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SCUTTLEBUTT #525 - March 9, 2000HERO'S WELCOMEWELLINGTON NZ - Sir Peter Blake took the America's Cup to Parliament yesterday before a heroes' welcome through the streets of the capital for Team New Zealand and rivals Prada. Winning had been "the country's effort," not just Auckland's, he told a parliamentary reception. A vital part had been people wearing "funny red socks" all over New Zealand. Prime Minister Helen Clark paid tribute to the sportsmanship of both teams, saying Prada were gracious in defeat. She gave syndicate boss Patrizio Bertelli a Tom Scott cartoon of the Italian boat Luna Rossa being slowed by a giant red sock on its keel. Downtown, about 50,000 people turned out to congratulate the winning sailors. Hundreds gathered at Parliament Buildings and in central city parks, while others chose high-rise balconies at the Beehive and along the parade route as vantage points. Suited civil servants, lunchtime joggers and schoolchildren in uniforms throwing ticker-tape joined the celebrations. Businesses also came to the party with some shops sporting congratulatory banners while exclusive department store Kirkcaldie and Stains flew giant red socks from its flagpoles. Sir Peter Blake, flanked by a kaumatua and the PM, led the team down the steps of Parliament to rapturous applause, with Prada received almost as warmly. The ever-fashionable Italians, stepping out in blue blazers and beige trousers, put their designer sneakers to good use and walked ahead. A replica of Black Magic preceded Team New Zealand and a cloak of confetti covered Dean Barker, Tom Schnackenberg and Brad Butterworth as they climbed onto the first of a convoy of Toyota utes. Sir Peter and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron commodore Peter Kingston took the last ute with the Auld Mug as the crowd went wild. -- NZ Herald Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ac2000/ AC 2003 There will be many familiar names and faces in Auckland two and half years from now when the challengers gather to compete for the Louis Vuitton Cup and the right to meet New Zealand in the 31st defense of the America's Cup. Even before Team New Zealand crossed the finish line Thursday to complete its 5-0 clean sweep of the Prada Challenge, plans by challengers for the 2003 America's Cup were underway. Ten teams from seven countries have expressed their intention to return to New Zealand for 2003 America's Cup. A Swedish yacht club has also contacted Cup holder Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, stating interest in filing a challenge. Italy's Prada Challenge, representing Challenger of Record Yacht Club Punta Ala, will lead the charge. Patrizio Bertelli is bringing back his Prada campaign with both barrels blazing in a second attempt to take the Auld Mug to the Mediterranean Sea. The team is expected to remain pretty much intact, with skipper Francesco de Angelis and tactician Torben Grael both returning. It's unknown whether designers German Frers and Doug Peterson will be back on board, however. Louis Vuitton Cup finalist AmericaOne, representing San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club, also will be back. Skipper and CEO Paul Cayard has said he has upwards of $10 million in sponsor commitments already. In the interim, he hopes to have AmericaOne in the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race and may have a team on the National Sailing League circuit in the United States. New York Yacht Club Commodore George "Dooie" Isdale said his club wants to challenge again and is discussing the possibility of a "super challenge" with St. Francis. Four-time America's Cup winner Dennis Conner "is fired up and would like to come back if we can raise the money," said Bill Trenkle, director of operations for Team Dennis Conner. The challenge may not come from San Diego's Cortez Racing Association, however. Trenkle said yacht clubs in other areas of the United States, including Florida, have expressed an interest in having Conner represent them. Rounding out the U.S. efforts is Dawn Riley and America True representing San Francisco Yacht Club. Chris Coffin, who provided the bulk of the funding this go-round, will remain involved. "We are looking for a broader base of sponsors," Riley said. "We have more credibility and a track record." Both Prada and AmericaOne are expecting to renew the leases on their Halsey St. compounds. Conner and Riley would like to do the same, but property developer Viaduct Harbour Holdings has plans to build 300 apartment units on that block of land. They won't know until June whether they will have to relocate or not. Japan's Nippon Challenge plans on launching its fourth Cup campaign, but skipper Peter Gilmore is unlikely to be at the helm again. Gilmour said he would return if asked, but he has not been asked and said he doesn't expect to be. As an Australian, he'd like to be involved in an Australian campaign if the opportunity presents itself, but isn't holding his breath. Australia has three interested groups, but it's likely at least two will consolidate to pool financial resources. The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron has already notified RNZYS that it intends to challenge, with perennial Cup campaigner Syd Fischer in charge. Fischer's Australian Challenge 2000 was used as a training platform for the 2003 campaign. Much of the young crew, led by 20-year-old James Spithill, is expected to return. However, with another Australian effort in the works, Spithill may have another option. Cup veteran Iain Murray, who participated in one defense effort and two challenges as a skipper and yacht designer, has also expressed interest, as have an unnamed group of businessmen. Besides Italy, the three other European teams that came to Auckland hope to return. Xavier de Lesquen, general manager of Le Defi Francais, said the sponsors were happy with the results of this year's effort and are negotiating contract renewals. The French are hoping for a stronger challenge with a larger pool of sponsors. Having reached the semifinals this year, their goal is to be a Louis Vuitton Cup finalist. The Spanish Challenge, which has yet to reach the challenger semi-finals in any of its three challenges, also plans to return, but it will depend on sponsor support, said Luis Saenz, the team's attorney. Likewise, Marc Pajot, the head of the FAST 2000 team from Switzerland, is busy beating the America's Cup drum back home. "At least one of our three main sponsors - watchmaker Audemars Piguet - want to come look to a new challenge." -- Larry Edwards, Quokka Sports Full story: http://sailing.quokka.com/stories/ BACARDI CUP MIAMI, FL. (March 8, 2000)-After a grueling day of competition, the 74th Annual BACARDI Cup Star-Class Regatta - which featured two races Wednesday - is shaping up to be a showdown between some of the world's top Olympic teams. Due to the abandonment of the opening race of the BACARDI Cup, two races were held on Miami's Biscayne Bay Wednesday afternoon in gusts ranging from 6-12 knots. While Britain's Ian Walker and Mark Covell sailed to victory in the first race of the day and Canada's Ross McDonald and Kai Bjorn won the day's second race, it was Spain's Jose Van Der Ploeg who vaulted to the overall lead in one of sailing's most prestigious competitions. Though he did not win Wednesday, Van Der Ploeg's eighth- and fifth-place finishes placed him just two points ahead of Walker. It is Van Der Ploeg's second time competing in the BACARDI Cup, but first with his new crew, Rafa Trujillo. After four races, Macdonald and Bjorn, a three-time BACARDI Cup champion and 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalists, are coming on strong. In addition to winning the second race Wednesday, the Cup's defending champions finished third in Wednesday's early race. "There's still a lot of racing remaining," he said. "With such a large fleet, anything can happen. We were very challenged today because of the winds. But we would come out in the middle of the line which gives us an option of which way to go and then we just played the compass." The BACARDI Cup runs through Friday, March 10. DAY THREE RESULTS (RACE THREE) - 1. Ian Walker/Mark Covell (Great Britain) 2. Dave Watt/Mike Wurm (Seattle) 3. Ross Macdonald/Kai Bjorn (Canada) 4. John MacCausland/Phil Trinter (New Jersey) 5. Vince Brun/Mike Dorgan (San Diego) DAY THREE RESULTS (RACE FOUR) - 1. Ross Macdonald/Kai Bjorn (Canada) 2. Peter Bromby/Lee White (Bermuda) 3. Mats Johansson/Leif Moller (Sweden) 4. Peter Vesella/Brian Fatih (Rhode Island) 5. Jose Van Der Ploeg/Rafa Trujillo (Spain) Overall BACARDI Cup Standings: 1. Jose Van Der Ploeg/Rafa Trujillo(Spain), 3-5-8-5, 21 points. 2. Ian Walker/Mark Covell (Great Britain), 2-12-1-8, 23. 3. Ross Macdonald/Kai Bjorn (Canada), 11-15-3-1, 30 4. Mark Mansfield/Dan Brien (Ireland), 8-6-6-12, 32 5. Colin Beashel/David Giles, (Australia )18-2-13-7, 40 6. Peter Bromby/Lee White (Bermuda), 1-22-16-2, 41 7. Vincent Hoesch/Florian Fendt (Germany), 15-7-12-10, 44 8. Gavin Brady/Jamie Gale (New Zealand), 6-8-20-11, 45 9. Peter Vesella/Brian Fatih (California), 12-9-21-4, 46 10. Vince Brun/Mike Dorgan (San Diego), 33-1-5-9, 48. More information: http://www.bacardi.com/ DN ICEBOAT WORLDS LAKE HJALMAREN, SWEDEN -- Final Results: 1) P 36 - Jablonski, Karol 3 2 2 1 (8.00 pts) 2) US 44 - Sherry, Ron 8 1 4 2 (15.00) 3 ) S 5 - Luks, Ake 10 12 9 9 (40.00) 4) S - 222 Seweling, Jonas 6 9 8 20 (43.00) 5) C 46 - Hool, Mati 7 15 12 12 (46.00). Event website: http://www.sisf.se/ ISAF ISAF EVALUATION TRIALS No less than 23 boats have entered for the ISAF Evaluation trials to be held in Quiberon, France in 20-25 March 2000 . Two categories of boats are under consideration, a multihull and a fast single-handed dinghy. 14 Multihulls have indicated they will be attending together with eight monohulls. The Laser Vortex, a tunnel-hull design which could conceivably fit in either category brings the total up to 23. From The Trials it is anticipated that alternative boats to the current Olympic multihull class will emerge for selection for the 'multihull' event for the year 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The time scale for the single-hander is more open. The brief from ISAF calls for "a fast single-handed dinghy for high level competition and which might be available for selection for future Olympic Regattas. The boat should be capable of a high performance compared with existing International Classes on all points of sailing (including downwind) and provide equal competition for a wide range of crew stature. The ideal boat should require athletic prowess and be challenging technically and tactically". In both cases, a number of existing International Classes are clearly eligible for consideration. In addition the ISAF Council policy is that classes need not have International status at the time of selection by the ISAF in November 2000. Additional information: http://www.sailing.org/rating/isafevalu2000.html LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude personal attacks. But only one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree. -- From Chris Welsh --- "Prada has taught all of us how to win, and lose, with honor, style and grace"? I'm sorry - Torben Grael and the members of the sailing team have taught us that, however Prada, i.e., Bertelli, has shown us some of the ugliest team morale deflating moments in recent sports. Widely publicized blistering criticism, and handing out a highly negative press release at the start of one of the press conferences, right before his team members are about to be grilled by the press? This is not grace. With regard to nationalism, the Cup Deed references a competition among nations, not a competition among professionals. Just because the results have become confused does not mean we need to be confused about the objective. No where is it defined that professional sailors should be able to make their mortgage payments as a part of this. -- From Dan Somers -- Perhaps I missed it, but I don't recall Doug Peterson being held to task for some of his provocative comments about the design of Team New Zealand's boat and sails. -- From Stephen Gould -- In response to the recent curmudgeonly comment about the use of prepositions, it was Sir Winston Churchill who said (in response to an aide's suggestion regarding a sentence in a speech Churchill was preparing) "This is an insult up with which I shall not put." GAITHER SCOTT It is with regret that we report Gaither Scott passed away on March 6. Scott was the 1993 winner of the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, US Sailing's most prestigious award, received many awards for his contributions to sailing. For the Herreshoff Award, he was cited for "his service to offshore sailing, having probably run more offshore races and National Championships than anyone. As Offshore Chairman, he guided the IOR and then used that experience to bring the IMS to international implementation." He was also awarded a "Silver Medal" by the IYRU, one of only five Americans to receive this award. Scott was a Senior International Judge, and served on over 20 world championship juries, acting as chairman of approximately one-third of these. He served for 16 years as the Offshore Racing representative to IYRU, and was also chairman of the Offshore Racing Council's (ORC) Level Rating Classes Committee for 6 years, which was in charge of organizing six world championships every year. His race committee service included four years as chairman of the New York Yacht Club's race committee. During this period, 1978-1981, he ran the 1980 America's Cup in Newport. He also served 12 years as chairman of Annapolis Yacht Club's race committee. Scott was a member of the Admiral's Cup jury in 1985, and was chairman of the international jury for the Fort Lauderdale and Baltimore/Annapolis stopovers of the 1997-98 Whitbread Round the World Race for the Volvo Trophy. He also traveled to Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, where he was vice-chairman of the jury for that stopover. He served as President of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association and as a commodore of Annapolis Yacht Club. He had a way of bridging gaps -- generational, personal, political, social. He accorded everyone the same respect, whether King or commoner, housekeeping staff or president, male or female, young or old. In turn he was liked, respected and appreciated by all. A memorial reception will be held for Gaither Scott at Annapolis Yacht Club on Saturday, March 11, 2 - 4 pm. A foundation in his honor has been founded to support junior sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. Contributions can be made to the "Gaither Scott Foundation for Junior Sailing" and sent to Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 211, Annapolis, MD 21401. Additional information: http://www.annapolisyc.com/gaither.htm BERMUDA RACE WEEK The Snipe Class will sail their 2000 North American Championship in conjunction with Bermuda International Invitational Race Week, sponsored by Bacardi. BIIRW races will be sailed Sunday April 30th through Friday May 5th. The Snipe NAs will be sailed Thursday-Saturday. Prizegiving will be at Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Saturday May 6th. Two courses will be set in Bermuda's Great Sound. Alpha Course will be for keelboats including Etchells, J-24's, I-14's and International One Designs. Bravo will be the dinghy course with Comets, Lasers, Albacores (tentative) and Snipes. -- Talbot Wilson More information: http://www.rbyc.bm INDUSTRY NEWS It's now been almost 20 years since Mark Reynolds entered into sailmaking, and in the process his sails have won 10 Olympic medals and many World, Continental and National Championships. A lot has changed over the years and his loft has now decided it's time to change their sailmaking affiliation. They have chosen to become Quantum Sail Design Group. The sales and service team of Reynolds, George Szabo, Peter Jones, and the production team will remain the same. George Gregory is also back from the Americas Cup where he was working in the Stars and Stripes sail loft. -- mreynolds@quantumsails.com VOLVO OCEAN RACE The V.O.60 rule 2000, which is the rule governing the yachts for the next race, has now been published. Changes include a change from aluminum to carbon mast and boom, an additional water-tight bulkhead to halve the volume of the previously water-tight compartment forward of the mast, the removal on mid-girth restrictions on spinnakers allowing full development of the sails previously known as Code 0s in the last race. The boats will be fitted with Volvo Penta engines. Copies are available from the race office: vemcuk.mwoods@memo.volvo.se Event website: http://www.VolvoOceanRace.org THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS A hollow pot makes the most noise. But it's hard to ignore that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. |
