Louis
Vuitton format to be debated (27/12/02) (source
: NZ
Herald)
A revised format for the
Louis Vuitton challenger series will be debated after
the America's Cup amid unrest at a lack of racing
during New Zealand's peak holiday period.
Challengers' management head Luca Birindelli said
he and regatta director Dyer Jones had ideas about
the event's format, and an assessment of the current
schedule and any recommendations for change would
be included in a formal report once racing ends.
The new-style racing format for the challenger series
has caused some concern, with no racing during the
main New Year holiday period. There are only two teams
left, and they do not race again until January 11.
Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker this year described
the format as a shame and said the Viaduct Harbour,
bristling with crew activity until now, may end up
a ghost town over New Year.
Even the elder statesman of skippers, Dennis Conner,
has questioned the racing schedule. "How does that
make sense? To have everybody gone by Christmas, when
the holidays come and you've got all the good weather."
Racing, which finished on Monday, does not resume
for another two weeks when Alinghi of Switzerland
and Oracle BMW Racing from San Francisco race in a
best-of-nine challenger finals for the Louis Vuitton
Cup - which could be over in just five racing days.
The winner will challenge Team New Zealand for the
America's Cup from mid-February.
The format is significantly different to the last
event, and was agreed by the nine challengers. During
the last America's Cup, racing began in late October
with the first of three round robins, before a six-boat
semifinals competition which started on January 2,
and then a finals series later that month.
But this time the challengers, led by the bigger and
wealthier campaigns, wanted to ensure there was a
significant break between the Louis Vuitton Cup and
the America's Cup match, so crew were rested and boats
properly prepared.
With Team New Zealand stipulating the time for the
defence, the challengers began their series earlier
in October, and the knockout-repechage system means
the teams which keep winning have raced far less.
Alinghi has reached the challenger finals after just
22 races, and could reach the match in 27 races. Prada
won the challenger finals three years ago after 49
races.
Birindelli said this week there would be talk about
the format after the event, and a report prepared
- "Whether it will be listened to is a totally different
story."
