (BJE) 48
Vangaziland (VNG) 53
Ormencia Bythoria (ORM) 62
Liventia (LEN) 65
Mattijana (MAT) 65
Assistants of the Seeker of Cupcakes (ASC) 66
Goluta (GLU) 69
Ethane (ETH) 70
Juvencus (JUV) 70
The Kaiser Colonies (TKC) 72
Spaam (SPA) 78
Karri National Union (KNU) 80
Vamenlac (VAM) 86
Kep (KBC) 86
Pristilin (PRS) 87
West Phonecia (KWP) 93
Greater Vakolicci Haven (VKL) 98

The nations of Kep, Pristilin, West Phonexia, and Greater Vakolicci Haven have all been eliminated from the competition. Congragulations to those remaining! You are some of the best sailors in the world. Point totals have been reset. The bottom five sailors in each elimination round will be eliminated.

Good luck...

[Ormencia Bythoria]

ORMENCIA BYTHORIA ADVANCING TO ELIMINATION ROUND ONE OF SAILING WORLD CUP!

Hood River, Oregon: After a dismal first day of competition, the president of Ormencia Bythoria has pulled through, breaking to the first elimination round of the competition. To recap yesterday's events, our leader placed awfully and was nearly killed by a fellow sailor during one round of competition.

ROUND FOUR HIGHLIGHTS: After a terrible start, President Smith rounded the first mark in last place, but was able to make serious gains on the downwind by flying a Spinnaker., finishing in 8th. A protest by several sailors on this surprising turn of events led to him nearly being removed from the cup, but a review of the rules showed that there was no rule specifically banning the use of a spinnaker. The rules were quickly revised.

ROUND FIVE HIGHLIGHTS: Riding on the high from his 8th place finish last round, the President pulled off an incredible 1st place finish, possibly due to motivation messages being yelled at him by the Secret Service Agent swimming alongside him. More protests were filed, but nothing could be done. After all, one mans 'poor bloke' is another's 'Mr. President'

ROUND SIX HIGHLIGHTS: Another fabulous run by our leader, finishing in second. Nothing of note took place this race, although one competitor noted a strong smell of marijuana coming from the Ormencian boat.

The President has yet to comment, but the OBSA stated that they are "extremely pleased that we are moving forward in the competition"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Sir, are you sure smoking marijuana in the boat was wise?"

"It's legal here, remember? I legalized this a looooooong time ago."

"But it could affect your concentration. You need to have a game plan and be prepared for tomorrow. After your trick with the spinnaker, others may attempt to find loopholes. Be prepared."

"Did I fly a spinnaker?"

"..."

"I can barely remember my first two races."

"Sir, lay off the weed. You have a nation to run."

[Empire of Cats]

Narrowing The Field: SeaCats Onto the Elimination Round

Hood River, Oregon - Thomas Long tied one of his best records in the competition so far by placing second in one race, tied his worst record by finishing tenth in another, and set a new record by finishing fifteenth in another. What a mixed bag of emotions, thoughts, and takeaways.

And yet, the SeaCats are doing just fine.

Unfortunately for four teams from four different nations, they will not be going forward despite their best efforts. And the first eliminations have barely been felt as the slates are wiped clean and the remaining teams look to the final races for the determining finale as a final team is left standing to win it all.

Thomas Long, though he slipped up a bit, still managed to easily slip by the first few eliminations by a long shot. This peace is hardly reassuring, for each subsequent elimination will whittle the field down until the good teams are seperated from the ones that had just been lucky.

Long will advance, and it should be fun to watch. But like he said, he's got his work cut out for him and the pressure is beginning to be brought to bear. - Exerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Sports Page, Edward Graham reporting.

[The Kiaser Colonies]

"Well that was a close shave," Dan said to himself. The first days racing had pretty much gone as expected. A pretty comfortable race one and two with a fifth and 7th place finish. Admittedly he took it a bit too easy in round 3 so the 13th placing was a bit of a blot. But the real error was in persisting with his post race day pints routine. Having a few cold ones was no kind of hindrance racing at home. Nobody was any real competition seeing how much better he was than everyone else. But this was a whole different kettle of fish. He knew the competition was going to be stiffer and that he really needed to be on top of his game, but it still didn't really deter him from the idea of heading to the bar that night. And even then he had a lot more than he meant to once he got talking to a pair of young blondes over from West Phonecia. Nor had he planned to be in a club after that. He certainly didn't plan on (or remember) taking them back to his room when he woke up beside one. Had the other been there and left? Dan hadn't done one of those since uni.
In any case, it certainly took a toll on his sailing ability the next morning. Something about being hung over makes you realise how much you hate the wind and water. The slow reactions and reluctance to move about really made things tough. The finish was a bitter 19 point pill to swallow. Maybe even more so than all the headache ones he was then taking to try refresh. Then there was the sickness. Was that the hangover still or had he, a sailor, become sea sick during the race? Whatever it was, it cost him 21 points when he had to keep it slow and throw up overboard.
Then he was in serious trouble. He had gone from 5th in the standings into the danger zone of potentially being knocked out in the first round. He had to really pull it together. Thankfully he improved enough to pull off a sufficient 8th place finish, getting him through by the skin of his unbrushed teeth. It was painfully clear he needed to drop the beers. This was not going to be easy even in prime condition. He headed back to the room, promising to himself to take the competition as seriously as it deserved to be. He retired to bed for an early night's sleep before the mornings races.