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To: Mannie who wrote (20204)	12/20/2002 12:32:31 AM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 104216

ORACLE BMW Racing vs. OneWorld Challenge 19.12.2002 CET Who is going to be Alinghi’s opponent in the Final? The battle for the second place in the Final will be fought out by ORACLE BMW Racing and OneWorld, the two American syndicates, who still remain in the regatta. After the Semi Final defeat against Alinghi Challenge, ORACLE BMW Racing for the first time face a do-or-die situation: The loser of the repechage will be eliminated from the Louis Vuitton Cup; the dream to bring the "Auld Mug" back to America will be over. OneWorld, on the other hand, have already passed two rounds threatening with elimination. As third-placed team after the preliminary rounds the Seattle-based syndicate met ORACLE BMW Racing in the Quarter Final and were defeated 0-4. However, OneWorld came back into the game. In the Quarter Final Repechage they recorded a clear 4-0 victory over Team Dennis Conner. In the Semi Final the team behind Skipper Peter Gilmour and the only 23-year-old, highly talented Helmsman James Spithill (both from Australia) beat defending Louis Vuitton Cup champion Prada by 3-2. In the case of the two lost Match Races the self-willed wind on the Hauraki Gulf played a major role: In the second race a massive wind shift caused OneWorld to lose more than a minute on the beat. Prada gained their second point in an insignificant sixth race, when their opponents were trapped in a lull 15 minutes longer than the Italians. ORACLE BMW Racing Skipper Chris Dickson’s presumption after the triumph in the Quarter Final might become reality: "We’re very happy to go through 4-0 – the scoresheet was a whole lot flatter and the racing was a whole lot closer than the scoresheet suggests and it was a reminder today at the last leeward mark – there was OneWorld within a boat length again with a lap to go. It’s been tough racing and we’re thrilled to have gone through." Therefore it would be arrogant and negligent to expect another grand slam for the next round. ORACLE BMW Racing are certainly aware of their opponent’s strength. Even more so since OneWorld seemingly miscalculated their choice of boat, or at least their set up, for the Quarter Final duel. This was the only round the team from Seattle started with USA-65, which has a clear deficit in speed compared to ORACLE BMW Racing's USA-76. Since that time OneWorld has been back sailing with USA-67, on board of which the syndicate had remained unbeaten in Round Robin One. However, Spithill denies having made the wrong choice: "We’d have never come into the Quarter Finals with a slower boat. There are no excuses – ORACLE BMW Racing did a great job and I’d like to say they sailed it better and hence the result." It will be interesting to see which yacht the team is going to use this time. The starting situation is already quite difficult for the young helmsman and his crew: They will have to win five rather than the usual four Match Races in order to win the series. The America’s Cup Arbitration Panel imposed a one-point penalty on OneWorld for each series from the Semi Final onwards. The judges considered an additional breach of the America’s Cup protocol, as Designer Ian Mitchell had admitted to be in the possession of a zip-file including information on the design of his former employer Team New Zealand. In addition, he mentioned a computer, which still contained data of New Zealand’s campaign in 95. On behalf of the entire team Spithill displays a challenging, attacking attitude: "With what’s been going on with the one point deduction, it just drives you even harder to go out and win. You channel all that energy on the water." As far as determination is concerned ORACLE BMW Racing are equal to Spithill in every way. After their clear defeat against Alinghi the team are eager to demonstrate their full might. Skipper Chris Dickson says: "We know we have a tough week ahead of ourselves. We will tackle that as best as we can." The ultimate goal of the America's Cup is definitely still in ORACLE BMW Racing’s plan, even after the set-back in the Semi Final. "We're not going to be beaten lying down", Dickson remarks.

To: Mannie who wrote (20204)	12/20/2002 12:38:04 AM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 104216

<<...great race. They sure do a excellent job of covering those races...>> s1: I totally agree...I wish we were down in New Zealand to watch the races out on the water...;-) OneWorld sailed well and lived on the edge at the end -- it was very risky to jibe away after the final mark with that light wind (unfortunately, the wind died and did not shift in their favor). They will have to fight back tomorrow -- IMO, it will be a crucial race. I hope this ends up being a close series BUT I really want OneWorld to move on into the finals against Alinghi. -s2@letsbetontheunderdog.com