Yacthing: Farce 10 wind blows through challenger fleet

By Suzanne McFadden

The opening scene of the America's Cup was short on drama and long on farce.

The disasters of the last week - no sailing, boats failing to turn up at the startline, one-yacht races and other races being annulled - have left puzzled Kiwis asking: is this is good as it gets?

This was to be the fair America's Cup.

So far in round robin one of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series - which never looked like ending - everyone is bending over backwards to be fair.

There were times when it was shambolic.

Protest hearings stretched into the early hours for a round where a win was worth one measly point.

The endless procrastinating won't help dispel the image that yacht racing is as breathtaking as watching grass grow.

When there was racing, it was often spectacular - only seconds separating the top guns.

But we want more of it, more often - no more one-boat races.

Race officer Vince Cooke, a former US Navy captain who gave orders for four years in Vietnam, got tough with dithering challengers on Wednesday afternoon, only to be later over-ruled off the water.

Two races were deemed null and void and had to be raced again yesterday - the results, by the way, did not change.

It seems there is a rule to suit every occasion in the America's Cup.

As a result, the first round has been painfully drawn out and long-suffering spectators have been confused.

After Wednesday's debacle, where crews were constantly asking for delays, Nippon skipper Peter Gilmour admitted everyone was guilty of taking advantage of the rules for something other than what they were meant for.

The challengers were responsible for writing the rules. Today they have to sit down with Cooke and decide if they need to change the words - that's if they want to keep their followers following.

One of the first questions that has to be asked is: when is a yacht "disabled"?

Is a broken batten reason enough to delay the start of a race? And should the race be stopped when the boats are in their pre-start ballet?

It was obvious that when the wind lifted to a moderate strength, bits of these brand new, hi-tech boats began to break and few wanted to sail.

Wind limits have been set to ensure the fleet does not fall apart before they find the strongest challenger to race Team New Zealand in February next year.

But they have to harden up to sail against the defenders, who want to race in any breeze that's blowing - and they showed that as they blazed through the middle of a challenger fleet who were pleading for time.

Team New Zealand will be giggling in their black boats right now as the challengers whack themselves on the heads with a wet newspaper. Toughen up, guys and girls - there's still a long way to go.

And as far as Auckland's winds are concerned - you ain't seen nothin' yet.