Yachting: Challenger fleet one of biggest ever

By Suzanne McFadden

The British aren't coming and the Russians are still thinking about it. However, the 1999-2000 America's Cup will be one of the biggest regattas in 148 years.

Twelve syndicates have now posted their final entry for the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series in October.

A question mark hangs over the Age of Russia syndicate which has until 4 pm on Sunday to fax or e-mail its notice of entry to the America's Cup Challenger Association.

Last night, the Russians finally received a sail number - RUS62 - for the old 1992 cup boat they have rejuvenated, but they have yet to officially enter the regatta.

If they do turn up in Auckland, they will have the oldest boat with the newest sail number.

Sixteen yacht clubs paid their performance bonds by February last year. Since then Team Caribbean has withdrawn and the Spirit of Hong Kong has become defunct. Now the Spirit of Britain has folded, through a lack of funding.

There are no refunds for those challenging syndicates eliminated from the fleet this weekend - all have paid at least a $US100,000 entry fee and a $US250,000 bond.

The notice of entry must include the sail number of at least one boat that a syndicate intends to sail in Auckland. Sail numbers are issued at an early stage of a boat's construction.

This does not mean, however, that everyone will show up for the first race - round robin one, on October 18.

Dyer Jones, head of the ACCA, said yesterday that he was thrilled with the number of entries.

"I said there would be 11, and Bruno Trouble [of Louis Vuitton] said 10 - so I am winning the dinner bet so far," Jones laughed.

"But I think Bruno will be delighted to be a poorer man - 12 or 13 syndicates means a very successful event."

So what has happened to the others who have not entered yet?

AGE OF RUSSIA: Expect the fate of the Russians to go right to the wire on Sunday afternoon.

Until yesterday, the syndicate from the St Petersburg Yacht Club had not properly requested a sail number for the old America's Cup boat they plan to enter. The boat, built by one of two Russians campaigns which never made it to San Diego in 1992, was officially checked by a measurer last month.

It's understood the Russians wanted a special sail number but under the rules numbers are issued in order. They were given No 62 last night.

Russian commodore Vladimir Kulbida wants to bring the boat to Auckland on a ship he owns and he has looked at bases in the American Express NZ Cup Village.

As yet no Russian syndicate has ever made it to the starting line of an America's Cup regatta.

SPIRIT OF BRITAIN: The British have finally conceded defeat. Project director Angus Melrose admitted yesterday that the dream of having the first English challenge since 1987 had collapsed because there was no money.

"We went on struggling as long as we could. It would have been dishonest to take what money we had, and got so far with the boat, and then retrenched," he said.

A cloud of doubt has always hung over the Royal Dorset Yacht Club campaign, which sailed in the first Road to the America's Cup regatta in Auckland in 1997.

Melrose said they had begun to build a plug for a new boat but stopped when they realised no more money would be coming in.

He blames a disinterested corporate community on television hitches.

"New Zealand is a little bit beyond the back of beyond.

"Races will start at 2 am and finish at 5.30 am on television in Britain - that would register zero interest with even the most hard-core sailing fans.

"A delay in finalising the television rights scuppered us for sure."

SPIRIT OF HONG KONG: There has been no word from the Aberdeen Yacht Club since the debacle of the dodgy Spirit of Hong Kong syndicate in Auckland 15 months ago.

The syndicate left town in a hurry after failing to pay debts to local suppliers.

But the yacht club which originally issued the challenge in 1996 never officially withdrew from the cup.

There is a snowball's chance in hell that they will surprise challenger officials with an entry in the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, there could still be a question of eligibility raised over the yellow boat owned by the little-known French syndicate from Yacht Club de Cannes.

A debate is sure to rise over the nationality of the boat, FRA40, originally built in France for the 1995 cup, but added to by the Swiss Fast2000 syndicate which chartered it for testing on Lake Geneva and the Hauraki Gulf.

The next deadline the challengers must meet is 30 days before the first race, when boats that have not been officially measured must be in Auckland to go under the ruler.

Those measured at home have to be in New Zealand 14 days before race one.