TP 52 Worlds 2010

photos ©2010 Tim Birch

Valencia, 9 October 2010

Watching the crew line-up for the TP52 Worlds was a bit like reporting on the America’s Cup, so many names and faces were familiar. And of course, the America’s Cup Port venue and the waters off Valencia played their part in supporting this feeling.

Paul Cayard was sailing aboard Artemis, the Swedish yacht helmed (yes, helmed) by businessman Torbjorn Tornquist. Jochen Schueman, the German Olympic sailor (and former skipper of Team Alinghi) was steering Audi/All4ONE, whilst Terry Hutchinson, tactician aboard Team New Zealand, took the helm of US entry Quantum Racing.

Thanks to a Franco/German alliance, no less than 8 nations were featured in the championship which, due to an unfortunate earlier incident, left host nation Spain without a representative. Their yacht Bribon was severely damaged in a collision with Audi/All4ONE and could not be repaired in time for the start of the regatta. Nevertheless, Valencia provided a welcome mix of weather conditions which saw Argentina’s yacht Matador going into the last day just 3.5 points behind Quantum Racing.

After a two-hour delay, a 6 – 8 knot easterly set in and racing got under way.
The Russian yacht Synergy, steered by Eugeni Neugodnikov showed good speed off the line heading left. Artemis had a fine start and headed right. When these two crossed, Synergy had to duck behind Artemis. Meanwhile Bigamist, the Portguese entry steered by Afonso Domingos, continued out to the right and crossed the fleet coming into the top mark. Matador was over the line early and had to tack back, giving Quantum Racing the perfect opportunity to watch their every move. Their aggressive covering held Matador down in seventh place going into the first downwind leg and only some tactical sailing allowed them to reel in the American yacht before they rounded the bottom mark. During the final beat, Quantum racing carried Matador far out to the right “almost to Ibiza” quipped one of the cameramen. They rounded the top mark eighth and ninth, both carrying protest flags and followed closely by the on-water judges.

Bigamist led the fleet home to claim her first win of the regatta, followed by Audi/All4ONE, Cristabella (the first British yacht), Artemis and Synergy.
As Quantum Racing crossed the line just behind Matador, Terry Hutchinson ordered the removal of their protest flag and the Argentines generously applauded their well-deserved victory. Just 2 points separated these boats after nine races. Just 1 point separated the next four yachts but Synergy had done enough to hold onto her 3rd overall.

1 Quantum Racing USA 31.5
2 Matador ARG 33.5
3 Synergy RUS 41
4 Artemis SWE 41
5 Audi/All4ONE GER/FRA 41.5
6 Cristabella GBR 42
7 Bigamist POR 51.5
8 Pace GBR 72
9 Weapon of Choice GBR 76.5

Mike O’Neill

AMERICAS CUP BACK ON THE WATER!!

No, you read it right, this is no April Fool, this is the real thing!

For those of you who need a brief update on the reason for the long delay: Following Alinghi’s successful defence of the trophy in July 2007, they accepted CNEV, a newly-formed Spanish Yacht Club as Challenger of Record. The two teams set about changing the format and rules for future Americas Cup series. A number of other teams were outraged by this and one of them, BMW Oracle, commenced legal action against Alinghi in the New York courts, alleging that CNEV was not a valid Challenger of Record.

A court hearing in November 2007 found in favour of BMW Oracle but Alinghi appealed and, in June 2008, managed to reverse the original decision. BMW Oracle then counter-appealed and the whole thing was brought to an end with a New York Supreme Court ruling yesterday, 2 April 2009. An extract follows:

'Since CNEV has failed to show that at the time it submitted its Notice of Challenge it was a 'club fulfilling all the conditions required by' the Deed of Gift, it does not qualify as the Challenger of Record for the 33rd America's Cup competition and Supreme Court was correct in declaring GGYC to be the valid Challenger of Record.'

SNG, Alinghi’s home club said yesterday: “It has consistently been our view that the America's Cup should be fought on the water. Today through the American courts the Golden Gate Yacht Club has won the right to challenge the Société Nautique de Genève. We will now discuss the terms for the regatta with them and will prepare our defence of the 33rd America's Cup.”

GGYC, BMW Oracle’s home club have yet to comment, but a statement from Tom Ehman of GGYC following the first court hearing still seems relevant: He said ““From the very beginning this whole process has been about stopping the defender from imposing a wholly one-sided set of rules on the Cup that was strongly opposed by the great majority of challengers.”

CNEV issued a statement saying: Club Náutico Español de Vela (CNEV) and Desafío Español have received the news of the New York Court’s decision with disappointment.
The court’s decision confirms Golden Gate Yacht Club as the Challenger of Record, to the detriment of the Spanish club.

So what now? The situation was best summed up by Richard Gladwell of Sail-World.Com: “The fate of the America's Cup lies in the hands of Ernesto Bertarelli and his clubs and team.

Take the hard line and insist on meeting Golden Gate YC in a multihull and there will be another round of Court argument and Appeal, which will not be resolved for another two years, plus the 10 months taken from todays date for the match to be held - effectively three years.

Or, he can take the magnanimous line, agree to operate under Mutual Consent and run a multi challenger event, which could be underway in 12 months time (April 2010) with the first preliminary regatta being sailed off Valencia in the months time.

Your call, Ernesto.”

There will be more stuff to resolve before the show is well and truly back on course but we will keep you posted as the news breaks. Good sailing!
Mike O’Neill

Mike O'Neill writes regularly on Sailing and the America's Cup here