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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 701 - December 1, 2000YNGLING DECISION(While Mark Reynolds was at the ISAF meeting in Edinburgh to receive the World Sailor of the Year Award, he attended the meeting of the Events Committee. Rich Roberts interviewed Reynolds afterwards for a story in The Log. Here's an excerpt from Roberts' story.) "I went to the Events Committee meetings on Tuesday, which were kind of interesting," Reynolds said. "What a farce that is. It was pretty funny . . . or sad." The 19-person Events Committee recommends the Olympic class selections to the ISAF Council. "The Events Committee was disgraceful, really," Reynolds said. "It was a poorly run meeting to start with. There was a pretty big audience watching, which is good, because people could see how bad it was. "They spend more time trying to figure out how they'll cover their asses so somebody doesn't find out how they voted. Anytime they got down to a critical vote they would do secret ballots so nobody in the audience could see how they were voting. "Somebody would raise their hand and ask, 'Do we have to put our names on the ballots?' Then the New Zealander, she raised her hand and [asked], 'Will these be properly destroyed after they're counted?' "They never discussed whether it would be a good option to put the 470 class together as a coed boat. That's what [ISAF President Paul Henderson] wanted. That's the perfect solution, but of course the 470 class is against it and the women are against it, even though they're gaining another [keelboat] class. It was pretty sick watching the whole thing." Reynolds said that Henderson and assistant Steve Tupper, both Canadians who aren't on the Events Committee but were in the audience, tried to keep things in order. "A couple times the committee was getting off track and [Henderson] got up and told 'em firmly, 'Look, this is what you gotta do.' Niels Ehrhardt, the guy from Denmark that ran the meeting, was terrible. A lot of these guys think they're in touch with what's going on, but they're not. I had a beer with some of them. They're nice guys, but they're clueless. "A lot of the [committee members] are on their way out. Steve Tupper should be the new chairman, but for some reason - I'm sure political reasons - he didn't get it. They need some housecleaning, and they need to put some athletes on these committees. Cory is an athlete, but I'm sure she's the only one. They need to be forced like the IOC was to put athletes on these committees." - Rich Roberts, The Log, www.thelog.com AMERICA'S CUP Ernesto Bertarelli, billionaire head of the Swiss America's Cup syndicate skippered by Russell Coutts, flew into Auckland yesterday and hit back at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for its delay in accepting his challenge. Squadron commodore Peter Taylor has denied that the delay has anything to do with sour grapes on the cup-holders' part over the defections from Team New Zealand of Coutts, Brad Butterworth and three other sailors. The dispute, sparked by Switzerland's landlocked status, has gone to an arbitration panel. Bertarelli flew to New Zealand from Geneva in part to try to sort out the problems in person. He had meetings scheduled with the squadron, the cup's trustees and Team NZ. "I'm not happy about it. I have many questions and I hope to get answers for them. Why have Swiss challenges been accepted in the past and not ours?" Bertarelli said his syndicate, who have yet to decide on a name, submitted their entry and $US150,000 ($375,000) entry fee on August 18, before the challenge from Seattle's OneWorld syndicate, which has since been accepted. Patrizio Bertelli's Prada syndicate are the other challengers so far accepted, as challenger of record. "We're spending an enormous amount of energy trying to understand what it is that Team NZ and the squadron want. It's damaging and I hope it's resolved soon," Bertarelli said. Did he believe fallout from the Team NZ defections was behind the delay? "I hope Team NZ has more sportsmanship in them that that, so I don't think that's the case - I hope not." He challenged Taylor's comments that the two Swiss entries accepted for last summer's regatta had not had the same problems because they had long-standing sea regattas. The cup's Deed of Gift requires challenging clubs to hold annual regattas on the sea or an arm of the sea. The base for Bertarelli's challenge, the Geneva Yacht Club, founded in 1857 on the shores of Lake Geneva, held its first sea regatta this year off France. Bertarelli said: "I hope these are not the tactics used in the past by holders of the cup to win it with lawyers rather than on the water. "It would be very bad for the sport." - Daniel Riordan, NZ Herald, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ac2000/ ARBITRATION PANEL Professor Fernando Pombo of Madrid, Spain, has been appointed as the fifth member of the America's Cup Arbitration Panel. The panel is charged with resolving disputes associated with the America's Cup in Auckland, New Zealand that starts with the Challenger Selection Series in October 2002 and culminates in the America's Cup Match in February, 2003. Under the terms of the protocol for the 31st America's Cup, Professor Pombo was appointed by the four members of the panel previously announced by COR/D (Challenger of Record and Defender) comprising the Challenger of Record (Yacht Club Punta Ala) and the Defender of the America's Cup (the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron). Each club appointed two members of the panel. Fernando Pombo is a former Chairman of the International Bar Association's Section on Legal Practice and is currently the Treasurer of that organisation. He is a member of the Spanish Arbitration Court and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London. As well as being a founding member and senior partner in a leading Spanish law firm, he has been Professor of Law in Madrid and every summer he teaches International Business Law at the Salzburg Law School. He speaks four languages. Professor Pombo has been Spanish National Champion in the Star class and under the IMS category several times and is a member of the Constitution Committee of the International Sailing Federation. - Murray Taylor SOLING UPDATE The recent Soling Class North American Championships were won using a new prototype spinnaker fabric. AIRX-650N is the latest addition to Bainbridge Internationals revolutionary range of spinnaker fabrics and sets new standards in one-design cloth technology. Having proven itself on the racetrack (AIRX-650N was also used by the 2nd and 3rd placed J24's at this years World Championships) production batches are now being made and will be available from your Sailmaker soon. For more details visit http://wwww.sailcloth.com US ADMIRALS CUP TRIALS November 30, 2000 (Miami Beach, Florida) Twenty-six supercharged Farr 40s hit the start line in a fresh 17-23 knot northeaster today for the Miami Regatta. It is the US Admiral's Cup trials, with eight boats in contention for the team USA spot. Boats from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and the USA are also competing in this open Farr 40 event that is guaranteed to provide hot competition for the US trialists. Sunshine prevailed in this warm corner of the world for the sailors who migrated from colder climes. Racing continues tomorrow with three windward/leeward races scheduled. Short course racing concludes on Saturday with an additional two races. A distance race of approximately 30 hours duration will start Sunday at noon to conclude the event. - Renee Mehl, www.farr40.org PROVISIONAL RESULTS: (* indicates US Admiral's Cup contenders) - 1. *Barking Mad, Jim Richardson, 1, 4, (5 points) 2. *Twisted, Chris Doscher, 4, 2, (6) 3. *Pegasus, Philippe Kahn 3, 7, (10) 4. Phoenix, Eduardo Ramos 10, 3, (13) 5. Cavallino, Draganic/Lammens 2, 13, (15) 6. *Defiant, Wright/Cozzens 6, 10, (16) 7. *Diana, George Carabetta, 16, 1 (17) LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) (Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. We don't publish anonymous letters, but will withhold e-mail address if specifically requested to do so.) -- From Tom Ehman (TFE@compuserve.com) - Further to Vince Cooke's reply in no. 700: In the 60s, NYYC began accepting challenges for each defense from more than one club. They appointed one club as "challenger of record" to negotiate rules on behalf of all challengers, and to organize a challenger selection series. A similar arrangement was used by Royal Perth YC for the 1987 Defense, resulting in a record 13 challengers. While the Deed provides for only one challenger at a time, no one took issue with this arrangement until 1988. However, Michael Fay's lawyers discovered there is no provision for multiple, simultaneous challenges let alone a challenger of record. Moreover, they saw that, absent prior agreement to other terms, a "first-in" challenger could force an event within 10 months under the "default" terms of the Deed, or other terms mutually agreed with the defender. Fay's Mercury Bay Boating Club were first to file a formal challenge, and as such were fully within their rights under the Deed to be sole challenger. Of course the resulting event and legal machinations were, at best, unfortunate. However, some good came out of it. Near the end of the 1988 event, reps of SDYC and MBBC signed, and NYYC witnessed, a "Protocol" spelling out ground rules for the subsequent defense regardless who won. The Protocol also provided for multiple, simultaneous challenges, a challenger selection series, etc. Thus, the popular multiple-challenger arrangement intiated by NYYC was formalized via this Protocol, a version of which has been agreed for each subsequent defense, including 2003. -- From Glenn McCarthy (gmccarthy@myersbriggs.com) I contacted Dick Rose and asked him if ISAF changed the individual recall flag. The answer is no. With the caveat, that it is still on the table for 2005. It remains the White flag with a Blue plus sign - Code Flag X (unless the SI's state otherwise). WOMEN'S MATCH RACING WORLDS St. Petersburg, Fla. (November 30, 2000) - Defending champion Dorte Jensen (DEN) displayed the flawless form that led her to the top of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) match race rankings, by beating all six of her opponents in the quarterfinal round of the Rolex 2000 ISAF Women's World Match Racing Championship. Seven flights were completed in Sonars, with two flights remaining, giving all eight teams the chance to qualify for the semifinal round, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow on Tampa Bay. Only one other skipper is tied with Jensen and that is Marie Bjorling, who just three weeks ago learned that she would represent Sweden. Perhaps her brief preparation has left little time for nervousness. In three matches she trailed behind such tough competitors as Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson (GBR) and Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED) and came back to win each match. - Dana Paxton, www.spyc.org Results after Day Five: Quarterfinal Round, (5 races completed) - Marie Bjorling (SWE) 5-0, Dorte Jensen (DEN) 5-0, Betsy Alison (USA) 3-2, Shirley Robertson (GBR) 2-3 , Hannah Swett (USA) 2-3 , Katie Spithill (AUS) 1-4, Paula Lewin (BER) 1-4, Klaartje Zuiderbaan 1-4. Consolation Round (6 races) - Christine Briand (FRA) 5-1, Cristina Monina (ITA) 5-1, Malin Millbourn (SWE) 4-2, Cordelia Eglin (GBR) 4-2, Amy Waring (NZL) 3-3, Dru Slattery (USA) 2-4, Carolijn Brouwer (NED) 1-5, Gwen Joulie (FRA) 0-6. FULL HOUSE America's Cup challengers who have not yet secured a place in Auckland's viaduct basin will have to look elsewhere to set up their bases. Cup village space for the teams is full with remaining sites under negotiation, and it is the same story for the neighbouring area set aside for the challengers. America's Cup Village Limited general manager Doug Snell says there are nine syndicates already setting up their bases around the viaduct, including Team New Zealand. He says any late comers will have to look to Devonport or Gulf Harbour for sites. Doug Snell says inquiries regarding super yacht berths during the next regatta are also rolling in. - NZ Herald, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/irnstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=32311&newsection= SPONSORSHIP Ken Fitzpatrick, Computer Associates' general manager of global marketing, acknowledged the monumental task CA has ahead making its name known, got a taste of it yesterday at the New York Yacht Club, which is co-sponsoring (Dennis) Conner's team. Jokingly noting some attendees referred to CA as "Computer Association," he repeated the oft-asked question of many: "Who are you guys?" Explaining CA is the third-largest software company in the world, he told them, "We do the things you don't see-we're the electricity, the air-conditioning ducts" of the e-business world. * CA hired ad agency Young & Rubicam to direct its ad message and is expected to announce the hiring of an outside public relations agency within days, Fitzpatrick said. The Stars & Stripes sponsorship and TV campaign are part of a "master plan" campaign CA will rev up next year that will also include increasing exposure to business executives, he said. In the past, most of that effort has included advertising placed in trade magazines, but Fiztpatrick said that will be supplemented to include ads in business publications aimed at the executive suite. While he declined to specify the ad budget or which publications will be the focus, it's expected that CA's ad budget last year of around $150 million will be increased. Fitzpatrick said sponsorships like that of the Stars & Stripes could be expanded. Noting that he's a competitive cyclist, Fitzpatrick didn't exclude the possibility of CA's sponsorship of a Tour de France rider. - Mark Harrington, Long Island Newsday Full story: http://www.newsday.com/coverage/current/business/thursday/nd4055.htm
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