Incognito?

You never know who -- or what -- you might see in the Porto Pasta restaurant under Tinglado 2 just south of the Luna Rossa Base in the Port America's Cup. Porto Pasta has become the "in" luncheon spot for many involved with Cup teams and ACM.

The masked man was not travelling incognito, nor had he just returned from spying on Alinghi in Dubai. He did, however, have touch of the flu when this snap was taken as he bicycled by Porto Pasta at lunchtime last week.



Recognize this colorful and popular newcomer to the America's Cup scene? Hint: an Olympic medalist (Sydney, 2000), he is the sailing director of a Challenger.



After some gentle ribbing about his pink scarf ("It's my wife's, mate, and the only scarf in our apartment"), Luca Devoti (ITA, +39) was unveiled by another popular AC newcomer, Lars Boecking (GER), marketing director for Shosholoza.

P.S. There is a nice photo essay about +39's new ACC yacht, ITA-85, on the Valencia Sailing website.

"Vignetta"

We took the liberty of scanning this terrific vignette/cartoon by "Chiod" that appears in the The Cup magazine, a glossy and classy-looking publication about the upcoming Louis Vuitton and America's Cup racing. It's a supplement to the January issue of the fine Italian yachting magazine Yacht Capital. Grab one if you can, especially if you live in Italy.

Those of you who know the personalities of those portrayed will agree what a great job has been done with this spoof.

No doubt keen fans can name all six. Can you? Leave a comment naming them left to right. To help, we will list the names of the teams they represent, alphabetically: Alinghi, BMW ORACLE Racing, Emirates Team NZ, Luna Rossa, Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team, and +39 (Piu Trentanove).



As usual, click on the image to enlarge. What a riot!

Carrot Fibre Yachts?

According to recent press reports, scientists in Scotland have developed a revolutionary new material called CurranTM, made from microscopic fibres extracted from carrots. Similar to carbon fibre, it is lighter, stronger and can be moulded into almost any shape when it is combined with special resins.

Maybe this latest tech development is why the British have decided to Challenge for the next America's Cup? We are checking with Andy Green (GBR), but in the meantime....

Your Ed. has been copied on an email to ACC Technical Director Ken McAlpine asking if this new exotic fibre would be legal under Version 5 of the Class Rule. The email was from a senior (at least in terms of age if not also stature) member of the Challenger Commission, who wishes to remain anonymous so as not to embarrass his/her team give away any of his/her team's potential design developments.

Mr. McAlpine's terse reply said that he would take it up with the Measurement Committee. He did add that perhaps aging members of the Challenger Commission, including your Ed., should eat more carrots for the sake of their eyesight and lower tracts.

These carrot fibre press reports have also brought renewed attention to other low tech health benefits of this potentially high tech vegetable. Indeed, one hears ACM is considering opening up yet another restaurant in the Port America's Cup -- this one to specialize in dishes using Valencia's second-leading (only to oranges) agri-produce, arroz, which can be combined with the orange legume to make carrot-fibre treats.

Maybe this fibrous development will bring Andrew "Carrot Top" Johns (NZL, legal advisor to the 1988 Big Boat Challenge, and now a successful vegetable farmer) out of his AC retirement.

One thing seems certain -- America's Cup teams from countries with a rich agricultural industry will be rooting for this new material.