Local fisherman catches Fonica wipeout...

Local fisherman Gilles Martin snaps a photo of the 60ft trimaran Foncia as it capsizes off Lorient with Alinghi sailors on board.

Erenesto Bertarelli: The Big Loser

At the recent Farr 40 world championship in Copenhagen saw Italy’s defending champion Vincenzo Onorato steer his Mascalzone Latino to an emphatic, back-to-back victory over second-placed Ernesto Bertarelli in Alinghi with another former champion, Jim Richardson, third in Barking Mad.

Not surprisingly, Onorato, a typically heart-on-sleeve passionate Italian, said it had been something of a dream to beat the more Swiss, grey and cold Italian, Bertarelli, a dream he would like to repeat at the America’s Cup.

Bertarelli and his crew duly congratulated the Rascals dockside but, when it came to the prize-giving, they gave it the cold shoulder, with no senior member of the team there to pick up the trophy for second. That is not good. If there is no time in sport for grace and courtesy, then sport is the loser. It is a matter of manners and the snub was not just to the winners and the organisers but to all their fellow-competitors." - Stuart Alexander http://www.stuartalexander.eu/

Bertarelli and Ehman go at it...

There has already been an angry confrontation in the not so wonderful city of Copenhagen. It has been cold and miserable for the Farr 40 worlds, but some heat was injected from outside when Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi asked that the chairman of the jury, Tom Ehman, should step down. As Ehman is at the centre of the litigation by GGYC, at the behest of BMW Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Alinghi, as a competitor, felt there could be some conflict of interest.

Ehman did not step down, doubtless because he thought that his four co-jurors would never allow themselves to be manipulated in what could be seen as vindictive behavour. But Bertarelli’s skipper, Brad Butterworth, is incensed and has written to the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with a formal complaint.

The stage is being set for a bitter battle. Expect SNG (Alinghi) to have a formidable team of lawyers which will assert that the event already has a mechanism for resolving disputes. It is called the Arbitration Panel, appinted by ACM, and may well deliver an opinion prior to any court hearing. SNG may also say that any quarrels over mutual consent have been covered by the Club Nautico Espanol de Vela, the chosen Challenger of Record, having signed up to the new protocol - as, by implication, have challengers from South Africa, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Germany."- http://www.stuartalexander.eu/

The Empire Strikes Back

BERNE, Switzerland - America's Cup holders Alinghi have accused yachting rivals BMW Oracle of holding the competition to ransom following their decision to file legal proceedings in New York.

BMW Oracle owner Larry Ellison is suing Alinghi for what he says are "unfair" rules for the running of the next America's Cup - a charge strenuously denied by the Swiss team.

"Far from being an attempt to control everything, the new protocol has been written to make the 33rd America's Cup even better," said Michel Bonnefous, president of the ACM organising body set up to run the competition on Alinghi's behalf.

"The vision is shared by many Challengers from around the world, four of whom have now formally entered the competition, with others about to do so.

"Larry Ellison is holding the Cup to ransom for competitive gain by attempting to disrupt the preparations."

Alinghi's New Zealand-born skipper Brad Butterworth attributed the US team's lawsuit to sour grapes. http://www.nzherald.co.nz

THREE AMIGOS! Starring Coutts, Bertarell, Ellison

Click on image to enlarge
A true story about Love, Money, Sports, Power & Greed! Starring Russell Coutts, Ernesto Berrarelli and Larry Ellison. Come to a theater near you!

America's Cup Total BS!

Image (C) Sailkarma.com

Today in Valencia Ernesto Bertarelli used part of his press conference to attack Larry Ellison. We chose to select just one phrase from Ernesto Bertarelli, which symbolises the relation between the two: "Bull shit!”It is also worth mentioning that the America’s Cup Management, the management appointed by Ernesto Bertarelli to lead the competition, seems to be under pressure. Victory Challenge was not allowed to attend the press conference since the team’s communications manager, as well as those from other potential challengers, were stopped at the door. - From Bert Willborg/Victory Challenge

You have got to be kidding! Who does this guy think he is? We thought the Cup was great...but it seems that it has gone to his head and has turned it into a joke! Nice job Erne! What a way to pi$$ all over the cup! -SK