Skirt's mysteries not distracting challengers

By JULIE ASH

Just what is Team New Zealand hiding under that skirt?

Maybe it's an extra rudder. It could be a revolutionary keel, then again it could be nothing.

"We'll just let the mystery float," said Team New Zealand designer Clay Oliver.

To protect their new yacht NZL81 from prying eyes, Team New Zealand have been towing it out to the Hauraki Gulf with its skirt on - something that hasn't been seen before.

"We've got a big responsibility to the country and we have got a lot of good ideas. We are going to try and keep those protected as long as we can," Oliver said.

In the past New Zealand have impressed the sailing world with their innovations, but are the nine challengers worried?

No, say the challengers - they simply don't care what's under the skirt.

Oracle BMW Racing's sailing operations manager John Cutler said that with the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series just over two weeks away his team had not given a moment's thought about what Team New Zealand were hiding.

"In six months time we could come up against Team New Zealand, in which case what they have out there now will be different down the track," he said.

"Obviously our focus now is on ourselves."

OneWorld Challenge executive director Bob Ratliffe said he had no idea what they were hiding.

"And we really don't care. We are only concerned with what is under our own skirt," he said. But Ratliffe is sure of one thing that won't be under the skirt - "It won't be two legs with wobbly knees."

Added Mascalzone Latino skipper Vincenzo Onorato: "People are always scared of what they don't know.

"Team New Zealand are very clever but in any case the best thing Team New Zealand have they don't have to hide.

"They are the best sailors in the world and that is something to be scared about."