Sips from the Cup: GBR keeps door open for McDonald

By JULIE ASH

Neal McDonald has been offered the chance to rejoin GBR Challenge after leaving the syndicate last year to compete in the round-the-world yacht race.

The Briton resigned from GBR and took up a job with Assa Abloy so he could spend more time with his wife, Lisa, who competed in the round-the-world race as skipper of Amer Sports Too.

McDonald replaced Dutchman Roy Heiner as skipper of Assa Abloy after the team suffered a chaotic first leg. With McDonald in charge, Assa Abloy came back to finish a clear second overall.

GBR general manager, New Zealander David Barnes, said the door was wide open if McDonald, a trimmer, wanted to return to the syndicate.

"We are still talking to him and we'd definitely be keen to have him back. But at the moment he just wants to have a break."

GBR Challenge spent most of April and May in Britain where their new boat, GBR70 - otherwise known as "Wight Lightning" - was christened in Cowes in April.

The boat is now in Auckland and Barnes said the syndicate hoped to have it out on the water in the next two weeks or so.

Barnes said that from what he has seen of the 2003-generation boats, no one appeared to have created anything too radical.

"Everything I have seen looks like they are of a similar concept."

* * *

The final event in the Swedish Match Tour has attracted a host of America's Cup sailors keen for competition before the challenger series.

Peter Holmberg (Oracle Racing), Russell Coutts (Alinghi), Magnus Holmberg (Victory Challenge) along with Team New Zealand's Dean Barker and Bertrand Pace are among those who will compete in the Sweden Cup in Marstrand, Sweden which starts on Monday.

Holmberg and his team of New Zealand sailors John Cutler (tactician), Robbie Naismith (trimmer), Mike Sanderson (mainsheet), and Brad Webb (bow) have already won the tour event and will be awarded the Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour Championship title next weekend.

The addition of the UBS Challenge in Newport, Rhode Island (July 27-August 4) means the 2002/2003 Swedish Match Tour has been expanded from eight events to nine.

* * *

Alinghi's second new yacht, SUI75, is on its way to Auckland.

The yacht is expected to arrive in Auckland in a month.

The Swiss syndicate's first new yacht, SUI64, arrived in Auckland in November last year and was the first new cup boat to hit the water.

The Alinghi team are overseas either on holiday or competing in overseas events.

* * *

Dawn Riley's K Challenge, preparing for the 2006 America's Cup, was launched by Olympic skier Florence Masnada in Saint Tropez, France.

Masnada smashed champagne bottles on the hulls of the two training boats, which went to Saint Tropez after the project's launch at the Paris Boat Show.

The next steps in their campaign will be announcing the location on their base, purchasing an America's Cup class boat and looking for additional partners and sponsors.

* * *

Kerikeri school students received an insight into the America's Cup as well as cash for their sailing academy when former Team New Zealand grinder Craig Monk ventured up north.

Monk, now with OneWorld Challenge, told the 600 students about life as a cup sailor.

The 1992 Olympic Finn bronze medallist presented the Kerikeri sailing academy with a cheque for $500.

* * *

French challengers Le Defi Areva have joined forces with the Tour de France a la Voile - a 12-leg yacht race from Dunkirk to Nice taking place from June 27 to July 29.

During the race stopovers, Le Defi Areva will promote their team and the America's Cup.

In each village they will set up stands to outline the 2003 regatta, the preparation of the French challenge and their new boat, FRA69.

The public will be able to meet members of the team - most of whom have competed in the Tour de France a la Voile.