NOTEBOOK : Russian Challenge Dissolves After Authenticity of Letter Questioned

The America’s Cup Organizing Committee has joined the Challenger of Record Committee in burying Russia’s hopes of sailing in this America’s Cup.

On the eve of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger trials starting today, ACOC executive vice-president/general manager Tom Ehman said, “We do have a valid withdrawal of their challenge.”

Stan Reid, chairman of CORC, had spiked the Russians two days earlier when his extended deadline for measurement expired.

Then Ehman received yet another letter purportedly from Red Star ’92 syndicate head Oleg Larionov: “Herewith I inform you that the right of participation in races for the America’s Cup 1992 is transferred to Age of Russia Syndicate.”

Age of Russia has had its boat in San Diego but was not validated as a challenger. Red Star’s boat never got off the ground in Estonia.

However, the Larionov letter, dated Jan. 23, was forwarded in translation by Natasha Gracheva, who has been speaking for the Age of Russia team in San Diego.

A day earlier Ehman had received a letter from Larionov dated Jan. 22 closing with the comment: “. . . the Ocean Racing Club Leningrad and its Red Star ’92 Syndicate have never intended to merge with anybody or assign their rights.”

Ehman checked with Jenik Radon, Red Star’s legal counsel in New York, and, Ehman said, “the one fellow in this whole business from whom I’ve gotten straight information.”

Ehman said Radon checked with Larionov and confirmed the Jan. 22 letter and disavowed the Jan. 23 letter.

Ehman wrote Larionov Friday: “Mr. Radon tells me there can be no other explanation for the Jan. 23 letter except that it is a forgery.”

End of story.

“It’s sad,” Ehman said, “but I hope that this closes the door.”

Running commentary on the defender trial races may be monitored on VHF Channel 19.

There is as yet no such service for the challengers’ races, but closed-circuit TV of the latter for the public should be available soon at the America’s Cup International Centre between Broadway and Ash on Pacific in downtown San Diego.

All eight challenger skippers endorsed the system of on-the-water umpiring introduced in this Cup--even Spirit of Australia’s Peter Gilmour, whose Kookaburra team initiated most of the late-night protest hearings at Fremantle in ‘86-87.

“We flew our protest flag to make our point,” Gilmour told reporters Friday, “and as a result we couldn’t make your press conferences.”

Nippon’s Chris Dickson said he liked it because “the races will be won on the water.”

Spain’s Pedro Campos: “Sometimes you can go back to the race (after executing a 270-degree penalty turn) and even win.”

Sweden’s Gunnar Krantz: “It’s the best thing that ever happened to yacht racing.”

Dickson was the only skipper wearing shades at the sunny, outdoor ceremony to draw for match slots at the Southwestern Yacht Club Friday--blue ones.

He has a deal with Oakley, a manufacturer of dark glasses.

Most of the skippers liked shortening the course from 22.6 to 20.03 nautical miles this week.

It was done hoping to package the races into three hours for TV, but Il Moro di Venezia’s Paul Cayard said, “The races are too long. I get bored myself. The races should take about two hours.”

New Zealand’s Rod Davis: “The shorter course will put a better premium on the sailors rather than on the speed of the boat.”

Gilmour: “Shorter legs, more excitement.”

Krantz thought 1 1/2 hours would be about right.

A poll of skippers to pick their favorites started well with Gilmour and Challenge Australia’s Phil Thompson both saying they expected to meet New Zealand in the challenger finals.

Gilmour said he expected to meet America 3 for the Cup, while Thompson picked Dennis Conner, but then the poll deteriorated.

After Marc Pajot said, “I don’t play such games,” nobody else would offer a prediction.

But Davis said, “I think we will see something different that will win the Cup this time.”

No boat is as different as his.