For the Record: Singapore - Brad Butterworth

[Source: Alinghi] On his return to Valencia, Brad Butterworth, Alinghi team skipper and representative at the recent Singapore meetings with BMW Oracle, comments on what happened: "We had a meeting with BMW Oracle representatives from 09:00 SGT on Tuesday 12 January until 20:00 that night and agreed to reconvene the next morning to continue as there were a lot of issues that we had agreed on but a few that were holding us apart.

We agreed before the ISAF representative, David Kellett, and the ISAF AC Jury chairman, David Tillett, to have a media blackout and to do nothing that would jeopardise the discussions until we had had sufficient time the following day to talk these remaining issues through. As it happened, we all ended up having dinner together and continued the discussions, which concluded that night with a gentleman’s agreement.

When we reconvened at 09:30 the next morning (Wednesday 13) and the meeting was brought to order by Tillett, Tom Ehman – on behalf of BMW Oracle – instructed us that court proceedings had been filed in New York overnight and that they were sending a media release. At this stage the relationship between the two teams soured dramatically, but despite this surprising development, the ISAF representatives encouraged us to take the agreement back to the team principals which I agreed to do. The meeting ended and the ISAF guys left for the airport. During the course of the afternoon, I was initially instructed that BMW Oracle were keen to sign the deal, but by the time I got hold of the guys in Valencia to discuss it, Oracle had withdrawn from the agreement.”

Skipper Brad Butterworth to give Alinghi update in Monaco

Note: I finally arrived to Valencia from Kuala Kterengganu on Tuesday via Paris. Guess who was on the same flight from the French capital? Brad Butterworth. There is a rumor he will meet with Valencia's mayor but this hasn't been confirmed.

[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi team skipper and four-time America’s Cup winner Brad Butterworth is to attend the World Yacht Racing Forum in Monaco on Thursday 10 December for an update on Alinghi, the Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup, and to take part in a panel discussion about the 34th America’s Cup alongside a group of potential challengers.

The World Yacht Racing Forum is in its second year and takes place from 9-10 December at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

Video: Brad Butterworh comments on latest modifications on Alinghi 5

Brad Butterworh comments on latest modifications on Alinghi 5. Ras Al-Khaimah, 30 November 2009. Video copyright Alinghi

Audio: PJ Montgomery interviews Brad Butterworth

Related audio

Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth talks to PJ Montgomery about the current America's Cup situation

In an exclusive interview to Newstalk ZB, Brad Butterworth talks withPpeter Montgomery about the America's Cup, and the latest court ruling.

Video: Brad Butterworth comments the latest court hearing

Brad Butterworth comments the latest court hearing. Ras Al Khaimah, 29 October 2009. Video Alinghi

Open letter from Brad Butterworth, seven-time participant to the America’s Cup and four-time winner

[Source: Alinghi] Some have been calling for a rewrite of the America’s Cup Deed of Gift, offering the Defender their own vision for the sailing competition. These shrill calls have been common before every match in recent times, usually from those with no record of success in the Cup. Claims of imminent death of America’s Cup competition have always proven to be greatly exaggerated.

Two American yacht clubs: the New York Yacht Club and the San Diego Yacht Club held the America’s Cup between them for 140 years. For them everything was perfect, “the wind was in their sails,” as some would say. There were no calls then to strip the winner of its trusteeship, to strip the winner of organising the next regatta or for an independent entity to manage the America’s Cup (although they perhaps did pass a few of those Trustee Interpretive Resolutions to keep the challengers at bay.) Now the Cup is again in foreign hands and after nine failed American challenges to get the Cup back – all failing even to make it to the match – it is time (according to some Americans and their fellow travellers) while their tenth challenge is in progress to rewrite the Deed of Gift; to strip the winner of its fruits of victory, making it easier for a challenger to win. If the Deed and the competition it created are really that defective, where were all those reforms when the Cup was in American hands? The answer of course is that it is not defective. The answer is that a few are still having difficulty adjusting to losing the Cup and failing to get it back again. They are now seeking to make winning it easier.

It is important not to judge and write off the competition based on the present difficulties, which will soon pass, but instead to judge with the wider perspective of 150 years of competition. Yes, there have been in our time two rogue challenges without mutual consent and both of those challengers dragged the competition through the courts, but within the 150 year time frame of the competition, these are only brief exceptions, although we all agree it is twice too many. If there is to be a change, all that is needed to help keep disputes out of the courts is to add a simple arbitration clause to the Deed for speedy dispute resolution within the sport so that competition remains on the water. For sure the Deed is not perfect, but it is hardly broken down and in need of major surgery or the wholesale butchery that some now propose.

The mutual consent clause is the key to the Deed, it enables the competition to move and respond to changing times and circumstances. What may look like a good idea now may not be in 10, 50 or 100 years time. The last thing any generation should do is lock in and impose its will on future generations. If anyone wants to manage the competition differently – go and win the Cup and agree it with your challenger of record, it is really that simple. But please don’t pretend to be George Schuyler and paste the vision of what you think the America’s Cup should be on to his Deed. No one is stopping anyone from acquiring a trophy, pen and paper, and creating another competition. Just don’t try to steal Mr Schulyer’s competition to seek credibility for your own.

The America’s Cup is a tough demanding competition. It is, to use the words of my friend and broadcaster P.J. Montgomery, “the Everest of sailing”. These days, however, anyone’s granny can get dragged up Everest for a fee. The Cup, to continue PJ’s climbing analogy, is more like K2: difficult, technical and merciless, and must remain so. The old phrase “there is no second” truly captures the demanding and ruthless spirit of the competition. Defeating the Defender with all its advantages is an essential part of the foundation, history and fabric of the Cup. For those who seek a level playing field, go and race in any of the numerous competitions that exist in the world. Of course what often happens are those that are successful, end up competing in the America’s Cup because it is the ultimate sailing challenge and the ultimate proving ground, with real rewards for the successful. Lowering the mountain serves no one.

When I think of Larry Ellison’s litigious challenge, I am reminded of a comment made by my old friend Dennis Conner in his great book of 1998 “The America’s Cup: The History of Sailing’s Greatest Competition in the Twentieth Century”. He said of the lack of success of our early Kiwi challenges for the Cup:

“Sir Michael [Fay], however would be condemned to repeat the past: This “backdoor man,” who came to Perth with a plastic 12-Metre in 1986-87, and to San Diego with a superyacht in 1988, returned to San Diego in 1992, as we will see, with an oddly designed boat that flew and jibed its spinnaker in an unorthodox fashion. Once the Kiwis came in through the “front door” in 1995, they left with the America’s Cup.”

Great sportsmen seek victory on the field of play, or in our sport; on the high seas. A sportsman seeking to win through the courts or through what Dennis called the “backdoor” only demeans themselves as sportsmen and taints any victory, as well as the sport.

Having challenged for and defended the America’s Cup successfully, I have always found it has been won by designing and building the fastest boat and sailing with the best team. It is hard to win, as it should be for such a trophy. Reducing the challenge might make the conquest easier, but gone is the attraction and achievement.

Changing the Deed to make it easier for challengers to win only cheapens the America’s Cup and reduces George Schuyler’s challenge to succeeding generations of yachtsmen and yachtswomen to emulate America’s 1851 victory to the realms of the ordinary and mundane.

Statement from Brad Butterworth

[Source: Alinghi] Statement from Société Nautique de Genève's Brad Butterworth, four-time America's Cup winner and skipper of the America's Cup defending team Alinghi, following yet another lawsuit from the American challenger BMW Oracle:

"Larry Ellison, Russell Coutts and their yacht club, the Golden Gate, seem to believe that the 33rd America's Cup can be won in court as their 7th legal challenge demonstrates. Our team is ready to compete in Ras al Khaimah, UAE, the official venue for the 33rd America's Cup and will begin four months of intensive training before the start of the America's Cup Match on 8 February 2010.

BMW Oracle's latest lawsuit is further proof of their unsportsmanlike behaviour. We will only return to the legal process to show that it is sporting character and sailing strategy that wins races, not litigation. Meanwhile our Cup preparations and training will continue in Ras al Khaimah where we hope they will deign to join us for the America's Cup Match.

As Trustee of the America's Cup, we are convinced that Ras al Khaimah is the perfect and legitimate venue for the 33rd edition of sport's oldest trophy. New York Supreme Court Justice Cahn's order of 2008 stated that ‘the location of the match shall be in Valencia or any other location selected by SNG'. As far as BMW Oracle's security concerns: Tiger Woods plays in the UAE every year, Roger Federer plays here every year, and even Russell Coutts sails here every year.

Their claims regarding the Deed of Gift prevailing over the order of the Court are in conflict with previous submissions on the date of the match. Their complaints as to safety are not truly held by them, demonstrated by the fact that they have relocated personnel to Ras Al Khaimah, and have equipment at the venue in preparation for the Match.

We believe this lawsuit is yet another tactic employed by Larry Ellison and BMW Oracle to avoid racing us for the Cup on the water.”

Brad Butterworth talks to Valencia Sailing about Alinghi and the 33rd America's Cup

Brad Butterworth, Alinghi's skipper, talked to Valencia Sailing about his team and the 33rd America's Cup. Alinghi's catamaran, Alinghi 5, is now on her way to Ras Al-Khaimah, the venue picked by the Swiss, and the entire team will follow her later on in order to carry out the last modifications and resume their training.

Valencia Sailing: Your catamaran Alinghi 5 is now being shipped to Ras Al-Khaimah after a period of sea trials in Genoa, Italy. Can you talk about the results of those trials?
Brad Butterworth: I think the boat is certainly exciting, very fast and exciting to sail with but there is still a lot of work to be done in order to optimize her to race against Oracle. We are going to do that work in Ras Al-Khaimah trying to get her to a good enough level so that we can beat them in February.

Valencia Sailing: What type of conditions did you experience in Genoa?
Brad Butterworth: We had a lot of different conditions, we had sometimes too much wind and, obviously, sometimes not enough wind but overall we sailed the boat in good breezes, we had pretty high speeds, we learned a lot about the boat but as I said we still have a lot to do.

Valencia Sailing: What do you mean by "high speeds"? What speed did you reach?
Brad Butterworth: Well, we went into the high 20's.

Valencia Sailing: Did you have any breakages? Did you suffer from any serious structural damage?
Brad Butterworth: That's wishful thinking. For sure we broke some stuff, not daily, but at the end we were amazed how little we broke. We did have several breakages when we were in Genoa and one of them was obvious because it was near one of the back frames but it wasn't serious structural damage. We fixed it overnight and repeated it on the other side because you want to fix these parts as fine as you can and then went to sail after that and had no problems at all.

Brad Butterworth during Alinghi 5's first sail on sea water. Genoa, 15 August 2009. Photo copyright Guido Trombetta / Alinghi

Valencia Sailing: Have you taken any decision on the number of crew on the boat?
Brad Butterworth: No, we haven't and it's one of those things we have really been trying to do as much testing on the boat as we can to try to find out what we can do to optimize her. We don't have a hell a lot of time and there is a hell of a lot to optimize her. The decisions we make, for example whether we want to change different parts of the boat have to be made quickly and there isn't much time. There isn't a hell of a lot of time left until we start sailing in RAK.

Valencia Sailing: What is the expected time of arrival of the boat at the venue?
Brad Butterworth: I'm not sure but I think it will at the beginning of October.

Valencia Sailing: What are Alinghi's short-term plans after that? Are you personally already in RAK?
Brad Butterworth: I'm still in Geneva but I will go there the next week or so. We will first have to do some work on the boat when she arrives and then go sailing as soon as we can.

Valencia Sailing: That means that the infrastructure there must be ready. At what stage are the construction works?
Brad Butterworth: We are working very hard, the emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah is also working very hard to get things done. We have some of the buildings already erected and, obviously, the footprint for where we will take the boat each day has been done. This has been done for both teams. The work on the island is pushing ahead quite quickly and you know these guys are spending good money to host both teams.

Valencia Sailing: What about BMW Oracle? It has been reported they sent a delegation to the venue in order to study it. Have you received any feedback on their impressions?
Brad Butterworth: No, we haven't received any feedback and they still have their people down there. They will also have the same problems we have to struggle to get organized. I don't know when they are going to arrive there or what plans they have but we are pushing on.

Valencia Sailing: I suppose that from what you understand, they do have the intention to go there.
Brad Butterworth: Well, I think that's a question you should be asking them. We haven't heard anything back from them. Nobody said to us they are not coming, so it's a good question you should ask them. The venue is known for two months now and there hasn't been any challenge so far. It would be such a ridiculous situation if they challenged it now. Our boat is on ship going to the venue and they know that because they used to follow us each day. If that's how they want to win the Cup it's just going to delay us and that is not good for anybody.

Valencia Sailing: What about the longer term? Assuming the whole thing goes ahead as planned and supposing again that you win, what are Alinghi's plans for the 34th America's Cup?
Brad Butterworth: At the moment we don't have any plan. You know, last time we had organized a plan and after all their moaning and grinning we had a pretty good relationship with 19 teams ended. This time I don't know what's going to happen at the end of it. It's totally up in the air and right now we don't have any plan.

Valencia Sailing: While the legal struggle goes on in the America's Cup, Louis Vuitton announced the creation of the Louis Vuitton World Series. You raced last February in Auckland but you are absent this time. Why?
Brad Butterworth: Because we have work to do on our own, to get the boat sorted out. As you said we did the regatta in Auckland in order to get rid of the lawsuit with Team New Zealand. The regatta is sailed in old boats and, personally, I want to move on and I'd rather sail in newer and more exciting boats. This is more of a regatta for Louis Vuitton rather than anybody else, I think.

One of Alinghi 5's last sea trials before going to Ras Al-Khaimah. Genoa, 11 August 2009. Photo copyright Bruno Coccozza / Alinghi

Valencia Sailing: Turning back to the current issues in the 33rd America's Cup, one point of dispute is the measurement of BMW Oracle's challenging yacht. SNG has just submitted opposition papers on this subject. Do you think the BOR boat measures?
Brad Butterworth: No, I don't think it measures. It doesn't look like it measures to me, even under the certificate that they gave us, they don't seem to be sure very sure about that themselves and also they are not interested in getting the boat measured. In the end, the boat is not even 90 by 90 and that's what we are after. They had plenty of time to go over the rules of the measurement, they know what they've got to do. They can obviously change it any way they feel like it, show up and race the race and this is what I look forward to.

Valencia Sailing: Why do you include the rudders in the measurement of the Load Waterline Length (LWL)?
Brad Butterworth: Because it's part of the vessel.

Valencia Sailing: Are the rudders always included in the measurement of multihulls?
Brad Butterworth: Well, this is the America's Cup and it's part of the vessel. The New York court says that it is. Every time that we do something we are taken back to court but it's the New York court, it's in the US. The court says it's part of the vessel and I think they have changed it since then. So, I don't see any problem there.

Valencia Sailing: The NY court has also upheld your right to freely set the rules. I won't argue whether this is fair or not but my question concerns your agreement with ISAF over the Rules of Sailing. Why did it have to be secret to begin with?
Brad Butterworth: It's just a commercial agreement between a yacht club and ISAF. It's just an agreement to use their rules, it's a service agreement for them to provide their people and help us run the regatta in a fair way for everyone. That was done also in the past and you have never seen any of the agreements of other regattas being made public. It's just a nonsense.

Valencia Sailing: Why did you then decide to make it public at a later stage?
Brad Butterworth: It's not such a big deal. Obviously the Americans got their knickers in a twist over and so it was made public. You can now see it, everybody can now see what it is. It's actually a lot better in terms of the agreements that have been done in the past with ISAF. It's a hell lot better agreement for ISAF and sailing that has been made in the past. It's just a lot of bullshit being put around about it that doesn't amount to much.

Valencia Sailing: The document you made public was the original version signed with ISAF or was it amended and/or modified?
Brad Butterworth: It's the original version and there was also a letter accompanying it to give BMW Oracle a sense of comfort over the way the regatta was going to be run. Let me make it clear again, the agreement was never amended.

Valencia Sailing: Is there anything you might want to add?
Brad Butterworth: You know, in the end, these 2 boats will have to come together and race and regardless of who wins or loses, that should be the end of it and the Cup should move on. It would seem ridiculous to me that the loser of the race went to court afterwards. No matter who wins, the court case should end there. These 2 boats have to come together and they need to race in Ras Al-Khaimah in February.

Response to Tom Ehman in Valencia Sailing - letter from Brad Butterworth

“Tom Ehman’s interview in Valencia Sailing deserves an appropriate response:

In almost 140 years of America’s Cup competition, innovation is often accompanied by whines of “illegality” or “unfair” from the other camp. Alinghi however, cannot take any innovation credit in using powered systems, and Tom Ehman’s predictable whines are again wide of the mark. Onboard powered systems have been with the top end of the sport for more than a dozen years. Just take a closer look at the yachts competing in blue ribbon events such as the Sydney-Hobart, Newport to Bermuda, Volvo Ocean Race, Transpac as well as some World Championships such as the Maxi Worlds. Are they all cheats too, Tom?

If the new self-appointed purists of the sport are upset at the use of onboard powered systems, they need to take it up with the innovators of the game, but they have not only missed the boat, they have been missing it for years.

Can anyone fairly criticise Alinghi for using the best technology in what is an open design competition? Anyone reading the Mercury Bay judgements can read in simple black and white terms that there are no design rules except the broad dimensions specified in the Deed, and within these the challenger is free to commit to the dimensions of their yacht when making its challenge and the defender is free to respond. You can be sure the BMW Oracle designers are not thrilled to hear someone on their side might have put them wrong on the rules.

Now Tom Ehman is trying to sell us Mercury Bay and the 27th Match in 1988 as some kind of Californian “love-in”. That will come as a big surprise to those who lead and bankrolled the Mercury Bay Challenge and the three years of litigation it involved. Eight court hearings up and down the New York court system was just a bit of fun? No, mutual consent was as short on the ground then as it is now. The litigation might have been fun for Tom back in 1988 just as it seems to be to him now, but no one else is smiling Tom. The business of the Cup is in ruins but the Deed must prevail. Make no mistake; the Mercury Bay Boating Club contested the rules of the 27th Match produced by Tom Ehman right up to the very end. The measure of a man is how he takes his own medicine.

Next Tom Ehman wants to litigate the venue selection. He has flipped-flopped on this as well. He publicly announced last year after the Court’s order was made, that the Defender could choose a venue anywhere it wished, in either hemisphere. Only two months ago in May they issued press statements critical of Alinghi for what they said was defying the Court’s order in respect of the dates of the Match, which conflicted with the terms of the Deed of Gift. Now Ehman wants Alinghi to ignore the same Court order (and the Court’s subsequent directions), and follow the Deed in selecting the venue. How does he lie in bed straight?

Ehman is signaling he wants to start yet another round of litigation, this time over construction in country. Ehman’s no holds barred Cup philosophy hasn’t changed much since 1991 when he ran the Cup Organisation into near bankruptcy needing a massive bailout when he said:

“The challengers will do everything they can do to try to weaken us financially and operationally," said ACOC General Manager Tom Ehman. ”It is part of the battle, unfortunately, that carries over from the water onto the land. It's a little bit unfair."

Regrettably, the years don’t seem to have brought any maturity and wisdom.

Alinghi 5 has been constructed in Switzerland as required by the Deed and is now sailing in Switzerland. Despite Ehman’s rhetoric painting their challenge as an American product, it is hardly the “All American” challenge he would have us believe. Tom is careful not mention the overwhelming presence of Kiwis, Australians, Canadians, Irish, Brits, Dutch, French, Italians” - and that’s just the sailors, and it is not much different in other parts of the team including those who constructed their boat.

It is all but forgotten that it was another Californian yacht club that had the dubious distinction of being the very first to commence litigation over the Cup competition when the San Diego Yacht Club sought an injunction against the Royal Perth Yacht Club in 1985 (NYSC Index Number 22320/85) before the 26th America’s Cup in Fremantle over the rules of the regatta. That may have been 24 years ago, but some things just don’t change.

Ehman has signaled BMW Oracle will be desperately continuing to throw the dice in court for a while longer, and blaming the other side for their actions. The rest of the sport is thoroughly bored with their legal antics and increasingly ludicrous PR spin, and just wants us to get on with a race on the water.

Is anyone willing to bet they will not litigate again if they lose in February? I mean losing is just so unfair, eh Tom.”

Brad Butterworth, Alinghi team skipper.

Brad Butterworth statement following today's NY court hearing

[Source: Alinghi] Brad Butterworth, Alinghi team skipper, gives a statement following today's hearing before Justice Kornreich in the NY Supreme Court:

“It's good that Justice Kornreich denied the Golden Gate Yacht Club's (GGYC) request to hold the America's Cup defending yacht club, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), in contempt of court, but it doesn't come as a surprise because there were no grounds for such an action.

Justice Kornreich showed a great deal of knowledge of the file and the case and while she reserved her decision, she made it crystal clear that the provisions of the Deed of Gift put no restriction on yacht design. She also asked both sides to return to the mediation that the GGYC halted with this new litigation attempt.

We are ready and willing to continue discussions with them and will work on providing clarity with regards the 33rd America's Cup as far as rules and measurement procedures go; always within the framework of the Deed of Gift and SNG's rules. We are determined to get the competition on the water and out of the courtroom once and for all.”

Second day of sailing for Alinghi 5. Lake Geneva, 21 July 2009. Photo copyright Carlo Borlenghi / Alinghi

Statement from Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth following the latest BMW Oracle legal actions,

Related PDF files

- Letter from Tom Ehman (Sail America) to Michael Fay, 2 December 1987

- First letter from SNG to GGYC, 26 May 2009

- Second letter from SNG to GGYC, 26 May 2009

[Source: Alinghi] Statement from Alinghi skipper and four-time America's Cup winner, Brad Butterworth, following the latest BMW Oracle legal actions: "The pending court case is the fourth time BMW Oracle Racing has chosen to go to court rather than meet us on the water and race for the 33rd America's Cup. If you read the letters of the 2 December 1987 and the 26 May 2009 from the respective Defenders to their Challengers you will see similarities because the template of the 1987 letter was used by the SNG to avoid doubt, particularly as the author of said letter to the Mercury Bay Yacht Club was Tom Ehman, who now represents BMW Oracle. We are complying with the Deed of Gift in everything we do. Let's not forget that the Deed gives the Defender of the America's Cup some legitmate rights. Instead of diverting attention with groundless litigation, BMW Oracle should provide their yacht's Custom House Registry as soon as possible, as required by Deed and Court."

Maiden race for Alinghi SUI6 on day one of the D35 Championship

[Source: Alinghi] The opening day of the Grand Prix Corum, first of the Challenge Julius Baer series, organised by the Société Nautique de Genève, got underway today on Lake Geneva. Conditions were not kind to the fleet progressively building to 30knots throughout the afternoon and forcing the race committee to cancel racing for the day.

Twelve Décision 35 boats, two of them Alinghi’s, met at the start line just before midday for what was quite an eventful first race of the championship: one boat capsized and there was a ‘man over board’ on Alinghi SUI1 (read on to hear from the crew member). Alinghi SUI6, in its first race ever under Alinghi colours, was sailed in “conservative mode”, as described by helmsman Ed Baird, and finished sixth, while Alinghi SUI1, last season’s champion, had a difficult start but managed to claw back from last to eighth place by the finish.

Brad Butterworth, tactician onboard Alinghi SUI6, about how the day went:

First race in this championship for you and your crew on SUI6, and you did better than SUI1, what happened there?

“Yves Detrey fell overboard at the start so this delayed their boat, SUI1. We sailed reasonably well, although we didn’t start very well. We had our ups and downs, but for the first race it was good, I certainly enjoyed it.”

How did the crew coordination go?

“The crew was good. Piet (van Nieuwenhuijzen), Lorenzo (Mazza) and Warwick (Fleury) are pretty sound and I’m just trying to do my little part and stay out of the way. I’m really looking forward to a season of this.”

The fleet is larger than last year’s; your team is new in this circuit along with two other boats. What do you think this weekend and the season are going to bring?

“I think it will be hard to beat Loïck Peyron from Okalys (SUI2) and Franck Cammas from Zen too (SUI4) who sail these boats a lot, and obviously Ernesto (Bertarelli) who won last season’s championship. They are probably the top three teams, but if we can get in the mix with them I think we stand a chance to win a few regattas, but until that time it’s going to take a while. We should also be able to catch up with Alinghi SUI1 team. Ed (Baird) sailed the X40s last year and won the event so he’s pretty hot in his own right. He had Lorenzo and Piet with him, so I think we should be able to catch up.”

Yves Detrey, bowman and mastman on Alinghi SUI1, is a veteran on this circuit. He explains what happened to his team and to him personally

First race of the series, can you talk us through what happened?

“We didn’t have a great result, the start wasn’t too good. We started from behind and were the last ones to cross the line, so we had to tack straight after the line and I fell in the water right after the tack. It must have been a wave hitting the boat so by the time I swam back and by the time we were ready to race again the fleet was almost half way through the first leg. It’s difficult to come back from that, but we finished eighth out of twelve, so it’s reasonable after what we had to do… The first race of the season seems to be the bad one, last year I dropped a gennaker in the water!”

What were the conditions like?

“It was quite windy out there; it went up to 22 knots at times, with gusts of up to 28. One boat capsized… We had a full main sail for this race, we had a reef ready for the second one and that’s when we were sent back home, as it was getting too windy and gusty.”

Any lessons learnt today for tomorrow?

“The biggest one is that with these boats you can’t make mistakes. The mistake we made today was pretty big and shouldn’t happen again but although we are ready to win it’s going to be difficult to be ahead all the time. We have good boat speed and we are confident in our crew work, so we hope that things should go back to normal tomorrow!”

America's Cup Hall of Fame induction ceremony brings together past and the future of the Cup

[Source: America's Cup Hall of Fame] On the night of April 30, 2009 the Herreshoff Marine Museum / America's Cup Hall of Fame inducted John Biddle, Thomas Ratsey, and John Longley AM into the America's Cup Hall of Fame at a spectacular evening at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, presented by Rolex Watch USA. The evening's keynote speaker, Sir Keith Mills, provided a challenger's perspective on the current status of the Cup, and discussed the history of British challengers.

Presentations by Gary Jobson included a reel of Cup highlights, as well as vignettes on each inductee. John Rousmaniere spoke about the Cup's history, particularly as recorded at the New York Yacht Club and its collection of models and artwork.

The late John Biddle's son and daughter, Scott and Sophie, accepted his award on his behalf, and his wife Amy acknowledged how pleased John had been to be nominated.

The America's Cup Hall of Fame induction ceremony. New York, 30 April 2009. Photo copyright Daniel Forster / America's Cup Hall of Fame

Thomas Ratsey, founder of Ratsey & Lapthorn sailmakers, providers of sails to many of the classic America's Cup yachts, was next inducted; his award was accepted by his descendant Cynthia Ratsey Young and her husband Tom.

The third inductee, John Longley, AM, was introduced by Tom Schnackenberg. John regaled the crowd with stories of his Cup experiences on Southern Cross, Australia, and Australia II, as well as his work towards the creation of the IACC rule.

Guests included Brad Butterworth and Murray Jones of Alinghi, Stephen Barclay and Tom Ehman of BMW ORACLE Racing, Alan Brill, President of Rolex Watch USA, Alessandra Pandarese and Margherita Botini of Mascalzone Latino, Sotiris Buseas of Greek Challenge, Bruno Troublé and America's Cup Hall of Fame Selection Committee chair, Dyer Jones.

President of the Herreshoff Marine Museum / America's Cup Hall of Fame, Halsey Herreshoff, served as master of ceremonies for the evening.

Sir Keith Mills (left), principal of Team Origin, and Sotiris Buseas, CEO of Greek Challenge. New York, 30 April 2009. Photo copyright Daniel Forster / America's Cup Hall of Fame

Alinghi launches multihull training programme on Lake Geneva

[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi, 33rd America's Cup Defender, has started its 2009-2010 multihull campaign in Switzerland launching the two Décision 35 catamarans that will be used as training platforms towards a multihull America's Cup in May 2010. The sailing team will be dedicated to multihull training, racing the Challenge Julius Baer on Lake Geneva for the rest of the season and withdrawing from other monohull commitments.

In addition to Ernesto Bertarelli's original SUI1, the team has chartered a second Décision 35 (SUI6) for the season and the two grand prix multihulls will race the eight events that span the summer, starting on 8 May with the Grand Prix Corum.

Ed Baird will helm Alinghi SUI6 with Brad Butterworth as tactician while Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi president, will helm Alinghi SUI1. “Ernesto and his team have been strong in this class for years, we look forward to learning from and with them throughout the season,” said Baird. “We realise we have a lot to learn, and there will be a number of great crews to race against, so we're excited to have the opportunity to get back on the water in a competitive environment.”

The Alinghi multihulls will face a strong 10-boat fleet that includes some of the best offshore multihull sailors in the world, and while an Alinghi team has won the last two championships on the Lake, the group is candid in its expectations: “We are here to try to win, just as we did last year, but this season is going to be tough: the circuit has two new boats (Veltigroup and Banque Populaire) manned by highly professional multihull sailors with lots of experience, so the starts of the races will be more challenging. We will definitely be trying to keep the trophy in our hands though!” said Yves Detrey, Alinghi bow/mastman.

The first event, the Grand Prix Corum is from 8-10 May at the Société Nautique de Genève, so the Alinghi teams will start training from next Monday, “the D-35's represent a more sophisticated racing multihull than we have experienced before, and we need all the training opportunities we can get as we prepare for an America's Cup in multihulls,” Ed Baird concluded.

Crew lists

Alinghi SUI1
Club: Société Nautique de Genève
Ernesto Bertarelli, helmsman
Pierre-Yves Jorand, mainsail trimmer, performance
Nils Frei, trimmer
Yves Detrey, bow/mastman, boat captain
JC Monnin, trimmer, performance
Luc Dubois, helmsman, performance
Tanguy Cariou, tactician
Coraline Jonet, trimmer
Andrew Graham, spare
Claudy Dewarrat, coach
Christian Wahl, tactician

Alinghi SUI6
Club: Société Nautique de Genève
Ed Baird, helmsman
Brad Butterworth, tactician
Warwick Fleury, mainsail trimmer
Lorenzo Mazza, trimmer
Piet van Nieuwenhuijzen, bow/mastman
Curtis Blewett, bow/mastman
Murray Jones, tactician

Brad Butterworth : The sport of sailing is far too complicated

While the America’s Cup community awaits its next chapter, the World Yacht Racing Forum (WYRF) caught up with America’s Cup veteran and Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth on his views about the current state of the sport of sailing.

Brad Butterworth will be a speaker at the World Yacht Racing Forum in December. He will debate the future of the America’s Cup alongside Bruno Troublé, Sir Keith Mills, Salvatore Sarno, Alessandra Pandarese and Paul Cayard.

The World Yacht Racing Forum will take place in Monaco's Grimaldi Center, on December 10 and 11.

WYRF: Brad, what do you consider as the key issues the sport of sailing faces at the moment?

Brad Butterworth: There are too many conflicts with the race calendar. Many yachtsmen would like to compete more, but they can’t because the regattas take place at the same time.

The sport of sailing is also far too complicated and it just can’t be properly televised and understood. It definitely needs a good shake up in order to become more user-friendly.

WYRF: Where do you think the complications are specifically?

Brad Butterworth: Well, there are many reasons but to start with, the rules are far too complex. The problem behind this is that sailing’s governing body, ISAF, has a long history of making rules. Every time we want to change something, it ends up in a Committee. The sport is not run by the sportsmen, but by Committees.

WYRF: What about other issues?

Brad Butterworth: Sailing is not a TV friendly sport and a good example is the last Olympic Games, where it was just impossible to properly follow a regatta.

There are also far too many classes and this is diluting the sport.

Finally, there is a serious problem with the racing calendar. In order to avoid overlaps, there should be an independent governing body. The ISAF could do this, but it is very difficult to find a body of truly independent people.

WYRF: Do you think junior & Olympic sailing programs prepare young sailors well for a professional career?

Brad Butterworth: There are a lot of very good yacht clubs that help young people to get into the sport. However the problems arise when they reach their late teens and loose the parental support they had until then. They usually go from single handed dinghies such as Optimists or Lasers to double-handed or crewed boats. The transition is not easy and it is hard to keep people into the sport.

WYRF: What advice would you give to young sailors?

Brad Butterworth: They should not be shy; they should dare to ask the good teams in their clubs for a ride, and they should be available to jump on the opportunities. Because the opportunities are there.

WYRF: What's your feeling towards the current Olympic classes?

Brad Butterworth: It is disappointing to see the Olympic classes evolving towards slower boats. The races are boring to watch, whereas they should be fun & exciting and more athletic for the competitors.

WYRF: The World Yacht Racing Forum will obviously be a good opportunity to debate these issues?

Brad Butterworth: It certainly won't hurt. Monaco is a great venue, and it is also great that the Yacht Club Monaco is encouraging this initiative. Meeting and talking will certainly be a good start.

BMW Oracle: More myth and reality; Brad Butterworth Seahorse interview

[Source: BMW Oracle] In statement posted yesterday Team Alinghi cited an interview in this month’s Seahorse magazine with Brad Butterworth as setting out their views on many of the key issues surrounding the next America’s Cup. The following summary provides factual commentary on the points raised in that interview.

Brad Butterworth: "They bark on about a one-sided Protocol and unfair rules favouring the defender. I tell them once and for all that is not the case. And 12 challengers support this fact."

Fact: Seven teams said it was the worst protocol in the Cup’s history. Emirates Team New Zealand and Mascalzone Latino have continued to publicly oppose the protocol as grossly one-sided. The defender has never explained why it was necessary to make such a significant departure from the rules of AC 32.

Brad Butterworth: "The race officials are picked from a list given to the challenger and defender"

Fact: While this was true for AC 32, under the AC 33 protocol introduced by Alinghi the defender gets to select all officials. This most recent claim by Brad is at odds with his own earlier statement about the selection of officials that: “Once people see who we’ve selected they will be happy with them.”

Brad Butterworth: "The fact is the defender is the last to use the officials and so only rarely gets involved in picking them, as the challengers choose the best people through their elimination series"

Fact: Brad may be confusing the AC 32 protocol with AC 33. Under the AC 33 protocol Alinghi would also race in the challenger series and use the race officials at the same time as the challengers.

Under Alinghi’s AC 33 protocol, the format and the schedule of all challenger racing is dictated by the defender for the first time in the history of the event. For the challengers in AC 33 it is therefore not “their” series any more as it was in all previous America’s Cups.

Brad Butterworth: "We have acknowledged that we are not without fault regarding the Protocol……but unlike our adversary, we have corrected these mistakes and have done that by working through the document with the challengers that have signed up"

Fact: At least three syndicates, ETNZ, Mascalzone Latino and BMWOR, do not share Brad’s view that the defender has worked through the document and corrected the protocol’s serious deficiencies.

The reality is that seven syndicates (Luna Rossa, Mascalzone Latino, Areva Challenge, United Internet Team Germany, Emirates Team New Zealand, BMW ORACLE Racing, Victory Challenge) all wrote calling it the worst protocol in the history of the event. Mascalzone Latino and Emirates Team New Zealand have continued to strongly and publicly oppose the protocol as one-sided. ETNZ is suing Alinghi for exercising anti-competitive control over the event.

Under the "new" protocol the following conditions still apply:
• The defender can change the protocol back at any time it wishes to the previous document
• Challengers gain no input on the appointment of neutral officials
• The defender and ACM are pointedly excluded from any binding obligation to act in a manner that complies with fair dealing, good sportsmanship or fair play
• The defender can still disqualify any competitor who disputes the protocol.

Brad Butterworth: "The defender racing in the challenger series: this was is due to wanting to curb costs."

Fact: It is not clear that this would have saved costs. However under the new protocol the defender’s ability to sail in the challengers’ series gives it very considerable new advantages. As they are already guaranteed a place in the America’s Cup, the defender can eliminate a team or influence the outcome of the series at no risk to themselves.

Brad Butterworth: “A schedule of sailing: to curb costs.”

Fact: Under Alinghi's protocol the defender gained the new power to organize the challengers' practice race schedule. It would decide when challengers were allowed to race and who they could practice racing against. No other sport permits a defending champion to do this. The schedule should be set by an independent body.

Brad Butterworth: "We wanted to have a one-boat campaign, again to aid entries"

Fact: The protocol allowed all teams to build two boats, which Alinghi would almost certainly have done. But Alinghi rescinded the Common Declaration that required defender and challenger to name their race boat at the same time. This allowed the defender to wait until just prior to the America’s Cup match to choose their race boat while the challenger was required to race the boat it had qualified
in. This conferred a huge advantage in being able to select a boat suited to the short term weather forecast.

Brad Butterworth: "Throughout my career, the fairness of the regatta has increased, peaking in Valencia where we saw the closest modern event ever. It would be the same if we had a multi-challenger event now."

Fact: Why then was there a need to radically change the rules to an unfair event?

Brad Butterworth: "In May and the one on one DoG match seemed a clear possibility we sat down with them to try to agree a date for a fair regatta, giving us time to build our multihull, but they refused."

Fact: Alinghi insisted that they be given the challenger’s right to set the race date. They wanted to delay the event to gain more time and an advantage outside the rules of the Cup.

Brad Butterworth: "However we are still open to discussion and very much welcome a resolution to this dispute"

Fact: Brad has never accepted any invitation to meet with BMWOR, and Alinghi have declined 10 offers of mediators. BMWOR have offered (and the offer still exists today) to return to an AC 32 protocol or the rules proposed by the challengers in November 2007.

Brad Butterworth: "To move things on we need to have a Challenger of Record firmly installed so that we can organize an event with the challengers and have a Cup similar to the one we had last time or even better"

Fact: Why then doesn’t the defender simply accept the reasonable proposal to return to rules like AC 32? It appears that instead the defender wishes to issue all rules on their terms to create an unprecedented level of control and advantage.

Bertarelli-chartered Numbers leads Mini Maxis at Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

[Source: Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup] Without doubt one of the best views in the house at the 19th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is that of the helicopter pilot tasked with positioning the film and photographic teams recording events unfolding. It is an enviable job and an addictive one too. Forty of the biggest, fastest, best-looking yachts on the planet and you get to see them from a perspective most only dream about. As the racing got underway today in a building breeze from the north-west and clear blue skies, the eye in the sky had the perfect view.

Top spots in the fleets went to the Ernesto Bertarelli-chartered Numbers in the Mini Maxis, Ranger in Cruising, Alfa Romeo in Racing and Lindsay Owen-Jones Magic Carpet 2 in Wally. The Cruising Division raced nine miles less than the other three, which all undertook a 39 nautical mile course that must have been strength sapping in the burning sun. All yachts took on a windward leg from the start off Porto Cervo towards the Island of Caprera. A hard left turn took the fleet into the passage between mainland Sardina and the Maddelena Archipelago. The shorter course for the Cruising Division saw them turn North at Punta Sardegna to Isola Baretinelli, where they turned south-east for a spinnaker run to a final mark in Golfo Pevero and on to the finish off Porto Cervo. The other three divisions continued northwest at Punta Sardegna and made their turn back towards the East at Ecueil de Lavezzi of the southern tip of Corsica.

Numbers, chartered and helmed by Ernesto Bertarelli, leads the Mini Maxi division. Porto Cervo, 2 September 2008. Photo copyright Rolex / Daniel Forster

The Racing Division comprising Alfa Romeo and Rambler was scheduled to start at 1140, but a broken runner on Rambler saw the gentlemanly conduct of the day award go to Neville Crichton as he agreed to a delayed start for these two boats that put them to the back of the list. That was the last merciful act from the canting-keeled Alfa as she scorched around the course in 3 hours 26 minutes to correct out over a minute ahead of Rambler.

The 8-boat Wally division witnessed the racing debut of the 143-foot Esense. She is quite a sight. The crew's day-glow green shirts are a striking contrast to the dark hull and teak deck. She is 40 feet longer than the next largest in the class, Dark Shadow, which at 100-feet is impressive enough, but from above looks like a dinghy compared to her big sister. Just as David showed Goliath a thing or two about speed and agility versus size and power, the relatively smaller Wallys: Magic Carpet, Y3K and Open Season (all between 95 and the 100-foot mark) slipped away from Esense on the first windward leg and led her around the course. Irvine Laidlaw's Highland Fling X is one of the smallest in the class, but did well enough to finish second on handicap, ahead of Genie.

Royal Ocean Racing Club CEO, Eddie Warden Owen is on board Highland Fling X as tactician this week and described the race today as one as the best day's racing he has had in Porto Cervo, “it was just great going up between the islands today. We were close with some of the others all the way, just wonderful”. Warden Owen admitted to taking advantage of being behind the leading boats at the top mark of the course, “we knew as we turned the corner at the top that the wind would follow us around. Just to make sure we looked through the binoculars at the boats ahead and could see those that had taken a high line were having to gybe to keep on course. So we stayed low, took a longer route but with more speed.”

Start of Race 1. Porto Cervo, 2 September 2008. Photo copyright Rolex / Kurt Arigo

A similar story unfolded in the Cruising Division, where the Ed Dubois designed, 144-foot, Salperton was making her competitive debut in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Another Briton, Andy Green, is on the helm and thoroughly enjoyed his day steering the biggest yacht in the fleet around the 30-mile course. Green, too, took a lower route at their top turning mark, “ we did really well today. We held our time up between the islands and really took it out of the fleet on the way back.” Salperton finished second on the water and on handicap, barely a minute behind the J Class, Ranger. “Ranger is so well sailed it's hard to get close. But we did well,” commented Green, who is clearly in awe of the machine he has control of this week, “it's as big as it gets” he added. And it is. From the dock, Salperton is impressively long, the bow stretching away into the distance. It must look that way from the helm. From the water, in a small RIB, she is enormous, spreading her huge shadow across the water. From the air she is something else, words failing to adequately describe the magnificent sight of her in full flight.

It takes nerves of steel to stand at the helm of one of these maxis on the start line. Millions of dollars of boat and equipment at stake. Not to mention the egos. Spare a thought for Tom Burnham at the helm of the 125-foot Ghost. For the first time. Burnham is an experienced yachtsman, an America's Cup sailor and full-time pro on the grand-prix circuit. When he signed up to race on Ghost it was as tactician and crew boss. Tom Whidden normally drives the silver wraith. But Whidden was unexpectedly unable to attend this week's event and Burnham was asked to step up to the plate. “It was a little nerve-wracking out there. But it was also very exciting and a lot of fun to be helming such a fantastic boat. We had a great start which owed a lot to the teamwork. The guys had me in the right position, which made it easy.” By all accounts, Ghost did have great start. Andy Green (on Salperton) certainly felt they had the best start of the fleet.

Numbers, chartered and helmed by Ernesto Bertarelli, leads the Mini Maxi division. Porto Cervo, 2 September 2008. Photo copyright Rolex / Daniel Forster

Unfortunately, despite leading the Cruising Division around the course on the water, Ghost lost ground on the run towards home. The tack line on the spinnaker broke as they reached down the back of the islands and although the crew had the replacement spinnaker up and drawing in a couple of minutes she was relegated to eighth on corrected time. The second J Class Velsheda rounded out the top three on handicap.

The anticipated dogfight in the Mini Maxi division duly came. Torben Grael, skippering the brand-new, Reichel-Pugh 69 Alfa Romeo 3 in its first competitive outing brought her home first on the water finishing 14 seconds ahead of Numbers. The lead could have been more but for problems with some sail changes towards the finish, which Grael felt had slowed them up. And although Alfa 3 finished fifth on corrected, Grael was very pleased with the day.

The start was best seen from the air as Numbers, Alfa 3 and the two STP 65s Rosebud/Team DYT and Moneypenny seemed to hit the line in a bunch at the Committee Boat end and stayed together for much of the initial beat. Allegre took the pin end of the line but when she crossed back towards the leading bunch she was not far off the pace. Andy Soriano's boat was third across the finish line and fourth on handicap. Moneypenny came in just ahead of Rosebud/Team DYT on the water and on handicap, finishing second in the division. Matt Ciesicki, a downwind trimmer, summed up he feelings of the crew: “halfway up the beat it was looking pretty bad for us, our competition was two to three minutes ahead of us. We just chipped away and the second half of the beat went well. Once we got around the top and got in a close reaching situation the boat really came alive. We stacked everyone all the way back and just let the trimmers and drivers do their work and gapped right up close to Alfa and almost bow to bow with Rosebud. We were very happy with our downwind speed and we nearly caught Alegre at Monici. We ended up with a pretty happy result to come in second against some great competition.”

Essence, 7th in the Wally division. Porto Cervo, 2 September 2008. Photo copyright Rolex / Daniel Forster

We'll let Ed Baird - AC winning helm and ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year on the Mini Maxi Numbers - sum up the day's proceedings: “It was a classic Porto Cervo race, it just was beautiful: 12-20 knots from the west, up through the straits and around the islands. We had good close racing, lots of boats in the hunt, short tacking up the rocks, followed by a run and a reach with gennakers back to the mark and then to the finish. A fabulous day, there wasn't a cloud anywhere!”

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in conjunction with the International Maxi Association (IMA), will run from September 1st to September 7th. Racing commences tomorrow, Tuesday and with racing scheduled for each following day, the prize giving on Saturday will be the culmination of an intense week of big boat racing. From the most luxurious, through the most traditional, to the most advanced monohulls afloat today, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is nothing if not an astonishing line up of sailing power.

Video highlights from the 1st day of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

Jim Swartz, owner/skipper of MONEYPENNY, speaks about the pre-event competition

Interview by Susan Maffei Plowden



CURRENT PROVISIONAL STANDINGS
Place Boat Name Owner Nation, R1-Points

Racing
1. ALFA ROMEO Neville Crichton NZL, 1-1.0
2. RAMBLER George David USA, 2-2.0

Cruising
1. RANGER, RSV Ltd USA, 1-1.0
2. SALPERTON, Primero Maritime Ltd CAY, 2-2.0
3. VELSHEDA, Tarbat Inv. Ltd GBR, 3-3.0

Mini Maxi
1. NUMBERS, Meyers/Bertarelli USA, 1-1.0
2. MONEYPENNY, Jim Swartz USA, 2-2.0
3. ROSEBUD/TEAM DYT, Roger Sturgeon USA, 3-3.0

Wally
1. MAGIC CARPET, 2 Lindsay Owen-Jones GBR, 1-1.0
2. HIGHLAND FLING X, Irvine Laidlaw GBR, 2-2.0
3. GENIE, Charles de Bourbon MON, 3-3.0

Brad Butterworth talks to PJ Montgomery

Early on Sunday morning, PJ Montgomery, one of New Zealand's most prominent sailing journalists, interviewed Alinghi's skipper Brad Butterworth on Radio NZ.

An interesting point in Butterworth's remarks was the fact he stated Alinghi wouldn't appeal the judge's decision if it went against them. Instead, Ernesto Bertarelli, the team's head, would choose to race BMW Oracle in catamarans, sometime after next summer. On the contrary, he seems to be convinced, BMW Oracle will appeal if Judge Cahn decides that the CNEV is a valid Challenger of Record.

In addition, it's getting clearer that unless there's some last-minute deal, it is extremely difficult to hold the 33rd America's Cup in 2009. As a result, it will probably have to be postponed and given the fact summer of 2010 will be extremely busy with the World Football Championships, marketing-wise the most appropriate year would be 2011.

Listen to the entire 7-minute interview, using the following media player:

Brad Butterworth talks to Valencia Sailing

We continue our series of interviews from the America's Cup with Alinghi's skipper Brad Butterworth. The kiwi sailing legend talked to us about the court case in New York as well as the current state of affairs at the defender's camp.

Valencia Sailing tries to keep an impartial stance on the subject of the litigation at the New York Supreme Court. One of the two parties (either Alinghi or BMW Oracle) is right while the other is wrong. One will lose and the other will win the court case in New York, unless of course they reach a settlement before October 22. For that reason our interviews will not be controversial. We will be critical with everybody but not stubbornly so.

Valencia Sailing: Many times, both Alinghi and ACM have stated that the 32nd AC was probably the best ever. I totally agree on that. Why do you then radically change a model/formula that provided such excellent results the first time it was applied? Couldn’t the second time have been even better after rectifying the very few errors?
Brad Butterworth: I don't see it this way. Changing the boats is one thing. If it weren't for that I'm pretty convinced it wouldn't be much different from the last time, if at all. We are just changing the boats, making them bigger and better. That is the only thing that has radically changed.

Valencia Sailing: BMW Oracle has repeatedly pointed to your refusal to use a formal mediator and was joined by Mascalzone Latino last weekend. Why do you refuse to mediate with BMW Oracle?
Brad Butterworth: Well, we have been talking to Larry Ellison. That's as good as a mediation you can get, isn't it?

Valencia Sailing: Yes, but they say they provided a list of 10 possible mediators that were all turned down and when they asked you to provide some names you didn't reply.
Brad Butterworth: The principals of the two teams are speaking. The main point of argument is whether the Club Nautico Español de Vela (CNEV) is a viable yacht club to challenge for the America's Cup. That's their argument and the reason they went to court.

Brad Butterworth puts an Alinghi cap on the America's Cup trophy. BMW Oracle claim the they have done it both literally and metaphorically. Valencia, 3 July 2007. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Valencia Sailing: So, if I understand well, your stance is to go to court and not try to get to an agreement or negotiated deal before that.
Brad Butterworth: No, we obviously changed some of the things the challengers asked. We also modified the protocol 14 times, much more than what we did last time. There have been things that have changed but at the end of day Oracle has to wake up and smell the coffee. Let's get on with the sport rather than trying to be the challenger of record. They should be just another competitor.

Valencia Sailing: Let's touch another controversial issue of the protocol, Alinghi's participation in the Challenger Selection Series (CSS). Doesn't this allow you to influence its results, beating stronger teams and allowing weaker ones to advance? If you reach the semifinals and beat your opponent who's then going be the finalist?
Brad Butterworth: Thanks for considering we can beat everyone so easily. The second part of the question is a right one. What is the fairest way of involving the defender and the challengers in the game. We are still trying to come up with this and we haven't really finalized it. We have been talking to the 5 challengers in order to find the best way to do this. Does the defender have 2-boat testing while the challengers don't? That's nonsense. You put them all together and at the end the best challenger will have to beat the defender anyways. I really can't understand their argument from a sports side.

Valencia Sailing: Let's talk about the new class rule being developed. How is the process advancing? Will it be ready by the end of the month, just three weeks from now? Are the meetings with the challengers real consultations or simple dictations by Alinghi?
Brad Butterworth: Tom Schnackenberg is running the process with all the teams. Whether it comes out at the end of the month or run the regatta in 2009 is what we want but obviously there is a court case. As you see, everything is starting to slow down and this is pretty disappointing. From Alinghi's side, we would love to design and build the new boat and get next year and sail it. If things are going to wind up in court over sports related matters then there might be delays for all of us. So, I'm not sure whether it will be ready, everything is slowing down.

Valencia Sailing: While your lawyers are busy in New York what is the rest of the team doing? Are you back in full force here in Valencia?
Brad Butterworth: There is a few people working but basically we are shut down. Our crew are out sailing in various projects and races and we can't have a lot going on until we have some certainty with the court case. There is a lot of people waiting, including us.

Valencia Sailing: Assuming a positive outcome for you in the court case will you keep the structure of having two helmsmen or is Ed Baird going to be the team's only helmsman?
Brad Butterworth: We would like to have two helmsmen but as I told you we are on standby. Ed Baird is our primary guy and of course he did an excellent job last time and I'm sure he will do it next time.

Valencia Sailing: Since teams will only have one new boat under the protocol, sailing crews will be reduced. Have you taken any decisions?
Brad Butterworth: Not yet, although we try to keep as many guys as we can. It's been a very good team, a very good sailing team and we will have to keep it that way. We are obviously looking at people from other teams from last time or outside the America's Cup that proved to be very good.

Valencia Sailing: What about the sailing skills necessary for the new boats? Are they going to have a steep learning curve?
Brad Butterworth: A lot of the guys have a lot of skills on these boats, such the maxis Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats. There are a number sailing on those. The sailors that also did the last Volvo Ocean Race will have a good idea how these boats perform. All our guys have spent time these other boats. There will obviously be a learning process but this is part of any new boat.

Valencia Sailing: You have repeatedly stated the new boats will be "spectacular". Will the general public that was visiting Port America's Cup by droves notice any difference between the older 80ft boats and the new 90ft ones?
Brad Butterworth: The boats are a little bit bigger but their rigs and sail area are a lot bigger. They will see the boats are different, more modern.

Valencia Sailing: Surely, but given the short development time, 18 months, and the complete novelty of the class don't you fear we might see enormous differences between the boats? Are we going to have deltas of 4 minutes rather than 1 second in the last race of the America's Cup match?
Brad Butterworth: First of all, the 1 second was more a reflection of wind speed in the last 5 minutes of the race rather than boat design. There might be some differences but I think there will be some very good boats and racing will hopefully be close. With my crystal ball I'm looking and thinking it's going to be better and bigger but time will tell.

Valencia Sailing: Honestly, do you think any challenger will design and build a boat able to match yours, given the time advantage you have?
Brad Butterworth: I don't see any advantage of time because the rule hasn't been written yet. We have to design the boat, build it and sail it and everybody will do it under the same rule in the same period of time. There is no real difference and other teams can do it and will be able to do it. There are big teams like Oracle that have mast builders, boat builders, whole teams organized and sitting here in Valencia. They are ready to go, I'm sure the English are ready to go, the New Zealanders are ready to go. It's similar to last time.

Valencia Sailing: Surely, but the rumor in Valencia is that you started designing the new boat back in February. You then start with a 9-month design advantage.
Brad Butterworth: This is crap. C, R, A, P!

Valencia Sailing: Assuming there are no delays, will you start building the boat in 2007 or 2008?
Brad Butterworth: We will build the boat in 2008. Nobody is able to do that before unless they have already started building. It's impossible since the rule hasn't even been published.

Valencia Sailing: Will you keep Décision as your boatyard?
Brad Butterworth: For the last years Décision has been a part of our team and have done a great job for us in the last two Cups, anything we asked them for. All their boats were great and we are going to continue with them.

Valencia Sailing: Last but certainly not least. How do you view Mascalzone Latino's move to file an amicus brief at the New Yrok court last week?
Brad Butterworth: I'm not reading too much into it as we see them as Oracle really. Obviously, they have been involved with Oracle from the beginning. I can't differentiate between the two. Other than the argument whether the Spanish club can legally challenge, the rest of it we know we can decide it on the sport.