Australia

Queensland, Australia - This well timed photo was taken at Hamilton Island Race Week in Australia. Some of the best joys of sailing are enjoying the nature and wildlife around you, even if you are speeding by on a sleek sailboat in a yacht race.

Queensland, Australia - While many in the Northern Hemisphere are stuck in what is less-than-affectionately known as the month of Foggust, or as the Dog Days of Summer, depending on your latitude, it's mid-Winter south of the equator, and the big boats are racing at Hamilton Island, Australia.  Hamilton Island is hardly a wintery spot.  Enjoying the same latitude as Hawaii, it's not like there's ice in the rigging of the race boats, but there are big seas, big winds, and big action on the waters off Queensland, as the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week is

Qingdao, China - Six races in, and the 2008 Olympics leaderboard is starting to take shape. The Qingdao sun is definitely shining on team Australia in the 470 classes, with first places in both the Men's event and Women's Olympic event (where they're tied with NED). As with all the other classes, it's been a serious of slow, technical races so far - rewarding some and challenging others. Patience, at least at the Beijing Olympics, seems to be a winning virtue - so far.