Sips from the cup: British challengers plan ahead

Compiled by JULIE ASH

Forget this America's Cup, Britain's GBR Challenge have already started their preparations for the next one.

GBR chairman and owner Peter Harrison has announced his team will build a second new hull during this campaign so that the team has two latest-generation yachts ready for training in Cowes during the next English summer.

Harrison said the building of a second hull would ensure GBR's next cup campaign got off to a flying start.

However, he said the decision did not mean he had committed to backing the British entry in the future.

"At this stage, I am not prepared to commit myself to financially backing the GBR Challenge campaign for the next America's Cup," he said.

"What I will have done is to put in place the requisite building blocks for continuity so that, whether its myself leading the team or not, GBR Challenge will have the best possible foundations for success in the future."

GBR's boat for this year, GBR70, is nearing completion in Cowes and will be ready for use when the team return home for the New Zealand winter.

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Italy's second challenge, Onorato Challenge, is the latest syndicate to touch base in Auckland.

Twenty-five members from the syndicate are spending the next month in Auckland getting the feel of the Hauraki Gulf.

The team have bought USA55, formally known as Stars and Stripes, from OneWorld and are setting up their base in "Syndicate Row" between OneWorld and Oracle. The entire team will arrive in Auckland in August.

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Prada got an early morning wake-up call when the fire alarm in their Auckland hotel went off at 12.30 am this week.

The team, decked out in their pyjamas, spent close to half-an-hour outside while the fire department checked the hotel before giving the all clear.

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Seattle's OneWorld Challenge christened and launched their first boat, USA65, at their base this week.

Though the hull and appendages were cloaked, portions of the blue hull were in view.

USA65 was designed by Laurie Davidson, Bruce Nelson, Phil Kaiko and their 29-member design team. It was built by the OneWorld boat building team, led by America's Cup veteran, Peter Sowman, in Sedro Wooly, Washington.

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Eight sailors have been invited to compete in the Steinlager Line 7 Cup in Auckland from March 19-24.

The event, part of the Swedish match racing grand prix, will be managed by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Victory Challenge's Magnus Holmberg and his Sealife team will face their biggest rival on the tour, Oracle Racing's Peter Holmberg (no relation).

Peter Holmberg will be seeking his second consecutive win of the tour after beating Prada's Gavin Brady in October's Gold Cup in Bermuda.

Brady will also compete in Auckland, along with Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, who returns to the tour for the first time since July's Trombini match race.

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