Sips from the cup: Italians just wanna have fun

Compiled by JULIE ASH

Sail playfully but seriously is the motto of Italian challengers Mascalzone Latino.

Syndicate skipper Vincenzo Onorato has a different approach to the other challengers.

Resigned to the fact that he won't win the America's Cup, Onorato is determined to have a relaxed, stress-free syndicate.

He has declared his compound always open and visitors are welcome.

He's also determined to learn. Onorato expects to win the America's Cup - he is just not sure when.

"It's time to build an Italian syndicate that stays in the game," said Onorato, the owner of Moby Lines, a ferry and shipping company based in the Mediterranean Sea.

"When New Zealand started in the America's Cup, they were underdogs. We are underdogs. But if you look to the future, if you keep the team together, you will get the prize in the long run."

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The three American syndicates - OneWorld Challenge, Team Dennis Conner and Oracle BMW Racing - were invited by the US Embassy for lunch last Thursday.

Ironically the date was September 23, the date in 1983 that Conner lost the America's Cup and Australia broke the New York Yacht Club's 132-year stranglehold on the Auld Mug

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Sweden's Victory Challenge have caught the eye of Mr America's Cup himself.

When asked which teams would be a threat in the Louis Vuitton series in a recent interview, Stars and Stripes skipper Dennis Conner backed the Swedes.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the final four," Conner said.

"I think the Victory boat looks pretty fast. Mani Frers has done a nice job designing a good boat, probably with what he learned in the Prada syndicate last time. And they look like they have their act together. They're sailing well and they're pretty quick."

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Fourteen British MP's were taken on a tour of the GBR Challenge base recently.

The group, part of a parliamentary exchange programme with New Zealand, were given an tour of the base in Halsey St by Challenge helmsman Andy Green.

They were then joined by GBR Challenge skipper Ian Walker and helmsman Andy Beadsworth for tea on Viking, the syndicate's corporate hospitality motor yacht.

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Swiss syndicate Alinghi invited all the other challengers and the defender to their base last week for a showdown in their interactive plaza.

Forty members from each syndicate and a team of Louis Vuitton Cup umpires converged on the Alinghi base to take part in a grinding and match-racing competition in the plaza.

Just Stars and Stripes, Le Defi Areva and Team New Zealand opted not to attend.

Italian challengers Mascalzone Latino were apparently the loudest, but were no match for the likes of OneWorld and Prada who gave everyone a run for their money.

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Auckland will come alive today as more than 2000 America's Cup sailors and entertainers take to the streets in the America's Cup 2003 and Louis Vuitton Cup welcome parade.

Crews representing the 10 America's Cup syndicates from Italy, Switzerland,

Great Britain, Sweden, France, the United States and New Zealand will march down Queen Street towards the Viaduct Harbour from 4pm accompanied by music, entertainers and marching bands.

An opening ceremony will then take place on Te Wero Island in Viaduct Harbour starting at 4.45pm.

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It seems the culinary skills of New Zealand chef Mark Reihana are in hot demand. Reihana, who works for Oracle BMW Racing, is starring in a series of television commercials.

Aromas from the Oracle kitchen are wafting up syndicate row and Reihana said he has had comments about how delicious his cooking smells from as far away as Alinghi, three syndicates bases away.

"I feel like the pied piper."

nzherald.co.nz/americascup