Yachting: Orchestrated send-off inspires rivals

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

You can hear the rival orchestras for nautical miles around.

At 10.30 am most days, the three-movement concerto begins at AmericaOne - with a wave of conductor Paul Cayard's hand the send-off band kicks off with trumpets, bells and whistles.

The second movement is next door, as the Prada boats ease out to the more melodic strains of the Luna Rossa song.

The final cadenza is completed by the trumpeting chords of the mega-yachts.

AmericaOne's musicians, from babies to grandparents, are dressed in fluorescent lime green - wigs, masks, feather boas, sunglasses, leis and top hats. They play lime green trumpets, whistles, maracas, cow bells and deafening air horns.

Next door, the passionate Italians have a more subdued dress sense - but louder brass.

"We're wild; they're a little more controlled," said one AmericaOne supporter.

Neither party can compete, however, with the cacophony of horns from the super yacht section.

As the racing machines leave their bases and reach the mouth of the Viaduct, the big boats begin their chorus - which can stretch to three minutes of tireless blasting.

After a breakfast of croissants and strong black coffee, Prada's supporters step out on the balcony and wait for the chase boat engines to start. Then they begin waving and cheering to their theme tune, Luna Rossa, an old Neapolitan song with the same name as their boats.

AmericaOne, who leave for the race course first every day, have a repertoire of 12 themes - on Saturday the green-and-grey boats pulled out to the strains of Billy Idol's Rebel Yell.

That same day - a horrendous day at sea for AmericaOne when the boat and its crew came home battered, bloodied and broken - there was the same crazy welcoming team waiting.

They were still waving green flags and pom poms, to the fighting Chumbawumba theme "I get knocked down, but I get up again."

"Everyone was just so happy that they were back and safe, and they had fought really hard," said AmericaOne spokeswoman Gina von Esmarch.

Team New Zealand's black boats slip out between the two challengers in virtual silence.

As the challenger boats return, it is the same in reverse.

About 1000 fans line the seawalls waving the flags of Italy and Brazil (for Prada tactician Torben Grael) before the relentless orchestras fire up again.