Yachting: Argument bubbling over water-space

By Suzanne McFadden

The gamesmanship is intensifying over who sails where on the Hauraki Gulf during the America's Cup.

The challengers and the defenders, Team New Zealand, still cannot agree on water-space rights in the build-up to the cup match next February.

The challengers want to see three race courses in the area between Rangitoto, the East Coast Bays and Whangaparaoa Peninsula - and they want two of them for the Louis Vuitton Cup series starting in October.

Team New Zealand want the patch of water divided into four - and they have two of them. They want their area to test and race their two new boats, which should be on the water by November, and believe a 50-50 split is only fair.

But the challengers argue that Team New Zealand chose not to have an official defenders' series so they do not need the same space as the challengers, who are likely to number 12.

When they reached a stalemate, both parties - match organiser AC2000 and the America's Cup Challenger Association - asked the harbourmaster, James McPetrie, to settle it for them.

But McPetrie said the two would have to sort it out themselves or take their dispute to an in-house arbitration panel.

"We're going to be just as busy as the challengers," TNZ spokesman Alan Sefton said. "We will be very aggressive in our build-up to the cup - we have racing and testing to do.

"We find it intriguing that they think they can tell us where we can or cannot sail in our own waters. All we want is a fair solution and the proposal that's been on the table for 18 months is fair to everyone.

"The issue here is not how much room Team New Zealand need to race. The thrust has been to ensure that the challengers have ample water-space to race their series. The four quadrant system provides for that.

"So the challengers should concentrate on what they've got to do and leave the rest of the gulf for the use of all New Zealanders."

Dyer Jones, head of the challengers' group, says there are constraints on how many courses can fit in the gulf area.

"You need about a four-mile diameter for each course," he said. "The Deed of Gift says the race course should be located clear of headlands. We have commercial traffic needs to be aware of - the port of Auckland still has to operate.

"There are submerged telephone cables which you cannot anchor on, and there is air traffic control space to consider.

"We are willing to concede that they have the right to race in the area, and on certain days have first choice. But they can't tell us they have the same needs as we do.

"I can't understand why the defenders want two race courses. I'm putting six boats on each course, and they only have four boats altogether."

Jones wants each party to have first choice of a course on alternating days.

"That's the way we did it in Newport in 1983 - it was a simple phone call each morning."

Sefton doubts whether the issue could be decided by an arbitration panel.

"It's not in their jurisdiction. This is not a regatta matter. It's about protocol and courtesy and it will have to be sorted out by the two parties," he said.

"We would hate to remind the challengers how unfair they've been in days gone by when they were the defender. They should stop playing games and get on with the event."

The ACCA and AC2000 will meet early next week.