Anti-Smoking Message Wins Regatta Fight

The American Cancer Society, embarrassed that New Zealand’s America’s Cup challenger was ousted from a benefit regatta for flying an anti-smoking message, overruled the event chairman Thursday and invited the Kiwis to participate.

“We are opening that back up and inviting them back in,” said Cindy Ribant, associate executive director of the American Cancer Society’s San Diego chapter.

The charity event ended up at the center of another conflict between New Zealand and Sail America, The Cup defense manager for the San Diego Yacht Club.

John Burnham, chairman of the charity event and son of a Sail America official, withdrew the invitation after New Zealand’s sloop sailed around San Diego with a huge sail bearing the message: “Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health.”

The message was perceived as a dig at Dennis Conner, skipper of the defending Stars & Stripes catamaran, whose major sponsors include Philip Morris, Inc., a company whose products include Marlboro cigarettes.

“We want to take this away from Sail America and put it back where it belongs,” Ribant said of Sunday’s American Cancer Society Cup race on San Diego Bay. “This is an American Cancer Society event for a good cause . . . to raise money for cancer research. It’s not an America’s Cup event.”

Burnham said he would exclude Michael Fay’s New Zealand boat because he viewed the anti-smoking message as an obvious insult to Conner.

Burnham is the son of Malin Burnham, president of Sail America.

Conner, who also is honorary chairman of the charity event, is defending the Cup in the 60-foot catamaran that bears the insignia of its three major sponsors, including Marlboro.

Fay, the New Zealand syndicate chairman, had offered to contribute $5,000 to sail in the benefit regatta as a corporate sponsor, which would allow him to use the sail bearing the anti-smoking message.

“Everything looked fine until we flew the Surgeon General’s warning as a way of publicizing the event for the American Cancer Society,” New Zealand spokesman Graeme Colman said.

Colman said New Zealand appreciated the renewed invitation, adding the Kiwis would continue trying to raise money for the American Cancer Society by offering San Diegan’s the chance to sign the sail bearing the message for $2 apiece.

“We’re pleased to hear that we’re still invited and we will carry on with our plan to invite people to sign the gennaker and give the money directly to the American Cancer Society,” Colman said.

John Burnham said he just wanted to put aside the controversy and go forward with a positive event to raise money for a good cause.

“I guess I spoke out of turn,” he said.

The New Zealand and Stars & Stripes Catamaran meet in the first of a best-of-three race series starting Sept. 7. The Cup event, which has been marred by icy relations between the New Zealand and American camps, is a result of Fay’s maverick challenge ruled valid last November by the New York State Supreme Court.