Sailing

The skull and crossbones will make its international yachting debut when Pirates of the Caribbean II takes part in the Volvo round-the-world race.

A marketing deal between Walt Disney Co and Volvo for the sequel to the successful Pirates of the Caribbean film included the "creation of a competitive entry in the world's premier ocean race", organisers said in a statement. The race starts in Vigo, northern Spain, in mid-November 2005 and finishes in Gothenburg, Sweden, in mid-June 2006. Seven yachts have now signed up for the race at an estimated cost of about $12 million each.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest will again star Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow with Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. It is due for release in July 2006. Seven "in-port" races take place during the seven months on the water and organisers said they hope some of the film's stars, including Depp, can be persuaded to take part as crew.