Yachting: Wealthy 'Rascal' enters cup fray

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

The latest billionaire to join the race for the America's Cup, "Latin Rascal" Vincenzo Onorato, is a world champion sailor in his own right.

The Italian shipping mogul, who will bring his Mascalzone Latino challenge to Auckland, drove his boat of the same name to victory in the world Mumm 30 championships last month.

But do not expect him to be at the helm of his sole cup yacht on the Hauraki Gulf in October 2002.

Onorato, aged 40, says he does not know a thing about matchracing, and will hand the job to one of his crew.

He has never been afraid to hire top guns to sail his fleet of yachts - among them Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, who helped drive Onorato's boat in the last Admiral's Cup.

The team of Mascalzone Latino - roughly translated as Latin Rascal - have snared the final berth in the America's Cup village.

The syndicate have set up home base on the Italian island of Elba, and have bought the old Spanish boat Bravo Espana so they can learn the ropes of a cup yacht.

Onorato owns shipping company Moby Lines, and could no doubt pay for the cup challenge with his loose change. But he wants to be known as a sailor.

Onorato told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that if he was walking down the street, he wanted to be recognised as a helmsman first, boat owner last.

He has chosen not to bankroll the syndicate alone, as rival Italian syndicate head Patrizio Bertelli has again done with Prada.

Instead Onorato has secured major sponsorship from oil company Shell and Japanese insurers Yasuda Kasai.

He does not intend to import any crew before the nationality deadline - he wants an absolutely Italian team.

Most will be yachtsmen who have sailed with Onorato before. The brains trust of the boat will be Paolo Scutellaro, Paolo Cian and experienced tactician Vasco Vascotto.

Mascalzone Latino are likely to build just one boat, designed by Giovanni Ceccarelli, who regularly designs Onorato's racing craft.

Onorato is painted as a man who loves the ocean.

"The first thing I remember when I was young is the sea, and it will be the last thing I will see before I die," he told La Gazzetta.

As a child, his father took him out on the family's wooden boat, but he never enjoyed the cruising holidays. His passion for racing yachts developed later.

Onorato is a Neapolitan, like Prada skipper Francesco de Angelis, whom he rates as a hero and a gentleman.

He will cheer de Angelis "every day" of the cup regatta, except the days when Prada meet the Rascal.

Herald Online feature: America's Cup