Foto copyright Richard Gladwell
Dalton, jefe del Team New Zealand, aparece solo como en una conferencia de prensa de un regatista solitario.
Fuente TheDailySail
Dalt's viewpoint
Emirates Team New Zealand boss comments on the Judge's decision and how it affects his team
Emirates Team New Zealand Managing Director Grant Dalton said today Justice Cahn’s decision was the best possible outcome for the team and for all challengers.
“The way is open for the America’s Cup to get back on track with a multi-challenge America’s Cup at a date to be decided. We are getting some clarity at last,” Dalton commented. He added: “Alinghi has issued a statement saying they welcomed an event in July 2009. This is a smokescreen because we assume that Alinghi will not be ready in July 2008. It is in Alinghi’s interests to try to push the event into 2009. We assume that BMW Oracle has factored a July 2008 date into their build programme so it is in their interests to race as soon as possible.” As to why the ruling was good for Emirates Team New Zealand, Dalton commented: “At the end of an event in July this year, we would be back on track for a multi-challenge 34th America’s Cup in the quickest possible time. “We have known for many months that whatever way the Oracle/Alinghi legal action was determined, the 33rd America’s Cup would be a one-on-one Deed of Gift challenge. Emirates Team New Zealand’s strategy has been to stay strong and prepare for the 34th America’s Cup which will be a multi-challenge event. We have kept the team going throughout this time so that we can respond quickly when the time comes.Design work has continued throughout this hiatus. Members of the sailing team will be racing together in major northern hemisphere regattas this year. When we have a date for the 34th America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand will be in good shape. The sooner they race and the sooner it is sorter, the better for us and the better for all challengers to get the whole thing back on track."Dalton adds that yesterday's decision will not affect their own outstanding litigation with Alinghi over a multiple challenge 33rd America's Cup not happening in 2009. It would not affect it even if Alinghi lose the 33rd Deed of Gift Cup. "We entered based on a contractual arrangement for 2009 with Alinghi. Whether they have the Cup any more is irrelevant they still have broken their contract."Dalton says he finds it furstrating that even last year Alinghi would not negotiate. "Alinghi, who were slowly but surely getting punished, doggedly stuck with their stance of non-negotiation and probably would have had to give away about half a marble out of their bag of 100 marbles to get the whole thing back on track in October last year."Dalton welcomed the prospect of getting the 33rd America's Cup out of the way and holding the 34th as soon as possible, 2009 even if it came to it. "Oracle getting it back on track to a multichallenger event next year is music to our ears." However he reckons this will be less likely scenario - 2011 or 2010 despite its clash with the Soccer World Cup are more likely. He doesn't reckon the 33rd America's Cup in multihulls is going to be a close affair. "These boats will have speed differentials of 10 knots at times one way of the other. Reliability will be a massive factor on boats like this. Having sailed cats the centreboard have a nasty habit of breaking off, the beams crack in two and we saw that with Groupama 3 under New Zealand recently."
