Frank Pong says time to be Sensible

by Frank Pong on 25 Aug 2008 Asia's scion of big boat racing, Frank Pong, observes that its time Larry Ellison and Ernesto Berterelli should come to a compromise and not go to Final Appeal.

'Everything to gain for both persons in a settlement for the next AC33 in monohull AC90 boats in multi fleet format, under a set of rules that will reflect the wishes of both. and the other entrants.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]'Nothing to gain for either man from whichever way the Final Ruling falls.

'A resolution between the two on the next, 33rd, edition sailed with the much faster 90 footer monohulls will regain the applause of the sailing world.

'That is what should happen if they are reasonable people ; they do not really need to be reasonable, just being sensible will do.

'Their lawyers and advisers are most likely urging them to settle, all the points have been made already. Going to the Court of Final Appeal in New York is merely handing something the two persons can resolve, over to a few people who need have little care about the whole issue.

'What they are asked to do is to decide on what they think a few words written in the Deed of Gift in 1851 was intended to mean, and how it reflects in today's use of the English Language.

'The Final Appeal will not even rule on whether Alinghi or Oracle was right in doing what they had done between July 2007 up till now.

'That is the sad and silly part.

'Yes, fight over the Protocol, but there is no need to hand over your prerogatives to an unconnected third party.'