Today, Larry Ellison’s Oracle BMW Racing scored
a long awaited point, but after the shock replacement
of skipper Peter Holmberg with Chris Dickson, there
were going to be plenty of questions about the crew
rather than the race.
"I think we have great boat speed," Larry Ellison
said. "We thought we had to make some other fundamental
changes. The fact is we raced five times, had four
losses and we beat Victory Challenge because they
broke a halyard."
"So, we weren’t getting the results and when
you’re a professional sports team and you don’t get
results, you have to make changes. And that’s what
we did".
Ellison decided to replace helmsman Peter Holmberg
and recalled Dickson to steer the US$85 million campaign
on the water, just months after he was sidelined because
of tensions with sailing and shore crew.
But in many of the journalists’ minds, it wasn’t that
straight forward. Chris Dickson is considered by some
to be a volatile character with reports of various
crews finding it difficult to get on with him.
Ellison, who enjoys a reputation as an uncompromising
competitor, said he did not think the recall of Dickson,
as famed for his off-the-water tussles as his sailing
skills, would lead to divisions within Oracle.
"I’ve sailed with Chris for years and years and
I’ve never had a personality clash with Chris,"
he said. "You can only have one leader out on
the water. We pick one leader and I support that one
leader right up until the very moment we make a change".
Asked what would happen if Oracle did not pick up
under Dickson, Ellison said: "I guess we'll lose.
I can't make constant changes to the team. It's Chris'
to win or lose."
The race against Mascalzone Latino will see major
changes in the Oracle BMW team including reinstatement
of Chris Dickson as helmsman aboard USA 76 and Larry
Ellison as skipper.
Dickson was relegated from his sailing duties in February
after what was believed to have been friction within
the team. Since then he has worked on rules and protocol
matters, and on research projects.
Peter Holmberg and Bill Erkelens have been moved aside.
The San Francisco team were third after the first
round, but lost their opening second-round contest
to the resurgent Prada by 1min 55sec today.
Two
Missing from Oracle BMW Racing (10/14/02) (source
: Louis
Vuitton Cup)
Two primary crewmembers were missing from the
list issued by Oracle BMW Racing for the latest matches.
Syndicate chief and alternate upwind helmsman Larry
Ellison was the most prominent absentee, but also
missing was navigator Ian Burns.
Syndicate spokesperson Joanna Ingley explained that
Ellison returned to the U.S. to attend a board meeting
of his Oracle Corp. He’s also scheduled on 17 Oct.
to make the keynote speech at the Executive Summit
for Marketing and Sales Leaders, of which Oracle Corp.
is a sponsor.
While Ellison left Auckland after yesterday’s postponed
racing, Burns has been off the crew list since 9 Oct.
According to Ingley, Burns suffered a third degree
separation of his right acomio cladicular joint that
morning when he fell off his bike riding to the base.
The AC joint connects the collarbone with the scapula.
“He tumbled over the handlebars when he swerved to
avoid a dog,” Ingley explained. “It was a freakish
accident.” Burns has been fitted with a brace to keep
his arm immobile. “He’s been recovering well,” said
Ingley. “He hopes to be able to make it back in time
for Round 2.”
Matthew Wachowicz has filled the navigator’s role
since Burns’s injury. Sailing in his first America’s
Cup campaign, Wachowicz, a Harvard University graduate,
competed aboard the Volvo 60 Assa Abloy for the 2000
Sydney to Hobart and Fastnet races.
Ellison
splashes out on Americas Cup (10/02/02) (sources
:
news.com& stuff.co.nz)
Ellison is heading the Oracle BMW Racing team,
his first campaign to win the sport's oldest trophy,
which has attracted names like the Vanderbilts, Morgans
and Sir Thomas Lipton over the past 151 years.
The 58-year-old software mogul said his syndicate's
total budget was between $85 million and $90 million,
most of it from his own pocket and the rest funded
by team sponsors.
"All of that money, thank God, is not coming out of
my pocket but...the majority is," Ellison said. "Because
I'm personally involved with this racing, the Oracle
board feels it's inappropriate for Oracle to spend
even one penny on my sailing hobby," he said.
Ellison said the recent collapse of companies like
U.S. energy giant Enron had thrown a harsh spotlight
onto issues of corporate governance.
"The way CEOs are being scrutinized now about spending
the company's money for things that are nonessential...we've
been very, very careful to make sure that there can
be no doubt in anyone's mind that Oracle corporation
is not taking any shareholder money and putting toward
my sailing hobby," he said.
Ellison is living on his luxury super yacht Katana
moored in Auckland harbour and said he still manages
to spend about five hours a day on Oracle business.
He said he would return to the United States during
the long lay-off periods through the Americas Cup
regatta but he told a 150-strong media conference
at the Oracle base in Auckland's Viaduct Basin last
night that he had fallen in love with the Bay of Islands,
and was looking for a New Zealand house site and for
a centre for his huge business.
Will
Larry Ellison drive the boat ? (09/01/02) (source
: NZ
Herald)
As the billionaire backer of the Californian
syndicate, it is understood Ellison has expressed
an interest in helming the boat - but just when he
plans to take the wheel is anyone's guess.
"I can't speak for Larry, he is a powerful, smart
man," said Oracle's regular helmsman and Swedish match
tour champion Peter Holmberg. "I believe he intends
to race the boat, but I don't think he has made any
firm commitments to anybody as to what he will do
on board."
Ellison was a "recognised yachtsman" whose maxi yacht
Sayonara had won several world titles.
"He has trained with us a number of times and has
done a great job," Holmberg said.
Ellison could be the team's 17th man, but in that
position he is just an observer and cannot contribute
to the running of the boat.
"He will be on board," Holmberg said. "I think if
he feels his skills meet the need he will drive the
boat."
Oracle
Racing and BMW combine forces (07/08/02) (source
: Oracle
Racing)
Oracle Racing, the America's Cup challenge led
by Oracle Corporation chief Larry Ellison, have received
a major sponsorship boost from the automotive group
BMW.
The American syndicate, now known as Oracle BMW Racing,
is valued about US$85 million ($172 million). It is
believed BMW's contribution is above US$20 million
($40 million).
It is understood the deal was 18 months in the making,
which is why BMW chose not to help German entry illbruck,
who were forced to withdraw from the event due to
a lack of funds.
BMW senior vice-president of marketing Karl-Heinz
Kalbfell said high-performance sailing was now the
third strong pillar of BMW's sporting commitment in
addition to Formula One motor racing and golf.
"In Oracle Racing we have found a partner which embodies
the most modern high-tech, the highest quality demands
and the constant provision of the most innovative
solutions in the same way as BMW does," he said.
Oracle
Racing launches second boat (07/05/02) (source
: NZ
Herald)
Oracle Racing's second America's Cup yacht was
launched in Auckland yesterday. USA76 was lowered
into the Viaduct Basin just three weeks after the
launch of the team's first boat, USA71.
Both Oracle boats were built using female moulding,
a process rarely used in America's Cup yachts.
Tim Smyth, one of the three Oracle boat-building managers,
said the results of the building process were extremely
pleasing. "The end results are awesome. Of all the
America's Cup boats we have built in our careers,
we have never seen anything like these boats," he
said.
Cutler
confirms that USA-76 is in Auckland (06/22/02) (source
: NZ
Herald)
Julie Ash profiled John Cutler in June 22 issue
of the New Zealand Herald.
Oracle's sailing operations manager confirms that
USA-76 is currently in Auckland and will be launched
next month.
Wednesday morning an ACC boat hull was observed
on an articulated truck on the forecourt of the Oracle
compound at the Viaduct Basin. The boat was across
the base forecourt parallel to the waters edge and
was gradually rotated and manoeuvred into Oracle’s
vacant boat shed - the one nearest the neighbouring
Prada base.
During this time, Oracle’s training boat USA-61 was
in the water at the front of the base, USA-49 was
known to be competing in the IACC regatta (in San
Francisco from May 25-26) and the newly launched 2003
generation USA-71 was observed sailing on the Hauraki
Gulf.
The arrival of a third boat explains why USA-61 has
found a permanent home on the base forecourt rather
than in one of the two boat sheds.
The Oracle press release on the launching of USA-71
on 12 June states, “USA-71….will be joined by her
sister yacht, USA-76, early in July – once the second
boat is shipped to Auckland from Ventura…”. Perhaps
the July date refers to the launch date rather than
the date of arrival in Auckland.
Oracle
racing launches its first new boat (06/12/02) (source
: NZ
Herald)
As if on cue the sunshine broke through to shine
down on USA71, the first new boat for America's Cup
challenger Oracle Racing, during a relaxed ceremony
at the syndicate's Auckland base today.
Dressed in typical christening garb of a long, gray
'skirt', USA71 was given her first taste of the Waitemata
Harbour, lowered into the Viaduct Basin in front of
Oracle Racing Team members and their families. But
the skirt did not hide the boat's striking appearance
- a charcoal grey hull with the brilliant red Oracle
logo adorning both sides of her bow.
Oracle Racing's legal counsel, Melinda Erkelens, performed
the traditional act of breaking a champagne bottle
across USA-71's bow with aplomb, cracking the bottle
on her first attempt.
Bill Erkelens, Oracle Racing's Chief Operating Officer,
was dockside to support his wife as she christened
the new boat and then toasted the team.
"USA-71 is the result of teamwork at its best. I am
excited about all that this talented group of people
here today has accomplished. We are a part of something
new, dynamic and progressive, this boat is cool."
John Cutler, Oracle Racing's sailing operations manager,
said the launching marked another milestone in the
quest to win the America's Cup. "USA-71 is a visible
result of the teamwork , commitment and dedication
from everyone at Oracle Racing," Cutler said.
Oracle Racing's Sailing Team Manager, Peter Holmberg
also paid tribute to the collaborative efforts of
the Oracle Racing Team.
"It takes a lot of professionals, and in Oracle Racing's
case, 142 talented and highly specialised individuals
who are all trained in many facets to get all the
pieces of the campaign moulded together. Today we
are here to thank our team as well as pay tribute
to our families and friends who support us each and
every day," Holmberg said.
In the afternoon, the Oracle Racing Sailing Team headed
out onto the Hauraki Gulf to tune the new boat. USA-71
is the first of two boats built for Oracle Racing's
assault on the America's Cup.
Next month, the second boat, USA-76, will be shipped
to Auckland from California, where both of Oracle
Racing's America's Cup Class (ACC) sailboats were
built.
