University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, August 24, 1988
13
New Zealand prepares for America's Cup challenge
The Associated Press
SAN DIEGO — In a competitive sport like yachting, it's hard to reconcile a defeatist attitude with the drive to win. But that's what the skipper of New Zealand's America's Cup challenge is doing.
"I don't think anybody really expects us to win," said David Barnes, who will steer Michael Fay's 82-foot long shop against the San Diego Yacht Club's defending catamaran next month.
Fay, too, thinks his big boat is not match for the dualled-hulled U.S. entry, which most sailings observers agree advantage over the Kiwis monohull.
Although Barnes' attitude appears unthinkable in an athletic endeavor, don't look for it to get him in trouble with his boss.
When he named the 30-year-old Barnes to the job Aug. 2, Fay described the skipper's task as "Mission Impossible."
Barnes will command the biggest
America's Cup yacht in 50 years when
the team leaves for a three-rate
race series starting Sept. 7 off
"I'm not saying we're going to go and just sail out along the course for the sake of it," and learns "the rules." There still is that element of doubt.
"I don't think it's going to be any disguise to ourselves if we go out there and its advice to the world the catamaran is 10 percent faster. They tell you that they're safer and say, Well, you guys are useless, you know what you're doing."
"They're going to look at us and say, 'Well, these guys still have a fantastic boat. They put in a good effort and sailed their boat the best they know how. If there was another boat out there similar, chances are
I don't think anybody really expects us to win.
David Barnes
these guys would have beaten her.'
Captain of New Zealand's yacht
these guys would have beaten her. Not everyone agrees that the 60-foot Stars & Strips catamaramatically rates an elite team by Dennis Conner, who skipped the San Diego Yachtun Club's 12-meter entry to a Cup victory over Australia's Kookaburra III last year.
Corner, who is back as skipper of the catmaran, insists that the New Zealanders pessimism is part of a culture that encourages sympathy and make them look good regardless of the outcome. He describes them as "masters of misinspiration."
Both the catamaran and the sloop sail faster than the wind in most conditions.
"As far as a big boat, it's really hard." Barnes said of his craft, the "New Zealand." "It turns quite quickly. It's very powerful, smooth and fast. It's a pleasure to sail when it all-powered up."
A resident of Auckland, Barnes brings a lifetime of sailing to the challenge.
"Our family has always been involved in boats," said Barnes, who skipped the trial horse for Kiwi Magy, Faye's 12 meter boat that lost to Coster in the 187 challenger finals in Freemantle, Australia.
"My father was a commercial fisherman for quite awaile. He used to sail boats as well, and I have two older brothers who also sailed. I was basically just born into sailing and boats."
a three-time champion in the 470 class, Barnes later became skipper of Kiwai Male and sailed it to a win in the men's world championship last year.
next month's race is the result of Fay's surprise challenge to the San Diego Yacht Club in July 1987. When SDYC initially ignored the challenge, Fay went to court and got it validated.
The Americans then said they would defend the Cup in a catamaran, leaving Fay bound to his first destination. But the competition's rules document.
New Zealand protested the catamaran but was told by the same judge on July 25 to race and return to court afterward if it still had control.
"It's a disappointment for the guys," said Barnes, who must be decision-maker and motivator to the New Zealand's crew of 40 while steering the solid white creation that resembles a rocket ship.
Still, Barnes said, it is his job to point out and stress certain scenarios in which a victory could be possible.
"Given an unusual circumstance, we still could be shot them," said Barnes, whose strategy focuses on preface maneuvers to induce a foul by the opponent that would result in disqualification.
the catamaran's time advantage is based on computer simulations which projected race outcomes in certain conditions, Barres said.
In the days leading up to the series, Barnes has been taken the crew and the boat to sea on nearly daily trials. There have been a couple of inconclusive scrimmages off the coast with Conner's boat, and New Zealand last week acquired a catamaran of its own to practice against.
MOSES
for the last eight years. I've cut out all the mistakes possible.
Continued from p. 11
"I have analyzed everything, and I've been trying new things. I consider what I did at Indianapolis an average race, but not an excellent one."
"Even in the race at Koblenz, I made so many mistakes, and to run that kind of time was amazing," he said. "If I can get a跑 going again like this year, with the technical advantage I have, I can go under 47."
Moses said that even at times when it appears he has run a perfect race, there are flaws in it.
"I don't know who started the rumor that I was passing out." Moses said. "I was hot - like everyone else. I just said, 'Be off and give me ice.' It was cold, and cold water there, so that was the place to be — where I sat down."
about 200 meters, then sat on the track, giving the appearance that he might have overexerted himself.
After that grueling race, his third in three days under extremely hot and humid conditions. Moses walked
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