Court action warning

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 38

Court action warning

NZPA-AAP Perth Alan Bond has warned of court action against the San Diego Yacht Club over its threat to exclude all but New Zealand from the next America’s Cup challenge. The Bond Syndicate chairman has also called a meeting in New York on December 10 of the five nations which want to take on cup defender Dennis Conner in the big super-maxi yachts.

The decision of the. New York Supreme Court in favour of the New Zealand challenger, Michael Fay, has opened the way for the cup to be contested by superboats twice the length of the traditional 12 metre boats. But Conner’s Sail America Foundation, which is defending the cup through the San Diego club, says if it’s forced to race in super-maxis, it will only accept New Zealand’s bid — shutting out Australia and other nations.

Bond said he could not believe the Americans’ “highhanded” attitude.

"The San Diego Yacht Club knows full well that there is widespread international in-

terest in the superboat challenge. “I am angry that after issuing six consecutive challenges I’m now being told by San Diego that I am not going to be able to participate in what will surely be the most spectacular defence of the cup in 50 years.” Bond said the New York meeting, to be attended by Fay, Britain’s Peter De Savary, Alain Pastur of France and Japan’s Masakazu Kobayashi, would present a united front to the San Diego club, committing the group’s readiness for a match.

He said if necessary, he would brief Bond Syndicate lawyers in preparation for court action against the San Diego Yacht Club should it maintain its current stand on a single challenger. Bond said he may also seek the support of former holders, the New York Yacht Club, to try to maintain the multi-challenger format. Designer Ben Lexcen has spent the last four months designing a super-maxi, which has a waterline length of 90 feet.