Yachting: Solo race organisers throw another obstacle at Dalton

12.00pm

New Zealand sailor Graham Dalton's hopes of competing in one of the world's great yacht races have been "absolutely gutted" by shock revelations that he has yet to qualify for the Around Alone race.

Just two days before he was due to sail Tauranga-built Hexagon across the Atlantic to the race start in New York, Dalton said he had been told by race organiser Clipper Ventures he had not satisfied race qualification requirements.

Speaking from the English town of Plymouth, he told the Bay of Plenty Times newspaper today he had thought the solo shake-down voyage between Auckland and Sydney he did in May would double as the qualifying trans-ocean solo voyage of not less than 2000 miles.

By the time he reached Sydney, Dalton had sailed about 2600 miles. He duly informed Clipper Ventures and sent supporting documents, only to learn later the voyage had not met qualifying standards.

"They told me I had not sailed in a straight line. I find that unbelievably difficult to understand. I took legal advice and my lawyer told me my interpretation was correct."

Dalton said he thought he had fulfilled the obligation to go from one port to another port.

As a result, the trip across the Atlantic to the race yachts' scrutinising port of Newport has become his qualifying voyage.

Dalton said all miles across the North Atlantic were dangerous, and being forced to sail alone to Newport had closed a whole lot of options and opened him up to the possibility that he might not qualify if, for instance, Hexagon lost its mast on the way.

It is the second time he has run into trouble with rule interpretations. The first was over Hexagon's design.

It was the first Open-60 yacht to be built in the past two years, and although Dalton said they had been sure the design was totally in accordance with Around Alone rules, it was made clear to them that they had "out-thought the opposition".

Clipper Ventures rescinded the notice of race and changed a rule, costing their bid $150,000.

Hexagon had been turning heads since it was unloaded in Zeebrugge, Belgium, and sailed across the English Channel to London.

The race starts in New York on September 15.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES