This year's London Boat Show at Earls Court promises to banish those mid-winter blues with a breathtaking display of world-class boats ­ as well as the thrilling finale of Britain's hottest interactive boating game ever.

Featuring over 800 boats, the best from around the world in equipment and clothing as well as the first pick of new season boating and water sport holidays for 2002.

Boats costing from just a few hundred pounds to over £2 million, and from two through to 20-metres in length, will be packed into Earls Court One and Two for the boat show, which has become the world's best known boat show and one of the UK's major public events.

As always, the pool featuring a number of boats afloat will be central to the show's activities. But this year eyes will also be on a small group of visitors who will take to the centre stage over the pool, sponsored by Volvo Car UK Ltd, for the finale of the gripping interactive game, Ocean Race Challenge.

The 2002 London Boat Show will be the setting for the final showdown of the interactive online game, which competitors have been playing since its launch at the Southampton Boat Show in September 2001.

The game, which can be played at www.oceanrace.co.uk, is sponsored by Volvo Car UK Limited and in association with Yachting Gateway, and charts the route of the highly respected Volvo Ocean Race.

Entrants will have until 17th December 2001 to complete the race in as fast a time as possible. The online leader board tracks progress and the top 225 with the fastest times will be invited to pit their wits against each other in a dramatic, live final on the show's central feature. The winner will walk away with the internet's largest ever online marine game prize of their own ocean race adventure, worth £50,000.

For those that don't manage to make it into the final 225, there will also be the chance to play at the show for a daily prize, worth £5,000.

Visitors to the London Boat Show will also get another chance to check out the amazing collection of James Bond movie boats, the only time they will be seen in London.

The collection of five Bond Boats, on loan from the Ian Fleming Foundation, include the famous 'TOW-SLED' from "Thunderball", 'BATH-O-SUB' from "Diamonds are Forever", 'GLASTRON JUMP BOAT' from "Live and Let Die", 'WET BIKE' from "The Spy Who Loved Me" and right up to date the 'Q' boat from the 1999 film "The World is Not Enough" starring Pierce Brosnan. Also appearing, from the same film, is the Sunseeker Superhawk 34.

At least 170,000 people are expected to attend the 2002 London Boat Show over its 11-day run, which is packed with more than 600 exhibitors offering everything from boat finance through to the latest in marine electronics and from marine clothing through to safety gear.

The new extended weekend opening hours will ensure visitors will have until 7pm everyday, and until 9.30pm on Thursday 10 January, to make the most of their day at the show.

Reduced price advance tickets are now on sale through the ticket hotline at £9.50 (£11 on the door). A limited number of tickets are also available for the exclusive Press & Preview Day on 3 January costing £18. Preview tickets are only available in advance. To book tickets, call the advance ticket hotline on 0115 912 9111 or book on-line through www.londonboatshow.net

COMPETITION

Swindonlink.com has three family tickets to give away (2 adults and 4 children) worth £25 each.

All you have to do is e-mail us at publisher@swindonlink.com with your name and address and we will pick three entrants for the day out in London. Simple.

The closing date for our competition is 17th December.

If you are not picked as a winner, call the ticket hotline on 0115 912 9111 or book online at www.londonboatshow.net