Optimism high but budget low for Mascalzone Latino

By JULIE ASH

Judging by the appearance of the Mascalzone Latino base, the syndicate is as low-budget as it claims.

But the Italians may just surprise a few people in the Louis Vuitton Cup in October.

The team arrived in Auckland last week, taking their place on "Syndicate Row" between OneWorld and Oracle Racing.

While most of the other syndicates arrived to swish new bases with high-tech security systems, Mascalzone Latino turned up to an empty boatyard surrounded by a rickety old wire fence.

"It was not planned to come to New Zealand at this time," said syndicate president and team skipper Vincenzo Onorato.

"The plan was to train up the crew in Italy on Mascalzone 10 - the old Spanish boat Bravo Espagna - but then we had the opportunity to buy Stars and Stripes [from OneWorld] and that was really a marvellous opportunity for us to come here immediately and start practising.

"The base we are starting to build up and we expect it to be ready by mid-June. We are a low-budget syndicate so we are just taking care of ourselves."

Onorato returns to Italy next week, and the sailing team who are here will go back in a fortnight. The whole team will come back to Auckland with their new boat in July.

"I think the match will be the most beautiful America's Cup ever," Onorato said.

"In the Louis Vuitton Cup there are so many competitors and so many boats very well trained up, and then you have the Kiwis."

And although he conceded the competition would be tough, Onorato, whose syndicate is sponsored by Italian telecommunication company TIM, still backs his own team.

"We have a good helmsman in Paolo Cian, he is very good at match-racing, and then we have Flavio Favini, who is wonderful tactician.

"In business - and in the America's Cup - it's very important to put together a good group of people."

While many new to the game may find Syndicate Row a tad daunting, Onorato is not fazed.

"We have no time to sit here and look at the others. We are a new and young syndicate.

"The time we have is to take care of our own problems."

The Mascalzone Latino syndicate, which is believed to have a budget of around NZ$70 million, was formed in 1993/94 and has won numerous sailing titles.

"My sailing team is new in the America's Cup, but it was born many, many years ago," Onorato said.

New Zealand impresses him.

"Sailing is very popular in Italy, but not as popular as here.

"When I came here I thought, 'Oh my God, there are more boats than cars.'

"The Hauraki Gulf is even better than the shore, it is beautiful. It is one of the better places in the world to sail."