New
sailing rules to make for closer racing (11/29/03) (source
: Yachting
World)
In the fever that surrounded the announcement
of the new venue for the America's Cup, little had
been said about the local weather conditions and even
less about how such conditions might affect the design
of the boats over the next three years.
This seemed strange given how important local conditions
have been in the past. From the famously boisterous
conditions in Freemantle to the gentle breezes in
San Diego, the weather has always played an important
part in the starting point for designers and where
collecting and assessing the data has frequently been
seen an expensive, tedious and arguably unnecessary
part of the campaign process.
But this time around the boats will be grouped more
closely under the rule to start with, before the weather's
even been considered.
At the start of each America's Cup cycle the Defender
and Challenger of Record are obliged to re-establish
the rules of engagement, part of which involves deciding
the type of boats that will compete for the next America's
Cup.
In considering what changes would be made and in the
absence of knowing where the next event would be held,
Alinghi and Oracle sent out a survey in May 2003 to
all the teams and interested parties asking for their
views on the boats for the next Cup.
"The results of the survey and the idea behind the
current rule changes was to maintain the value of
the existing boats while still allowing modernisation
of the class," said Ian Burns of Oracle BMW Racing.
"Reducing the cost of taking part was also an important
factor when it came to revising the rule as well as
trying to tighten up on some potentially expensive
areas or development such as the Hula slipping through,"
continued Alinghi's chief designer Grant Simmer.
"There were some, even in our own team, who wanted
to see more radical changes for the next time around.
Russell [Coutts] felt that the current Americas Cup
boats would look old fashioned come 2007 and that
the new generation should have the latest technology
such as canting keels".
"The trouble is that this would make the next generation
of boats very expensive and the overall view was that
costs had to be kept under control," he said.
According to Burns there was a long list of potentially
expensive design and construction details that had
to be considered and ruled on for the next event.
Moulded spinnakers, special paints have been outlawed
under the new rule. Heating the hull or the keel bulb
to reduce to drag has been considered by some teams
in the past, as was the technique of using magnetic
fields to achieve a similar advantage, all have been
banned for the next series.
"Apart from the idea of reducing cost, another of
the goals was to ensure that we get closer racing
next time," said Simmer. "Closer racing allows more
opportunities to pass and puts a greater emphasis
on crew work. We're keen to see the boats become closer
in performance because we feel we've got the best
sailing team and I'm sure Fresh feels the same about
his team."
So what will the boats be like for the next Cup?
"Displacements will be reduced and sail areas increased,"
said Simmer. "Typically we're looking at reducing
displacement by a tonne to 24 tonnes and a scope for
varying the displacement of around 250kg."
Increasing the downwind sail area by around 7-8% was
seen as a way of increasing the chances of overtaking
downwind by helping the boats to accelerate quicker
as the puffs roll through. But while more sail area
is allowed, the variation has been reduced to keep
the boats closer.
"Last time around we could vary our sail plan over
a range of about 25m2," said Burns. "Next time around
the limit will be around 5-7m2."
Teams will have one more crew member taking the total
working crew to 17 plus one for the 18th man and teams
will now have to carry additional 100kg ballast if
they don't have an 18th man aboard.
Among the other changes, keels will be deeper, rigs
will be lighter by around 250kg and composite headfoils
and forestays will be allowed but non-metallic standing
rigging for the shrouds will not.
So, as the America's Cup circus rolls into action
once again, the next round of racing promises to be
closer than ever before with a far greater emphasis
on crew work than in the past.
Before the identity of the host
city was made known, Michel Bonnefous , the Chief
Executive Officer of AC Management, announced that
Louis Vuitton would be the principal partner of the
32nd America's Cup, continuing a 20-year relationship
between the luxury goods maker, and the world's most
prestigious sailing race.
For the first time, Louis Vuitton will be the principal
partner for the America's Cup Match, in addition to
the pre-regattas, and the Challenger races. Louis
Vuitton Watches will be the Official Timer for all
events, and the Louis Vuitton Cup will be awarded
to the winner of the Challenger Selection Series.
Michel Bonnefous continued the ceremony by speaking
about many of the new elements that will be a part
of the 32nd America’s Cup, including a full programme
of racing beginning in September 2004.
2004
Early Feb : Teams meet in Valencia
March : Dates and venues for the 2004 pre-regattas
to be confirmed
19-27 June: Newport, RI regatta. This will be a promotional
regatta similar to the Moët Cup and does not
comprise part of the AC pre-regatta series.
The first pre-regatta will be held in Valencia in
September, 2004.
Two more events will follow that year (before the
end of October). Michel Bonnefous said each of the
three final Host City candidates will be offered one
of these events.
2005
Three events that year (The final program will be
known in the fall of 2004).
The first in Valencia in May or July.
The second "in the north of Europe" where
the future challengers can "show" their crew as well
as the Cup in their countries.
The third could be held in the USA.
2006
Two events in Valencia that year (for about fifteen
days).
A demonstration pre-regatta could be organized in
a place still to be decided.
2007
3 April: Unveiling of challengers and the defenders.
Skirts covering underbodies are permitted until this
date.
4-7 April: Fleet race regatta in Valencia. One of
the new yachts must be used for this race.
16 April: Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series begins
for two months
Following the announcement of the venue of the
next cup competition in Geneva on Wednesday, a draft
copy of the America's Cup-class rules will be presented
at a media conference at the successful venue on Thursday.
The rules set stringent design criteria and are revised
after each regatta by America's Cup management with
input from the defender, challenger of record and
various other syndicates.
It is understood the rules have been adjusted slightly
to allow boats to be lighter and have more sail area.
"There were really two options," Coutts said
from Switzerland. "One was to change the rule dramatically,
which is what I was actually in favour of, but not
many others were".
"I wanted to have a more radical boat that would be
faster downwind and would sort of be a complete change.
Most other people felt they wanted to keep the boats
the same which should, in turn, save some costs -
which is a benefit."
The cost of competing is the sticking point for potential
challengers.
"Certainly we would love to reduce the costs," Coutts
said. "It is fair to say, though, that probably not
everyone is that focused on reducing the costs, but
certainly Alinghi is."
He said it was too hard to say how much was needed
for a campaign. But regardless of cost, Coutts has
heard of several possible challengers.
"Apparently there are three syndicates who are going
to announce immediately after the venue announcement,"
he said. "There seems to be at least two strong syndicates
from Italy forming, and there is talk of three there".
"It sounds like there is a chance the Swedes will
be back and there will be a new challenge out of Spain.
There are a few things in the rumour mill right now."
"
ISAF
Signs With The 32nd America's Cup (11/11/03)
(source
: America's
Cup)
The event authority for the 32nd America's Cup
and the International Sailing Federation have signed
a sanctionning agreement for the competition.
The agreement is similar to sanctioning agreements
that ISAF has had with previous America's Cup event
authorities. The agreement governs all competition
in the 32nd America's Cup plus all supplementary events
organised for the America's Cup Class by AC Management
up to the end of the last race of the 32nd America's
Cup Match.
"After very constructive discussions, I am delighted
that we can now jointly move forward with the organisers
of the next America's Cup", ISAF President Paul
Henderson said. "The first time for this event
in Europe will be of unbelievable benefit to the profile
of our sport."
The sanctioning agreement provides the 32nd America's
Cup organisers the right to use the ISAF Racing Rules
and Match Racing Rules, along with the right to engage
ISAF qualified umpires and judges and all other services
ISAF can provide.
"Any top sport has an efficient set of rules and the
America's Cup is no exception and depends heavily
on the use and interpretation of these rules sometimes
under extreme pressure", AC Management CEO Michel
Bonnefous commented. "The work done by the ISAF
umpires during the America's Cup competitions is extremely
important for the rest of the sport of sailing, and
the whole of the America's Cup community welcomes
this agreement."
"The America's Cup is the very pinnacle of our sport
and is extremely important for ISAF's rules, judges
and umpires", ISAF Vice-President David Kellet
also commented. "The experience gained at this
unique and professional event benefits the whole of
the sport of sailing."
The
America's Cup 2007 is on track (09/23/03)
(source
: Libération)
"The cup left Europe in 1851 and it has never
come back. If it does, I am sure the cup will become
a bigger event", Bruno Troublé said
just before Team Alinghi's America's Cup victory
in Auckland in March 2003. "We will reach another
level in terms of owners, media coverage and interest."
A diagnosis which is fully supported by Ernesto
Bertarelli who assigned her a school chum Michel
Bonnefous to study a complete overhaul of the America's
Cup long before anybody knew Team Alinghi would
emerge as the winner.
Now, the former executive director of the Swiss
challenge is in charge of AC Management, a new structure
put in place in order to manage the event side of
the America's Cup, including choosing the host city.
"The general idea was to separate the sports
Team (Alinghi) - which defends the Trophy - from
the commercial organisation (AC Management)",
Michel Bonnefous said. "After we won the trophy,
I want to create a modern and profitable event".
To do it, it's very simple : AC Management uses
the Alinghi's method and hires the best professionals
irrespective of nationality.
"Our mission is to recruit the best available
talent", Bonnefous explained. "We have
recruit several marketing specialist from UEFA (the
Union of European Football Associations) and from
IOC (International Olympic Committee), media and
sponsoring Experts, lawyers".
The ACM Team includes approximately twenty people
(80/100 during the event). Among them, former Louis
Vuitton Cup members Marcus Hutchinson and Dyer Jones
will be respectively "head of the media team"
and "regatta director".
It must be noticed that Michel Bonnefous have a
lot of work ahead of him. All competition aspects
had to be reviewed to allow AC Management to fulfil
its commitments for a new Cup.
Louis Vuitton was one of the first to realize it.
The French company has discovered the pleasure of
having competitors to organize the Challenger selection
Series.
"Louis Vuitton is an historical and logical
partner since twenty years but the cost is significantly
higher now", explained Michel Bonnefous. "We
have to take into account the new offers from some
companies, as Swiss watch maker, which are ready
to pay to become the new sponsor".
Nevertheless, one of ACM's main responsibilities
is to select the host site for the America's Cup.
As Palma has been dropped from the list, Naples,
Marseille, Valencia and Cascaïs remain ahead
of the final choice of venue in mid-December this
year.
"The four remaining cities are worthy candidates",
Bonnefous said. "But since the end of August,
the creation time is over. The promises must be
turned into reality and the tone is more mercantile".
"It will be contract reality which choose the
venue", he added. "We can't decide until we
have confirmed commitments of investment offered
by the region, cities and government. So its taking
time".
In spite of Chris Dickson has said that $100 million
is a "realistic" budget for 2007, a good field of
teams seems possible according to AC Management.
"We work narrowly with Oracle, the Larry Ellison's
syndicate and I disseminate information to serious
candidates", Michel Bonnefous said. "Ross
Blackman (Team New Zealand) was in my office last
week and yesterday I answered Paul Cayard".
