HELTER SKELTER

Michiganders would have felt...



...right at home in Marseille Sunday morning when a thunderstorm hit around 0230 with 65-knot winds. Left to right in the photo below are NZL 82, our USA 76, and Alinghi's Cup winner SUI 64. All were blown over in their cradles, landing on team containers and portacoms along side. The other three AC yachts were at different angles to the wind and survived upright. Luckily, it was after the regatta had ended, all were out partying or home in bed, and no one was injured.







Needless to say all of the "big three" yachts suffered serious damage, and at least NZL 82 and USA 76 will not be able to race in Acts 2 & 3 next month in Valencia. Alinghi hopes to get their yacht repaired in time. We will use USA 71, our back-up yacht from the last Cup, which has been training in VLC alongside 76. Emirates Team New Zealand will not participate in Acts 2 & 3 unless they can fly NZL 81 up from Auckland in an Antinov or Guppy cargo plane, or unless they are able to charter another yacht.