Yachting: Things starting to get serious

By Suzanne McFadden

The challengers don't want to play any more.

The time has come for all the America's Cup syndicates lining up in next week's Louis Vuitton Cup to get serious.

Only two of the 11 challengers turned up for a practice race on the Hauraki Gulf course yesterday. The others either stayed on shore, further tweaking their raceboats, or went out and did their own thing.

AmericaOne had a lively tussle with Spanish Bravo Espana in two races, winning by five boat lengths each time. Prada turned up later and ran through nine starts with their two new Luna Rossa boats.

The underwhelming interest in the racecourse area did not bother the principal race officer, Vince Cooke. He says his 160-strong team of volunteers are ready to fire the startgun for the regatta proper next Monday.

"We've presented two courses out here, but unfortunately the syndicates have their own agendas," Cooke said. "We've been under-subscribed.

"But we have accomplished all of our objectives, so it has worked out okay."

For the past week, the race committee have been running through the full race-day scenario on two courses, named Atlantic and Pacific. Yesterday the police and the professional umpires joined in as well. Today is their final practice.

Most of the syndicates have joined in the dress rehearsals.

Young America have not raced on the course, and Dennis Conner's Stars and Stripes was present at one start but then sailed off. The Swiss Fast 2000 syndicate, in their yellow Be Happy boat, are the only team who have not checked in with the committee boat.

Cooke, a former United States Navy Seal, reckons his race team are further advanced than the committee in San Diego were four years ago.

"We are probably at the level the San Diego team were 75 per cent of the way through the last America's Cup," he said.

"The volunteers out here have done an exceptional job of paying attention. Everyone has turned up every day, and they're ready for racing to get under way.

"I'm sure there will be mistakes - there always are when you're dealing with 160 people on two racecourses."

In the last week, two days have been missed because of forecasts of strong winds.

On the days that racing is abandoned, from now through until the America's Cup match, the 160 volunteers' lunches will be donated to the City Mission.