America's Cup: South Africans hope to spice enthusiasm with luck

By JULIE ASH in Valencia

Some say luck has nothing to do with it but Team Shosholoza skipper Geoff Meek believes a little good fortune could go a long way in determining their fate in the next America's Cup.

Shosholoza, which means to push forward, are the new kids on the America's Cup block.

The dream of Captain Salvatore Sarno, the boss of the Mediterranean Shipping Company in South Africa, Team Shosholoza are the first cup challenge for the "Rainbow Nation".

With a rainbow-coloured wave pattern blazing along their boat, Shosholoza are the most vibrant of the eight syndicates competing in the second and third cup pre-regattas in Valencia and are a breath of fresh air in the pompous and scandalous world that is the America's Cup.

"We wanted to be very African and Shosholoza is probably the most popular song sung by Africans and they love it when they see the name on the boat," Meek said.

"We wanted to feel part of the new South Africa and we want to show we agree with our new Government and what they are doing."

Shosholoza have a budget of about 25 million euros ($45.4 million) and are made up almost entirely of South Africans, a far cry from the usual international teams.

The syndicate bought one of Prada's 2000-generation boats and since the launch in May, crew have spent long days off the coast of Cape Town coming to grips with it.

"Over half of them had not been on a boat more than 35ft long until four months ago," Meek said.

"But the guys have done really well getting to where they have got in the time they have had."

Meek is an accomplished big-boat sailor and Team Shosholoza's sailing manager is British-born yachtsman Paul Standbridge, whose sailing CV includes five Whitbreads, 14 Fastnet races and two America's Cups.

Standbridge, who managed the GBR crew in the last cup, introduced the South African sailors to the powerful 25-tonne America's Cup yachts.

"Because they have never done it before they have just been taught their own job in the correct manner," Meek said. "It is quite good until we have pressure on us, then it comes through that we are quite new to the game.

"But two more years and it will hopefully be okay."

British designer James Ker will create the challenge yacht. The team will launch a low-budget boat next year and their contender yacht in 2006.

"The first boat is going to cost us less than buying a good second-hand boat and changing it. In our minds we are thinking of it as a learning curve for the boatbuilders and us."

Cape Town-based Team Shosholoza will move to Valencia in March 2006.

"If the bookies bet on us we'd probably have odds of 200-1 to win it," Meek said.

"But if we have a little bit of luck - you can get luck sometimes with design and can get a bit of luck with the race - maybe we could end up in the top four in the challenger series. That is not impossible."

* High winds postponed racing on the fifth day of the second pre-regatta in Valencia.

* Julie Ash was assisted to Valencia by Emirates Airline.