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Nice idea Brits organized 1st America's Cup, but have never won it
Posted: Friday February 25, 2000 03:53 PM
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- With the America's Cup again up for grabs, it begs the question -- whither Britain? After all, it was the Royal Yacht Squadron that put up the 100 Guinea Cup as a challenge for all comers on Aug. 22, 1851. A British fleet was promptly upstaged in a race around the Isle of Wight by the schooner America, which spirited the trophy off to New York ad gave it its name. Now, 149 years later, the Brits not only have never won back the America's Cup, they're not even in the picture. The last time England made the finals, in 1964, the Beatles were making far bigger waves than British sailors. In the decades since, two of Britain's former colonies, Australia and New Zealand, have won the America's Cup. A Union Jack hasn't adorned an America's Cup yacht since the 1986-87 challenger series in Australia. In 16 attempts to win back the Cup, the Brits won only five of 54 races. Maybe they did all their best sailing back in the days when cannons stuck out of the sides of its seagoing vessels. By all accounts, Britain has the talent, technology and money to return. Chris Law, a recently retired English helmsman, said he'd like to "instigate" a British challenge for the next America's Cup, which at the rate New Zealand's Black Magic is dominating Italy's Luna Rossa looks to be back in Auckland. Black Magic has a 2-0 lead in the best-of-9 series that resumes Saturday, providing the wind is more stable than it was Thursday, when Race 3 was postponed. Law says there's a framework in place to pursue a British challenge. He envisions British pizzaz, including a brass band sending off the boats each morning. "I think we would be welcome down here," Law said. "We'd have a great big Union Jack on our compound, the best parties and have a certain style." The biggest hurdle back home, as Law sees it, is the view among many that sailing is a "filthy capitalist sport" pursued by men in double-breasted blazers. "We sort of invented the America's Cup in 18-whatever it was, we discovered New Zealand with Captain Cook, we are the mother country and we are a seafaring nation, but we have fundamental problems with the nation I don't see we can overcome," Law said. "That perception has to be changed," said Law, who added that sailing is considered more of a people's sport in New Zealand. New Zealand is a long way from aywhere, both in time zones and the impact of sponsors' money. Jason Holtom, who sailed aboard Lionheart in the 1980 America's Cup trials, has his own theories. America's Cup campaigns can cost anywhere from U.S. dlrs 30 million to U.S. dlrs 60 million and English companies feel they have better things to spend their money on, Holtom said. "The history would suggest that British companies aren't going to pay for it," Holtom said. "You need wealthy individuals. That hasn't changed. What has changed, I suppose, is that the Cup has gotten more expensive in the meantime." Patrizio Bertelli, chief executive officer of the Prada fashion empire that's backing Luna Rossa, said he's spending U.S. dlrs 55 million over 2 1/2 years on this challenge. This is the second time in three America's Cups that Italy has reached the finals. In 1992, wealthy industrialist Raul Gardini funded an Italian campaign that was routed by a rich American, Bill Koch. Spain has mounted three straight challenges. France has been an America's Cup player since 1970. Even landlocked Switzerland had a sailboat in this year's trials, although it had to withdraw when its mast broke and finished last among the 11 challengers. Still, no England. Team New Zealand CEO Sir Peter Blake said he offered to share sponsorship ideas with the Brits, but was turned down. To raise money "means selling the dream to somebody, and they didn't manage to do that," Blake said. Should England ever return, it certainly couldn't expect to win thefirst time. It took New Zealand four tries to win the America's Cup, bringing it to Auckland after a 5-0 thrashing of Dennis Conner off San Diego in 1995. "We're sorry that they're not here," said Blake, who was knighted after the 1995 victory. "The more people we can get in the better." Holtom thinks the Brits could do just as well as any other European team. "The British certainly do regret there isn't a campaign, but I think they probably understand why," he said. When the America's Cup was smashed by a Maori activist in a politically motivated attack in March 1997, Garrard's, the crown jeweler in London that crafted it in 1848, repaired it for free. "It's the America's Cup and we have a sentimental attachment to it," the company explained. Sentimental attachment, maybe, but certainly not a physical one.
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