MEDIA STATEMENT -- CC Meetings, 29-30 Jan 07

The Challenger Commission for the 32nd America's Cup (“CC”) met at the call of the Chair, Alessandra Pandarese (ITA) of Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team at the Holiday Inn Valencia on Tuesday, 30 January from 0900 to 1800. Working parties met on Monday, 29 January in preparation for the main CC meeting on the 29th, and in follow up on Wednesday the 31st.

On Tuesday representatives of all eleven Challengers were present:

+ AREVA Challenge (FRA) -- George Clyde, Katie Pettibone and Dawn Riley
+ BMW ORACLE Racing (USA) -- Tom Ehman and Gillian Williams
+ China Team (CHN) -- Jean-Charles Scale and Xavier de Lesquen
+ Desafío Español (ESP) -- John Cutler and Tanis Rey-Balter
+ Emirates Team NZ (NZL) -- Ross Blackman
+ Luna Rossa (ITA/LR) -- Bruno Finzi, Marco Mercuriali and Luis Saenz
+ Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team (ITA/ML) -- Alessandra Pandarese
+ Piu 39 (ITA/39) -- Stefano Feltrin
+ Team Shosholoza (RSA) – Capt Salvatore Sarno
+ United Internet Team Germany (GER) -- Wolf Dietz and Michael Scheeren
+ Victory Challenge (SWE) -- Bjorn Ohde

Also present were CC Assistant Michael ten Bokum (NED/ESP), and, at the invitation of the CC for portions of the meeting:

+ Regatta Director -- Dyer Jones (USA)
+ ACTV Technical Manager -- Keith Catchpole (NZL)
+ ACM Security Chief -- Juan Muñoz (ESP)
+ Valencia 2007 (“V07”) Security Chief -- José Vicente Herrera (ESP - Policia Nacional)

The CC expressed their appreciation to all four for their support and continued cooperation.

The CC also expressed its appreciation to the Holiday Inn for their as-always good service, and, especially, to Louis Vuitton for the fine dinner Monday evening in the LV Suite at the Veles e Vents building hosted by Christine Belanger, Bruno Trouble and Monica Savini.

Main decisions and points of discussion:

TV Working Party Report

It was unanimously resolved that the Chair write ACM, and also the TV rights holders in the various countries, asking again for answers to the CC's continuing concerns regarding television production plans and distribution.

ACPI Working Party Report

It was unanimously resolved that the Chair write ACM and SNG to confirm that, in accordance with the Protocol, all AC trademarks and other AC intellectual property registered to and/or currently owned by ACM would in due course be transferred to SNG/ACPI as assets for future America’s Cups.

Security Report

The Challengers received a briefing from ACM and V07 security officials reviewing the current high-level of security in the Port America’s Cup, and plans for additional security in the coming days and weeks. Steps were agreed to strengthen cooperation and communication among the teams, ACM/V07 and government security officials.

Regatta Director’s Report

Dyer Jones reported that he expected to have the LVC Sailing Instructions out to the teams in draft form by 6 February, and that following consultation the SIs would be issued by the 15 February deadline in the LVC NOR.

He also reported that plans to re-align the MDS buoys have been dropped due to opposition by a number of teams, and that all buoys will remain as currently situated.

Dyer said discussions were underway with reps of the CC and the Defender to try to reach an agreement on a fair method of sharing the racing areas, as between the Defender and the Challengers, from the end of Act 13 through the Match on both racing and non-race days. This issue is particularly thorny during the LVC Rounds Robin when three course areas are needed: two for the Challengers and one for the Defender. Subsequent to the meeting, Alinghi kindly proposed a draft course sharing agreement, and details are being negotiated with the expectation that an agreement fair to all concerned can be reached shortly.

The Regatta Director said there is no provision in the LVC Notice of Race or the draft Match NOR for trading GPS data between given yachts in a match. He asked CC reps to please advise him which, if any, Challengers would be interested in trading GPS data with the Defender during the Match should their team win the LVC and become the ultimate Challenger.

Dyer advised the Challengers that the draft NOR for the Match was distributed to the CC’s NOR Task Force in November. Shortly he will circulate a new draft conformed, where there are common provisions, to the wording in the LVC NOR. The NOR Task Force will distribute this draft to all Challengers when received.

Unveiling Agreement

At its October meeting in Milano the CC approved the terms of an agreement with ACM and the Defender on the schedule, special rules and procedure for unveiling, on 1 April 2007, of declared yachts (the one or two yachts nominated by teams as eligible to race in the LVC and, if successful, the Match). Since then a written agreement has been negotiated with ACM and Alinghi, and it was unanimously approved by the CC pending a few minor details yet to be sorted. The terms of the agreement were previously posted here on the CC Blog, and the agreement itself will be posted here after final signing, hopefully by the end of next week.

LVC Racing on 15 April

Desafío Español said they would be available to race on the 15th against another Challenger that was willing (several were). This to get the LVC kicked off on a weekend day – Sunday instead of Monday the 16th as currently scheduled – to aid promotion of the LVC, especially locally. However, ACM said it was not possible to advance the start date at this point in time, so this idea was dropped.

Round Robin Schedule

Current rules (see the Valencia Plan) state the pairing list for the LVC rounds robin, and hence the schedule of RR matches, will be based on the Challenger ranking list final at the end of Act 13. Since the Milano CC meetings several Challengers and ACM suggested establishing the pairing list now, so that the schedule of matches for the LVC Rounds Robin could be known now rather than waiting until the end of Act 13 in April -- just nine days before the start of the LVC. Knowing the RR schedule now would assist planning for media, television and sponsor hospitality.

Several ideas were discussed for how to seed teams into the pairing list now, such as a random drawing same as has been done for all past LVCs. However, several Challengers felt it important to stick to a seeding plan based on Challenger rank at the end of Act 13, which helps assure that teams of similar strength face each other near the end of the rounds robin. Without a strong consensus for change, the CC opted not to amend the Valencia Plan.

Notice of Race for the Louis Vuitton Cup

The CC gave a vote of thanks to the NOR Working Party and Regatta Director Dyer Jones for all the time and effort that went into getting this document negotiated, word-smithed and issued earlier than ever (a full three and a half months before the start of the LVC). Luna Rossa proposed changes to the pairing list, that the Regatta Director had distributed with the NOR, that would further improve the balance of port-starboard entries, north-south course assignments, etc. The CC supported the Luna Rossa proposal, and CC reps will meet with the Regatta Director and Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio (USA) next week to progress this.

Use of Masthead Sails before the Start

The CC voted unanimously to continue a ban on using masthead sails during the pre-start, which would continue to apply for all 2007 racing: Act 13, the LVC, and the AC 32 Match. Since Marseille Act 1 pre-start use of masthead sails (which was legal in AC 31) has been prohibited under the various Notices of Race. However, the CC felt it was more appropriate to have such a ban in the AC Class Rule. Subsequent to the CC meeting Alinghi also agreed, and an amendment to the Class Rule has now been issued by ACC Technical Director Ken McAlpine (AUS).

Staysail Rules

For many months the rules and technical gurus from the Challengers and Defender have been trying to find the right wording to amend the AC Class Rule to allow yachts to leave staysails up while taking a penalty, and in other cases when spinnakers are not also necessarily set. After eight drafts in as many months success appears at hand. The CC approved the latest language proposed by Ken McAlpine, pending a final check of it by each of the teams following the CC meeting. Subsequent to the meeting Alinghi approved the draft. The CC expressed its appreciation to all who worked on this, especially Mr McAlpine, for their help in bringing this complicated amendment to fruition.

Umpire Signaling System

The CC supported continuance of the Umpire Signaling System (“USS”) that has been used experimentally since the Malmo Louis Vuitton Acts in 2005, provided certain questions were resolved before 1 March. Under the system, umpires on each umpire boat are able to signal the yachts in a given match whether there is an overlap, whether they are inside "the zone" (within two boat lengths of the top mark, or within three boats lengths at the gate or finish line), and other key factors in making umpire calls. Thus, the USS lets the afterguards know what the umpires see as the relationship between the yachts at critical points of a match, and, accordingly, who in their minds has right-of-way.

This is achieved electronically by an umpire flipping switches on a control box on the umpire boat which, in turn, simultaneously lights colored lamps on a display mounted in front of the afterguards on both yachts in a given match. While not 100% fail-safe or fool-proof, the USS has proven reliable and popular with most teams. Therefore, the CC continues to support it provided: (a) USS signals are considered by all to be "definitive" as opposed to "advisory", and (b) that redress is available if a gross error in signaling results in a yacht losing a race. The NOR Working Party was tasked to follow up with the Regatta Director, the Chief Umpire and Alinghi.

Subsequent to the CC meeting Alinghi confirmed their continuing support for the system on the same basis, and all are working to resolve remaining issues, which will result in writing the terms of reference of the USS into the LVC NOR (and Match NOR) as an Appendix.

Umpire Calls

The LVC Notice of Race requires that all umpire “calls” (interpretations) and answers to questions from teams be issued by 1 March. This to give the teams, particularly the afterguards, time to digest them, and to avoid a repeat this year of teams being inundated with new paperwork just before racing begins. With a number of questions/calls pending, and temporary calls issued during Acts 10-12 having expired, the CC requested the Regatta Director to call an urgent meeting with reps of the umpiring team, the CC and Defender to finalize the interpretations thus allowing them to be published to the teams before the 1 March deadline.

Subsequently, the Regatta Director called such a meeting in Valencia on 9-10 February, which both Chief Umpire Brad Dellenbaugh (USA) and umpire Sally Burnett (GBR) will attend.

Installation and Operation of TV Gear on the Yachts

Dyer Jones and Keith Catchpole reviewed a draft Regatta Notice (and Dyer emphasized that it is a draft, and asked teams for any feedback, in writing, ASAP) that covers broadcast and other electronic gear to be supplied by ACM and the Race Committee for the yachts. The CC received this briefing with appreciation.

One point of discussion was onboard microphones, and which team members were expected to wear them. The CC agreed that all teams would use their best efforts to mic sailors who would be more talkative help make the TV show as interesting as possible; however, it was also noted that under the applicable rules in the end it is each team’s decision as to which of their sailors will wear microphones while racing.

Team Photographers in Helicopters

For some of the racing in previous Acts the CC had agreed with the Defender and ACM to relax the recon rules in the Protocol to allow team photographers to take photos and video from helicopters. Alinghi’s proposal to extend the agreement for racing in 2007 was not supported by the CC.

Subsequently, the Defender asserted that team photographers who were only part time, and who also worked part time for ACM, could take photos and video from ACM helicopters during racing as long as they were working at the time only for ACM. The CC resolved not to support that interpretation, saying that a team photographer, whether full or part time, was subject to the Protocol’s recon rules as a team member at all times.

Image Usage Between Teams

For several years an agreement has been in place among the Challengers and Defender which relaxes restrictions against teams using photos that depict not only their own yachts but those of other teams as well. The agreement allows teams to use such photos for general promotional (as opposed to commercial) purposes, e.g., on websites without going through a cumbersome inter-team approval process. Alinghi proposed extending the agreement to 31 December 2007, which the CC voted unanimously to support.

Support for China Team Roof-Top Bar/Café

The CC supported the request from ACM and China Team to make an exception to certain rules to permit an ACM-operated bar/café on the roof of the new China Team Base, subject to conditions approved by ACM. The CC Chair was authorized to enter into an appropriate agreement to accomplish this.

South Bases

The CC voted a strong resolution of support for the teams in the south bases (NZL, FRA, ESP, SWE, ITA/ML GER and CHN) in their continuing struggle with ACM to make the area safe and secure immediately, and to get construction in the area finished, the area cleaned up and presentable, and assurances of proper public access and promotion in the south base area before and during the 2007 racing season. The CC was of the unanimous view that the current situation was appalling.

Spectator Boat Dockage

The CC supported the relaxation of ACM’s rules governing the dockage of spectator boats at team bases. ACM’s current rules prohibit teams from docking more than one VIP “superyacht” not to exceed 35 meters in length without ACM’s consent, which they have declined to grant. AREVA Challenge suggested that the Chair ask ACM to relax the rules to allow a second VIP boat where the Base in question has reasonable space and facilities, and that the size of the two VIP boats combined would be within reasonable limits. The proposal was unanimously supported by the CC.

AC 33

After a brief discussion, it was agreed to defer further discussion on AC 33 to a later date when more information on various options and possible 2007 events (post AC 32) would be available.

Next Meetings

The CC will next meet on 5 March via conference call, and then in person in Valencia on 26-27 March.