9.00pm
The America's Cup turned nasty today after two syndicates called for OneWorld Challenge of Seattle to be thrown out of the challenger yachting series for using other teams' design secrets.
Team Dennis Conner and Prada of Italy have filed material obtained from Team New Zealand to argue that OneWorld should
be disqualified from the Louis Vuitton challenger series.
They have asked the America's Cup Arbitration Panel to declare OneWorld's challenge invalid and will fly protest flags during racing tomorrow.
OneWorld tonight labelled the actions of Prada and Team Dennis Conner "desperate actions by desperate men".
The dispute has the potential to severely disrupt the event for weeks, or even months, with the America's Cup itself less than three months away.
One of the favourites to win the challengers' series and take on Team New Zealand for the cup, OneWorld are this week racing Conner's yacht Stars and Stripes in a sailoff to decide who contests the semifinals early next month.
However, the America's Cup Arbitration Panel is not expected to be able to convene, hear evidence and deliver a ruling swiftly -- its five members are spread around the world.
The last time the panel heard accusations that OneWorld had several other teams' design secrets, it took nine months to hand down a decision.
The evidence includes a lengthy affidavit from Sean Reeves, a former Team New Zealand rules adviser, who helped set up OneWorld after the last cup.
He left the Seattle team after a dispute, and was later accused of trying to pass OneWorld's designs to other teams.
But Reeves claimed it was OneWorld who were in the wrong, having obtained and used the critical secrets of Team New Zealand and two other teams.
OneWorld lured sailors and designers from other teams like Prada and Team New Zealand when they were set up after the last cup, and later admitted having some information from both those teams, but denied ever using it.
The Arbitration Panel docked OneWorld a point for their indiscretions, but refused Team New Zealand requests for a full hearing on the issue, which would have allowed witnesses like Reeves to be called.
The panel is understood to have also refused to allow the affidavit from Reeves to be presented as evidence.
That material is now included in the 92 pages of evidence filed with the Team Dennis Conner and Prada complaints.
The two challengers said Team New Zealand had "very recently" given the material to them, and have called for a full hearing so all teams can table evidence.
Lawyer Jim Farmer, representing Prada and Team Dennis Conner, told the Herald his clients believed OneWorld had misled the Arbitration Panel during the last case about what design information they had, and had intentionally used the design secrets.
" ... there is compelling evidence ... that there was actual, known use of Team New Zealand's drawings," the complaint to the panel says.
"It is in the interests of the event that the truth of the allegations which, on the evidence available to them, the applicants believe have a proper basis in fact, be determined."
Team New Zealand have claimed that OneWorld had their deck, hull and mast secrets while Prada said the Seattle team had their 2000 sail programme.
OneWorld executive director Bob Ratliffe tonight said his team had done nothing wrong, and there was absolutely nothing new in the claims.
He said the regatta rules meant if anyone thought OneWorld had done anything wrong, and had been aware of it, complaints should have been filed before the challengers' series started.
"This is mostly just further drivel from Sean Reeves. They are desperate acts by desperate men who want to settle things, not on the water, but in court."
He said Team Dennis Conner's complaint came just weeks after their general manager Bill Trenkle wrote them an e-mail congratulating them on a United States court victory over Reeves. Trenkle had signed an affidavit supporting OneWorld's case.
"I am pleased I was able to help OneWorld in their case against Reeves," Trenkle wrote.
"Let's hope the America's Cup is rid of him forever."
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
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9.00pm
The America's Cup turned nasty today after two syndicates called for OneWorld Challenge of Seattle to be thrown out of the challenger yachting series for using other teams' design secrets.
Team Dennis Conner and Prada of Italy have filed material obtained from Team New Zealand to argue that OneWorld should
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