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Profiles of 10 America's Cup syndicates Posted: Wednesday September 25, 2002 1:40 PM
SYDNEY (Reuters) -- Following are details on America's Cup holders New Zealand and the nine syndicates competing in the Louis Vuitton Cup challengers' series which starts on October 1: TEAM NEW ZEALAND Defending champions Team New Zealand became the only non-U.S. syndicate to successfully defend the America's Cup when they beat Italy's Prada 5-0 in the 2000 America's Cup. However just weeks after their win the syndicate lost several key members including skipper Russell Coutts to new Swiss syndicate Alinghi. Coutts has been replaced by Dean Barker, who skippered NZL-60 in the last race of the 2000 America's Cup in 2000. He is supported by a loyal group of New Zealand veterans as well as some young talent. The design team is led by Tom Schnackenberg. Key Facts:
Country - New Zealand
Club - Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Boats - NZL 81
NZL 82
Syndicate head - Tom Schnackenberg
Skipper - Dean Barker
Helmsmen - Bertrand Pace and Cameron Appleton
Principal sponsors - SAP, Telecom, Toyota, Lotto and
Steinlager
Estimated syndicate budget - US$37.6 million (as reported by
media)
Design team leader - Tom Schnackenberg
LE DEFI AREVA This is the syndicate's second challenge to the America's Cup after they reached the semi-finals in the 1999 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series. With a larger budget and more time to prepare, this syndicate has a good chance but will miss the experience of 1999 skipper Bertrand Pace, who has joined defending champions Team New Zealand. Led by Luc Gelluseau, the design team have benefited from an ongoing development budget left over from the previous Cup. Key Facts:
Country - France
Club - Union Nationale Pour La Course au large
Boat - FRA 69
Syndicate head - Xavier de Lesquen
Skipper - Luc Pillot
Helmsmen - Luc Pillot and Philippe Presti
Principal sponsors - Areva, Monster fr, Bouygues Telecom,
Legris Industries and Leven
Estimated syndicate budget - $25 million-$30 million
(according to press officer)
Design team leader - Yaka Design Team, Philippe Pallu de
Barriere and Luc Gelluseau
PRADA CHALLENGE The Prada syndicate beat AmericaOne 5-4 in the 1999 Louis Vuitton Cup in the deciding race but were soundly beaten 5-0 by defenders New Zealand in the America's Cup match. Work for the next challenge started as soon as the 2000 event finished and the Prada syndicate were quick to acquire the assets of the defunct Young America syndicate along with several other key staff. Syndicate head Patrizio Bertelli and skipper Francesco de Angelis return in what is undoubtedly Italy's strongest ever America's Cup challenge. Prada have now spent more time on the Hauraki Gulf race area off Auckland than any syndicate apart from New Zealand. Key Facts:
Country - Italy
Club - Yacht Club Punta Ala
Boats - ITA 74 Luna Rossa
ITA 80 Luna Rossa
Syndicate head - Patrizio Bertelli
Skipper - Francesco de Angelis
Helmsmen - Francesco de Angelis and Rod Davis
Principal sponsors - Prada
Estimated syndicate budget - $55 million (press officer)
Design team leader - Doug Peterson
MASCALZONE LATINO Syndicate head Vincenzo Onorato has assembled an entirely Italian squad for Italy's second challenger syndicate. Onorato is billed as the skipper but it is likely that the talented match racer Paolo Cian from Naples will steer the boat. In March 2002 the team bought the 1999 Stars & Stripes from OneWorld and moved to Auckland to prepare for the Louis Vuitton Cup. Mascalzone Latino -- Latin Rascal -- was designed by Giovanni Ceccarelli and built at the Tencara Yard in Venice, where the five Il Moros of the 1992 campaign were built. Key Facts:
Country - Italy
Club - Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia
Yacht - ITA 72 Mascalzone Latino
Syndicate head - Vincenzo Onorato
Skipper - Vincenzo Onorato
Helmsmen - Paolo Cian
Principal sponsor - TIM (Telecom Italia Group)
Estimated syndicate budget - $30 million (reported by media)
Design team leader - Giovanni Ceccarelli
VICTORY CHALLENGE This syndicate was rocked by the sudden death of founder Jan Stenbeck in August. Stenbeck, a successful Swedish telecommunications and media entrepreneur, died in Paris from a heart attack after a short illness at 59. Sweden have been absent from the America's Cup since 1992 and the syndicate have assembled a team boasting Olympic and match racing sailors from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway. Double Olympic gold medallist Jesper Bank and Magnus Holmberg will alternate as helmsman. Key Facts:
Country - Sweden
Club - Gamla Stans Yacht Sallskap
Boats - SWE 63 Orn
SWE 73 Orm
Syndicate head/project leader - Mats Johansson
Skipper - Mats Johansson
Helmsmen - Magnus Holmberg and Jesper Bank
Principal sponsors - Tele2, metro, TV3
Estimated syndicate budget - Not given
Design team leader - German Frers
ALINGHI SWISS CHALLENGE Swiss bio-technology millionaire Ernesto Bertarelli rocked the America's Cup world in 2000 when he lured victorious Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth to his new challenge. With a large budget and multi-Olympic gold medallist Jochen Schumann running the sailing team, this syndicate from land-locked Switzerland heads into the America's Cup challengers' series as one of the early favorites. Bertarelli is the navigator on board the Alinghi boat as well as the financial backbone of the syndicate. Key Facts:
Country - Switzerland
Club - Societe Nautique de Geneve
Boats - SUI 64 Alinghi
SUI 75 Alinghi
Syndicate head - Ernesto Bertarelli
Skipper - Russell Coutts
Helmsmen - Russell Coutts and Jochen Schumann
Principal sponsors - UBS, Infonet
Estimated syndicate budget - $56 million (press officer)
Design team leader - Grant Simmer
GBR CHALLENGE This is the first British challenge since 1986 and the first foray into the America's Cup for syndicate head Peter Harrison. After selling his business for 300 million pounds Harrison decided to invest both his time and money into a challenge for the America's Cup. He has recruited twice Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker as skipper and seasoned Cup campaigner David Barnes from New Zealand to guide his relatively young crew. Key Facts:
Country - Britain
Club - Royal Ocean Racing Club
Boats - GBR 70
GBR 78
Syndicate head - Peter Harrison
Skipper - Ian Walker
Helmsmen - Andrew Beadsworth and Andrew Green
Principal sponsors - P and O Nedlloyd
Estimated syndicate budget - $30 million (press officer)
Design team leader - Derek Clark
ONEWORLD CHALLENGE After the 2000 Cup, telecommunications entrepreneur Craig McCaw assembled a strong squad including several veterans of Cup-winning teams led by Australia's Peter Gilmour. The design team led by Laurie Davidson, Phil Kaiko and Bruce Nelson also matches the calibre of the sailing team. OneWorld will start the Louis Vuitton Cup on the back foot after having a point deducted for possessing design secrets from three rival syndicates. The syndicate notched up some good results in the International Regatta in February using 1999-era boats. Key Facts:
Country - United States
Club - Seattle Yacht Club
Boats - USA 65
USA 67
Syndicate head - Craig McCaw
Skipper - Peter Gilmour
Helmsmen - Peter Gilmour and James Spithill
Principal sponsors - TechTV, SAIC, Lincoln, Nextel
Estimated syndicate budget- $75 million (press officer)
Design team leader - Laurie Davidson
TEAM DENNIS CONNER Dennis Conner, the most successful skipper in the modern America's Cup, is back for his ninth campaign. This year his Stars & Stripes syndicate will represent the New York Yacht Club. Conner won the America's Cup in 1974, 1980, 1987 and 1988, led two entries in the Whitbread round-the-world race in 1993-4 and 1997-8 and has won world championships in boats from 11 feet to 80 feet. For this challenge he has delegated the daily technical management to his partner Bill Trenkle and the sailing management to his skipper from the 1999-2000 campaign Ken Read. Conner's syndicate had a massive setback in July when their $5 million yacht USA-77 sank off the coast of Long Beach during routine testing. The 80-foot craft sank when a rudder broke but was refloated and has had a new bow fitted in time for the Louis Vuitton Cup. Key Facts:
Country - United States
Club - New York Yacht Club
Boats - USA 66 Stars & Stripes
USA 77 Stars & Stripes
Syndicate head - Dennis Conner
Skipper - Dennis Conner
Helmsman - Ken Read
Principal sponsor - Computer Associates, Citizen
Estimated syndicate budget - $40 million (press officer)
Design team leader - John Reichel
ORACLE BMW RACING San Francisco-based software entrepreneur Larry Ellison has put together a strong new syndicate with enough financial backing to challenge the favorites. Ellison has successfully raced his maxi yacht Sayonara around the world for many years. In 1998, he won the disastrous Sydney-Hobart race in which six yachtsmen died during appalling conditions. His design team is led by Bruce Farr, who designed the Young American pair which were widely recognized as the fastest boats in the 1999 Louis Vuitton Cup. Key Facts:
Country - United States
Club - Golden Gate Yacht Club
Boats - USA 71
USA 76
Syndicate head - Larry Ellison
Skipper and helmsmen - Peter Holmberg and John Cutler
Principal sponsors - Compaq, Oracle, BMW
Estimated syndicate budget - $80 million (reported by media)
Design team leader - Bruce Farr
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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