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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 824 - May 29, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
AMERICA'S CUP Plattner, the chief executive of the software giant SAP, has many traits in common with Ellison, including a large fortune, an interest in yacht racing, a mighty competitive streak and a strong mutual rivalry. When he signed on two weeks ago as one of five principal sponsors for the cup's current defender, Team New Zealand, Plattner also mimicked Ellison's quest to win sailing's grandest prize. But there is one significant difference. By joining ranks with Team New Zealand - and paying a premium to secure exclusive rights to emblazon the SAP logo across the defender's spinnakers - Plattner has essentially purchased an express ride to the finals. Ellison's team will need to vanquish nine other challengers to get there. "SAP will have total signage rights for our spinnakers," Ross Blackman, Team New Zealand's chief executive, said. "And, of course, to get that, you have to pay extra for it." Bill Wohl, the SAP spokesman, said in a phone interview: "The fact is you'll see the SAP logo aboard the reigning cup champion in 2003. Whether the Oracle team gets to the actual cup match remains to be seen." Describing the relationship between Oracle and SAP, Wohl said, "Our companies are arch and fierce competitors." Fittingly, Ellison and Plattner have also mixed it up on the high seas. In 1996, Plattner's 80-foot yacht Morning Glory set a course record for the 630-mile Sydney-Hobart race with a winning time of just over 2 days 14 hours. Two years later, Ellison brought his maxi-yacht, Sayonara, to Australia with the stated goal of toppling Morning Glory's record. But a savage storm that year tore the fleet apart and six sailors were killed. Even though Sayonara won line honors as the first boat to finish, Ellison's time was five hours off the record. - Herb McCormick, New York Times. Full story: www.nytimes.com
SWEDISH MATCH TOUR The final qualifier out of Group A was Rod Davis of the Prada Challenge who advanced at three wins against three losses by virtue of holding a tie break over Karol Jablonski of Poland whom he defeated in Flight 2 on Saturday. Davis' advancement gave the Prada syndicate two entries in the quarterfinals matching their America's Cup nemesis. The above teams are joined in the quarterfinals by Swedish Match Tour leader Magnus Holmberg of Team StoraEnso and the Swedish Victory Challenge and Gavin Brady of the Prada Challenge. The non-America's Cuppers advancing to the quarterfinals are Danes Jesper Radich and Jes Gram Hansen from Group B, all of whom qualified in Sunday's action. The day's racing commenced in 5-7 knot winds which eventually forced the race course almost a mile off the ACI Marina grounds. - Shawn McBride, www.swedishmatchgp.com Round Robin Standings: GROUP A: Bertrand Pace, 5-1; Dean Barker, 4-2; Andy Green, 4-2; Rod Davis, 3-3; Karol Jablonski, 3-3; Paolo Cian 2-4; Yasutaka Funazawa, 0-6. GROUP B: Magnus Holmberg, 6-1; Gavin Brady, 6-1; Jesper Radich, 5-2; Jes Gram Hansen, 4-3; Chris Dickson, 2-5; James Spithill, 2-5; Tonci Antunovic, 3-4; Ante Vanjaka, 0 7.
APEN - MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD?
FOR THE RECORD Xena, which can be described as a supercharged Open 60, is being targeted to top 467.7 miles. That was the record distance set by Frenchman Bernard Stamm's Open 60 Armor-Lux-Fois Gras during an Atlantic crossing earlier this year. Xena's owner, former 18ft skiff champion Sean Langman, knows his boat has the potential to demolish the record and lift the figure to 500-plus miles. During races along Australia's east coast Xena has already averaged well in excess of the required 19.5 knots to set a new world mark. But Xena must meet with ideal conditions when she sets sail from Sydney Harbour and heads onto the often wild waters of the Tasman Sea. Langman has Badham searching for a system that will provide winds of more than 25 knots for at least 48 hours. He is not concerned about the direction of the wind; just it's stability in strength. "The current system in Sydney looks good, but 'Clouds' assures us that it will rapidly change direction and lose velocity within 24 hours. It's frustrating sitting here and waiting, but that's what we must do. The indications are that we won't see what we want for at least a week." - Rob Mundle
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Nelson Chaffin: Glad to see you are keeping up with "ELLEN". Her achievements are heroic and an inspiration to dads like me and their daughters all over the world. If you could clone that incredible spirit, we would all be better off. * From Eric Wallischeck, President, Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound (In reference to Rob Emmett's concerns over US Sailing sponsorship arrangements): I agree that we need to be more informed as to the impact of US Sailing's national sponsorship agreements. The money goes to Portsmouth, and there is virtually no "trickle down effect" to other groups. While US SAILING is entitled to decide who or what is best for them, the exclusivity clauses can have a significant impact upon other race organizers. The clubs and YRA/RSAs who are trying to organize races - from steps in the ladder championships to the huge, costly Junior Olympic Festivals - have had their hands tied from seeking sponsorship funds from marine suppliers other companies who compete with US Sailing's sponsors. West Marine's money will help US Sailing's membership recruitment efforts, but I don't see that a marine supplier can help us grow sailing. Not until we get $5 million from GM, Home Depot or Sony to sponsor our Olympic Sailing Team will we have a high-profile sponsorship partner who will help us promote the sport and expand the ranks. * From Peter Huston (edited to our 250-word limit): The issue of sponsor exclusivity and the way these sort of deals are made by US Sailing is nothing new. The problem pyacht.com has just experienced is the same song, different verse. For several years I was extremely involved as a member of many US Sailing committees, including General Services. One of my functions on that committee was to serve as a liason between the organization and various sponsors. At the request of then President Bob Hobbs, I was asked to perform a survey of all US Sailing sponsors, to find out what was being done properly, and what could be improved. Depending on the sponsor's level of expectations, there was a sliding scale of disappointment in the ability of the organization to fulfill its sponsor obligations. Ten years ago US Sailing did not have an open sponsor bidding process. It seems nothing has changed. At one point the rule book was even sold to a category exclusive sponsor - and other suppliers within that category were as upset then as is pyacht.com now for the same reasons. Category exclusivity isn't the problem; it's only the symptom. The problem is that US Sailing does not have the infrastructure to support the proper solicitation and fulfillment of sponsor relationships. Before considering whether to rescind the deal with West Marine, the Board of US Sailing needs to first ask itself if they should even be in the sponsorship business - particularly where marine industry category exclusivity applies. * From Peter Johnson (World Sailing Speed Record Council) - Rob Koethe of Sail World website (Butt 823) is incorrect in stating the 24-hour distance sailing record at 467.7 miles. It is 655.13 nautical miles by the catamaran ClubMed on 7-8 February 2001. Xena can only be trying for the monohull record, which was most recently broken during an outstanding winter crossing of the North Atlantic (31 Jan - 1 Feb 2001). She will achieve an extra 'first' if she succeeds. This is because these 24-hour records have invariably been attained 'by chance' on long ocean voyages (races) and never from a standing start, as Xena is poised for. Playstation did manage one on 26-27 March 1999, not on a long voyage, but she was on extended ocean trials and did not set off for the specific ocean challenge. However at WSSRC we are on stand-by for Xena numbers. * From Frank Betz Regarding the legitimacy/suitability of Golden Gate YC as an organization eligible to compete as a challenging club for the America's Cup, doesn't anybody recall Alan Bond's club of record back when his first challenge was accepted? Wasn't it out of a abandoned junked roadster from which they flew a new burgee on a remote beach in Perth? * From Fin Beven: I believe the right-of-way rules, have been altered for the America's Cup and Match-Racing circuits. In the process, they have given a very aggressive tool to those who actually read the rules and understand the implications. I'm not sure what you have seen of what I have written, but I am still just amazed that our National authority actually "signed-off" on a rule change that allows "hunting". Sure, they'll tell you that you can only "hunt" until a collision becomes unavoidable. To me, this is just the absolute, most idiotic concept. But then, I thought that the point of the rules of sailing was to avoid collisions.
A SILVER MERCEDES A sure sign of the spirit of Laureus sportsmanship came when the mainsheet winch on Ainslie's boat broke as they were manoeuvring for the start. Isler declared that she did not want to sail round the course alone and retired from that race so that a new start could be made. With the winch repaired, Ainslie was back into the fray but he failed to time his start perfectly and Isler took full advantage of his shortcoming to lead to the first mark of the twin windward/leeward course. Ainslie charged downwind but was a foot short of being able to round the leeward mark clear ahead. Earlier, Isler had defeated Italy's Francesco Bruni 2-0 in the semi-final while Ainslie beat his former mentor and compatriot Chris Law 2-1 in the other. Bruni, by virtue of an unbeaten record in the round robin on day one, had been able to chose Isler as his opponent for the second day. - www.laureus.com
TECHNOLOGY Virtual Spectator executive vice-president, technology, Craig Meek says the deal will transform motorsport viewing, just as Virtual Spectator did with its TV graphics and internet coverage of sailing in the America's Cup, The Race and the Vendee Globe. The last two events attracted 55,000 subscribers each paying $US9.95. - Chris Barton, NZ Herald Full story: www.nzherald.co.nz
QUOTE / UNQUOTE - Brooks Atkinson
AROUND THE WORLD
INDUSTRY NEWS
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS * June 28-July 5: Optimist NAs, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. www.cork.org * July 14-20: 29er Worlds, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. www.cork.org * Aug 4-10: Contender Worlds, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. www.cork.org
LIPTON CUP Final Results: 1. Coronado YC, Kathmandu, Willem VanWaay, (12 pts) 2. Balboa YC, Whistler, Jack Franco, (18) 3. San Diego YC, Hotspur, Brian Camet, (20). www.sdyc.org
ISSA TEAM RACING CHAMPIONSHIP 1. Coronado HS (CA) 13-4, 2. Univ. of San Diego HS (CA) 12-5, 3. Lakewood HS (FL) 11-6, 4. Jesuit HS (LA) 11-6, 5. Newport Harbor HS (CA) 8-6, 6. Williams School (CT) 7-7, 7. Tabor Academy (MA) 7-7, 8. Key School (MD) 6-8, 9. St. Petersburg HS (FL) 10. Portsmouth Abbey (RI) 11. Loyola Academy (IL) 12. Bainbridge HS (WA). TEAM ROSTERS: Coronado HS (Coronado, Ca) Michel Anderson-Mitterling '02, Tinja Anderson-Mitterling '04, Mike Crawford '04, Brain Haines '02, Blaire Herron '04, Jonathan Nass '03, Mike Sarich '04, Lauren Usrey '04 University of San Diego HS (San Diego, CA) Bryan Lake '01, Tanner March '02, Michael Brown '02, Maria Argoud '02, Cassandra Harris '02, Zack Brown '04 Lakewood HS (St Petersburg, FL) Ryan Druyor '01, Rick Korab '01, Kevin Reali '01, Hudson Harr '04, Everett Jones '03, Mike Slater '03 Complete results: www.highschoolsailingusa.org
FINN MASTERS' WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
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