Defender: Big Target for Armchair Skippers

Isn’t it just swell how everyone is an “instant” expert these days on WHAT the winning Alinghi Defender SHOULD BE DOING about the NEXT America’s Cup.

Hello: Doesn’t anyone remember the standoffish way that the New York Yacht Club conducted its “winning defenses” way back when when they where kings of the Cup? They pretty much did whatever they wanted to stack the deck in their favor before each challenge. The challenges got little if any say in any matter, ever. It was inevitable that one Challenger would find a way to bend the rules in his favor and win the thing away from the stalwarts.

(The simple fact here, however, in taking the cup away from the USA, Australia also seems to have taken away the USA AUDIENCE. America’s Cup Commentator, America’s Cup Veteran and Sailing Expert Gary Jobson claims that fewer than 70,000 USA households actually WATCHED the 32nd Cup Challenge (while the cup folks claim millions did, billions globally—I ask: Who? Where? When?). I keep asking around and haven’t found ANYONE to saw more than a few minutes of it here in Connecticut. It seems cup TV coverage only thrives on USA ownership of the Cup, controversy when we lose it, and Olympic-type country-on-country competitions. And it doesn’t have to be friendly, either, in this winner-take-all event. Unfriendly equals better TV?)

Now, the (expected) USA challenger (with initials LE), has launched the opening salvo on how the CHALLENGERS should be setting up the rules of the next engagement. Wrong? That ain’t happening, guys. Never has; never will. It was a quaint thought back in the 1800s to keep things “sporting,” but that’s a non-starter.

To the winner shall go the spoils: If they want to race the America’s Cup in 15-foot Laser dinghies…so be it. If they want to ALSO race in the preliminary trials, not just in the final venue, to test their boat speed…so be it. If they want it raced in five-foot long sailboat MODELS, such as the one’s they have at the Larchmont Yacht Club in New York during Larchmont Race Week (so the big-boat owners can race each other on equal footing), then…so be it!

This is a race, not a democracy; it’s purposely stacked toward the Defender; it’s a regatta with a gloss of “fairness,” and heavy dose of “We wanna keep it right where it is.” Always has been, certainly since the good ‘ol USA gave token roles to the Challengers. (You don’t keep a magnificent trophy such as this one without bending the rules a bit in your favor.)

And, if the Defender wants to wait a few months before announcing the new boat requirements…so be it. After all, trying to get ONE boat designer to agree with you on something is a challenge. Trying to get a syndicate or COMMITTEE to agree on ANYTHING, including what color foul-weather gear a team should wear, can be virtually impossible.

And, if the Defender (Swiss) wants to accept a Challenger of Record from a new yacht club in Spain - - the sailing venue - - so be it. And dang the lawyers…full speed ahead!

And, what about the Defender selecting the “appeals judges” . . . . so be it. Passing out the rules, ditto.

By the way, Biff Halyard thinks America’s Cup 33 in 2009 should be held in NEW YORK HARBOR, media capital of the world. How about that for a keen idea guys? It’s a perfect, natural harbor, with steady winds and thousands of potential viewers - - that’s just counting the one’s who are looking out of their office windows into the harbor!!! Every country who’s anybody has a presence here - - a mission or embassy, a bank, a money-losing hedge fund a Wall St. office of somewort, and who knows what else. It’s a natural venue, as are London and Hong Kong, but neither have the right SAILING conditions. Further, Mr. America’s Cup Dennis Connor is ALREADY here, with America II and two of his 50-foot training yachts sitting right in the North Cove Marina that he lends his name to, at the foot of Manhattan.

Just call the mayor and he’ll fly right over in his jet to meet with you. No charge, Biff would guess!