Yachting: True crew proof that gender is not an issue

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Dawn Riley still fumes over yachtsmen who would not sign up for her America's Cup crew because there would be women on board.

"It's the only thing that really hurts me," said Riley, skipper and CEO of America True.

"There are some people on other crews here who I really wanted to be part of our team, but I feel they didn't want to come because of the co-ed concept.

"It then took us longer to get our team together - we wasted a lot of time on them."

Riley won't say "I told you so." But America True, with their 6:22 female-to-male sailing ratio, have given their doubters food for thought - going into the final round robin of the Louis Vuitton Cup second overall, and the top United States challenger.

Having the first true mixed-gender Cup crew might have helped, rather than hindered, the Trues' progress up the challenger ladder.

"Something I know is that having a diverse group of people - in this case men and women - you get through problems better," Riley said. "And we are often more creative in our solutions."

The yachtswomen on the bright yellow boat think the curiosity around the "sailing chicks" has finally worn off. Merritt Carey and Lisa Charles were with Riley at the front of the almost all-women America3 boat in 1995, and admit they had to earn their place in the contest.

"One of Dawn's main goals was that this would not be a novelty challenge," said Carey, who works on the bow. "In '95, the guys said 'we love you, we think you're great' - but you didn't know if they took you seriously. Now they seem to be more comfortable with us."

Carey has put her new career as a lawyer on hold to be part of the True crew in Auckland. She studied for her degree in both Auckland and Maine.

Charles is a full-time sailor who is used to being the only woman on a boat of men.

Before the round two began, Riley said the Trues would be second, or at worse, third at the end of the round. She was right.

"We made a plan and we stuck to it. And we had no unfortunate surprises," said Riley, who has been suffering from the flu all week.

The boat has had very few breakages compared with other contenders.

"I'm always afraid to say it's all great, but maybe we've been a little more conservative because we only have one boat," Riley said.

It will be a different-looking boat that lines up for round three on Thursday. Among the tweaks that have been made during the past week, USA51 is now longer - with the stern stretched.