Bertrand, who skippered Australia II to that famous victory in 1983, loves sailing in Fremantle, sailing there last month and coming fourth in the warm-up Syd Corser Cup. He will also be on the water for the Slam Etchells Nationals from the 10th to 12th November ahead of the Worlds Championship.

With summer coming fast in the West, inland day temperatures are often well in the 30s. Around noon each day Western Australia's legendary 'Fremantle Doctor' begins to cycle and the cooling, south westerly sea breeze builds most afternoons.

These are great sailing conditions but Bertrand, who turns 60 next month, warns the regatta will take its toll. 'This regatta will be a fitness test as much as anything else. We could easily see 25 knots by 3pm each day and it's going to be all action.'

'Generally the breeze by mid-November will be very steady. That being said, in 1987 for the Fremantle America's Cup defence (when another Etchells sailor, Dennis Conner won back the 'Auld Mug'), it blew and blew. A year later, in exactly the same week, it was calm - so anything can happen.'

'The one thing we can be sure of though, it's that it's going to be a very tough world Championship. This fleet is red hot. Stuart Childerley, the British dual World Champion, is a consistent winner when it blows. American Jud Smith, who just missed winning the World Championship last year in San Francisco in strong conditions, has recently won his third North American titles again in plenty of wind.'

'We Australians love the breeze. Rob Brown, the current Audi Australian champion, was third in the Syd Corser ahead of us. Cameron Miles, who won in 1999, is amazingly consistent, on the podium in his last four cracks at winning.'

'Mark Bradford, who is sailing an America's Cup campaign with BMW Oracle, was second in another windy regatta in Auckland. Mark Bulka, from Victoria, who won the Syd Corser regatta is another contender while Michael Manford, who came second, is a local entirely at home when it blows.'

'There are probably 15 crews that can win this event and we will certainly all be giving it our best shot.'

Around fifty boats will be sailing in the final pre-world regatta, the 2006 Slam Etchells Nationals, on 10 - 12th November.

At least seventy boats will contest the Worlds with crews from Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, North America, Bermuda, Hong Kong and New Zealand fighting the strong Australian contingent.

Both events will be sailed between Cockburn Sound in the south and Gage Roads to the north, a superb stretch of water just off the Port of Fremantle, sheltered by the outlaying Carnac and Garden Islands.

The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) and the Royal Perth Yacht Club (RPYC) are the host clubs, with the Fremantle Sailing Club providing the venue.

Slam Advanced Technology Sportswear is sponsoring the Slam Etchells Australian titles.

The World Championship title sponsor Audi Australia also sponsored the 2006 Audi Etchells Nationals. Audi Australia are supporting a wide range of Australian sailing events including the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and the Audi Regatta in Sydney, and will be certain to make this a memorable event.

The Maersk shipping Line is another Premium Sponsor and their support has meant that 28 containers have brought Etchells to Perth from around the world.

Major Sponsor: Audi Australia. Premium Sponsors: Maersk Line, Rob Bird's Pro Choice Safety Products, Fontys Pool Wines, Events Corp and Slam Advanced Technology Sportswear.

Support Sponsors: Perth Integrated Health Clinic, Oak Ridge Communication Group, Sail-World.com and North Sails

Full entry lists for both regatta along with a great deal of extra information
at www.etchellsworlds2006.org

Source: Al Constable