Team meet

Notes from the latest America's Cup Challenge Commission get-together in Malmo

The Challenger Commission for the 32nd America's Cup ("CC") met at the call of the Chairman, George Clyde (K-Challenge) in Malmö, Sweden on Monday, 5 September.

Representatives from ten of the eleven Challengers were present:

- BMW ORACLE Racing (USA) -- Tom Ehman
- China Team (CHN) -- Xavier de Lesquen
- Desafio Espanol (ESP) -- John Cutler and Tanis Rey-Belter
- Emirates Team NZ (NZL) -- Kevin Shoebridge
- K-Challenge (FRA) -- George Clyde and Dawn Riley
- Luna Rossa (ITA) -- Bruno Finzi and Marco Mercuriali
- Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team (ITA) --Tom Weaver and Alessandra Pandarese
- Team Shosholoza (RSA) -- Salvatore Sarno and John Sweeney
- United Internet Team Germany (GER) -- Uwe Sasse and Wolf Dietz
- Victory Challenge (SWE) -- Bjorn Ohde

+39 sent their apologies. They had forwarded to the Chairman their positions on a number of the agenda items.

At the invitation of the CC, ACM Regatta Director Dyer Jones, PRO Peter Reggio, SRO Harold Bennett and Technical Director Ken McAlpine were present for a portion of the meeting.

Main decisions and points of discussion:

Malmö Louis Vuitton Acts 6 & 7 Review -- All agreed they had been very good events in terms of shoreside organization and race management, and asked the chairman to communicate the CC's appreciation to ACM and the local organizers. The friendly atmosphere encouraged by the 'paddock' shoreside set-up, also noted during the Marseille LV Act 1, was appreciated by all.

In future, it was hoped that there would be better pre-event local and regional promotion for the Acts. The CC also believes that the race committee could better communicate to the spectator fleet race-related info such as starting times, when time limits expire, penalties owed and for breaking what rule, and finish positions of yachts (especially in close matches and fleet race finishes).



It was agreed that the trial run of 'Bruno's Buoy' had been successful, and that with more experience perhaps more such buoys could be deployed. The Regatta Director doubted that the buoy could be used in Trapani due to the water depth there and related anchoring and anchor-retrieval issues.

Safety procedures and communications were discussed, and there were a number of experiences cited both positive and less so. Suggestions were taken on board for, especially, a safety meeting for the teams in Trapani to assure all are well briefed on procedures before the regatta begins. UITG is conducting a formal review of the incident involving the injured crewman, and will copy the CC and other teams.

Trapani Measurement -- The Technical Director reported that there would be no allowance for gravitational differences when weighing yachts in Trapani (as there had been in Malmö). Gravity, he said, is essentially the same in Trapani as Valencia. He does plan to weigh all the yachts again, though not necessarily do flotation checks.

Sliding Keels and Centerboards - With the Chairman nearly ready to make a submission to the Jury, on Saturday Alinghi came forward with a proposed 'Malmö Declaration' that all teams would sign undertaking not to use sliding keels or centerboards for this Cup, and agreeing that, taken together, the various provisions of the Deed, Protocol and Class Rule do effectively ban them without the need for further interpretations from the Jury or other tribunal. The CC welcomed this proposal. Subject to checking with their teams, and minor massaging of the language (including the insertion of a penalty provision specifying the consequences if the agreement is violated), all present felt that it was a good solution.

2006 Acts Schedule/Format -- Task Force chairman Tom Weaver reported that, since the CC's 23 Aug meeting, further discussions had taken place among CC reps, the Defender and ACM but no agreement had yet been reached. ACM said they would shortly forward another proposed format/schedule for all three 2006 Acts. The CC agreed unanimously that whatever schedule was finally agreed, that considerably more than the three days of live television currently planned by ACM was required, and that the live TV coverage should fairly give exposure to all teams, not just the four semi-finalists. It was also noted that the plan initially put forward by ACM over a year ago had been supported in principle all along by the CC, and it was hoped that the recent new and differing ideas from the Defender and ACM could be quickly reconciled.

Television - Strong concern over the weak distribution of the TV coverage was once again expressed, and the CC's TV task force was authorised to initiate a top-level meeting with ACM to discuss coverage and distribution, particularly during the remainder of the 2005 Acts and for 2006.

Team Photographers in Helicopters - A proposal by the Defender to amend the Protocol's recon rule to permit team photographers to take images (still and video) from above other teams' yachts during Acts racing (even if only for team promotional and media purposes) was not supported. It was considered unfair to small teams which probably need such images the most, but likely did not have the resources to obtain them on that basis. There was also concern about the Defender's proposal making it easier for the Challengers to be reconned. Instead, it was suggested that ACM provide access to event photographer and videographer images (stills and video) shot from a helicopter during racing for distribution to and use by all teams, with appropriate restrictions on what they can and cannot shoot (e.g., not directly over a yacht). Moreover, with all teams getting the same images after each race, adherence to the recon rules by the "pool" photographers could readily be checked.

Valencia Race Course Water Quality - Task Force chair Dawn Riley was pleased to report that Valencia 2007 had now agreed to meet with the CC's Task Force, and the matter will be the subject of a full discussion at the next CC meeting in Trapani.

Sail Limits -- It was agreed to recommend to the Regatta Director and Defender that sail limits be enacted again for 2006 as follows:

- 26 new "sail cards," and each team would also be permitted to use 22 of the 26 sails "carded" in 2005;
- older sails (built in 2004 and before) could not be used unless carded in and carried over from 2005, or as one of the 26 new sails carded in 2006; and
- only sails carded before the end of Act 9 in Trapani would qualify as sails carded in 2005.

For the Fleet Racing Regatta in 2007 it was agreed that 16 new sails could be carded, and a team could use any of the 26 sails carded in 2006 plus any of the 22 carded sails carried over from 2005 to 2006.

Other ACM Matters - The Chairman reported on recent meetings with ACM and the Defender regarding financial reporting and corporate matters, and noted the positive steps which have now been promised. The Challengers and the Defender will soon be given a new, more complete format for ACM's financial reports and projections.

Future Events - The Chairman confirmed his understanding that there will not be an exhibition regatta at Lake Geneva in August of 2006, and that it is unlikely that there will be an event in China in 2006. Challengers were continuing to discuss among themselves options for other events in 2006 in addition to the three ACM Acts, and this would be taken up at the next CC meeting.

Next Meetings - It was agreed the CC will next meet at Trapani on Tuesday, 27 September beginning at 0900 for as long as necessary (presumably most of the day), and again for a de-brief meeting following Act 9 on Monday, 10 October at 0900 for no more than three hours.

The Chairman reported that Louis Vuitton had again kindly offered to host a dinner for the CC in Trapani as they had in Malmö and Valencia. The CC expressed their appreciation to LV, Christine Belanger and Bruno Trouble for their generosity and ongoing support of the CC and the America's Cup in general.

Resolution of Thanks -- The Challenger of Record expressed their thanks to the Chairman, who had now been in that role for six months, for his continuing good efforts on behalf of all the Challengers, especially during the busy past two weeks. The CC, by acclamation, were unanimous in their support.

To read more about the Challenge Commission - click here