Cup Briefs: Swiss stay afloat

The beleagured Swiss challenge have found another sponsor to keep their cup hopes afloat. Fast2000 have signed up a computer company, CA, to help bankroll their troubled syndicate, which faced certain collapse a couple of months ago. A writ is still attached to their chartered training boat in Auckland for money owed to America's Cup Village Ltd for the Swiss base, but no further action has been taken. The Swiss predict that their new boat, being built in Geneva, will be launched in August.

It's a youngster's job

Teenager James Spithill will take the youngest America's Cup skipper mantle off Chris Dickson when he helms the Australian challenge in Auckland in October. Spithill, aged 19, will lead a crew of 11 young sailors aged between 18 and 22 in the team now known as Young Australia 2000. Dickson was 24 when he skippered KZ7 in Fremantle 13 years ago. The 73-year-old boss of the Australian syndicate, Syd Fischer, said: "It's time for us old guys to hand over the wheel." He says the crew will stick together through till the 2003 cup. Spithill is the world youth matchracing champion, and won the Coca Cola Cup international youth regatta in Auckland earlier this year.

Sails almost ahoy

The Japanese are keeping mum about their boat-building progress, but the launch of their two yachts is not far away. JPN44, the first new generation cup yacht to receive a sail number, should be in the water in the first week of July, with JPN52 a fortnight later.

All fun and no pay

Around 150 Aucklanders will work without pay to help run the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series for four months. Volunteers have poured out of the woodwork to help patrol the perimeter of the race course, set marks and fire start guns on the two challenger courses. All of the volunteers have committed themselves for the entire series. Some are retired people, but a lot have their own businesses and are taking time off for the whole challenger series