One World Diary

Mark Chisnell looks back at the CORM non-regatta, although he's not allowed to tell us what happened...

In this past couple of weeks we've competed in the CORM (Challenger of Record Management) non-regatta, and also launched our first new boat. The regatta-that-wasn't-really has been a strange affair. The reason it was merely practice for the race committee - rather than a proper event like the IACC regatta a couple of weeks previously - was down to the Protocol.

It goes back to an Arbitration Panel ruling on Prada's submission as to whether the Challengers could race each other, without breaking the Protocol's rules that forbid teams from co-operating (because of the limit of two boats per team - this rule having no force if two two-boat teams can join and effectively become one four-boat team).

The Arbitration Panel ruled that it was okay for teams to race each other, and laid down some parameters, one of which was to define a difference between official and unofficial racing.

Official racing meant that other teams can take photos and watch with more than 'casual' interest - effectively applying the same rules as for the Louis Vuitton Cup. In contrast, unofficial racing meant the team is just going about its normal non-competition business, and so the rules that forbid photography and anything more than casual observation apply.

The IACC Regatta organised by the Defenders was official, which was why we raced under the eagle eye of observers from all the non-competing teams. But because the CORM event was unofficial - at the insistence of some of the competing teams - we were unable to repay the compliment.

However, since I'm not allowed to tell you about the results anyway, all this is largely academic. Which is fortunate, because due to a little project going on in our boatshed, I only made it out for the first day, when the race committee stayed ashore. Although I suppose that since that was a day of unofficial-unofficial racing, I can tell you that we split the honours with the Brits after two races.

Ian and his boys are doing a great job on the water and it's also good news to hear that they are starting their second boat - this is a very smart strategic move. Whatever Peter Harrison decides to do next, carry on or sell-up, there's no doubt that the money he's spent will be better invested as a result of having that second hull. This will make the British team's assets much more attractive to a buyer if Harrison decides he's had enough, and give the Brits a flying start next time if he doesn't (assuming the boat isn't a complete howler, which I think we can take for granted).

One World races GBR Challenge at the recent IACC Regatta