Its an exciting time to be at the AmericaOne compound these days. Exciting can be translated to mean concerned, encouraged and confident. We have had some tough breaks in Round Robin 2 losing an over-early against America True and a real heavy air gear buster against Stars & Stripes. Balance that with an exciting come-from-behind victory against Nippon (we caught and passed them BEFORE they lost the rig) and today’s win over Young America. We feel we have really gained an accurate understanding of how USA 49 stacks up against the competition. This is very important as we now enter one of the most strategic periods of our campaign.

Today’s race against New York was satisfying. Both syndicates have had a tougher-than-expected Round Robin 2 (mind you, I wouldn’t trade our Round Robin 2 for theirs for all the tea in China). Paul and John are really clicking as they have won our last two starts in a big way. Today, they had Ed Baird and the boys trapped over the line as the gun blew and led them back to the line to start one boat length ahead and on their breeze. A couple of downspeed tacks and we saw the two boats split, New York heading left and AmericaOne heading right. John had confidence in Clouds’ forecast and sailed out into a 10 degree right shift and three more knots of wind. When the boats came back together AmericaOne had a lead which ended up being more than two minutes at the first weather mark. It was a tough day to comeback for the Young Americans and AmericaOne slowly extended their lead throughout the race.

Brad Fitzgerald and shore team have been working flat-out since USA 61 arrived on a plane last week. In order to get her ready for sea trials they have assembled the keel, fin and bulb, mounted the hull on the keel, and installed the trim tab, rudder and the steering systems for each foil. Finally, they stepped the mast. Once in the water, she was put through a series of carefully administered dock tests. This involves stationing the boat builders throughout the boat at all the major structures (mast step, keel box, runners bulkhead, forestay bulkhead) and slowly loading up the runners. Both of the running backstays are wound-up one revolution at a time. After each turn of the winch handle, everyone stops and listens for sounds – sounds we do not want to hear. This is truly a case of silence being golden. They slowly load the boat up until there is 22,000 lbs of pressure on the runners. As they load it up, they watch for movement in string lines and level beams set up and calibrated at certain stations in the boat. The hull bends and moves under the huge load, but only a few millimeters. All quiet on the loaded-up 61 led to satisfied smiles on Ted Brown and Mike Eldred’s faces. These guys spent the busiest 19 weeks of their lives building 61. To know she is as solid as rock is very satisfying.

With our last race against the French tomorrow, the period between Round Robin 2 and Round Robin 3 is quickly approaching. Due to weather delays to Round Robin 2 the time off is considerably shorter than originally scheduled. It looks like we will get about ten days (Nov 22-Dec 1) to do some testing and accomplish two major goals. Optimize and reconfigure USA 49 and tune-up USA 61. Then, we have to make the decision – which one we will use in Round Robin 3?

Stay tuned.

Hopes Torn In Two as Spinnakers Shred In Heavy Winds

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, November 17, 1999 – AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based St. Francis Yacht Club’s America’s Cup 2000 challenger, sailed the most eventful race of Round Robin 2 against Stars & Stripes (USA 55). Both boats suffered causalities throughout the match, Stars & Stripes having broken their boom vang and AmericaOne tearing one genoa and one spinnaker. The eventual outcome was a win by Stars & Stripes by 2m 46s.

Coming out of the pre-start, with AmericaOne holding a slight advantage, both teams hit the starting line dead even, AmericaOne to leeward and slightly ahead on starboard. Stars & Stripes tacked away into clean air as AmericaOne managed to gain a 3-4 boatlengths lead to the first weather mark. AmericaOne held the lead until two-thirds up the third weather leg. USA 49 and USA 55 engaged in a close tacking duel until a slight tear in AmericaOne’s jib, near the second spreader, gave Stars & Stripes a window to advance. AmericaOne was losing ground and opted to made a quick jib change. At the last weather mark, both boats bore away and set their spinnakers. A large puff of wind blewout USA 49’s spinnaker setting the team into full motion, at nearly the same moment Stars & Stripes broke their boom vang. While AmericaOne switched to a new spinnaker, the previously tattered spinnaker flew from the mast like a pennant.

AmericaOne continued to gain on Stars & Stripes, as the two teams matched one another gybe for gybe. As USA 49 approached the finish line, nearly even with USA 55, the umpires tagged AmericaOne with a penalty as USA 49 passed closely behind Stars & Stripes transom. Stars & Stripes went on to win the race while AmericaOne went above the finish line and took a penalty turn.

“Today was certainly the most exciting race of this round. We didn’t win but it was great to be pushed so hard,” explains AmericaOne Skipper, Paul Cayard. “It’s not easy to give up four points but we feel in the long run we are better for the experience .”

RR2/Race 9 Starting Line-Up: Greg Prussia of Oroville, CA, bow; Curtis Blewett of Los Angeles, CA, mid bow; Bill Bates of San Diego, CA mast/sewer; Josh Belsky of Hood River, OR, pit; Jim Nicholas of San Diego, CA, grinder; Phil Trinter of Lorain, OH, grinder; Mike Howard of Malibu, CA, grinder; David McClintock of Portsmouth, RI, upwind trim; Russ Silvestri of San Francisco, CA, downwind trim; Gavin Brady of Annapolis, MD, runner; Paul Cayard of Kentfield, CA, helmsman; John Kostecki of Fairfax, CA, tactician; Morgan Larson of Capitola, CA, traveler; Terry Hutchinson of Annapolis, MD, mainsheet; Sean Clarkson of Middletown, RI, main assist, and Lexi Gahagan of Wilmington, DE, navigator. The 17th crew person was Mr. John McCormick.

Final Scores To Date:

Prada /38 points**

America True /30 points

Stars & Stripes /28.5 points

AmericaOne /24 points*

Young America / 24 points

Nippon Challenge /21.5 points*

Le Defi Francais /14 points*

Spanish Challenge /13 points*

Abracadabra 2000 /12 points*

Young Australia /9 points*

FAST2000 /8 points

* Were not able to complete Race 6 due to insufficient wind

**Prada had a BYE today

Other Delta Results:

America True over Fast 2000/ FAST 2000 WITHDREW FROM RACE

Young Australia over Young America /YOUNG AMERICA WITHDREW FROM RACE

Nippon over Spanish Challenge / SPANISH WITHDREW FROM RACE

Le Defi Francais over Abracadabra 2000 / ABRACADABRA WITHDREW FROM RACE

Round Robin 2

AmericaOne’s schedule for the remainder of Round Robin 2 is as follows:

Mid-series Race for USA 49 is Competitive Despite Light Wind

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, November 15, 1999 — AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based St. Francis Yacht Club’s America’s Cup 2000 challenger, was narrowly defeated in Race 7 of Round Robin 2 for the Louis Vuitton Cup by Prada Challenge (ITA 45). Light and shifty wind conditions on the course found both teams close in pre-start maneuvering and on the first leg, however Prada was able to position itself on the favored side of the course, gain a lead, and finish the race ahead of USA 49 by 1m.

“It’s never easy to lose,” said AmericaOne Skipper Paul Cayard. “But we sailed tough today and we congratulate Prada on their win. They did a good job at the start and defended their position well. I was satisfied with our boat speed and handling.”

Today’s racing for the Louis Vuitton Cup threatened to be cancelled when the Race Committee headed out to the racecourse and found no wind for the second day in a row. Yesterday three out of the five races were postponed due to insufficient wind, including AmericaOne’s match against Le Defi. In the past three days, two days have seen extreme wind conditions causing a modification in the round robin schedule.

Racing got under way at approximately 1:15 PM this afternoon.

After winning the pin end at the start Luna Rossa got off to a two-boatlength lead. AmericaOne gained on the Italians on the downwind leg of the 6-lap course. With the breeze building to a strong 10 knots on the second upwind leg AmericaOne continued to keep pace with Luna Rossa around the mark into the second leeward leg. In classic match-race strategy USA 49 initiated maneuvers and was countered by ITA 45 as they covered with matching gybes. Luna Rossa stretched their lead on the third lap of the course and crossed the finish line with a one-minute lead.

Race 8 against Aloha Racing’s Abracadabra is scheduled for tomorrow Tuesday, November 16, 1999.

RR2/Race 7 Starting Line-Up: Greg Prussia of Oroville, CA, bow; Curtis Blewett of Los Angeles, CA, mid-bow; Bill Bates of San Diego, CA, mast/sewer; Josh Belsky of Hood River, OR, pit; Jim Nicholas of San Diego, CA, grinder; Phil Trinter of Lorain, OH, grinder; Matt Welling of Bay Shore, NY, grinder; Morgan Trubovich of Newport, RI, downwind trim; David McClintock of Portsmouth, RI, downwind trim; Gavin Brady of Annapolis, MD, runner; Paul Cayard of Kentfield, CA, helmsman; John Kostecki of Fairfax, CA, tactician; Bruce Nelson of San Diego, CA, traveler; Terry Hutchinson of Annapolis, MD, mainsheet; Sean Clarkson of Middletown, RI, main assist, and Lexi Gahagan of Wilmington, DE, navigator. The 17th crew person was AmericaOne supporter Mrs. Jan Finch of San Francisco, CA.

Final Scores To Date:

Prada /34 points

Young America /24 points

America True /22 points

Stars & Stripes /20.5 points

AmericaOne /20 points*

Nippon Challenge /17.5 points*

Spanish Challenge /13 points*

Abracadabra 2000 /12 points*

FAST2000 /8 points**

Le Defi Francais /6 points*

Young Australia /5 points*

* Were not able to complete Race 6 due to insufficient wind

**FAST 2000 had a BYE today

Other Delta Results:

Spanish Challenge beat Young Australia by 1m 36s

America True beat Stars & Stripes by 1m 6s

Nippon Challenge beat Le Defi by 49s

Young America beat Abracadabra by 4m 58s

Round Robin 2

AmericaOne ‘s schedule for the remainder of Round Robin 2 is as follows:

Nippon Challenge Retires with Broken Mast

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, November 11, 1999 — AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based St. Francis Yacht Club’s America’s Cup 2000 challenger, defeated Nippon Challenge’s Asura (JPN 44) in Race 4 of Round Robin 2 for the Louis Vuitton Cup. The Japanese team retired approximately five boatlengths from the second leeward mark when its mast broke during a jibe, according to the Race Committee.

Racing was delayed this morning by the Race Committee due to shifty winds on the Atlantic course where AmericaOne and Nippon Challenge were scheduled to race. Nippon Challenge led AmericaOne over the starting line by a slight margin. Immediately, AmericaOne tacked away onto port to build boatspeed. With the wind slowly building on the left side of the course, AmericaOne’s Tactician John Kostecki made the call to tack back to the left side and in doing so gained on the Japanese competitors.

“We had a two boatlength lead four minutes from the first windward mark when our genoa broke,” said AmericaOne Skipper Paul Cayard. “The Japanese took the lead there and held it for the next two legs.

“On the second downwind leg, AmericaOne closed to a position of control,” Cayard continued. “Very near the mark Nippon was penalized for crossing on port tack in front of AmericaOne, on starboard. Twenty seconds later their mast came down. It was a tough fight until that point.”

Nippon Challenge retired from racing and was towed back to the Viaduct Basin to assess the damage.

RR2/Race 4 Starting Line-Up: Greg Prussia of Oroville, CA, bow; Curtis Blewett of Los Angeles, CA, mid-bow; Bill Bates of San Diego, CA, mast/sewer; Josh Belsky of Hood River, OR, pit; Mike Howard of Malibu, CA, grinder; Matt Welling of Bay Shore, NY, grinder; Morgan Trubovich of Newport, RI, downwind trim; David McClintock of Portsmouth, RI, downwind trim; Gavin Brady of Annapolis, MD, runner; Paul Cayard of Kentfield, CA, helmsman; John Kostecki of Fairfax, CA, tactician; Morgan Larson of Capitola, CA, traveler; Terry Hutchinson of Annapolis, MD, mainsheet; Sean Clarkson of Middletown, RI, main assist, and Lexi Gahagan of Wilmington, DE, navigator. The 17th crew person was Mr. Ron Martin, Telcordia Technologies, Plano, TX.

Final Scores To Date:

Prada /22 points

AmericaOne /20 points

Young America /16 points

America True /14 points

Nippon Challenge /13.5 points

Stars & Stripes /12.5 points

Abracadabra 2000 /12 points

Spanish Challenge /9 points

FAST2000 /8 points

Le Defi Francais /6 points

Young Australia /1 point

Other Delta Results:

Stars & Stripes over Prada Challenge/01:51

Abracadabra 2000 over Young Australia/YOUNG AUSTRALIA RETIRED DURING RACE

FAST 2000 over Young America/ YOUNG AMERICA DID NOT RACE

America True over Le Defi Francais/ 00:59 BYE: Spanish Challenge

Round Robin 2

AmericaOne’s schedule for the remainder of Round Robin 2 is as follows: