LONDON, UK — Sources within Steve Fossett's PlayStation team announced yesterday that renowned weather router Bob Rice has been chosen as the new chief meteorologist for the mega catamaran's upcoming activities, including The Race. Rice will work in conjunction with onboard navigator Stan Honey.

Described by Fossett as the "dean of adventure meteorology," Rice is president of Bob Rice Weather Window Consulting Inc., based in Wolfeboro, NH. His long list of achievements includes 17 'round-the-world record attempts, three of which set the absolute record (American Promise in 1985-86, ENZA in 1994, and Sport Elec in 1997). He was also the meteorologist for the last two winning America's Cups with Team New Zealand.

Rice's connection with Fossett goes back to the skipper's first sailing race, the 'Round Britain and Ireland aboard Lakota in 1993. Rice has served as a router for Fossett on four transpacific records, PlayStation's 24-hour record last year, and during several record balloon flights.

PlayStation and her crew will make their way from Newport, RI, to New York City early next week where they will wait for a suitable weather window for an attack on the west-east transatlantic record set by Serge Madec aboard Jet Services V in 1990 (6d, 13h, 3m, and 32s).