The America's Cup has already been decided for Auckland's Hawke Sea Scouts, with the 6-to-8-year-olds this week completing their own nail-biting regatta. Three boats featured in the mini-America's Cup, after the contest was changed to avoid any Alinghi versus Team New Zealand troubles.
Alinghi sailor Warwick Fleury's son was in the
team, with the young cousin of Team New Zealand mastman Carl Whiting-Williams.
"Unlike the behaviour of some of the New Zealand public, we haven't experienced any nastiness at our weekly meetings," said Kea leader Dick Cuthbert.
The little wooden boats, complete with mainsails and spinnakers, did experience some Team New Zealand-style problems, though, taking on water as they were raced along a trough in rough seas created by an electric fan.
"In certain conditions all our boats took on a little water, but it was easily dealt with," said chief yacht builder and Kea leader Brian Mooney. "We didn't need any buckets. The kids simply turned their boats upside down to bail them out."
Although real syndicate names were not allowed, the eventual winner was the "Green Dream", which proved the fastest in all conditions and which just happened to be sporting a Loyal spinnaker. And, in case any benefactors are reading, the Sea Scouts remind the big America's Cup sponsors that they are trying to raise $50,000 for new piling to stop their Coxs Bay boathouse sinking in the mud.
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A New Zealand traveller arriving in Geneva was struck by the Geneva Tribune's poster: America's Cup - Alinghi depresses the Kiwis.
She stopped to photograph it and was given a dose of Swiss hospitality; a local presented it to her with the words, "Swiss, number one, eh? Nouvelle Zelande, number 2?" How kind.
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A reader writes: With Team New Zealand down three-nil, perhaps it's time to take some drastic measures. New Zealand intelligence should carefully and systematically "leak" unconfirmed reports that Alinghi is, in fact, an acronym for "Anti-american Legion Intent on Nuking George and His Idiots". With the number of United States spy planes orbiting the Earth, this will be picked up in no time and passed on to the White House.
Given his intention of destroying the Axis of Evil (or should that be the Spinnaker of Evil), George W. could probably easily fire a few missiles at Alinghi and finish Team New Zealand's job for them. Of course, Team NZ would have to be careful not to be too near Alinghi at the time, as we all know about the Americans' excellent aim (see Chinese Embassy disaster, 1999).
As for the sportsmanship, bah. That all ended when Alinghi pinched Coutts and Butterworth. If you can't play fair, play dirty.
- Fiona Cavendish
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A New Zealander living in Connecticut, Lorraine Leonard, wants to start a fund so New Zealanders living abroad can do their bit to help a future America's Cup bid. Assuming there is one. Lorraine Leonard, at present under 40cm of snow, decided she needed to help out after watching Tuesday's race, which was won easily by Alinghi. Her email address is lorraine@lorraineleonard.com.
The America's Cup has already been decided for Auckland's Hawke Sea Scouts, with the 6-to-8-year-olds this week completing their own nail-biting regatta. Three boats featured in the mini-America's Cup, after the contest was changed to avoid any Alinghi versus Team New Zealand troubles.
Alinghi sailor Warwick Fleury's son was in the
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