Editorial- Of more bulls in china shops

by nzeditor@sail-world.com on 20 Nov 2007
There were no further developments overnight in the America’s Cup, which is both good and bad.

On one front America’s Cup management did not issue their statement postponing the event to 2011, as was widely believed would happen.

We have covered the situation in this edition, and the likely outcomes. Comments made by Alinghi spokesmen last week to Sail-World, and in a radio interview, on Sunday morning indicated that they would not Appeal the decision of Justice Herman Cahn, and would either get on with the event in July 2009 in Valencia as planned, or defend in a catamaran in July 2008 (and if they won would still be the Defender for a 34th Match in July 2009.)

The concerns lie with actions by BMW Oracle Racing, who have not ruled out the possibility of an Appeal on Justice Herman Cahn’s decision. If that action was taken then, yes, the Cup would have to be postponed.

To our eyes, the position of the two parties is so close, that the gain through an Appeal can never be worth the pain of a postponed America’s Cup. At Sail-World, we urge the two parties to formally agree, beforehand, to accept the decision of Justice Herman Cahn, and bring some certainty to an event in 2009.

In a second development in Valencia, the formal announcement of a second Spanish Challenger, Ayre, was planned but was called off less than two hours before the get-go, we understand for a very minor legal reason.

As we explain in our story, the present balance is very fine in the current America's Cup game, and with a few handshakes and goodwill on both sides, together with the concessions that have already been made, it is quite possible to have a regatta as planned in 2009. Certainly the situation is not as black as some would paint it, however time will tell.

In another positive development, BMW Oracle Racing weren't evicted from their base in Valencia. Several online sources, had tipped a forcible eviction, as lease agreements for the 2007 America's Cup regatta neared their end.

Meanwhile the fires continue to be stoked underneath the International Sailing Federation and its Council members who voted for the exclusion of the multihull event at the 2012 Olympic Games. Currently the online petition has attracted over 4,000 signatures.

A letter from the UK Catamaran Association quotes an interesting report from the International Olympic Committee on the Olympic sports and qualities that it believes should be inherent in all Olympic sports. We have included the extract from the long report which covers the comments from the IOC on sailing, and the direction the Olympic events should be taking.

While report was written in 2002, many of its actions have been undertaken, and it seems to have been the blueprint for many of the changes to Olympic sports and sports which have been excluded or attempted to be added to the Olympics. The UK Catamaran Association picks up on several of these themes in their letter.

To read the full text of the IOC Report http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_527.pdf!click_here

Over 4000 people have signed the online petition, to the IOC requesting that the ISAF decision be over-ruled. To add your signature http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/multihullinolympics/index.html!click_here