Racing Back in Time: Goodwood Revival

The British social season took a ride back to the past at the Goodwood Revival, one of the world’s most prestigious vintage car racing events, held earlier this month. And what an authentic trip it was!

The sprawling West Sussex estate could have been the set of Casablanca or The Aviator with the very real sensation of being ‘quantum leaped’ back in time, added in for good measure. Guests wore the most incredible costumes: there were military uniforms, WWII nurses, Teddy Boys in leather jackets and quiffs, a scattering of mods and plenty of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn clones.

But the time capsule effect was seen in a lot more than just fashion. The Revival is the only sporting event where everything stays true to the theme; even the fish & chips were wrapped in decades-old newspapers! The yesteryear feel was compounded by the bands playing 1950s music from swing to rock ‘n’ roll and by the Spitfires and Mustangs on air display.

This year marked the tenth anniversary of the Revival, which was masterminded by aristo-entrepreneur, Charles, the Earl of March. The Earl’s painstaking efforts have ensured that Goodwood does nostalgia like nowhere else in this day and age.

The main attraction is, of course, the races. This year saw the all-new grid of popular sports cars such as the Porsche 904 and early 911, Ferrari 275 GTB, Alfa Romeo TZ1 and rare TZ2. As well, more specialist British sporting vehicles featured such as the Lotus 26R, Marcos 1800 GT, Sunbeam Tiger and TVR Griffith.

Le Mans winners Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx, Formula One aces Sir Stirling Moss and Johnny Herbert, Jackie Oliver and Tiff Needell, and auto-fans Rowan Atkinson and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason all took part in door-handle races. The mix of aristocrats, celebrities and regular punters made the three days the ultimate motoring event to close the English summer season.

— Katherine Zenkovich

Ben Saunders

Ben Saunders

Q. How and when did you become a member of ASW?

Ben Saunders : A friend introduced me to ASW at the end of 2005.

Q. How do you use ASW and what’s your favorite site feature?
BS:I travel an awful lot (58 flights last year) and I’m usually in places for just a few days at a time, so the travel forum has been invaluable in identifying the best local spots to visit and indeed the most interesting people to hang out with!

Q. What draws you to places like the North Pole and the Nepalese Himalayas?

I think it’s the scale of the places – the majesty of nature at its grandest and most imposing. The high Arctic, particularly, is an awesome place. I remember being dropped by helicopter in 2004; the sun was low over the ice and the whole place was bathed in this amazing orange and blue light. It was like landing on Mars. I’ve never been blown away like that by anything manmade.

Q. How do you cope with the solitude when you are on a solo expedition?
BS: I’ve learnt there’s a big difference between being lonely and being alone. I was very much alone at the geographic North Pole in May ’04 – I was the only human being in 5.4 million square miles. Yet, I never felt lonely. I had a purpose and I had a lot of people back home that cared about me. I’m sure there are lonelier people on the streets of London. I also took a tiny book, ‘Courage from Piglet.’ That was my secret weapon.

Q. What do your next polar expeditions involve?
BS: In March ‘08 I’m setting out to ski solo from Canada to the North Pole and I’m hoping to set a speed record by beating the 37 days it took Robert Peary to get there using dog sleds in 1909. In the 98 years since, no one’s come close.

Then, in October ‘08, I’m setting out on a 1,800 mile (2,900 km) journey on foot from Berkner Island at the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back – the first return journey to the South Pole on foot and the longest unsupported polar journey in history.

Q. You have run several marathons and two ultra-marathons. What is an ultra-marathon and how much do you think finishing one of those is about mind over matter?

Ben Saunders

BS: An ultra-marathon is a race that’s longer than 26.2 miles. I’ve run 40 and 58 mile races – both are definitely about mind over matter. Part of your mind starts looking for reasons to slow down or stop. You switch between feeling sorry for yourself, feeling proud of yourself and telling yourself off for being a wimp because you’re even thinking of quitting.

Q. As a motivational speaker, what is your favorite motivational quote?
BS: Probably Helen Keller’s wonderful words: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

Q. Having achieved so many great feats at just 30 years of age, what’s left for you to conquer?
BS: I’m a terrible dancer, so maybe salsa lessons.

Q. What makes you happiest?
BS: So many things. I love the adrenaline of getting a big expedition off the ground. I love getting back home again – a decent steak, decent red wine, decent company. You really appreciate simple pleasures after these kinds of expeditions. And the people that are close to you. I never miss material things when I’m on the ice. I don’t miss my car, my TV or my wood floor. And yet so many of us waste time stuck on the treadmill of materialism at the expense of relationships, family and friends. But before you write me off as a raving hippie, I should probably own up to having a semi-secret passion for fast cars. Aston Martin, Maserati, Noble, that kind of thing.

Q.Where is your favorite travel destination?
BS: I always love arriving in NYC. There’s so much energy there. It feels like anything’s possible in New York, which is pretty much true, of course.

Q. What is your greatest vice?
BS: Caffeine and bikes (the kind that involve lycra, not leather). My current bike collection is worth nearly as much as my car.

Q. What are your top 5 hotels?
BS: The Whitepod in the Swiss Alps, The Clift in San Francisco, The Bowery in New York, Lake O’Hara Lodge in the Canadian Rockies and The Lugger Hotel in Cornwall (UK)

Q. What is your favorite restaurant?
BS: I had my last pre-expedition farewell at Nobu London, but I spend far more time in my local curry house, Nayab, on New Kings Road.

Q. What is your favorite museum or gallery?
BS: Frammuseet, in Oslo: the only museum that’s given me goose bumps. www.fram.museum.no

Q. What is your favorite beach?
BS: Sandwood Bay in the Scottish Highlands is spectacular (and usually deserted); either that or South Beach Miami (rather different to the North Pole).

Q. What film has had the greatest effect on you? Why?
BS: I absolutely loved Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others). I’m a bit of a libertarian at heart and the film is a pretty stark warning about the dangers of an all-powerful state and the lack of respect for individuals and their liberties. It was spooky getting on the tube afterwards and seeing posters saying: ‘Seen anything suspicious? Report it now.’

Ben Saunders

Q. What is your favorite book?
BS: The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard – it’s epic. Everyone should read it.

Q. What is your favorite ski resort?
BS: The old Winter Olympics course in Lillehammer, Norway. There are miles of cross-country tracks out there as well and the place is completely unpretentious, unlike many of the alpine resorts. I’ve mentioned Whitepod already but they do have their own private ski slope and lift, which is pretty cool.

Q. What cause is closest to your heart? Why?
BS: My plan is to start an organization that encourages and enables kids from disadvantaged backgrounds to get into the great outdoors. My brother’s a teacher in London and many of the teenagers he teaches have never left the city. They’ve never seen a hill or a valley. I don’t see how we can inspire this upcoming generation to take better care of the environment if they don’t really know what it is.

Q. What’s one thing you would like to change about yourself?
BS: I’d like to learn to type properly. I’m a two-finger-typer.

Q. Which artist do you admire most?
BS: Andy Goldsworthy

Q. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
BS: Either 1) reaching the geographic North Pole alone and on foot (a challenge Reinhold Messner called “ten times as dangerous as Everest”), 2) posing naked for a Nike ad campaign or 3) writing a note to the gorgeous girl who sat next to me on the tube a few months ago – it was packed and we both had iPods on, so there was no way I could strike up a conversation. So I wrote her a note on the spur of the moment and handed it to her. All three challenges involved that heart-in-mouth, there’s-no-turning-back-now feeling.

Ben Saunders starring in an advertisement for Nike

Q. Who is your favorite historical figure?
BS: Fridtjof Nansen

Q. What upsets you the most?
BS: A lack of aspiration in many of today’s young people. And people who litter.

Q. What is your favorite bar?
BS: I’m pretty clean-living, so I don’t spend much time in bars. But I thought Angel's Share in the East Village in Manhattan was great.

Q. What gadget can’t you live without?
BS: In the Arctic, my stove; anywhere else, my iPod Nano.

Q. What are you most afraid of?
BS: Not much, which sounds horribly macho. I’ve been attacked by a polar bear, I’ve had frostbite in a toe and I’ve fallen through pack ice into the Arctic Ocean on a solo expedition; and none were as bad as I’d imagined. My biggest fear is probably looking back, aged 90, and realizing that I could have done more with my life.

Q. Where do you love to shop?
BS: I’m going to have a suit made at Norton & Sons on Savile Row. It’s not exactly shopping, but they’ve been outfitting explorers for centuries and going in and looking at clothes and patterns was a magical experience. I love second-hand bookshops, and outdoor gear shops, obviously.

Q. What’s your favorite drink?
BS: Yorkshire tea, Guinness, good mojitos, freshly made smoothies and chocolate protein shakes (though probably not all in the same evening).

Q. What are your top 3 songs on your iPod? What’s your most motivational song
BS: ‘Pushin‘ On’ by The Quantic Soul Orchestra featuring Alice Russell,
‘All That You Give’ by The Cinematic Orchestra featuring Fontella Bass and
‘Gold in the Air of Summer’ by Kings of Convenience.

And my ultimate motivational tune, for those tough days of solo trekking, has to be Whitesnake’s ‘Here I Go Again.’

— Laura Jakobovits

Nicola Blatsiotis

Nicola Blatsiotis

Nicola Blatsiotis, a former pro-tennis player, coach, USTA player development expert and current consultant to USA Networks gives ASW Magazine the inside scoop on the US Open. From locker room chatter to endorsement deals, find out what’s behind the hype.

Q. How has your time on the tour prepared you for what you are doing now?
Nicola Blatsiotis: What I am doing now for USA involves my ability to technically and tactically evaluate a player. The evaluation is based on my judgment and there is no way I could do that without my experience on the tour. Because I have the ability to ‘make or break’ an up-and-coming player I need to know exactly what I am talking about.

Q. What qualities do you look for in a great player?
NB: Tennis requires a very specific skill, which is not solely based in athleticism. Your hands and your mental approach are so important. I look for players who do not display fear of failure on the court, especially when it comes to major points. I notice those who can close out a point, have killer instinct and have the ability to finish off a match. I also notice marketable players who can become super athletes, super models and super actors. This well roundedness represents the new wave in sports. For tennis, the first player who embodied this trend was Anna Kournikova. She famously failed to win a singles title in more than 100 WTA events but still managed to earn about five million dollars in endorsement deals. What is really more interesting about her now is that she continues to make the same amount of money without even being on the WTA tour.

Q. How do you think the recent surge in endorsements has changed tennis?
NB: Top players now lack the incentive to play in many tournaments because they do not need the prize money.

Q. Which players have the big endorsement deals this year and how has that affected the tournament?
NB: Maria Sharapova still has the biggest endorsement deals this year. She earns approximately 20 million dollars a year from deals with the likes of Canon, Motorola, Nike and Tag Heuer. There is another female star – Serbian Ana Ivanovic. At 19, she is the youngest player in the top 10. She will, in my opinion, soon take the reigns from Sharapova. In a recent CNBC poll about the world's sexiest tennis player, Ivanovic trounced Sharapova 9 to 1. Ivanovic is endorsed by Adidas, Wilson and she just signed a new deal with Verano Motors (the distributor of Peugeot in Serbia). Although the deal does not sound glamorous, it will open the door for others to come.

Roger Federer is making 15 million dollars in endorsements annually, but his new deal with Gillette is going to raise the bar. He is also endorsed by Nike and Wilson and two other Swiss companies. Andy Roddick, however, still appears to be winning the race to the bank on the men’s side with about 16 million dollars a year from deals with Lexus, American Express and Lacoste.

Nicola Blatsiotis

Q. Who should we watch for the rest of the Open?
NB: There is a famous sentence in the locker room among the male players when they have to play Roger Federer: “It is like a porno movie,” meaning that Roger can dominate every aspect of their game. I hope this phrase doesn’t hold true and we get a great show this year. Players that can demonstrate good resistance against Federer are Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas (big win against James Blake), Novak Djokovic (with potential to be the next #1 player in the world) and Rafael Nadal, though he has a big disadvantage in this tournament because of a knee problem. In terms of women, things are complicated. Because of the early elimination of Maria Sharapova, the top side of the draw is much stronger than the bottom. On the top side you have so many great players like Justine Henin, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic. The bottom is less exciting, except for Anna Chakvetadze.

Q. Fashion is really becoming a big part of tennis. Do you think that it has gone too far? Do you think the focus on visual appeal is detracting from the skills of the athlete?
NB: People will like the fashion or not like the fashion. But if people are talking about the fashion it has to be a positive thing. The question is if tennis has become fashion fabulous or simply a fashion folly. The problem for me started when the clothing companies gave some players the ability to design their own clothes. This resulted in fashion crimes. I am not the editor of Vogue but I am assuming that if someone is great at hitting tennis balls it does not automatically make him or her a clothing designer. At the 2004 US Open Serena Williams unveiled her biker denim outfit complete with vinyl black leggings. I was there and thought she looked bad, but from the other side I liked her willingness to test the limits. So no, to answer your question, I do not think the focus on visual appeal is detracting from the skills of the athlete or tennis fashion is out of control. I just think that sometimes it is a little bit painful on the eyes.

Q. Can you tell me about John Isner and Donald Young? Do you think they represent the next wave of US Tennis champions? If not, is there anyone else we should be keeping an eye on?
NB: John Isner, 22, finished college and then entered the pro tour. Donald Young, 18, did the opposite, entering the tour two years ago. There was so much hype about him even though two weeks prior to the US Open he had never won a match on the ATP tour and held a record of 11-0 losses. He got two wild cards in the previous years for the US Open and both times lost in the first round. Then, all of a sudden, in this US Open he won his first match, his opponent retired on the second round and he ended up losing on the third round. I am still not convinced about him and I think there was too much hype too early. I think Isner is in a better state of mind. He came in with no expectations this year and he found himself facing Andy Roddick and Roger Federer in the last two tournaments he played. In my opinion, there is somebody else that we should keep an eye on and he is more than the total package as a player. His name is Sam Querrey. He just graduated from high school and has proved that he can play with the big boys.

Q. Right now there are no US players consistently in the top 5, which means that there are no major rivalries among US players like there used to be (for example, Sampras vs. Agassi, Conners vs. McEnroe). What effect does this have on big corporate money since the US Open is very much based on America viewership?
NB: Short-term, yes, it has a negative effect. There are better ratings in wrestling, for example, than in tennis and the sport is now feeling the effects of globalization. The major rivalries among US players that you mention pushed the sport worldwide and have created top-level players everywhere. There are some great American players coming up and the networks are doing a great job educating the American viewer about the foreign talents that are participating in the US Open.

Ivanovic, the new Sharapova?

Q. There are so many players with incredible talent these days. In your opinion, what is the intangible quality that separates the good from the best?
NB: I like to watch a tennis player when things are not going well for them in a match. This is when you see the determination and will of the individual. A very important quality is the ability of a player to adjust their game. That means he/she is aware of their own mistakes, their opponent’s patterns and the situation, including score and conditions.

Q. Why is it that American men play a pure power game?
NB: The main reason has to do with American courts’ fast surface on which most players practice and play tournaments. On a hard court it is easier to put the ball away so power is a key element. If you play on red clay it is more difficult to put the ball away because it is a moving surface. Naturally you develop a higher shot tolerance that demands patient point construction. Another reason is that somehow young American players train with the objective to end points quickly. On a fast surface, players can rely heavily on sheer power and athleticism, which is the preferred approach for American players.

— Sabine Heller

The US Open--Top Tennis, Parties and Celebrities

Maria Sharapova

The US Open has once again rolled into New York and it promises to be more competitive and glitzier than ever. A record amount of prize money is at stake, 650,000 spectators are expected and celebrity attendance will be the most paparazzi-friendly in history. And if that’s not enough, the world’s most lucrative annual sporting event is competing for attention with New York Fashion Week for the first time in history.

Hopefully you’ve booked your town cars, Four Seasons hotel suites and contacted a great ticket broker to join the fortnight filled with impressive tennis action and champagne receptions. For US$50,000 some visitors to NYC covered all bases with a package deal at the posh Lowell Hotel. For that price, pampered guests receive three nights at the 2500 square foot penthouse, VIP seating at the men’s and women’s semis and finals, a gourmet basket of champagne and caviar to take to the matches and transportation in a Bentley Flying Spur.

However you get there, there is plenty to do on the grounds and in the city throughout this two-week period. The tournament will feature virtually every top player in the world but highlight the two with the greatest Forbes earnings potentials – Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. Both superstars are defending champions at Flushing Meadows and smart odds are on them to retain their prized titles. The Swiss is the overwhelming favorite among the men to take his fourth consecutive trophy in New York. Reaching each of the last nine Grand Slam finals and winning the US Open series thanks to his dominant performance in Cincinnati, he’s fit, confident and determined to claim the prize in Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of A-list supporters like Anna Wintour (who rarely misses his matches). Novak Djokovic edged the world’s number one in Montréal but he only needed to win a best of three duel to pull off that magnificent upset. The young Serb is simply not fit enough this year for 21 intense sets of winning tennis though. Other potentials to reach the finals are Rafael Nadal (who has never done well in New York), inconsistent 2006 finalist Andy Roddick, resurgent James Blake, emotional Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and former champion Lleyton Hewitt, who has had a solid summer.

Sharapova won San Diego earlier this summer and pulled out of Los Angeles with some sort of leg injury. The leggy Russian is never-the-less gracing New York with her loud grunts and ferocious backhands intact. She’s rested and anxious to prove her doubtful critics wrong. Six slightly less publicized ladies will stand in her way; Justine Henin won Toronto but she isn’t fully match-tough; Serena Williams hasn’t played all summer and is a doubtful contender; and Wimbledon champion Venus is ready to back up her London miracle. Serbians Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic seem destined for an international breakthrough, while another Russian, Anna Chakvetadze, wants Gotham fans to finally memorize her excruciatingly difficult last name.

But Sharapova has already won in the celebrity fan department. “I think that she is one of the few young icons today that is meritorious, not just a celebutante,” noted tennis fan Vera Wang. “I think she is someone who proves that just because you are beautiful does not mean that you are not hardworking, accomplished and talented.” Fabiola Beracasa, whose boyfriend is a former tennis player, also reserved her highest esteem for Sharapova: “She’s a phenomenal athlete and I admire that she has a strong, healthy body. I was obviously surprised at how tall and blonde she was but I also admire her fashion sense. For a person of such a young age, she’s not afraid to find vintage pieces and take wonderful risks with her styling!” Wang, Beracasa, Oscar de La Renta, Bee Shaffer, Lauren Bush, Ralph and Dylan Lauren are some of the regulars expected at the grounds, along with Sheryl Crow, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, and Katie Couric who have already reserved tickets to this year’s parade of tennis stars.

Parties and tennis player sightings are of course on top of everyone’s agenda this year. The Annual Taste of Tennis event will showcase cuisine created by celebrity chefs like Marcus Samuelsson and David Burke and served by tennis stars like Roddick and former US Open Champ Svetlana Kuznetsova. Sharapova will host a Nike party at Top of The Rock (the Rockefeller Centre), while Jancovic will treat guests to a Reebok brunch. Nobu 57 will be packed nightly with tennis stars like Nicole Vaidisova and Daniela Hantuchova, while players like Andy Murray and Tommy Haas will gather nightly at Nick Bollettieri’s Bar at the Radisson Lexington Hotel. Opening Night Gala will feature a grandiose tribute to Althea Gibson with a performance by Aretha Franklin and the rumored appearance of a megastar named Oprah. For some tennis stars though, old-fashioned entertainment in New York City reigns supreme. “I love musicals! They are the best!” exclaims Rafael Nadal. “I always go to Broadway and Times Square when I’m in town!”

— Valentine Uhovski

Cuckoo, Ciapriani Play Polo for Las Pampas Charity Drive

The children at the Santa Maria Primary School in Argentina’s La Pampas prayed for sunshine and clear blue skies to hold some 6,000 miles away in Ham, England on June 16. The reason for their rather peculiar weather request was that conditions needed to be right for a charity polo match to benefit Fundacion Pro-Alvear, a non-profit that serves social and education causes in Argentina’s northern Pampas region. Their pleas were apparently heard and registered by the good Lord since the forecasted rain stopped just before players from London’s nightspot of the moment, The Cuckoo Club, and the city's long-time favorite spot, Cipriani London, took to the field of the Ham Polo Club for the sold-out event.

With players such as Bautista Heguy and Gaston Laulhe from Argentina and Henry Brett, former captain of the England polo team, on the field in competing teams, there was no charity during the chukkas. The Bellini-sipping crowd cheered on their chosen team but it was The Cuckoo Club’s players who triumphed in the end. The Federation of International Polo president Patrick Guerrand-Hermès was on hand to present the team with their prizes.

After the match, Cuckoo's legendary DJ Dom T kept guests on their feet and entertained in the marquee on the field and later at the after-party at The Cuckoo Club in Mayfair. Despite attracting around 600 people, the event felt intimate since it seemed that everyone was a "friend of a friend". ASW members such as Ayesha Makim, Steven Wood, Moritz Poehl and Kalita Al-Swaidi, and the event’s organizers Alexander Nix, Juan Pepa and Timo Weber ensured that ASW was well-represented amongst the crowd of polo stars, nightclub impresarios and habitués.

— Staff

Tour de France 2007

Floyd Landis - 2006 Tour de France

The 2007 Tour de France starts on July 7th in London (go figure), which will be the first time London hosts the event and only the seventh time the race has started outside of France. With eleven flat stages, seven mountain stages and two individual time trials (totaling over 3,500 kms), the Tour is the ultimate test of speed and human endurance.

After a brief visit to Belgium, the peloton will make its way through France’s gastronomic regions (think Champagne, Brie, Dijon). Chances are the riders’ thoughts will be on picking up points, rather than culinary delights. Expect last year’s Green Jersey winner for best sprinter – Australia’s Robbie McEwen – to feature prominently in the early flat stages. He will face stiff competition from the likes of Erik Zabel, Thor Hushovd and Tom Boonen.

The race then enters the Alps, where the favorites will be looking to break away from the pack. A brief respite from the mountains awaits competitors in Marseille, before they return for more grueling mountain stages in the Pyrenees in the final week. Here, the toughest stages await those who have made it this far. Michael Rasmussen will attempt to defend the unenviable title of ‘King of The Mountains’ after having won the Polka Dot Jersey the last two years running.

This year marks the first time in the Tour’s 104-year history that the race will start without a reigning champion. Floyd Landis, 2006 Tour de France winner, is still the subject of doping allegations arising from last year’s event. And with seven-time winner Lance Armstrong a fading memory, Alexandre Vinokourov, Carlos Sastre and Alejandro Valverde are among this year’s favorites to be wearing the famous Yellow Jersey as the peloton completes the traditional eight laps around the Champs-Élysées on July 29th.

While the riders suffer under the hot European sun, the host towns will bask in the glory of being selected out of over 200 candidate towns, to be part of the route. Competition for this honor off the road was almost as intense as it is going to be on the road. Huge crowds will again line the streets within touching distance of the riders, adding to the spectacle and atmosphere as they urge riders up the last section of a mountain climb or marvel as they come down the other side at speeds of up to 75 kph. These enthusiasts are the lucky ones – able to enjoy the atmosphere of the race and the parties in the street, all without raising a sweat.

— Adam Bock

Henley--British Summer Season Starts With Thames Regatta

The season’s social calendar launches with the Henley Royal Regatta, which has been held on the 27th weekend of every year since 1839 (except during the two World Wars). This year, the regatta begins on Wednesday 4 July, come rain or shine, and will be held on the Berkshire bank of the Thames, near the town of Henley-On-Thames.

One of the most unusual rowing events you’ll find in the country, this race is a puzzling 1 mile and 550 yards long. Unlike other regattas, only two boats compete in each race and up to 100 races take place over the course of five days. To make things even more challenging, the teams have to row upstream against the currents.

This year, 467 crews will be competing, with 114 overseas crews coming from 18 different countries. The Brits will be facing stiff competition from the likes of New Zealand, Germany, Australia, Poland, Canada, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium and the United States.

The chairman of the Committee of Management, Mr Mike Sweeney, says of the 2007 Regatta, “I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to attract such a high quality entry for this year’s Regatta. Despite the pressure of this being the Olympic Qualification year, the Regatta will host many of the top stars from the sport of rowing – there will be some classic races!”

For visiting Anglophiles, the river’s banks offer the best viewing ground to see the country’s high society in all their eccentric finery, performing their yearly socializing ritual. For many, the Regatta is less about the world-class rowing and more about seeing and being seen. Socialites mingle happily and sip champagne with their backs to the river, while true sports enthusiasts line the banks to cheer on their favorites from members-only areas known as the Enclosures.

The Stewards’ Enclosure, the equivalent of the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, is the hottest ticket. Naturally, it’s only open to members of the Enclosure and their guests. It has a number of great watering holes, each with its own unique atmosphere and people-watching prospects.

Alternatively, try and wrangle a ride in one of the 50-foot day boats used for umpiring the regatta. These boats are the most beautiful and expensive you’ll see on the Thames. Not only will you get a close-up view of the races but you’ll also witness how the atmosphere changes through the different enclosures as the race moves down the Thames.

The Remenham Club – a social club run by members of seven English rowing organizations known as the ‘Founding Clubs’ – is also a good place to catch up with other ASW members. It’s the only location where you’ll hear the famed ‘Remenham Roar’, the most unique cheer of the regatta, while enjoying the serious partying that is as much a part of Henley as the rowing.
— Anne-Sophie Sabouret

Wimbledon 2007--Seriving Up This Year's Competition

Roger Federer

There are a few things that will probably never change at Wimbledon. At least one rain delay per fortnight is almost inevitable. The freshly cut court grass will always be green and the players' outfits will forever be white. The champagne will always flow, the fresh strawberries and cream will always entice and Londoners will always faithfully cheer for spirited Brit underdogs like Tim Henman and Andy Murray.

But with each year, The Championships only elevate in levels of prestige and worldwide attention. An exclusive All-England club that will host the 121st Championships this summer attracts the crowds that will not only enter the gates for the anticipated match-ups but for the parade of sightings, parties, and royal cameos.

Sir Richard Branson of Virgin is a certified tennis maniac and his annual pre-tournament bash attracted the likes of Holly Branson, Martina Hingis, Maria Sharapova, and the Williams sisters. Boris Becker, the newly-minted spokesperson for Ralph Lauren hosted the company’s pre-tournament store bash for guests including ASW member Nadja Swarovski and Lady Gabriella Windsor. “Unfortunately I do not play as much anymore, therefore I am a few pounds heavier!” said the three-time champion from London. “Priorities change. It used to be that my next tennis match was the most important thing in my life. Now my three kids are my priority.” This year also marks the tenth anniversary of Diana’s passing and Wimbledon was without question her favorite annual event. The highly publicized tribute concert at the new Wembley Stadium will take place on July 1st and many expect Prince William, Prince Harry and Elton John to make an appearance at the grounds. Interestingly, Kate and Pippa Middleton have received desirable invitations to the members' club section for the tournament. The post-tournament bash at Savoy promises appearances from nearly every notable member of the All-England Club, a sumptuous dinner and the chance to rub shoulders with elated champions.

But Wimbledon is a sporting event after all and all eyes will be on Swiss icon Roger Federer who’s currently riding the winning streak of 48 matches on grass and four straight triumphs at the sport’s most prestigious tournament. And like last year, the dominant world’s number one will be sporting a custom-made Nike white blazer that’s decorated with a crest of triumph and his Leo astrological sign. It’s hard to imagine anyone taking a set from this master, let alone taking a set from a master on his favorite playground. Rafael Nadal just won his third straight French Open crown but is still bowing down to Federer on this surface. “Roger is still the best player on the face of the earth,” the Spaniard told me last week. “I know that when I play him I have to give 120%, not 100% but 120% on every single point to have a chance. It’s tough enough on clay, but Wimbledon is a whole different story.”

The other supporting characters in this tale are Serbian Novak Djokovic, who has yet to prove himself on the surface, and Andy Roddick, who just won a tune-up in England but struggled against the top two and faces a tough draw. Scot Andy Murray is arriving to the bash with an injured wrist, Australian hope Lleyton Hewitt seems in need of a better sports physiologist, and Nikolai Davydenko will be happy to win three or four matches. The wild cards are Tomas Berdych, a Czech with a booming serve and an appetite for a breakthrough, and Marat Safin, who’s too talented and too much of a fan favorite to be discounted. His third-round encounter with Federer might just be the most exciting match of the tournament.

The female battle for the Venus Rosewater Dish is far more unpredictable. Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo seems to be lacking confidence this year. Maria Sharapova, the 2004 champion is yet to win a single title this year and she’s out to make a statement at her favorite contest. The sponsors, fans and the press will be rooting for Maria to reach her second final at Wimbledon but she’ll need more than the one ace she managed at Paris to triumph here. Justine Henin is a top player in the world and every year grass tends to overwhelm her 5’6” frame; however, she’s as determined this time around and she will be looking to own the only piece of silverware she’s missing. Serena Williams should be the favorite if she gets past Henin in an epic quarterfinal match. Venus needs to build some momentum in early rounds to turn her critics into believers this year. Both sisters will have enviable gear on their side; they will be playing with Wilson gold racquets in London. And the two-woman Serbian revolution consists of the cute and photogenic Ana Ivanovic and gutsy Jelena Jankovic.

For now though, it’s anybody’s game and everybody’s competition.

— Valentine Uhovksi

Photo credits: Action Images/WireImage.com