[:-indifferent]Well Cougar will be pleased with the news that Larry Ellison in his infinate wisdom has sacked John Kostecki and promoted Chris Dickson to drive the Oracle BMW challenge boat.[:-weepn]
I guess we will have to wait and see… [:-pirate]
Do it NOW before it`s too late.
Hi, its not just cougar…just a shame there is,nt enought Kiwi sailors to go round a
BMW ORACLE is not going to win the next cup if they continue having internal issues. Last cup it was decided they did better if Dickson was off the boat, now it looks like they have reversed their philososphy.
actually dickson was on the boat last cup.
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-Dan
Sherman Yachts
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I remain available - but the boys are going to have to increase their offer.
Muzza
Hi, Let the games begin…the last AC seemed to be decided by the fact that only one boat did,nt break their spars…it won and the others had all got their spars from the same company ?? So if the gear breaks it doe,nt matter who goes down with the ship at the helm?
<blockquote id=“quote”><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial, Helvetica” id=“quote”>quote:<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”>Originally posted by Muzza
I remain available - but the boys are going to have to increase their offer.
Muzza
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dont be mad at me!
…just watched the Alinghi videos:
LOYAL
(grin, sorry had to)
-Wis (aka Laurent)
<font size=“1”>_/ if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! _</font id=“size1”>
Seawind
MicroMagic #JPN 01
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Hah - Wis, no need to be sorry. 
Actually Wis, despite all the furore down here at the time, I was never one of those who had a problem with the “defections” to Alinghi or any other syndicate. I’ve sailed against (and sometimes with) many of the people involved, and I think in the same circumstances, I would do the same thing. It’s professional sport, and I don’t think the same nationalistic loyalties that we expect (or used to expect) in amateur sport should be applied.
When I was at the top of my game, I raced as an amateur crew member on boats which always had a couple of professionals in the crew, plus other industry types such as sailmakers and sparmakers. Most of these guys were on subsistence incomes. Chris Dickson was starting to pick up some good paying positions, but Russell Coutts was yet to make much of a dent in terms of professional money - although by that stage he was already a world class sailor with a string of successes including his olympic medal.
I first raced against Coutts in about 1978 - in a youth class we have down here called the Starling. Another regular competitor in those days was John Cutler, who has also gone onto AC projects. Coutts was generally winning, Cutler was usually next - I was somewhere in the bottom half of the fleet making up the numbers. Dickson was just starting to play in the 470 class, and I didn’t get to race him until a couple of years later (not that he would have ever seen me on the race course - I was so far behind).
The point is that these guys, and the many others like Brad Butterworth etc, have put in the hard yards for 30 years now, and (Dickson aside) it’s only comparatively recently that they’ve earned serious money. When you are wondering how many years you can or want to live that lifestyle, and a good money offer comes up - then go for it I say.
Sure - it’ll be great to see Emirates NZ do well this time - but I’ll never buy into the Loyal campaign of last time round. I don’t know whether you’ve caught up with recent news - but Tom Schnakenberg is out of NZ and will be joining a certain Italian synidcate (we understand). It would be hard to get more loyal than Tom - but that’s the name of the game.
Muzza
<blockquote id=“quote”><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial, Helvetica” id=“quote”>quote:<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”>Originally posted by Muzza
Hah - Wis, no need to be sorry.
Actually Wis, despite all the furore down here at the time, I was never one of those who had a problem with the “defections” to Alinghi or any other syndicate. I’ve sailed against (and sometimes with) many of the people involved, and I think in the same circumstances, I would do the same thing. It’s professional sport, and I don’t think the same nationalistic loyalties that we expect (or used to expect) in amateur sport should be applied.
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[:-bigeyes][:-bigeyes][:-bigeyes2][:-bigeyes][:-bigeyes2]
ok NOW I really really feel <font size=“1”>small</font id=“size1”>
To be honest when I watched the Alinghi videos I couldn’t understand all the “Loyal” campaign…was nothing new to me…other MANY sports do same…F1 comes into my mind.
anyway it isnt fresh news, I guess it has been discussed many times…
Cheers …one day I should go travel and meet a few guys…I sure would even feel smaller
Seawind
MicroMagic #JPN 01
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ac fans, read all about JK’s email about this issue at http://www.sailinganarchy.net/index.htm#Kostecki
ed