Yachting: Cup rivals 1-1 in pre-match duelling

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Team New Zealand last night won their battle for a Kiwi innovation, umpires on board boats for the first time in America's Cup history.

The observers - in coloured lifejackets and microphone headsets - will stand at the back of the duelling boats when racing starts in the Cup match tomorrow.

In an "out-of-court" settlement, Team New Zealand and Prada reached a compromise over the sailing instructions - just 30 hours before the startgun will be fired. The New Zealanders got on-board umpires, the Italians got delayed penalty turns.

The two syndicates had reached a deadlock last weekend over the rules, and Prada asked the arbitration panel to help resolve the problem.

But minutes before the panel were to meet yesterday, the Kiwis and Italians went into a side room at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and sorted it out themselves.

In the draft sailing rules, Team New Zealand had wanted on-board umpires, and immediate penalties.

Prada had a problem with both concepts. In the end they backed down to the umpires, but stood their ground with the delayed penalty system, which allows an infringing boat to carry out its 270 degree turn at any time during the race.

Team New Zealand rules advisor Russell Green was still a happy man last night. He had made sure that the red flag, for professional fouls, was written into the penalty rules.

That means if a boat incurs a penalty but then has a significant lead or is in control of the race because of it, the umpires can wave the red flag to make the boat spin around immediately.

"I guess it was a compromise," Green said. "But it was by both parties. We are sure Prada didn't have a problem with on-board umpires but they held back on it as a bargaining tool for what they wanted."

Observers on the boats was an idea dreamed up in New Zealand in the 1990s for the international matchracing grand prix regatta. They were used during the Road to the America's Cup dress rehearsals last year. Prada tested them out during this week.

Wearing earpieces, the observer on each boat will be able to communicate with the umpire boat behind. The umpires will relay information on what rights the boats have, so the observers can tell the skippers. The observers, in turn, will judge overlaps and contact.

"It's the rugby equivalent of a referee making a call on a ruck or maul," Green said.