Cup organisers not worried about lack of wind

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The settled weather Aucklanders are enjoying, and are likely to enjoy for the next few days, has not brought any hint of panic to America's Cup organisers. Yet.

Tony Thomas, executive director of America's Cup 2003, said they remained confident the winds would return and that racing would go ahead as scheduled.

"There will be no change to the first five days," Thomas said. "The first two race days, on Saturday and Sunday, will stay in place, as will the third on Tuesday. Next Monday and Wednesday will remain as rest days.

"There is no thought of changing that. Those race days are fully booked so we will go out. We are plugged into this schedule with the commitments to television, sponsors and other corporates."

Thomas said there would be no change to the schedule until after the second weekend of racing, on February 22-23, at the earliest when races five and six (if needed) were to be sailed.

"If we were way behind at that point there is provision to use the scheduled rest days on February 24, 26 and 28," he said.

"We also have reserve days pencilled in for March 2, 4 and 6. There is no need to do anything until those days have been used."

Any decision to race beyond March 6 to find a winner would come after discussions between the two syndicates and organisers, as would any decision to race on scheduled rest days.

Unlike the Louis Vuitton Cup in which the challengers had minimum and maximum wind strengths, there are no such provisions in the America's Cup.

There was a seven-knot minimum for the Louis Vuitton and a 19-knot maximum, with the added provision that racing would be called off if the wind reached 23 knots across the race course for five minutes.

While the wind is an issue for the racing yachts, organisers are also mindful of safety concerns for the spectator fleet.

Boats are unable to anchor in the area of the Hauraki Gulf set aside for racing because of numerous cables, and organisers are conscious of safety issues should strong winds make it unsafe for spectator craft to hold their positions.

Any call to race or not will be made by principal race officer Harold Bennett. He must consider conditions for a "fair race," but be mindful of any safety concerns.

"If we get two races in this weekend, and we are confident of doing that, then we will be away," Thomas said "We are keeping a close watch on weather patterns. If there is enough wind to go racing, we will find it."

And if come March 6 a winner has still not been declared, do Team NZ, as defenders, retain the Auld Mug? Apparently not. A winner must be found on the water.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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