Pressure mounts on German America's Cup Boat

by Gerald New on 2 Sep 2005 The German America's Cup challenge has come under intense pressure after its failure to achieve instant results in the early races of the Louis Vuitton Acts in Malmo.

The website of Deutshe Welle - dw-world.de - reports that only four months after the first ever German entry to the America's Cup was announced the team is riven by power plays and injuries.

Over the weekend, after syndicate head Uwe Sasse fired team leader and sailing sage Andreas John. Press spokesman Andreas Klinger was let go as well.

Sasse was quoted: 'Following our observations of the last few months, weeks and, especially the last days, we didn't only see that it wasn't going to work, but that we were going to have to quickly find a solution. John was no longer able to fulfil his duties.'

Andreas John, rated the only serious sailor on the management team, commented to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper: 'The firing comes out of the blue. The reasons weren't convincing, and vague.'

Willy Kuhweide, commodore of the Yacht Club backing the syndicate, Deutsche Challenger YC, told the German television station ARD that John's firing was not limited to the lack of success on the water, 'The reasons are much deeper, John was a scapegoat.'

Friday, before racing started, crew member Christian Buck suffered a fall while working on the boat's mast. The injuries he sustained put him in the hospital in serious condition, he is recovering well.

Final Positions at Act 6, Malmo, Sweden:
1 Alinghi
2 BMW Oracle Racing
3 Emirates Team New Zealand
4 Luna Rossa Challenge
5 Desafío Español 2007
6 +39 Challenge
7 Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team
8 Victory Challenge
9 K-Challenge
10 United Internet Team Germany
11 Team Shosholoza
12 China Team