On course for controversy

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Coutts-Bertarelli stand-off lines up with other controversies that have become part of America's Cup lore.

1885: Challenger Sir Richard Sutton's Genesta was involved in a pre-start collision in which the defending yacht Puritan was at fault. Sutton could have sailed the course alone and take a handy 1-0 lead. He declined, and eventually lost the challenge 2-0.

1934: British challenger T.O.M. Sopworth led 2-0 and 2-1 and was flying a protest flag after losing the fourth race. His protest was thrown out by the NYYC on a technicality, leading one observer, to say: "Britannia rules the waves but America waives the rules."

1983: Australian Alan Bond turned up in Newport, Rhode Island, with John Bertrand at the helm of Australia ll and, under the water, the infamous winged keel that helped power the challengers to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory ... and caused controversy.

1987: New Zealand's first tilt, in Fremantle, caused another when the Michael Fay-backed, Chris Dickson-helmed "plastic fantastic" brought the famous Dennis Conner retort implying that you would sail a plastic boat only if you wanted to cheat. Conner went on to beat Dickson in a hard-fought challengers' final and later took the cup back to the United States.

1988: The battles were one-sided on the water and bitter in the courtroom. Fay challenged Conner with his 36.5m "big boat", and Conner hit back by launching an 18.3m catamaran to defend. The New York Supreme Court ruled it was a legal challenge. The boats took to the water and New Zealand lost 2-0. Fay went back to court and was awarded the America's Cup. Conner challenged that decision to the New York Court of Appeals, which ruled in his favour.

1992: The regatta in San Diego started badly with accusations against New Zealand and their bowsprit and quickly worsened with the "Great Guzzini Caper" in which the Paul Cayard-led allegations of spying led to a shake-up in reconnaissance rules.

1995: One Australia pushed the boundaries and finished up at the bottom of the ocean off San Diego as conditions proved too much for their lighter, faster craft.

2002-03: Before and during the defence in Auckland, the Sean Reeves affair grabbed the headlines and a fair chunk of lawyers' time as writs and accusations flew and Team New Zealand, Oracle BMW Racing and One World syndicates squared off after accusations that Reeves was selling secrets.

2002-03: The walkout by Russell Coutts and his mates following the successful defence brought another round of accusations and counter-claims.