#ClipperRace - Mail Online reports that offshore sailing legend and Clipper Round The World Race organiser Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is being sued by a woman over claims of harassment she experienced while crewing a yacht during the most recent edition of the race.

Ruth Harvey, an experienced lawyer by trade, paid £40,000 (€50,500) to join the crew of Jamaica Get All Right, which finished the race in eighth place, and raise funds for her chosen charity.

However, she was one of many crew across the fleet to drop out of the gruelling offshore challenge before the final leg.

Now Harvey is suing the race organisers over allegations that she experienced victimisation and harassment while crewing the yacht, and that she has a claim under employment and equality legislation.

A tribunal in November is set to decide whether Harvey can indeed be classed as an employee of the race organisers, even though she paid to take part in the race. Mail Online has much more on the story HERE.

#Laser - The designer of the iconic Laser is putting pressure on the boat's manufacturer for the UK, Europe and North America to halt all production of the vessel, as Marine Business World reports.

Bruce Kirby has previously filed a complaint in the US Federal Court District of Connecticut alleging the unauthorised production of his design and non-payment of royalties by LaserPerformance, the company licensed to build Laser class boats for the western market.

It's now being reported that yesterday (17 May), Kirby's company Kirby Inc has sought a court order to issue a prejudgement remedy against LaserPerformance, which would prevent that or any associated company from building Lasers while the court assesses the case.

The International Laser Class Association (ILCA) and the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) are also named in Kirby's lawsuit for allegedly assisting LaserPerformance by supplying ISAF plaques despite being given formal notice to cease by Kirby.

In April, Kirby took the sailing world by surprise with the news that he had relaunched his classic single-handed one design under a new brand, the Kirby Torch.

The new company's website cited "supply of the Kirby sailboat and parts to sailors worldwide" as the issue for its terminating of previous manufacturing deals at the end of last year.