Cup Skippers See Need To Slash Costs

The Sun Herald

Saturday May 9, 1992

BOB ROSS

ON the eve of the 28th America's Cup the main participants - Paul Cayard, skippering the challenger Il Moro di Venezia for the Italians and Bill Koch heading the America 3 for the United States - were asked to put the event in an historical time frame and look to the Cup's future.

The prolonged court dispute after the farcical mis-match in 1988, when Dennis Conner successfully defended the Cup for the San Diego Yacht Club against the giant 90ft waterline New Zealand challenger, damaged the Cup's status as yachting's greatest prize and its wider public perception as one of the world's greatest, as well as the oldest, sporting trophies.

In San Diego, where the struggle of the America's Cup organising committee to ward off bankruptcy has limited its ability to promote the event, there has been public apathy.

Unlike the 1986-87 regatta off Fremantle, where the docks of all the teams were concentrated, the scattered nature of the syndicate bases and the high security surrounding them in San Diego has not helped awareness and interest in the event.

Cayard and Koch, along with all the other competitors, agree that this must be changed.

They also agree that the racing in the new America's Cup class has been close and exciting, despite the predominance of light winds.

"This one, from a racing standpoint, has really shaped up to be one of the best America's Cups ever," Cayard said.

New countries had been involved - Japan and Spain at a good competitive level - as well as previous competitors France, Sweden, New Zealand, Italy, the US and Australia.

All had been aware of their responsibilities to promote and provide a great race.

"I think that has happened here better than ever and is one of the best aspects of this Cup," Cayard said.

Koch said: "I agree with Paul in many respects. I think this will be certainly one of the most interesting America's Cups ever outside of Fremantle.

He said the racing off San Diego had been exciting in spite of the light air and lumpy seas.

"I think the technology has been fascinating and probably more advanced than ever," Koch said.

"The only cloud over this event, which makes it controversial but which also makes it exciting and stimulating for the public, has been the amount of money (spent on it) and the organisation of it."

Koch, who has spent $US64 million on the America 3 campaign, said his favourite answer to the question of curtailing America's Cup costs was to go for a smaller yacht than the current 75-footers, like the 50ft class where a whole campaign would cost $US5 million to $US10 million.

© 1992 The Sun Herald

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