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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 586 - June 8, 2000A NEW APPROACHAn Australian company, World Cup Yachting, have announced a new international yachting event that will make its debut on the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland in late 2003. One hundred crews of six will be nominated by yacht clubs around the world to participate in this new fleet racing event to be held off the Gulf Harbour Marina. New Zealand design office Bakewell-White Yacht Design have been chosen to create the fleet of 50 identical 36 foot race yachts that are to be provided for the sailors. Brett Bakewell-White describes the yachts as lightweight, slender, and dinghy-like. "They are going to be very wet, they have too much sail, and are going to be a handful to sail. The whole idea is to make the action for the viewing audience as interesting and spectacular as possible, and to provide a challenge to the sailors." Construction of the purpose-built fleet is to begin in late July. The event will be structured to run over three months, with the entries divided into two fleets of 50 crews, each sailing a round of 20 races. The top 25 crews from each flight then contest a 20 race final series. The crews will be competing for the World Cup of Yachting trophy and a share of the US$15 million prize pool. The event has grown out of an abandoned Australian Americas Cup Challenge. Company spokesperson Ray Schuler says "We realised we were just throwing money away to do the America's Cup, where with the World Cup we don't actually have to win it - we just have to put it on. The overall cost of the whole event is really only the cost of one Americas Cup challenge." The organizers are providing airfares and accommodation for the competitors under a comprehensive sponsorship package. The fully televised event will see separate sponsors given 18ft style billboard exposure on each yacht along with an overall naming rights sponsor for the event. It is planned to be an annual event with the 2004 contest being held off the Gold Coast in Queensland. - Allan Johnston, SailSail website, http://www.sailsail.com/news/news-article.asp?Articleid=786 CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: Is this April 1? It would be impossible to ignore this story, but if it's for real, why isn't the story being carried on the major Australian yachting websites? FARR 40 WORLDS With an impressive 4-2 performance today, Eduardo de Souza Ramos' Phoenix' has taken the lead in the boats.com Farr 40 World Championship for the World Cup. Ramos and his team from Sao Paulo, Brazil are holding on to a slim 1-point lead over Phillippe Kahn's 'Orion' from the US. The day started cold, blustery, and bleak, with the remnants of a strong Nor'easter forcing a two-hour postponement as a strong northerly breeze gusted to nearly 35 knots. Once the skies cleared, the breeze dropped, and Principal Race Officer Mike 'Grizz' Thompson led the fleet out to a course area in the Atlantic south of Beavertail Point. With the sun, however, came a fickle northwesterly, where the wind shifted over 30 degrees back and forth and the pressure varied from 10 to 20 knots. Points totals are precariously close in this hard-fought series, with only 14 points separating the whole of the Top Ten. Racing resumes tomorrow in Day Three of the boats.com Farr 40 World Championship, with two races scheduled, and a mild southerly breeze forecast. - Dobbs Davis STANDINGS: 1. Phoenix, Eduardo Ramos (BRA) 28points; 2. Orion, Phillippe Kahn (USA), 29; 3. Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy (USA) 30; 4. Southern Star, John Calvert-Jones(AUS) 33; 5. Solution, John Thomson (USA) 35; 6. 'Mascalzone Latino,' Vincenzo Onerato (ITA) 36; 7. Bit of a Coup, Tony Buckingham (GBR) 38; 8. Atalanti, George Andreadis (GRE) 42; 9. Victric 5, Tony DeMulder (GBR) 43, 10. Barking Mad, Jim Richardson (USA) 44. Updated daily releases, photos, and complete results: http://www.farr40.org MCFADDEN'S VIEW OF THE AMERICA'S CUP (The America's Cup is still daily news in New Zealand. To give you the flavor, I've pruned the following excerpts from three recent stories written by Cup insider Suzanne McFadden for the NZ Herald.) * Russell Coutts predicts five super-syndicates could come to Auckland in 2002 to create the best-ever America's Cup. The defected Team New Zealand skipper, who scored a victory in Italy yesterday, has his ear to the ground in Europe as he scouts for crew for his Swiss-based challenge. His feeling is that big-money syndicates will dominate the battle to find a challenger to sail against his old team. "It wouldn't surprise me if only four or five really huge super-syndicates came," he said. "Either that, or about 16 challengers and 10 of them are very strong. "The whole Cup is in a totally different league now. It's going to be fantastic - the best ever." Coutts yesterday won a matchracing regatta in the northern Italian port of Rimini, featuring a handful of Cup skippers. He beat Young Australia skipper James Spithill 3-0 in the final. Other skippers at the regatta have been working on their Cup futures. If Coutts' understanding is right, AmericaOne's Paul Cayard, whose next campaign seems to be in limbo, could end up back in Italy. "He's been here for the last week, and a guy just came up to him and offered him enough money to do a whole campaign for Italy," Coutts said. "The America's Cup is bigger in Italy at the moment than in New Zealand, honestly. Prada's performance last time has done so much for the event." Coutts also predicted that the new Swedish syndicate out of Gothenburg would be big players. "They are well-funded. They bought NZL38 from Team New Zealand, so they are very serious." Cup legend Dennis Conner has been a spectator in Rimini for the past week, wearing an ear-to-ear grin after signing up for a challenge with his old partner, the New York Yacht Club, after going separate ways for the past 17 years. "DC is the most enthusiastic I have seen him for years," Coutts said. "That's got to be dangerous." - Suzanne McFadden Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz * Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker has condemned the wall of silence put up by old teammates who are on the brink of signing with rival America's Cup syndicates. Another long-time Team New Zealand crewman, Dean Phipps, is about to join the exodus to Russell Coutts' new Swiss Cup syndicate. And many of the eight other key Black Magic sailors still to confirm who they will sail for in 2003 are in the final stages of jumping ship. Barker said last night that he was disappointed with the sailors' secrecy over their Cup futures. "It's amazing how quiet some of these guys can go, when we were supposed to have a very open team philosophy," Barker said. "It's like they're hiding something. "I have no problem with them entertaining other offers - I said I wanted them to be open about it. But I can't believe how they've remained so silent." Last night, Phipps was hoping to speak to Coutts, who is in Europe, to discuss his future. The 36-year-old bowman had been in talks with the secretive Seattle syndicate, but has changed tack. "I'm going to look at what Russell can put to me," he said. "I may have cut myself out of the Seattle thing. I haven't heard from them for a while." His move to Switzerland would complete the Team Magic sextet. The rest of Coutts' world matchracing team - Brad Butterworth, Simon Daubney, Warwick Fleury and Murray Jones - have already gone. Another about to make his decision is mastman Matt Mason. He said last night that he was on the verge of signing with an overseas syndicate but would not confirm it was the Seattle group. There is little chance he will stay in New Zealand. "Team New Zealand had their chance of coming back and doing better, but nothing's really happened," he said. Barker said Team NZ was in no position to enter into a bidding war with the big-money syndicates raiding the Kiwi crew. "There's no way we [can] meet these offers. Where does it stop?" A rumour circulating that up to 15 Team NZ members would be on a flight to Seattle tonight was shot down by sailors yesterday. But Mason said the Seattle threat had to be taken seriously. "At least 10 or 12 people - not all sailors - could go there," he said. Grinders Craig Monk and Andrew Taylor have been put among the names but neither could be contacted yesterday. Tactician Richard Dodson said he had an offer from Seattle but had yet to decide. Pitman Jeremy Scantlebury, overseeing a boat-building project in Australia, said: "I haven't signed for anybody. I'm keeping out of it over here." Trimmer Robbie Naismith is in the United States preparing to sail in the Newport-Bermuda race on Sayonara, the maxi owned by new Cup syndicate head Larry Ellison. It is thought that Naismith will join Ellison's challenge. Another trimmer, Grant Loretz, could not be contacted. Young sailor Cameron Appleton, touted as a back-up helmsman for Barker, said a question still hung over his future. He had talked to Barker but was in no rush to sign with anyone. - Suzanne McFadden Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz * Ross Blackman could not bear to stand aside and watch his old Team New Zealand syndicate taking on water. So the former team manager, who had promised he would never return to the America's Cup, answered the SOS call from new leader Tom Schnackenberg and signed up yesterday as Team NZ's new chief executive. In his new role, Blackman will run and co-ordinate everything but the design and sailing side of the syndicate. His emphasis will be on things commercial, co-ordinating the unenviable task of fundraising for the 2003 campaign. He was commercial manager for the winning 95 team, but left to manage a property company in Auckland. He has yet to work out what Team New Zealand's new budget will be, but realistically knows it will be influenced by the "international salary regime set up by the deep pockets overseas." Schnackenberg is more than happy to have Blackman back on the team, relieving some of the pressure. The pair have a 20-year friendship which began with a business partnership - the young sailmakers bringing the North Sails franchise to New Zealand. Schnackenberg said Blackman is an expert at smoothing the waters - something that was missing in the sometimes rocky 2000 campaign. - Suzanne McFadden Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) and to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a chat room. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree. -- From Brent Foxall- I recently read that Carl Buchan from Seattle has done it again. US Laser Nationals, about 26 years after he won his first Laser Nationals here in my home waters of Vancouver. Mate, you truly are a legend. We fossils who think we are too old to be competitive in dinghies with the kids should think again. I've been taking Carl's transom for 30 years now and fondly remember a day after a regatta about 30 years ago when Carl taught me in 2 hours more about Laser sailing, than I'd learn in a year. What blows me away today, is that I haven't seen his name attached to a Seattle AC venture. It would be great to see he and a few other District 6 alumni, involved in that ride. I reckon, apart from San Diego, there are probably more sailing medals (here) than anywhere in the USA. -- From Bruce Gresham - What is cool about this story is that Mark Gaudio and Chuck Sinks have been sailing together/against each other for 20 PLUS years, were college room mates, and are fierce competitors. -- From David P. DeHorn - Why do we continue to have this debate about Olympic Classes. We should spend more time campaigning to the Olympic Committee to have all of the classes represented. Keelboats, daggerboards, 3 person boats, 2 person boats, 1 person boats, heck 4,5,6 person boats. Lets stop whining about which classes should be eliminated, and focus on growing this sport. The Olympic Committee doesn't limit the number of track and field events. They also continue to add events to the Games that were not even heard of 20 years ago. So why should we settle for just a few classes? Let's lobby for more classes. We need to attract a broad spectrum of new sailors. I say we go out and grow our sport. The Olympics could offer great exposure for our sport. I know Gary Jobson and many others think so. They are working hard to cover these events on the water to make this needed exposure happen in Sydney. NO wonder we have "need crew" boards pasted all over our yacht clubs! Won't be long and they will be posting "boats needed!" -- From elaine parshall - i am with judy cook on this. we have spent 10's of thousands of dollars, and trained for several years in our j24, mutant blondz, in order to compete well in the rolex. it is a good boat for this type of racing because one has the opportunity to race it in many different venues, unlike the j-22 or sonar which are not actively raced nation-wide, much less world-wide. judy's right, we don't need another event like the adam's cup, and it is the pro's who will dominate in the j-22 because they race them frequently in match-racing events. so why don't we organize an international, amateur, j24 women's championship? HIGH SPEED SAILING * At 9 hours 38 minutes and 6 seconds GMT Wednesday, the monster catamaran CLUB MED crossed the starting line in Cadiz in the South of Spain, heading for San Salvador in the Bahamas, for her first real adventure offshore. With a 20 knot easterly wind, under reduced sail while leaving the bay, the maxi-catamaran could at last spread her wings. A genuine life-size test for the maxi-catamaran CLUB MED, the east-west Atlantic crossing between Cadiz and San Salvador in the Bahamas, is one of the qualifying courses proposed by the organisers of The Race. 3897 miles and a reference time of 12 days 12 hours 25 minutes and 26 seconds achieved as far back as 12 years ago by Serge Madec's catamaran Jet Services V. In order to gain her entry ticket, CLUB MED must realize a time of less than 15 days 15 hours 31 minutes and 47 seconds, or 125% of the record time. For Bruno Peyron, co-skipper for the occasion, and the New Zealander Grant Dalton, the hour of truth is upon them. "Team work that will improve day by day and whose objectives are many. Qualification of course, but also the possibility of beating the record whilst optimising the potential of this magnificent machine whose seakeeping qualities we are longing to discover." Sailing conditions as far as the Canaries, the obligatory waypoint on this crossing, would seem to be favourable for the next few hours. Veering North tonight with a maximum of 20/25 knots, the winds will carry CLUB MED towards the Spanish islands, which they hope to reach in less than two days. Club Med Photo library : http://www.clubmed.com * Skipper Steve Fossett and the maxi-catamaran PlayStation have entered the 64th Hoya Round the Island Yacht Race on Saturday 10 June. Fossett and his crew will cross the start line at Cowes at 0630 on Saturday morning attempting to beat a huge field and target the current course record of 3 hours 55 mins 28 secs, set in 1986 by trimaran Paragon. PlayStation will be joined by 1,587 yachts of all shapes and sizes, carrying over 12,000 competitors, for the 50 nautical mile race anti clockwise around the Isle of Wight. Subsequently, PlayStation will continue ocean testing, before heading back to the USA via Plymouth. There will then be a third attack on the elusive West to East TransAtlantic record later in the summer. Website: http://www.fossettchallenge.com EUROPE 1 NEW MAN STAR DAY FOUR - The Class One monohull fleet is really showing the strain of the past 24 hours, as a third boat has been dismasted. The latest casualty is Thomas Coville (Sobedo - Savourons la Vie) who reported the damage late on Wednesday evening GMT. Colville was in ninth place on the 2200 GMT position update. Earlier in the day first Eric Dumont (Un Univers de Services -Euroka) and then Yves Parlier (Aquitaine Innovations) lost there masts as a strong low pressure system ravaged the fleet. All the skippers are reported to be safe, and are effecting jury rigs to enable them to sail back to the continent. Class One Multihulls: 1. Alain Gautier (1886 nm to finish) 2. Francis Joyon (1887) 3. Jean-Luc Nelias, (1916) 4. Franck Cammas, (1922) 5. Marc Guillemot, (1960) Class One Monohulls: 1. Michel Desjoyeaux, (unknown) 2. Dominique Wavre (2144) 3. Ellen Macarthur (2146) 4. Roland Jourdain (2149) 5. Yves Parlier (2149). Website: http://www.europe1newmanstar.com/uk THE SOLE AMERICAN ENTRY Bruce Burgess' Hawaiian Express, the sole American entry in Class 1 of the Europe 1 New Man Single-handed Transatlantic Race, has turned around and is returning to Plymouth. Without a Mini M or Standard C, Burgess cannot communicate his problem. He hasn't set off his distress beacon but is sailing a straight course and averaging a 10-knot speed. Further, the reading from the D+ tracking system shows that there is voltage on the vessel, but just how much is uncertain. Members of the Hawaiian Express team assume that the problem lies with the engine, which was the cause of so much concern prior to the race start. It is likely that if he is suffering electrical problems he'll be helming by hand and will have reefed his sails. He is expected into Plymouth early on Thursday morning. - Gail Liston-Burgess IT'S FREE The leaders in the single-handed transatlantic race are battling it out in 40 knot winds in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Now, 'Buttheads can follow the action on Virtual Spectator in 3D, with the weather, commentary and positions in real time, and in French and English by a once-only FREE download (VS is normally a pay per view application). http://www.virtualspectator.com THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he isn't there the first time, chances are you won't be needing him again. |
