America’s Cup field narrows

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 32

America’s Cup field narrows

NZPA-AAP Perth Sixteen yacht clubs from six countries have their sights set on winning the America’s Cup from the Royal Perth Yacht Club in 1987. Eight are from the United States, two each from Canada, France and Italy, and one from Britain and New Zealand. The number has fallen from an original entry of 24 but is still by far a record. The previous biggest field was seven challengers at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1983 when Royal Perth ended the New York Club’s 132-year hold on the cup. In the challenge starting on January 31, 1987, the winner of the overseas elimination series will take on a Royal Perth defender in the best-of-seven races over a 24-nautical-mile triangular course. As many as 500 races, starting in October 1986,

may be needed to decide the overseas yacht to make the challenge. Australian yachts will take part in an elimination series to choose a defender. A meeting of overseas challenge syndicates in Sardinia in June heard that 16 of the original challengers had met the agreed deadline for paying their bonds and berthing costs to stay in contention for the series. Of the remaining eight in the original field, two United States syndicates and the Swiss entry have withdrawn. The other five — from Italy (two), France, Sweden and the Federal Republic of Germany — have forfeited their status as challengers for failure to meet the bond deadline. Some of those in the race could still drop out. The organisers say the final number of starters will probably be between 13 and 16. The huge expense of

mounting a challenge (some syndicates behind the clubs will invest $l5-$2O million) will be a major factor in deciding the line-up. Some clubs could find themselves without enough money and time to produce a 12m yacht worth pitting against the highly developed racers already being sailed by the richer contenders. So far, four Australian syndicates are seeking the right to defend the cup for the Perth Yacht Club. Heading the list is the Alan Bond syndicate from Perth, whose Ben Lexcendesigned Australia II took the honours at Newport. Challengers and defenders are seeking some design breakthrough that will give them the edge over the competition, as Australia H’s winged keel did in 1983. There is no doubt that winged keels will be fashionable in but the syndicates are silent about the design and equipment details.