Yachting: Giant computer firm on board with Conner

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

The money has started to roll in for yachting legend Dennis Conner's latest attempt to win back his beloved America's Cup.

Conner's Stars and Stripes syndicate have signed up Computer Associates, the third-largest computer software company in the world.

After he was knocked out of the last America's Cup, four-time winner Conner bemoaned the fact that he might not return to Auckland because it was too far away from the rest of the world for sponsors to take an interest.

But since he has joined forces with his old bedfellow, the New York Yacht Club, the king of the cup is a lot more confident about bringing in the cash for the $US40 million project.

Conner yesterday would not divulge how much the new sponsorship deal was for. But Computer Associates will be the official platinum sponsors and technology partners.

Conner has also named the linchpins of his crew for the 2002 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series.

They include some who have sailed with him for the past 20 years.

Ken Read will helm the Stars and Stripes race boat again, after joining the Conner programme for the last cup.

Tactician Tom Whidden and trimmer Bill Trenkle are back for an eighth America's Cup campaign alongside Conner, and the team have picked up experienced mainsail trimmer Terry Hutchinson, who was a key member in Paul Cayard's AmericaOne crew last time.

Conner will remain skipper of the challenge, but it is unlikely he will be a raceboat regular.

Read said this week that if Stars and Stripes managed to snatch the Auld Mug back, it would not automatically return to Newport, Rhode Island.

He intimated that United States ports would have to bid to be awarded the right to hold the cup regatta.

American designers Reichel-Pugh will draw two boats for Conner, which will be built at the New England Boatworks in Rhode Island.

The New Zealand-based company Southern Spars will build the masts and booms for the boats, which are expected to be launched in February 2002.

Whidden is president and chief executive of the North Marine Group, which owns Southern Spars and North Sails.

That company will make the sail wardrobe for Stars and Stripes.

In his last campaign, Conner could afford to build only one boat, but he still managed to finish third in the challenger series.

His old boat, Stars and Stripes, has been bought by Seattle syndicate OneWorld and repainted black.

It is sitting in the Viaduct Basin in Auckland alongside the old America True, also now black, waiting for the new crew to arrive and take it out testing in the Hauraki Gulf.

Herald Online feature: America's Cup