PI 27

The Measurement Committee has issued Public Interpretation 27 concerning rigging arrangements that may induce hull deflection and, indeed, increase draft while racing. No doubt our dear readers of a more technical bent will find this one interesting. An excerpt:

The ACC Rule has no limitation on the deflection of the hull and deck induced by loads anticipated in Rule 16.4. As a consequence of there being no limitation on the deflection of the hull and deck there can be no limitation on the incidental increase in draft provided these deflections are only induced by loads imposed by the sea and normal rigging arrangements.

Update: Shosho's Charles Nankin

Good news on the steady recovery of Shosholoza's crewman Charles Nankin who was injured during the German Sailing Grand Prix at Kiel in August, from a story posted yesterday on South Africa's Supersport website....

More good news from Valencia is that Charles Nankin, the experienced Cape Town crew member, is recovering well from the back injury he suffered in Kiel, Germany.

"I feel better every day. I can already walk for half an hour and swim a little," Nankin said in Spain on Wednesday. "But any more than that and I have a lot of pain."

Nankin hopes to be fit to take his place on board by November. "The most important thing is that I must just get back on the boat. It will be an important psychological moment for me."

Physiotherapist Michal Hadala and biokineticist Julian Calefato of the Institute for Sport Science in Newlands, Cape Town, are helping Nankin with his rehabilitation programme.

Calefato said Nankin's vertebrae still had to mend and it could take six to eight weeks. In the interim he has to strengthen his muscles.

The team had a big fright when Nankin fell overboard in Kiel and found himself under the boat. He was trapped by the rudder and had a narrow escape.

PI 25 & 26

The Measurement Committee has issued Public Interpretations No. 25 (fairing of appendages) and No. 26 ("consumable stores").

Valencia Crónica #57

Issue #57 of Valencia Crónica is now available here. Editor Bridget Baker issues VC approximately every other week, and it is intended solely for AC 32 team members and their families. Accordingly, VC is passworded to protect the privacy of contributors' contact info. To obtain the password, or to be added to the email distribution list for Crónica, please write Bridget at valenciacronicaspain [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] nz. Over 500 families are now receiving VC by email.

Sail No. 94 Allocated

This morning ACC Technical Director Ken McAlpine (AUS) informed the teams via email that he has allocated sail number 94, meaning that another team has commenced construction of a new yacht.

The Technical Director only reports numbers allocated, not to which team.

What is auspicious about number 94? Of course it is the atomic number for plutonium, the radiological poison specifically absorbed by bone marrow, a highly fissionable isotope of which (Pu 239) is used as a reactor fuel and in nuclear weapons. We note, too, that it was the number of Haydn's famous "Surprise Symphony" (Symphony No. 94).

Interesting that the last sail number was issued way back on 10 July. Updating our post from that day when 93 was issued....

With new sail numbers expected to be allocated regularly for the next weeks given the time it takes most teams to build and ship a new yacht to Valencia, we thought our readers might appreciate a quick review of the ACC sail numbers issued since the end of the 2003 Cup:

RSA 83 -- Shosholoza, launched early 2005.
NZL 84 -- Emirates Team NZ, launched late 2005.
ITA 85 -- Plus 39, in Valencia being fitted out, expected sailing shortly.
ITA 86 -- Luna Rossa, launched in Q2 of 2006, raced in Acts 10-12.
USA 87 -- BMW ORACLE Racing, launched in Q2 of 2006, raced in Acts 10-12.
ESP 88 -- Desafio Espanol, launched in Q2 of 2006, raced in Act 12.
GER 89 -- United Internet Team Germany, now sailing in Valencia.
ITA 90 -- Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team, launched in Q2 and sailing in VLC, not raced.
SUI 91 -- Alinghi, launched in Q2 and sailing in VLC, not raced.
NZL 92 -- Emirates Team New Zealand, will be launched and sailing in NZL in November.
FRA 93 -- Areva Challenge, allocated 10 July with launch date announced as sometime in November.
94 -- allocated today.

Teams may build a maximum of two new yachts during AC 32. From media and other reports, additional new yachts expected before the end of AC 32:

CHN -- first (only) new yacht.
ESP -- second new yacht.
SWE -- first (only?) new yacht.
ITA/LR -- second.
ITA/MLC -- second.
USA -- second.
SUI -- second.

Presumably 94 has been allocated to one of the seven yachts projected above -- indeed, this morning here in Valencia the speculation is that it belongs to China Team as some weeks ago they announced the completion of their hull mould. So six more numbers to come during AC 32? That would give us an even 100 before the end of AC 32.

Inasmuch as the Challengers have to be ready for the start of the LVC in the middle of April next year, and whereas the Defender has until the start of the AC Match on 23 June, assuming we do get to 100 will it belong to Alinghi?

If, however, Sweden's Victory Challenge builds a second yacht (as some are suggesting might be the case), the last yacht for AC 32 could be 101. All this again begs the question whether the ACC class will be used for AC 33, or will 100 or 101 be the end of the line for the class that has served the Cup so well since 1992?

Finally, in our 10 July post we asked a somewhat tricky Cup trivia question: Since he began doing so in 1990, which two numbers were not allocated by the Technical Director in sequence as required under the ACC Rule?

The answer, we are told by authoritative technical and historical sources, is that:

+ 13 was never issued due to the superstition in many Christian cultures that 13 is bad luck (arising, apparently, from the number of attendees at the "Last Supper") -- same as many buildings do not have a 13th floor and airliners no 13th row. Indeed, next April's Act 13 (the "Fleet Race Regatta") was originally designated by ACM as Act 14 for the same reason; and

+ 69 initially was not allocated by the Technical Director for reasons that are not entirely clear; however, after 70 and 71 had been issued to other teams, the AC 31 French team Le Defi said that they liked 69 and asked that the number be issued to them despite it having been skipped.



ACC Technical Director, and arbiter of
good taste in sail numbers, Ken McAlpine.
(Photo courtesy of ACM.)

Cy Gillette

Sad news just received from Hawaii that Cy Gillette, a long-time and beloved friend of many involved with the Cup and our sport, passed away overnight at age 92.

Mr Gillette was an active and successful racing sailor until his last days, and was a highly respected judge and umpire for longer than most of us can remember.

Cy was among those involved in umpiring from its inception in the late 80's. He umpired at both the 1987 Maxi Worlds in Newport, Rhode Island where umpiring match racing was first used on an experimental basis, and at the 1988 Congressional Cup at Long Beach, California when umpiring was initiated on the match racing circuit. One of the few senior judges at the time who supported umpiring, Cy was a strong advocate for its first-ever use in the America's Cup at San Diego in 1992. Indeed, he chaired the jury and was chief umpire for 1992 defender selection series. For the 1987 and 1995 Cups Cy served as Dennis Conner's senior rules advisor.

Following the 1995 Cup Cy was awarded the Nathaniel G Herreshoff trophy, the U.S. Sailing Association's most prestigious award, for his many years of exemplary service to sport. His sailing biography published on that occasion is here.

AC 32 jury chairman Bryan Willis said, "This came from an experience at the second Match Racing World Championship which was in 1989 hosted by Royal Lymington YC. Cy, then 75, was in my umpire team. Christchurch Bay was, as usual, rough and windy, and umpires came home after a long tiring day to meet with skippers for a long and tiring debrief. Many of the supplied umpire boats were totally unsuitable for the sea conditions so I had drawn lots for which umpire got which boat. Cy had drawn the short straw and had spent the day in a ten food aluminum tub. But the next morning before the draw he insisted on going in the same boat because he said he had ‘developed a good rapport with the owner/driver’ and that was more important to him than not being tossed around all day.... No one lucky enough to serve on his Jury for the Kenwood Cup will ever forget the experience.... Great memories of a great man."

A true gentleman and corinthian, and a major contributor to our sport over his long life, Cy will be dearly missed and long remembered. Our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Camille, son Greg, and other members of the family.

Victory to Vincenzo

Congratulations to Vincenzo Onorato (ITA) and his Mascalzone Latino team for their win in the super-competitive Rolex Farr 40 Worlds which concluded this afternoon (Saturday) here in Newport. Three-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts (NZL) served as tactician aboard Mascalzone Latino.

Dozens of sailors from the various AC 32 Challengers, as well as the Defender, were aboard the 38 boats from ten countries. Hosted by New York Yacht Club, the full schedule of ten races was completed over the four-day regatta despite three days of lightish, fluky breeze.

Honorable mention to Alinghi's design coordinator Grant Simmer (AUS) who served as tactician aboard the runner-up, Ichi Ban, with owner/driver Matt Allen (AUS). Likewise to Emirates Team New Zealand's tactician Terry Hutchinson (USA) who called tactics on the third-place finisher, Jim Richardson's (USA) Barking Mad.

In charge on the water was AC 32 Principal Race Officer Peter "Luigi" Reggio (USA) who, along with his entire team, did an outstanding job. The international jury included AC 32 umpires John "Steamer" Standley (AUS) and Neven "Bobby" Baran (CRO).

The racing was tight and scores of the top dozen teams very close. Despite windward legs of 2.0 to 2.2 nautical miles, the entire fleet was usually around the first windward mark in under three minutes. Regardless, the racing was also very clean -- the jury had just two hearings, only one of which was a boat-to-boat protest.

Details at the Farr 40 Worlds website.



Mascalzone Latino getting the gun upon winning today's final race of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, cementing the title for Vincenzo Onorato and his team. Photo: TFE.



Vincenzo & Co. celebrating their win at the prizegiving at Newport's Marble House Saturday evening. Photo: Daniel Forster/Rolex.

Washington Post Weighs In

The City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Valencia native Santiago Calatrava, has made Valencia the fastest-growing destination in Spain -- or so Sunday's Washington Post will say in a long travel article by Cindy Loose. You can read the full article online now.

Valencia Crónica #56

Issue #56 is now available here, as always password protected for AC families. See previous Valencia Crónica posts for the fine print. And congrats to Bridget Baker who now has over 500 families receiving VC by email.