Yachting: Coutts laughs off rumour of eight-figure America's Cup lure

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Expect more filthy-rich people to be part of the next America's Cup.

And expect more sailors, especially New Zealanders, to join their ranks.

A new generation of money-men are taking an interest in yachting's Holy Grail, and it's no surprise their main targets are the cream of the champion Team New Zealand stable.

Even the bosses, like Russell Coutts, have not been spared from the rumour mill.

The latest talk is that Coutts has been approached with an eight- figure offer to run a new Swiss syndicate, but last night Coutts was laughing at the suggestion.

Then there is the mass headhunting by the mysterious Seattle campaign.

Among their serious targets is veteran Kiwi designer Laurie Davidson, who drew up the swift black hulls in 1995 and 2000 and has been part of New Zealand cup efforts since 1987.

He is believed to be interested in a new role, but could not be contacted for comment.

Coutts said from San Francisco last night that, as far as he knew, Davidson had not yet signed with any syndicate.

It's not just Kiwis on the wanted list. Australian skipper Peter Gilmour, who is unlikely to return to the Japanese Nippon challenge, has also been linked to Seattle.

New Europeans are moving quickly, too. After the success of Prada last time, Italy could sprout more than one challenge - the names Benetton and Ferrari have entered the frame - but so far it is all speculation.

As one American businessman put it: "This time you're gonna see the major players come out - the big economics people, not the t-shirt sellers."

People even more affluent than last time's big player, "Mr Prada," Patrizio Bertelli.

But the Cup's nouveau riche are staying in the shadows for now.

Bill Koch, the Kansas billionaire who won the Cup with America3 in 1992, has vehemently denied he is joining forces with Netscape guru Jim Clark to fund another cam-paign.

Nothing could be further from the truth, he says, but the links do not end there.

"Last week Dennis Conner sent me an e-mail from New Zealand stating he had heard I had teamed up with Microsoft's Bill Gates to sponsor a Seattle syndicate," Koch said. "I have never met or spoken to Bill Gates - I don't even know if he likes to sail."

No one is certain who has the chequebook behind the Seattle bid. And there are conflicting stories about the intentions of the fledgling syndicate, represented this far by a 26-year-old boat show operator, Russell Belden.

He says they have no intention of putting Kiwis on their boat in the challenger series.

Yet it is known all around the Viaduct Basin that at least 20 of the Team New Zealand crew have been approached by the Seattle group.

Other offers have come from around the globe, and some of the crew are seriously considering them.

Team New Zealand realistically know they will not be able to meet the big offers financially.

Until the issues with the out- going hierarchy have been sorted, there is no money on the table, and it could be months before a sponsorship deal is sealed.

Coutts accepts that Team New Zealand will lose people - valuable people. But then it's nothing new in the professional sailing world Sailing is their occupation, and they will travel to where the opportunities are better, even if it means leaving a winning team.

The Team New Zealand guys will be wary in their negotiations. It is still early days, and it is hard to know if these syndicates are genuine. Some of them - as in the past - will never get their keels wet.

The players will start showing their faces next month at the first challenger meeting in Monaco.