OneWorld email points to copying

By HELEN TUNNAH

An explosive new document provides the strongest indication yet that secret Team New Zealand designs may have been copied by America's Cup syndicate OneWorld Challenge.

The internal email, sent by a OneWorld mast designer to key figures within the syndicate, says locks and fittings on a new rig could "essentially be copied" because of information supplied by ex-Team NZ members it had hired.

The designer, American Scott Vogel, said he had heard that Team NZ intended to "aggressively protect their intellectual property".

"The work we've done to date on our own fittings (locks and such) has been essentially copying Team NZ designs based on input from ex-Team NZ members."

OneWorld Challenge members are in the United States and could not be contacted last night.

But chief executive Gary Wright told One News the document had been taken out of context.

He said the internal email had to be read with a series of other emails.

OneWorld was formed in May 2000, just two months after Team NZ defended the cup.

Several Team NZ sailors and designers, including principal designer Laurie Davidson, went to the Seattle-based syndicate funded by billionaire Craig McCaw.

OneWorld has admitted it has some Team NZ data it should not have, but has consistently said the information is minor, obtained inadvertently and not used.

The cup's powerful arbitration panel has considered whether OneWorld should be penalised for having the information, but will not release its ruling until syndicates agree not to sue the five panel members.

OneWorld is also embroiled in a separate legal row with New Zealander Sean Reeves, who helped to set up the syndicate and attracted key Team NZ personnel to it.

OneWorld has alleged that Reeves tried to pass its secrets on to three other challenging syndicates and is suing him in a US court. Reeves has in turn rejected its claims.

He was one of the people who received Vogel's email, sent on October 27, 2000. The others were Davidson, his fellow designers Phil Kaiko and Bruce Nelson, who are both American, and sailing skipper Peter Gilmour, an Australian.

Davidson has repeatedly denied passing on secret Team NZ material to OneWorld, as have other former Team NZ personnel.

Vogel said the issue of the locks and fittings was raised by US rigging company Navtec as the syndicate discussed final specifications with it for a new rig. Navtec worked for Team NZ in 2000 and is working for OneWorld for the next cup defence.

Team NZ would not comment.

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