N.Z. team to beat, say yachting rivals

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 84

N.Z. team to beat, say yachting rivals

NZPA Cowes New Zealand, a handily placed third after the opening race of the Admiral’s Cup, was last evening paid the. supreme compliment by the two teams ahead of it, Australia and Great Britain. The team captains of the Kiwis’ main rivals

said the 1987 winner was the team that they most feared. The Australian team captain, Peter Shipway, told a press conference: “I think the Kiwis are going to be as hard to beat as the last time. “They are tremendous sailors and towards the end of the regatta they will be one of the top

teams and that’s for sure.” His Great Britain counterpart, Alan Gray, said: “New Zealand is full of talented sailors and I think Librah is a stunning boat. I believe we can win but if we don’t I expect New Zealand to take the honours

again.” New Zealand posted an early warning that it is not going to give up the Cup easily by making one of its best ever starts in the world’s foremost off-shore racing competition. It finished third of the 14 nations despite its dislike of the opening 30 mile inshore race in the Solent.

The New Zealand team

captain, John Newton, said that he regarded the race as a “lottery” with little skill involved. His prediction that this year’s Cup would be “harder than ever” to win was borne out by the fact that only eight points separated the first

three teams. The Australian trio of Madeleine’s Daughter, True Blue and Joint Venture finished the top team with 102 points. Three points away was Great Britain’s Jamarella, Juno and Indulgence. The New Zealand team

of big boat Librah and tne one tonntrs, Fair Share and Propaganda, was back in third on 94 points. Librah, skippered by Peter Lester, was beaten for the individual honours only by Jamarella. Fair Share finished in ninth place and Propaganda twenty-

fourth of the 42 competitors. The Farr designed 44foot Librah commissioned specially for the Admiral’s Cup was described by the Kiwi team manager, Ralph Roberts, as “magic.” “I don’t believe there is anything that this boat can’t do,” he said.