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SCUTTLEBUTT 1634 - July 28, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. GUEST COMMENTARY The now closed situation with Russell Coutts and Alinghi is disappointing in the extreme. Forget the whys and wherefores the result is that Coutts will be sidelined for 2007 and that's bad for the sport. It's bad for the competitors, bad for sponsors, terrible for TV, bad for the Cup, bad for the thousands of adoring youngsters (and some of us older ones) and it's the worst possible PR for Alinghi after all the good they'd promised. You don't go to the Open and find Tiger Woods hasn't showed because he's had a spat with his management. You don't go to F1 and see Schumacher ambling around the trailer-park and you don't pay top dollar to see soccer, hockey, basketball or football teams without their stars. Depriving the Cup of its greatest ever sailor is just plain wrong and I hate the phrase 'the uniqueness of the event'. I never bought Alinghi from a management side, they were over-promoted 'rabbits in the headlight' who couldn't believe the success of their sailing team. Now the 2007 version is in serious danger of becoming a one-horse race where all we'll be talking about is BMW's technology advantage (yawn) and how good Bruce Farr is when really we should be seeing sport at the highest level with dead-eyed Coutts and his loyal cohorts destroying the competition, where it matters, on the water. Wouldn't it be the best story to see Coutts back at Team New Zealand after all that's happened? That would certainly vindicate his anti-trustee position and restore him as a national icon! Bertarelli says he'll continue to do all he can to protect Alinghi but for the good of the sport and for the army of eight year old Optimist sailors out there… get Coutts back into the Cup somewhere and quick! - Magnus Wheatley IT'S NOT OVER Russell Coutts will fight all the way to sail in the 2007 America's Cup, despite being sensationally sacked by the Alinghi syndicate yesterday. Coutts claims the rule change Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli called for last week is aimed at keeping him, as the Cup-winning helmsman, out of the next regatta. The '180-day rule' precludes any Cup crewman who has sailed for more than that time in either training or racing from switching syndicates. Speaking to the Herald from Portugal last night, Coutts said, 'I'm a pretty determined guy,' adding: 'I certainly want to do the America's Cup again.' Asked whether that meant the Cup after next, Coutts said: 'I haven't forgotten about this one [2007]. 'Right now I'm getting legal advice. A lot of things I believe have not been honoured in my contract. In a lot of ways I'm glad it is over and I can talk about a lot of things which I have been restrained over in the past. It is a little bit sad that it has happened in this way but things like the rule change were obviously aimed at me. 'Backdating the rule in the way they have shows how things have been done since we won the America's Cup. Questioned about outstanding money - including a promised bonus for winning last year - Coutts said several issues would need to be decided legally. A lot of things, I believe, were not honored in my contract. A lot of people think it's a bit sad but life goes on.' Despite Coutts' axing, a senior Alinghi spokesman says New Zealanders will still be onboard the America's Cup defender. Alinghi spokesman Bernard Schopfer told the Herald last night that the syndicate was confident sailors including Brad Butterworth, Simon Daubney, Murray Jones, Warwick Fleury and Dean Phipps would not be packing their bags in support of Coutts. - Excerpts from a story by Terry Maddaford and David Leggat, NZ Herald, full story: http://tinyurl.com/6dxaj HELP WANTED There seems to be a vacancy for a sailboat driver with the Alinghi syndicate. As you know, BMW Oracle Racing has three very capable helmsmen in Gavin Brady, Chris Dickson and Bertrand Pace. Over at Team New Zealand there is Dean Barker, Ben Ainslie and Terry Hutchinson. But Alinghi now only has Peter Holmberg and Jochen Schümann. Who is going to drive the "B" boat? Obviously there is still plenty of talent in the international pool, but we're very curious who will get the phone call from Mr. Bertarelli? The potential candidates probably include Ken Read (who sailed with Alinghi during the UBS Cup); Peter Gilmour, who just won the Swedish Match Tour; the reigning two time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ed Baird; Paul Cayard, Chris Larsen and Chris Law. Think about it, and when you decide who is best suited for the gig, go to the Scuttlebutt polling booth to cast your vote. We'll let everyone know - including Mr. Bertarelli - who the 'Buttheads selected on Friday. To vote: www.sailingscuttlebutt.com DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER FOR MOUNT GAY RUM… The Mount Gay Rum gear is on sailors at every regatta so don't be left out. Don't just be wearing a Mount Gay Rum hat! You need to be wearing their jackets, polos, fleece items and more. Look for all the Mount Gay Rum sponsored regattas at http://www.mountgay.com/ Contact Zuse for orders - discounts offered on Mount Gay Rum Crew Gear -12 pc. min. order. Mention you read this ad on Scuttlebutt - Zuse at 800-840-9335 or click on the Mount Gay Rum icon on http://www.zuse.com $$$$$$$$$$$$$ The controversy over Tracy Edwards's debts has grown. While the British sailor is in discussions with Andrew Pindar about an overdue £500,000 loan for the 2002 purchase of the 110ft catamaran Club Med/Maiden II, the crew and shore team employed to sail the boat claim they are owed an estimated £300,000. The Pindar loan is a personal debt secured against Edwards's Berkshire home. Asked if he had commenced proceedings against Edwards for his loan, Pindar, the Yorkshire print businessman, said: "The process of recovering this sum has commenced and we are talking to her in the meantime. If it means it can be settled outside of legal framework then so much the better for everyone. If Tracy can pay her debts, I'd be delighted for her." Meanwhile, an action by sponsor consultants Sports Impact against two companies associated with Edwards will be heard at the High Court in London on Aug 4 for £51,780 allegedly outstanding. It is understood that another PR company, who have asked not to be named, also claim to be owed money. Edwards has declined to comment, telling yachting journalists in an e-mail last week: "My solicitor has advised me not to speak to the press until after these matters are resolved in court." - Tim Jeffery, The Daily Telegraph, full story: http://tinyurl.com/3om8n SWEDISH MATCH TOUR Cascais, Portugal - The 2004-'05 Swedish Match Tour officially began today when racing began at the Portugal Match Cup in very shifty wind conditions. The inaugural Tour event saw Ed Baird (USA), skipper of Team Musto, race to a 5-0 record aboard the new Swedish Match 40s. Baird won his third ISAF match-racing world championship last week. Baird and Gilmour (AUS), the reigning Tour champion and skipper of the Pizza-La Sailing Team, and Jesper Radich (DEN), Team Denmark, all advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 150,000 Euro (approximately $186,000) Portugal Match Cup by placing 1-2-3 in the Group A round robin. While Baird was undefeated, Gilmour and Radich advanced with 3-2 records. Philippe Presti (FRA), le Défi Français, also had a 3-2 record, but wound up in the repechage round when he lost the tiebreaker with Gilmour and Radich. While Group A has completed its initial round robin Group B takes to the water tomorrow for their five flight series. Group B features crews led by skippers Russell Coutts (NZL), Peter Holmberg (USV), Chris Law (GBR), Staffan Lindberg (FIN), Francisco Neto (POR) and Bertrand Pacé (FRA). The top three will join Baird, Gilmour and Radich in the quarters, while the bottom three move on to the repechage round and another chance to advance to the quarterfinals.- Sean McNeill, www.SwedishMatchTour.com TOUR DE FRANCE Marseille, France - The 29 Mumm 30s had light wind on Tuesday which only allowed for a single windward - leeward race. Regatta leaders Bouygues Telecom finished second with American Deneen Demourkas' Groovederci three places back in for a fifth and Defi Partage Marseille in eight place. Wednesday's race is a 100-miler from Marseille to Ste Maxime, and there are just three races scheduled after that - four if the second race from Tuesday's program is rescheduled. - Translation by Kate Jennings Standings: 1. Groovederci, Deneen B. Demourkas/ Laurent Pages, 1055 2. Bouygues Telecom, Pierre Loïc Berthet, 1051 3. Defi Partage Marseille, Thierry Bouchard/ Dimitri Deruelle, 1042 Event website: http://www.tourvoile.fr/ A PICTURE IS WORTH 1000 WORDS... There is just no way to describe with words how unbelievable the Dryshirts™ are so we have created some pictures and short video on this revolutionary product. If you have been trying to figure out how the Dryshirt™ is different from a Nike dryfit, coolmax or other shirts that just wicks water away, you'll immediately see the difference once you watch the shirt in action. Dryshirts™ are breathable, repel water, and have an SPF of 50 immersed or dry. Customized team shirts with your club or team logo available. Video, pictures and dealer info: http://www.sailingproshop.com/dryshirt.htm or call 1(800) 354-7245 JUNIOR SAILING PHOTO CONTEST Some kids love sailing right away, while others are scared to death. This complete range of emotions occurs in earnest each summer for those children participating in sailing classes at one of the many junior programs that ramp up this time of year. As a tribute to these programs, we thought it was time for another Scuttlebutt photo contest, with this one profiling junior sailing in North America. Would you like your junior sailing program to be promoted in Scuttlebutt? Top ten entries will get their photos posted on the Scuttlebutt website, with the best three earning prizes from Vanguard Sailboats. Entries due by August 6th. For more information: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/juniorsailing/info.html NEWS BRIEFS * Farr Yacht Design based in Annapolis, Maryland, USA, has been chosen to design the Volvo Open 70 of the Telefónica MoviStar Spanish Challenge headed by Pedro Campos. Telefónica has used sponsorship extensively to support the brand and its portfolio of events has included sailing, Formula 1, World Rallying, MotoGP, European Basket Ball, Soccer and the Tennis Masters series. The Volvo Ocean Race will start with an in port race in Sanxenxo, Galicia, on November 5, 2005. The start of the first offshore leg of this round the world race will be from Vigo, Galicia, on November 12, 2005. - www.volvooceanrace.org * Annie Haeger from the Midwest Optimist Sailing Team has won the first ever USODA National Girls Regatta The regatta was held at the site of the largest-ever Optimist Nationals in Patchogue, Long Island. 84 girls sailed in a stiff fair-weather southeasterly that built to 20 kts. Emily Lambert from Portland, Maine finished second - one point behind Haeger - with nine points and Emily Dellenbaugh took third with 12 points. http://www.usoda.org/ * Dave McConaughy's "White Boat" won the 25th Anniversary eight race, one throwout J/30 North Americans hosted by the Barrington Yacht Club in Rhode Island. Overcast skies and 10-18 kt breeze greeted the sailors on all three days, with a bunch of rain thrown in for fun. Scott Tonguis' Team Zephyr from New Orleans was gunning for an unprecedented fourth in a row, but DSQ's in races two and six left the team in 5th overall. 1. Dave McConaughy, 18pts; 2. Bill Saltonstall, 19pts; 3. Steve Buzbee, 28pts; 4. John McArthur, 30pts; 5.Scott Tonguis, 32pts. Complete results: www.j/30.org/ * Another day of light winds allowed the Race Committee of the Rolex Commodores' Cup to hold one windward-leeward race on Tuesday. The Irish team has taken first place overall holding a half point lead over the Netherlands team. In third place is the top British team, GBR Black. The French defenders, France Blue are currently sixth. Recognizing the continuing difficulties with conditions, the Race Committee has held a meeting with the teams to gauge opinion on the options for tomorrow. - www.rorc.org * Seven time Sunfish World Champion Eduardo Cordero of Venezuela has won his 3rd Sunfish North American Championship at the Canandaigua (NY) Yacht Club. Cordero's score of 9 points defeated Michigan's Dr. Derrick Fries by 15 points and David Mendelblatt of Florida by 19 points. The championship was plagued by light air, with the seven race, one throwout series taking place over two of the scheduled three days. The preceding two-day qualifying series was cancelled due to light wind and thunderstorms. Daniel Hesse of Long Island, NY won the Junior North American Championship. http://www.sunfishclass.org/results/index.htm * The schedule has been revised for the showing of the ICSA Championship Series on College Sports TV. The College Spring Championships (Women's, Open and Team Racing), which were held at Cascade Locks, OR on May 26 - June 4, were originally set to begin showing July 28th but are being rescheduled for sometime later in August. The exact dates to be confirmed soon. - http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar/shows * The name of specialist Etchells sailor Dirk Kneulman is well known in his homeland of Canada following his outstanding win in the 1998 World Championship. The master Canadian One-design skipper tactician is not officially entered as a skipper in the 2004 ACE Etchells World Championship however he will be sailing as 'the man in the middle' with the Dennis Conner skippered Menace. Kneulman ranked 6th in the World will add some important tactical clout when the battle lines are drawn on the warm waters of the Coral Sea. - Sail World, full story: www.sail-world.com/etchells/index.cfm?Nid=14183 * Skip Dieball (Toledo, Oh) with crew Paul Abdullah (Jax, FL) and Tom Irwin (Maumee, Oh) dominated the 41-boat fleet at the Interlake Nationals with 1,1,1,1,1,1, (DNS). The 3-day event at the North Cape YC, LaSalle, Michigan had breeze from 12-25 knots with 1-5' waves off Western Lake Erie. Multiple-Class champ, George Fisher (Hilliard, OH) with crew Greg Fisher and Martha Fisher (Arnold, MD) were 2nd. Scott & Rick Savage (Columbus, OH) were 3rd. For scores and reports: www.dieballsailing.com/Interlakenationals.htm * When you go to the 'Press Release' section of the Chicago Mac Race web pages you get this message, "Thank you for your interest in the Race to Mackinac and for visiting our web site. Race Reports information will be available once the race commences." Huh? The race started more than 80 hours ago. http://chicagoyachtclub.org/mackinac/RacetoMackinac/Results/Mackinac_Cup.htm BEST DAMN SAILING SHORTS Clewgear shorts are the best in the market. Made of truly waterproof fabric, Clewgear shorts keep you drier and are more durable than all other shorts. The shorts are completely unique, lined with either Coolmax mesh or Microtherm lightweight fleece. For more information, products and retailers: http://www.clewgear.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Cristián Palau: From where I'm standing it all seem pretty clear about this issue. Is evident to anyone who follows closely the professional sailing world and everything that happens on it that what happened here was a "War of Egos." It is more than clear that as Russell Coutts won the America's Cup three times on a row, he felt he has a lot more to do at the Alinghi Team than just drive the boat. He strongly believed that Lisbon was a better place to defend the America's Cup than Valencia, but Mr. Bertarelli and his friends decided otherwise. He also felt he should had been a member of the AC Management to help decide all the big decisions about the next America's Cup. On the other hand is Mr. Bertarelli, who feel he is something as the "King of the World" after winning the America's Cup on his first try, and becoming the first European sailor to take the Auld Mug to Europe, after the failures of others European sailor who tried the same but with no luck. And foremost, he have absolute control of the next America's Cup Event through his friends working at AC Management. Way too much power! To put simple, just three words: "War of egos". * From Paul Dinkel (re Coutts firing): Much ado about nothing - from my perch as a spectator. The whole cup "thing" has gone beyond the pale, to the point where any thoughtful person can no longer devote much of any thought to it. * From Adrian Morgan: Try, try and try again. First rouge waves and now Russell Coutts. Before the America's Cup circus spring is more than three turns wound, we're into the nonsense. No wonder Paul Henderson says "scrap it". Lawyers already rubbing their hands in glee and sports pages devoted to splits and rifts. Rules being jimmied to ban certain parties from competing. Strewth, you'd think grown millionaires would have better and bigger things on their minds. Bring back Newport Rhode Island, 12 Metres, and wing keels. More to the point, some true colour, such as Ted Turner slip sliding away and honest accusations of cheating. Ah, nostalgia. * From G. Bruce Knecht: How can it be that we can send men to the moon and create things like the Internet and GPS but that scientists, even sailors, still can't fully explain waves? * From Paul Miller, US Naval Academy: Although some oceanographic texts don't address rogue waves, naval architects have employed the statistically-based "extreme value theory" for wave height and maximum ship load prediction for many years. As the "rogue" waves are so rare, and so large, it becomes unfeasible (economically and competitively) to design vessels to withstand all possible waves. Ships are designed to withstand the statistically very unlikely (but not impossible) wave. * From Guy Doran: On a smaller scale, rogue waves are commonly evident at some beaches, much to the delight of surfers. The intersection of two approaching swells just outside the surf line produces a momentary focal point of energy, or peak, that breaks ideally for surfing and makes salivating surfers rush to get their boards. A surf break called The Wedge next to the jetty in Newport Beach, California, is a remarkable example of the rogue wave phenomenon. When a large South swell is running, waves bounce off the jetty at an oblique angle, producing the perfect momentary crossing energy for the following wave in a set. This intersection results in the sudden rise and spectacular fall of a quintessential rogue wave. Watching from the beach at The Wedge affords one a unique opportunity to witness the development of rogue waves--as well as the damage they can cause. Broken bones, dislocations and serious spinal injuries are commonly suffered by surfers who take on the crushing force of a wave at The Wedge. Check out the monster waves: www.romanoskyphoto.com/html/wild_wedge1.html THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM Why is it that night falls but day breaks? |
