The Challengers - Part 2

USA

Stars and Stripes

"Big Bad Dennis Connor", the man, who lost the first cup and won the second (1974) participates again in the America's cup in 2003 with his legendary Stars and Stripes syndicat for the New York Yacht Club. This January his new boat was christined by Rose Dana, wife of Charles Dana, Commodore of the NYYC. Dennis Conner and his afterguards Peter Isler and Tom Whidden already belonged to the 'Stars and Stripes' team in 2000. During their training with new 'USA 66' the mast broke in March; and with the new 'USA 77' the rudder broke and the ship sank in July. Luckily neither the boat nor the crew were harmed. Dennis Conner, participated already eight times in the cup and won four times.

USA

One World

Sailsdirector Peter Gilmour and chiefdesigner Laurie Davidson have some difficulties at the moment. The "One World" syndicatdesigner is accused of cheating. It is supposed that he took testreports and fotomaterial from his former team New Zealand. Laurie Davidson was working for team New Zealand in 2000. Lawyer Sean Reeves and "Rule advisor" who also worked for the One World team till April 2001. "My reputation is good because of my efforts as a designer. My ethics do not allow me such a thing". declares Davidson. The team confesses the mistake but affirmed that no data was used for their boats.

USA

Oracle Racing

It is not easy to report anything about the Oracle Racing syndicat softwaremanager Larry Ellison. At the end of February Chris Dickson (New Zealand topsailor) was excluded from the actual team. Dickson was Skipper of one of the training ships and sunk two keels in the Hauraki gulf. The mast broke this January. With this change speculations about the afterguards arose. Paul Cayard left the team already at teh end of the year because of difference of opinion. Supposingly Ellison will be first Skipper now.

France

Le Defi Areva

The team from Lorient (France) trains until summer in home waters. Training boat is the chartered winning-New Zealand- ship from 1995, the NZL 35 which compeets against the FRA 46 from 1999. An official skipper is missing since Bertrand Pace changed to team New Zealand. On board of the French Ship is Tim Kröger (Germany), who won the 'Whitbread Round the World' twice and the Admiral¹s Cup for Germany. Greenpeace New Zealand is organizing protests against the team because the French atomic enterprise Defi Areva is main sponsor.

Sweden

Victory Challenge

The Victory Challenge syndicat starts under the flag of the Gamla Stans Yacht Sällskap. The Skipper is Mats Johansson. Helmsman of the brandnew "Örn" (SWE-63) is Match racer Jesper Bank. A second hotshot is Match racer Magnus Holmberg. The Swedish team convinced already in the first Match Races with a good speed.

New Zealand

Team New Zealand: The defender

Even the Queen of England and her husband Prince Phillip, both hobby sailors, visited the team of Skipper Dean Barker during their in February. "Both were interested in the ships and their construction." comented Barker. The successful team, that won in 1995 and 2000 was suffering from financial problems last year. A broken mast made the situation worse. The New Zealand government supplied the team 3 million Dollars.