CC MEMO -- Jury Guidelines for the Award of Costs

[UPDATED 6 April 2005]

At its March meeting the CC unanimously adopted a recommendation to the AC Jury, put forward by Luna Rossa, concerning "Guidelines for the Award of Costs" for protests/applications acted upon by the Jury. The Chairman was asked to finalize the wording and forward it to the Jury, Defender and ACM for their consideration. This has been done, and the recommendation is now posted here, password protected for CC members only.

Here is the draft issued by the Jury dated 13 Feb 05, also password protected, which was the impetus for the CC recommendation adopted at the March meeting, above.

CC MEMO -- China Team press kit

Prospective Challenger "China Team" has forwarded their press kit for the information of the Challenger Commission. It is posted here, and this is their opening-page graphic....



K-Challenge advises that, contrary to a recent press report, helmsman Thierry Peponnet (FRA) has not joined China Team and remains with K-Challenge.

CC MEMO -- MDS Working Party Meeting Notice

MDS Working Party chairman Luis Saenz (Luna Rossa) has called a meeting of Challenger meteorologists for Thursday 31 March at 10:00, location in Valencia TBA. Those unable to attend in person can join via Skype.

This in follow up to the decision from the March CC meeting (ref. March Meeting Media Statement):

12. The CC continues to strongly oppose, for technical and fairness reasons as well as the enormous expense, the Met Data Service program as currently spec'd by ACM. It was unanimously agreed to form a working party headed by Luis Saenz (Luna Rossa) including team meteorologists to recommend next steps, and, if necessary, prepare a filing with the Jury to formally dispute the matter with ACM and the Defender.

Any Challenger, or Challenger meteorologist, who has not received Luis's email invitation is urged to contact him (Challenge Reps have Luis's contact info).

See also the recent post, below, "Met Data Service, 'The Daily Sail' Interview".

REGATTA DIRECTOR -- Act 5 Notice of Race

In accordance with TOC 6.2, today the Regatta Director issued the Act 5 Notice of Race 90 days prior to the commencement of the pre-regatta (24 June), and the document is now posted here.

CC MEMO -- Met Data Service, "The Daily Sail" Interview

Earlier this week The Daily Sail ran a wide-ranging interview with the CC Chairman. Here is an excerpt concerning ACM's Met Data Service, in follow up to our previous post:




While the effect of the Acts and format of the Challenger Series may have the biggest impact on the 32nd America's Cup, Challenger Commission Chairman Tom Ehman says that their biggest bone of contention with America's Cup Management at present is over the joint weather program.

New in the Protocol for the 2007 America's Cup, was for Challengers and Defender alike to use one centralised weather program, the cost of which would be shared between the defender and the challengers alike. This was a great idea and well received among the Challengers as it would not only level the playing field for large and small teams, but would reduce costs and would also cut down on the number of weather boats bobbing around on the waters off Valencia. However in ACM's implimentation of the weather program, the Challenger Commission feel they have been steamrollered.

"The Challengers are extremely disappointed in ACM's handling of this," says Ehman. "Long ago they chose Alinghi's weather program and said 'we are just going to fund that and we are going to hire some guys'. In fact these are guys who worked for Alinghi last time and they have installed a program speced by Alinghi."

Alinghi's proposal, accepted by ACM, has been to place 20 weather buoys over Valencia's two racing areas. Meteorologists from the Challengers preferred a much simpler, less costly set-up with one weather buoy in the middle of both courses each supplimented by weather boats. "It wouldn't cost us much money and it would be easy to ensure that the data was good," says Ehman of the Challenger Commission's proposal on this subject. "If you start putting all these buoys out, it is very difficult to keep these things calibrated and so on.

"We scratched our head and said 'why spend 3 million Euros, doing this enormously expensive program and put these buoys all over the place? They are a hazard to navigation - as we have written to the port [authorities in Valencia]. And then it finally occurred to us what this does for Alinghi: We are out racing in our Challenger selection series and they have weather buoys all over the course. In the past all they had was the Go Virtual GPS data from the TV and internet show, but they didn't have both pieces of the puzzle [the boat telemetry and the on course weather info]. They didn't have the wind conditions local to our boats and you need both to make a good performance profile.

"So now by putting buoys over the course while we are racing, they are going to have the Go Virtual data from us and they are going to have the local wind, right there because you can't help but sail by these buoys. And they will be able to develop performance profiles of each of the competitors. You say 'well, you can do the same thing on them." No. They might be training on those waters and we might be able to get the wind information, but we won't have GPS data from them because they won't be racing and there's no Go Virtual. So it is grossly unfair. The teams have been bitterly complaining about it for over a year and ACM have just proceeded on. So from a standpoint of fairness, expense, safety, we have been politely, firmly objecting to this and so far ACM have done nothing but turn a deaf ear and go ahead spending our money. It is not on and if we can't reach agreement - we have appointed a working party who are once again going to try to get ACM to see the light and if not, I'm afraid we'll be in front of the Jury."

* * * * *

The chart from ACM of the proposed buoy locations:

REGATTA DIRECTOR -- 9th May Racing Rules Seminar

In follow up to our earlier post, ACM issued the following notice today:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

AC Management is delighted to invite all Competitors to attend a Rules Seminar covering the 2005 Racing Rules of Sailing as adopted for the 32nd America's Cup. The Seminar will be conducted by two of our principal Umpires, Brad Dellenbaugh (USA) and John Standley (AUS), on Monday, 9 May 2005 at 18h00 in the former Jury Room of the Antigua Estacion Maritima, Muelle de la Estacion, Valencia.

Competitors may send as many representatives to the Seminar as they wish. However, each person must be identified by name, to Tamara Martyn in advance. This requirement is for security reasons in and around the Estacion.

I expect that the Seminar will last from 2-1/2 to 3 hours and topics will include:

A. The 2005 Racing Rule changes and their effect on Match Racing.

B. The America's Cup Umpire's Call Book and proposed changes:

• Current Calls
• Procedure for submitting questions and scenarios.

C. The Racing Rule changes as they will apply to AC Fleet Racing

D. Discussion of unifying the Racing Rules for America's Cup (Match & Fleet Racing).

E. The benefits of deleting RRS 17.1 and 18.4. If 17.1 is not deleted, a proposal to implement a system in which the Umpires signal when a leeward yacht must gybe (second half of leeward leg), and the leeward yacht must gybe at the first reasonable opportunity.

F. Any other appropriate subject for the Umpires and Race Committee.

In the interest of covering as much material as possible, questions from Competitors may be submitted, by Email, prior to the Seminar. Please send these to my attention at [email address deleted].

This Seminar has been scheduled to permit those who sailed in Elba to travel to Valencia, and also not to conflict with the Challenger Commission meetings or other sailing events in the days following.

Please distribute this invitation, as appropriate, to those within your Team and be sure to communicate the names of your team attendees to Tamara as promptly as possible. We look forward to your participation.

Your sincerely,

Wm H Dyer Jones
Regatta Director

CC MEMO -- Engraving Space

In follow up to our previous post about the Cup mainsail logos, we were asked for details of the two bases added to the original Cup.

In 1958 (Newport), the Cup was re-awakened from its 21-year WWII hiatus. The previous match was in 1937 (also in Newport) -- the third and, as it turned out, final J-Boat match. To provide more engraving space for the '58 Match, NYYC added a seven-inch base. RNZYS added the second, larger base for the 2003 Match.


The original, on the cover of the 12 May 1958 issue of
Sports Illustrated. Note it was already being hailed as
the "Top Sporting Event of 1958." The defender trials had
not yet begun, and the first race of the Match
was not until 20 September.



The Cup in 2000.



The Cup today.

CC MEMO -- Acceptance of Team Capitalia

The CC is pleased to welcome as the 9th Challenger Team Capitalia (formerly Mascalzone Latino), whose challenge was accepted by SNG on 9 March 2005 and formally announced today. Team Capitalia represents the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia (Naples, ITA).

As the CC had been informed by Mascalzone Latino of its 9 March acceptance by SNG, in accordance with the Challenger Commission Memordandum of Organization the team was represented at the CC meetings last week by a voting Challenge Representative. The March Meeting Media Statement refers.

The list of Challenge-Acceptance Dates, posted on 28 February 2005, has been updated.

Click here for the ACM press release, here for the Team Capitalia announcement on the Mascalzone Latino website.

CC MEETING (MAY) -- Notice

The next meeting of the Challenger Commission will take place in Valencia on 10-11 May, 2005 with a welcome dinner on Monday evening the 9th. (The Rules Seminar hosted by ACM and conducted by the AC Jury and senior umpires will also take place Monday 9 May, prior to the CC dinner, from 18:00 until approx. 20:30.)

As the final challenge deadline is 29 April, the May CC meeting will involve only, and hopefully all, official Challengers.

Details will be emailed to Challenge Reps in April.

MEASUREMENT CTE -- PI 04, Media Equipment Compartment

ACC Rule 20.7 requires the Measurement Committee to issue a Public Interpretation to detail dimensions and a construction specification for a compartment on each Version 5 yacht to house media equipment supplied by ACM.

This Public Interpretation was issued last week, and is posted here.

REGATTA DIRECTOR -- Paint Specification

ACC Rule 23.1 requires the Regatta Director to specify the paint system to be applied to the outermost surfaces of the hull and the appendage(s).

Following lengthy consultations with the Measurement Committee and Competitors, the paint specification was issued last week and is posted here.


Regatta Director Dyer Jones.

JURY -- Notice 03, 18th Person Approval Procedure

On 2 October 2004 the Jury issued a procedure under which Competitors can get advance approval of 18th Persons, i.e., a ruling from the Jury, or agreement with the other team(s), before a race that an 18th Person does not have "acknowledged technical or tactical skill."

This procedure remains in effect for the 2005 Acts. Jury Notice 03 is posted here.

CC MEMO -- Las Fallas

The CC met in Valencia last week knowing it was "Las Fallas" week. We had been warned away by some, but encouraged by others to come and experience the city's annual festival that honors (among other saints) St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.

Las Fallas is easy to describe but hard to imagine -- perhaps Mardi Gras, Guy Fawkes, 4th of July, Oktoberfest and St Patrick's Day all rolled into one?

CC delegates who left Valencia before the climax yesterday, and team members not yet based there, will appreciate the following report, courtesy of today's ValenciaLife.net newsletter (www.valencialife.net)....


THE LAST ONE



Over ten thousand people yesterday crowded into the Town Hall Square in Valencia to witness that last Mascleta of the current Falla season, even crowding into the streets adjacent to the square to catch a glimpse and feel the effect of the explosions. Firework master Vicente Caballer received the order to start from the Falla Queen Gueguel Massmanian, who with the Junior Queen Cristina Sanchez, Francisco Camps the President of the Valencian Community and Valencia Mayoress Rita Barbera watched the spectacle from the balcony of the Town Hall. As was expected, Mr. Caballer did not disappoint, with fireworks being let off from around the entire square as a starter followed by the air ‘effects’ and gradually the volume of explosions rose until the final ‘earthquake’ that was delivered in two phases along with more air bombardments, effectively heralding the end of the display that used 120 kilos of explosives. More festivities took place in Valencia after the Mascleta, and these included the spectacular Carrafoc procession around Valencia, when fireworks were let off much to the delight of those lining the parade route:




The procession was a herald of the ‘Nit de la Crema’ when all the 700 Falla monuments set up in the squares and streets of the City were burned to the ground:



This year, some 410 firemen, many borrowed from other locations throughout the Valencian Community, oversaw the burning of the monuments, and particular attention was given to the Na Jordana Falla as its height – 31.18 metres placing it in the Guinness Book of Records – made it extremely close to the bell tower of one of Valencia’s most famous churches. As Mrs. Barbera had ratified a City Decree to enable the celebrations to continue until 4 am, many revelers had to make their way homewards carefully as they picked their way through the 3,000 tons of ashes that were being swept up by the City Cleaning Services, in order that all the roads be opened in the City today.



* * * * *

The 700+ sculpture-like "Fallas" are made of paper mache, wax and wood, and are whimsical parodies of life in Valencia, politicians, the rich and famous, etc. So it was not surpising that a number of Fallas this year took on the America's Cup and the Mayor. This one was just around the corner from the Holiday Inn where the CC met....



That's a sultanic-looking Mayoress, Rita Barbera, sitting on her magic Cup, and another of her blowing into the sails of an Alinghi-looking yacht off to the right.

"La Mascletá" is five minutes of intense pyrotechnics in the Town Hall Square at 14:00 each day of Las Fallas week. The Mayor, whose popularity in this town of nearly 1,000,000 rivals the Pope's, invites 250 VIPs to join her on the Town Hall balcony. The CC was invited on Wednesday, thanks to Luis Saenz of Luna Rossa. Luis, a three-Cup veteran and Madrid native, was an architect of the Valencia venue bid.


The Mayoress (center, white suit) on the Town Hall balcony on Wednesday.


Melinda Erkelens (BMW ORACLE), Dawn Riley
(K-Challenge) and John Cutler (Desafio Espana)
with the Mayor and other VIPs.


Luis Saenz (Luna Rossa).

By the end of the week, the noise is not only deafening, but nearly around the clock. For the CC and sleep-deprived teams who were in VLC last week, the question will be whether to take it all in again in 06 and 07, or head for the hills and a peaceful, quiet break.

CC MEMO -- Mainsail Logos

[Updated 22 March 2005.]

The CC has received a proposal from ACM to "update" the Cup logo carried on the mainsails. This would require an amendment to the AC Class Rule, which requires the unanimous approval of all Competitors (official Challengers and the Defender).

The present logo:



Proposed logo:



ACM has proposed allowing both logos to be used in 2005 and 2006, except that any new mainsail built would be required to carry the new logo. In 2007 only the new logo would be permitted. The CC will consider this proposal further at its May meeting.

Below is the actual Cup, as presented at the Prizegiving at Auckland in 2003, showing the newly added-on base to provide more engraving space. Note that it is the second such add-on to the Cup, which originally ended just below Ernesto's hand in the photo below:



Note that the proposed logo emulates "Version 1" of the Cup, while the current logo is somewhere between Version 1 and Version 2. Neither comes close to the present-day Version 3.

The mainsail insignia (in those days it was an "insignia", not a "logo") for the 12 Metre Class, the yacht used for Cup racing from 1958 to 1987:



Originally proposed for the America's Cup class when initiated in 1988:

REGATTA DIRECTOR -- Act 4 Notice of Race

In accordance with TOC 6.2, yesterday the Regatta Director issued the Act 4 Notice of Race 90 days prior to the commencement of the pre-regatta (16 June), and the document is now posted here.

CC MEETING (MAR) -- Media Statement

For Immediate Release
17th March, 2005 - 18:00


The Challenger Commission for the 32nd America's Cup ("CC") met in Valencia, 15-16 March, hosted in part by Valencia City and the Holiday Inn Valencia. Challenge Representatives from eight of nine official Challengers were present:

- BMW ORACLE (USA) -- Russell Green
- Piu 39 (ITA) -- Luca Devoti (alternate for Paul Henderson)
- Team Shosholoza (RSA) -- Salvatore Sarno
- Emirates Team NZ (NZL) -- James Farmer
- K-Challenge (FRA) -- George Clyde
- Luna Rossa (ITA) -- Bruno Finzi
- Desafio Espanol (ESP) -- John Cutler
- Mascalzone Latino (ITA) -- Tom Weaver (and Alessandra Pandarese, as alternate the second day)

Apologies were received from Victory Challenge (SWE).

Prospective challengers were invited for a portion of the meeting dealing with general business, and the CC were pleased to have representatives of Fresh 17 (Uwe Sasse, Marketing Director) and Sausalito Challenge 2007 (Ashley Tobin, General Counsel) in attendance. Apologies were received from Team C7 Malaysia and China Team/Le Defi, both of which had prior commitments related to their AC efforts. C7 and CT/LD did, however, forward comments on a number of agenda items, which the CC received with appreciation along with significant input from F17 and SC2007.

ACM CEO Michel Bonnefous, ACM COO Michel Hodara, and ACM Director of Operations Christophe Martin were present for a portion of the meeting on 15 March, and ACM Regatta Director Dyer Jones joined via telephone for part of the meeting on 16 March, as did Jury Chairman Bryan Willis.

Main decisions and points of discussion:

1. A proposal by ACM for the Challenger Selection Series scoring/format was, by unanimous decision, not accepted, and the proposal adopted by the CC at its February meeting ("San Fran Plan") affirmed. A working party of John Cutler, Tom Ehman, Bruno Finzi and Dawn Riley was appointed to meet with ACM officials, and attempt to reconcile differences and reach an agreement before the 29 April 2005 final challenge deadline.

2. A number of prospective challengers requested that the CC seek an amendment to the Protocol to postpone the final challenge deadline (29 April 2005) to a date later. This was not supported, and Prospective Challenger Fresh 17 wished to be on record as also not supporting any postponement. Likewise the CC did not support any relaxation of the rule requiring V5 yachts for the 2005 Acts and beyond.

3. A draft Act 4 Notice of Race, previously negotiated by the Chairman with Dyer Jones and Brad Butterworth (Alinghi) following guidance from the CC at their February meeting, was reviewed and supported with minor modifications. Notably, it was suggested that the per-leg time limit be increased from 40 to 45 minutes given the approx. half-mile increase in leg length in 2005 (the target length in 2004 was 2.0-2.5 nautical miles; and will be 2.5-3.0 n.m. in 2005). Also a proposal to delete racing rule 18.4 was not supported, but would be discussed with the Umpires and Defender at a racing rules seminar to be held at Valencia on 9 May. Further to the sail limits previously agreed, a limit of 20 "old sails" (sails registered before the end of AC 31 and those registered in 2004 for Acts 1-3) was agreed.

4. Jury Chairman and Chief Umpire, Bryan Willis, proposed that, in lieu of deleting RRS 17.1, the umpires could make a signal when they are certain a yacht, which is subject to RRS 17.1, must gybe in order not to sail above its proper course. Such a signal would obligate the leeward yacht to gybe at the first reasonable opportunity; a yacht failing to do so would be penalized. The CC received this suggestion with interest and appreciation, will consult their teams, and asked that it be discussed further at the 9 May racing rules seminar.

5. A proposal by the Defender to relax the 18th Crew rule, to allow persons with acknowledged technical or tactical skill to race as 18th Crew, was not supported.

6. It was unanimously agreed that onboard cameramen for the 2005 Acts should be permitted (as they were in 2004) only if ACM and their vendors comply strictly with all required insurance, indemnity and waiver provisions.

7. It was agreed that, during the 2005 Acts, V4 masts should be allowed to be used in the event a team's (only) V5 mast fails; any necessary rules interpretations or amendments will be sought with the Technical Director and Defender.

8. A proposal by K-Challenge to amend the Protocol to ban the use of land-based lidar, radar and similar to track competitors' yachts was unanimously supported, and the Chairman will pursue enactment with the Defender.

9. A proposal from the Regatta Director to add, for Acts 10 and 12 (Valencia 2006), knock-out semifinals and finals for the top four boats at the end of round-robin racing was supported, along with the proposal to have fleet racing for the eliminated teams concurrent with the semis and finals of those Acts. However, each team's Act 10 and 12 final position (carried forward for scoring purposes in accordance with the San Fran Plan and annual ACC championship) would be the position at the end of the match racing, not fleet racing. (Act 11, also in Valencia, is all fleet racing.)

10. Likewise, a proposal for a fleet racing series in 2007 during the Louis Vuitton Cup semis and finals (for all Challengers that do not advance to the semifinals), was generally supported; however a proposal that such a series be match racing instead of fleet racing was not.

11. The Chairman reported on behalf of the Challenger of Record that the ISAF Review Board had received an application from Russell Coutts concerning Protocol Article 13.12, that the Review Board had forwarded the application to the Defender (SNG), the Challenger of Record (GGYC) and ACM asking for a response prior to 21 March, and that a letter has been sent by those three parties back to ISAF drawing their attention to the ISAF-ACM Agreement signed in November, 2003. Under that Agreement the ISAF Review Board has no jurisdiction over the America's Cup. It was also noted that the Agreement states that the America's Cup can adopt, or decline to adopt, any ISAF Rule or Regulation; and that in the case of conflict between ISAF and AC rules or regulations, the AC rules/regulations prevail. The CC received the report and agreed no action was required or appropriate on the part of the CC.

12. The CC continues to strongly oppose, for technical and fairness reasons as well as the enormous expense, the Met Data Service program as currently spec'd by ACM. It was unanimously agreed to form a working party headed by Luis Saenz (Luna Rossa) including team meteorologists to recommend next steps, and, if necessary, prepare a filing with the Jury to formally dispute the matter with ACM and the Defender.

13. The CC asked ACM to forward to all teams the latest site plan for the Super Yacht Pier now under construction in the America's Cup Harbour. Teams will review and comment back to ACM with any concerns.

14. A re-draft of the ACM's proposed license agreement (ACPI) regulating the use by teams and others of AC symbols and trademarks was unanimously approved and will be forwarded to ACM.

15. The CC confirmed its view from previous meetings that, under the Protocol, the name of a country is not "advertising" even if that country is somehow involved in the sponsorship of a team, and welcomed the display of country names on genoas or elsewhere as teams saw fit. Any teams adding their nation to genoas would, for aesthetic reasons, be asked to use lettering in size and location similar to that already displayed by Emirates Team NZ.

16. A proposal from ACM to "update" the Cup logo on the mainsails was referred to the teams' marketing and legal departments. It will be considered further with the Defender (it would be an amendment to the Class Rule requiring unanimous approval of all Competitors), and taken up at the May CC meeting.

17. A number of ongoing, serious concerns regarding marketing, TV, promotion and other commercial issues were discussed at length. Various individuals and working parties were tasked to attempt to resolve the issues with ACM or recommend next steps to the CC at its May meeting.

18. Chairman Tom Ehman re-stated his desire, expressed at the February meeting, to step down following the 29 April 2005 final challenge deadline. George Clyde of K-Challenge has agreed to assume the Chair at the May meeting and to continue at least through the end of 2005, and this was approved unanimously. The CC expressed their appreciation to both.

19. The CC will next meet in Valencia on 10-11 May, and again in Valencia just prior to Act 4 on 12-13 June. A meeting to debrief Act 4 was also scheduled, to take place at 16:00 on Monday, 27 June, also in Valencia.

JURY -- ACJ-001/2 Decision, Definition of "Designer"

Having posted the recent Jury decision ACJ-004, we have been asked "what about decisions 001 through 003?" Working backwards, 003 is pending. 002 and 001 were issued jointly on 4th June, 2004 as follows.

Ruling Summary:

[1] The Jury has jurisdiction to deal with Questions 1 and 2.

[2] The answer to the issues raised in Questions 1 is 'no', i.e. the person referred to in Question 1 is not a Designer.

[3] The answer to the issues raised in Question 2 is 'no', i.e. the person referred to in Question 2 is not a designer.

[4] The total costs of the Jury for proceedings with each of Questions 1 and 2 are fixed at [Euro] 4000. Each of K Challenge and Mascalzone Latino shall pay [Euro] 2000. Such payment shall be made to America's Cup Management within 21 days of this decision.

The full decision is available here.

CC MEETING (MAR) -- Agenda

The Agenda for the CC's March 15-16 Meeting at Valencia is now posted here.

CC MEMO -- ACM "Met Data Service"

At the CC's February meeting it was unanimously agreed to send a letter to the Valencia Port Authorities concerning the implementation of the ACM "Met Data Service."

For over a year the Challengers have objected to ACM's acceptance of Alinghi's recommendation to spend Euro 3,000,000 to place 20 weather buoys in the racing areas. The Challengers believe that this large number of weather buoys will, for technical reasons, give a competitive advantage to Alinghi, is unnecessarily expensive, and will constitute a hazard to navigation. This latter point is the reason for our letter to the Port, which was faxed 21 February. The Port have now acknowledged receipt.

A copy of our letter (in Spanish) is now posted here. An English translation is available here. Below is a chart of the proposed buoy locations.

JURY -- ACJ-004 Decision, Alinghi's Interactive Model

Ruling Summary:

[1] "[Alinghi's] proposed interactive scale model does not constitute a scale model or scaled down version of an ACC Yacht in terms of Article 13.10 of the Protocol.

[2] Alinghi, prior to commencement of construction, must provide a number of written undertakings to the Jury, a completed copy of which will be provided to all Competitors.

[3] The plans, drawings and related information of the proposed interactive activity are to remain confidential.

[4] The costs of the Jury are fixed at [Euro] 10,000. Such costs are to be paid [by Alinghi] to America's Cup Management.

[signed]

Bryan Willis

America's Cup Jury:
Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler (SUI), Graham McKenzie (NZL), Henry Menin (ISV), David Tillett (AUS), Bryan Willis (GBR), Chairman.

1st March 2005

* * * * *

The full decision is available here.

CC MEMO -- Number of Challengers

In addition to the eight Challengers that have filed, I am in regular contact with the following groups who, as prospective challengers, appear to be making every effort to become official Challengers:

+ Team C7 Malaysia (MAL)

+ Fresh 17 (GER)

+ Mascalzone Latino (ITA)

+ Sausalito Challenge 2007 (USA)

+ China Team / Le Defi (CHN)

There are an additional five groups who previously have attended one or more of our meetings, but I have had little recent communication from them.

The CC continues to base its plans on plus or minus 10 teams, which has been our projection for almost a year now. No surprise, as historically that is the approximate number of challengers for every Cup since 1980. 13 challengers at Fremantle in 1987 was the highpoint, but recall that six of those were the first-ever American challengers (excepting, of course, for the 1851 challenge by NYYC and their yacht America).

CC MEMO -- New Racing Rules Seminar

In follow up to our request of the Regatta Director during the SFO CC meeting to move the proposed New Racing Rules seminar from June to May, Dyer Jones now confirms that it will be held on Monday 9 May in Valencia. It will begin at 1800 hours sharp and last no longer than three hours. Details forthcoming from Dyer.

As requested by several of you, this is the evening before our May CC meeting (previously set for 10-11 May at Valencia) to help reduce travel for some. Am told there is a match race event at Elba that ends on Sunday, but I understand travel back to VLC in time for Monday night is not a problem.

On behalf of the CC, our thanks to Dyer and Bryan Willis for making this happen.

CC MEETING (MAR) -- PC Invitation

TO: Prospective Challengers

As you will know the Challenger Commission is meeting in Valencia on 15-16 March. Several Prospective Challengers have asked if they could attend, and the CC has agreed to invite PCs, duly registered with ACM, to attend as follows:

+ Monday evening: our "no-host" dinner Monday evening (14 March) in Valencia, details to be confirmed next week.

+ Tuesday morning: the general part of our meeting Tuesday Morning beginning at 0900. We will ask you to give us a brief update on your team's plans and progress, and for your views on a number of specific issues on our agenda, as well as for any other concerns or issues you wish the CC to address. We expect this general part of our meeting to last approximately two hours.

+ Wednesday afternoon: a briefing for you at the end of our meetings on decisions taken. Target time is 1600 for an hour or so Wednesday afternoon, but we will have a better idea of this timing on Tuesday morning.

For our meetings, CC member-teams have limited themselves to one or, at the most, two delegates per team, and we ask that you please do the same.

If yours is no longer an active, serious prospective challenge, for the sake of time and cost we kindly ask that you decline our invitation. Otherwise, we hope to see you then.

CC MEMO -- Louis Vuitton Acts Numbering

Regarding our CSS Format/Scoring proposal (the "San Fran Plan"), there has been some confusion over the number, and numbering, of "Acts."

In 2004 there were three Louis Vuitton Acts -- one at Marseilles and two at Valencia.

This year there are six Louis Vuitton Acts -- 4 and 5 at Valencia, 6 and 7 at Malmoe (SWE), and 8 and 9 at Trapani (ITA). 4, 6 and 8 are six-day match racing events; 5, 7 and 9 are three-day fleet racing events.

In 2006 there will be three Acts -- 10, 11 and 12 -- all at Valencia. These will take place in June and early July as dress rehearsals for the LV Finals and AC Match (which will take place in the same months in 2007). Any other events are "exhibitions," such as the regatta tentatively set for Lake Geneva in late August 2006. As such, they will not count for Challenger Seeding points.

Louis Vuitton Act 13 is the Fleet Race Regatta at Valencia the first week of April 2007, which is followed ten days later by the start of the Challenger Selection Series.

The confusion over the number of Acts stems from a recent suggestion that the April 2007 Act be called "Act 14" - for the same reason that some buildings skip floor 13.

Hence the 13 Acts accounted for in the San Fran Plan.