‘New boys’ emerge in triumph

Press, 20 October 1986, Page 44

‘New boys’ emerge in triumph

NZPA staff correspondent Fremantle

New Zealand has taken on the best in the rugged world of the America’s Cup, and come through its first round in triumph. The new boys on the world 12-metre block have survived the pressure sailing and the pressure politics, and come out on top. If in the world championships in February they showed that the 12metre is just another boat, they are showing the yachting world now that so far the elimination series is just another regatta. It is only the first round and there is a long way to go, but after the first lap the New Zealanders are co-leading the bunch.

The test now will be to stay there and survive the pace.

While it is accepted that the first round is only a warm-up, the Kiwis, who started the series as just one of 13 challengers, have emerged as one of the favourites.

Along with the New York Yacht Club’s America II and Dennis Conner’s Stars And Stripes, they comprise the A-Team and the target everyone must aim for. After 12 races, New Zealand — like America II and Stars and Stripes — has suffered only one defeat, each at the hands of ope of the others. And on the shore, the Kiwis beat off the hardnosed politicians of Conner’s Sail America syndicate who tried to get the fibreglass New Zealand boat retested — preferably by core sample

— to ensure she was legal.

While pointificating throughout that it was protesting only for the good of the 12-metre class, the Americans succeeded in effectively questioning the ability of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, and in the early stages at least virtually accused the New Zealanders of cheating.

The row was labelled “Glassgate” and whatever the Californians might say, was regarded by most New Zealanders and Australians as dirty pool — another controversy in the manner of the 1983 row over Australia H’s winged keel and dubbed “Keelgate”.

Bruce Farr, one of the three designers of the fibreglass New Zealand boat, summed up the attitude at the week-end by declaring his belief that Conner’s men were trying to put the Kiwis off their game. If that was the intention, the BNZ Syndicate 'chairman, Michael Fay, said yesterday that the row had absolutely no effect.

In the event the majority of the other syndicates sided with the Kiwis, shut Conner’s men out in the cold, and killed the whole question — probably for :good.

i While realistic, about 'the importance of the first series, Mr Fay, is delighted ; with the- Kiwis’ progress so far. “A year ago who. would have suggested that New Zealand would' come through the first round robin as one of the three top boats,'equal with New York and Dennis Conner,” he said yesterday.