Foam, sweet home for Dawn Riley

By JULIE ASH

It comes as no surprise to hear that one of the world's greatest women sailors, Dawn Riley, calls a boat in San Francisco home.

But not just any boat - a Passport 40, "a nice, comfortable, classic-looking, slow cruising boat", Riley explains.

One of the few Americans, man or woman, to sail in three America's Cups and two Whitbread round-the-world races, Riley arrived last week in Auckland, where she is commentating or rather "analysing" the racing for an American television station.

"I am in the studio with the host explaining what's happening to the American public, which is a little different from explaining to the New Zealand public," she laughs, implying New Zealanders are a shade more on to it when it comes to sailing.

"We were doing it in Connecticut from a studio in an old theatre in the snow so it is definitely nice to be down here."

But it is not just the job that brings Riley to Auckland. She is also here to gain valuable knowledge for K-Challenge, a French-based syndicate hoping to compete in the next America's Cup.

K-Challenge 2006 was set up by French-German Ortwin Kandler, one of the pioneers of the Airbus industry. Riley is the team manager.

"I am bummed that I wasn't involved in this America's Cup but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I was available to sail for Ortwin in the One Ton Cup two years ago.

"He invited me to put together a team and go over and meet him. He always wanted to do the America's Cup and he liked the way our team was put together, which at that stage was all women.

"He liked the attitude and it kind of inspired him to say, 'Let's do it now'. So we have been working with a co-ed multinational team."

Riley said the syndicate was only in its infancy and only a few team members had been signed, including French Olympic champion Thierry Peponnet and prominent French sailor Nicolas Charbonnier.

"We campaigned a 50-footer and two IC 45s last year around Europe doing some matchracing. We are in the sponsorship search right now but hopefully we'll be purchasing a boat when I leave here."

Riley said she was not sure if she would sail with K-Challenge.

"I was kind of thinking it would be a fulltime job to organise all the different nationalities but in this last year I was steering one of the boats and we did really, really well, so who knows?"

Asked her thoughts on this challenger series, Riley said: "The boats are so close. Every team out there had a chance to win, it was just what they did with their tools. Teams that have had longer on the water and have used their tools wisely are the ones on top.

"I have picked Alinghi all along. They are the team of all the challengers that, with all my connections, networks and friends, I have heard the least grumblings out of. It is quiet, they are moving forward, they are focused.

"They have some brilliant sailors on board. Their design team were responsible for the Spanish boat last time and it had 100 times more potential than it showed."

But as to who Alinghi will meet in the challenger series final, Riley does not know.

"I would have said OneWorld but I don't know now, it changes daily."

And the defenders?

"Nobody knows. When I get down here the feeling is different from at home. More and more people are saying it is above 50 per cent for the Kiwis to keep it. But how are we to know? They go in and out with those skinny skirts on and they are quiet."

Riley said the fact that the top four (Alinghi, Oracle, Prada and OneWorld) were the big-budget campaigns hadn't deterred her interest in helping set up a new challenge.

"They spent more than they needed to. There is no doubt about that.

"The thing they had going for them was they started from day one smartly and worked forward. You look at the bottom teams - Le Defi didn't get their money until a year out. Mascalzone, they were doing it, but they weren't doing it. Victory decided to go completely in-house and not have other nationalities so they didn't benefit from the logistical experience they could have had.

"Stars and Stripes sold their training boat and didn't start training till they built their new boats. It is possible Stars and Stripes wouldn't have been able to do it this time if they didn't sell their boat and get the money.

"But that is the biggest difference between the big budgets and the small budgets. You need enough money but you need to use what you have very, very smartly."

Before the next America's Cup, Riley had been intending to try for a spot in the Olympics.

"I considered doing an Olympic campaign in the Yngling but found out that hanging my butt out in the middle position, where my weight is suited best is extremely boring. You couldn't see anything and you were wet and couldn't contribute to the team. I always thought I'd do the Olympics because it is something I haven't done."

Riley had also developed an allergy to pre-dried food, which pretty much rules out events such as the round-the-world race until she finds alternative nutrition.

But for now the America's Cup is her passion.

"I like the intrigue, the complication, the aggressive sailing, the business management.

"I like to be able to use all my experience and keep my brain going."

JUST THE FACTS:

Name: Dawn Riley

Age: 38

Lives: San Francisco

Career highlights:

2002 IC 45 world champion - K Challenge 1

2000 America True CEO and captain, America's Cup

1995 team captain of America3, the women's team in the America's Cup

1992 Pitperson for America3, winner of 1992 America's Cup and first woman to have an active role on an America's Cup team

1993/94 skipper of Heineken, the only all-women's entry in the 1993-94 Whitbread round-the-world race

1989/90 watch captain/engineer on Maiden, the first all-women's team in the 1989-90 Whitbread race

1992 and 1999 first two-time winner, Santa Maria Cup in Baltimore, Maryland

1992 First place in Women's Cup in Portofino, Italy.

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