Yachting: Troika set to take over role of Blake

By Suzanne McFadden

Russell Coutts looks certain to run Team New Zealand in the same exclusive fashion that has won the America's Cup two times running.

Even with a change of guard at the top, the defence is likely to be a one-team show for 2003.

Most of the 32-strong sailing team will return - some of them for a sixth Cup campaign.

The leadership is new, but they are old familiar faces - skipper Coutts, tactician Brad Butterworth and design coordinator Tom Schnackenberg will share the responsibilities handled by Sir Peter Blake in the last two campaigns.

Young star Dean Barker will take over Coutts' role as the No 1 helmsman.

But don't expect Team New Zealand to open their doors to a bit of local competition. The chances of a defender series are like Prada's score in the Cup - zero.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, which officially holds the Cup, gets to make the decision.

Commodore Peter Kingston made it pretty plain yesterday.

"The decision is a very easy one to make," he said. "We couldn't get a better team than we have now.

"If anyone can suggest a better way of doing it, I would like to find out.

"Without making any commitment, I would very seriously consider one defence, made by Team New Zealand."

Coutts was not so cuttingly obvious.

"This time it worked so we'd have to have a good reason to change. But we're not going to not consider it."

There is a kind of superstition inside the walls of Team New Zealand that you do not fix things that aren't broken.

But there are certain to be aspects of this campaign that the new Big Three did not agree with.

A day after retaining the Cup, Coutts was not spouting forth with his plans.

He could not even say who - if anyone - would assume the head role vacated by Sir Peter.

"We're not big on titles. We haven't decided the responsibilities yet - maybe we won't," he said.

"I think Tom, Brad and I will complement each other nicely."

One of their first duties is to sit down with the existing Family of Five sponsors, whose contracts have not expired yet.

Coutts plans to keep most of the team together, but he wants to introduce new blood, as he did with Barker.

There will probably be a couple of retirements, too.

Kiwi sailors who cannot see a door opening for them at Team New Zealand have until next March 1 - the new nationality deadline - to set up home in another country if they want to sail in the 2003 Cup.

That date is also the first deadline for challenger entries, where the fee is $US150,000 ($308,000).

At the late-entry cutoff a year later, the fee is doubled.

Yacht Club Punta Ala, the home of Prada, have already paid the fee as the Challenger of Record for the next Cup. Mr Kingston has had a verbal challenge from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, and a phone call from an interested yacht club in Sweden.