Advertisement

Il Moro-Kiwi Dispute Ends With Series : Sailing: Both sides bury the hatchet and offer compliments.

Share
TIMES STAFF WRITER

The ill will, rule squabbles and countercharges that have flown between Il Moro di Venezia and New Zealand in the Challenger finals were bottled up Thursday in champagne and bear hugs after Il Moro knocked the Kiwis out of competition.

As the teams arrived together at a festive Southwestern Yacht Club in Point Loma--Il Moro to a heroes’ welcome befitting its comeback from being down 3-1 to win the series, 5-3--they exchanged warm handshakes and embraces, popped the bubbly and seemed positively affectionate as the Italians accepted the Louis Vuitton Cup as the Challenger champions.

Kiwi skipper Rod Davis was all smiles, greeting the Il Moro crew cordially and offering no excuses for the upset. Davis joined Il Moro skipper Paul Cayard onstage after the Cup presentation.

Advertisement

“We’ve been buddies from a long time back and I feel for him,” Cayard said. “He congratulated me.”

After accepting the Louis Vuitton Cup, Cayard happily uncorked an oversized bottle of Moet and sprayed the crowd. Then he handed the bottle to Il Moro syndicate boss Raul Gardini, who took the first sip.

As the Louis Vuitton Cup was passed from hand to hand among the Italian crew, Il Moro and New Zealand crew members exchanged shirts.

Earlier in the day New Zealand syndicate head Sir Michael Fay had filed a complaint with the international jury claiming a “gross breach” of sportsmanship and saying the title should be awarded to New Zealand.

Conversely, throughout the Challenger finals, Il Moro has filed protests against the Kiwis’ use of a bowsprit, resulting in several long jury hearings and the annulment of a Kiwi victory--and several sleepless nights for Cayard and Davis.

Cayard noted, “We had some heated moments, some controversies. Whatever came of that as far as bad feelings, we consider beyond us. I believe New Zealand understands Il Moro’s intentions were to win.”

Advertisement

Whether the New Zealanders privately agreed or not, they were gracious in crediting the Italians’ sailing skills in winning the last four races.

In greeting the Il Moro crew members, Davis told one, “You guys did a better job. We tried to give you a run for your money.”

“I don’t think it was a case that we underestimated them,” Davis said. “Il Moro lifted its program significantly and we didn’t match it. Look at our history, we’ve had a lot of close races, down to one second. There was no underestimation.”

Kiwi tactician David Barnes said: “We were looking pretty good, then they got a series of conditions they obviously liked. In the end those guys sailed pretty well. They’ve improved dramatically.”

Referring to Thursday’s 1-minute, 33-second margin, Barnes said, “Today they outsailed us.”

Fay and Gardini made their peace on the ride into shore, and later did so publicly, Gardini apologizing with an impish grin “if in any way there was any ill feeling harbored by the New Zealanders throughout this battle,” Fay offering the Italian crew help in the upcoming Cup finals.

Advertisement

Cayard said the Italians’ dramatic improvement was a matter of concentrating better on their sailing. Last week on a lay day that the Kiwis took off, Cayard had his crew out practicing maneuvers. The Italians began sailing more competitively the next day.

“We put our program together, we peaked,” Cayard said. “We were not the favorites in this series and we haven’t been on top of our game until the last few days. . . . I don’t think we’ve mastered it yet but we’re getting better. They (Kiwis) weren’t as fast relative to us as they thought they’d be. We started to sail better. We’re at the highest level we’ve reached either as a crew or a boat.”

Cayard also suggested all the legal maneuvers and hearings may have taken an emotional toll on the Kiwis, who deny it.

“Like I’ve told you, things can pile up on you,” Cayard said. “The bowsprit issue came of age--that disturbed ‘em for sure. Then they had (an afterguard shake-up). Things pile up.”

None of that may have made a difference, though, Thursday. “Today was not much of a contest,” he said with a grin. “It was mostly boat speed.”

Cayard was noncommittal regarding whom he would prefer to face in the America’s Cup finals, telling Italian reporters (in Italian) that Bill Koch’s America 3 syndicate represents a major financial and physical challenge, while Dennis Conner remains the strategic master.

Advertisement

“No preference. We just want to represent the challengers well,” Cayard said. “We feel a responsibility to (New Zealand) and all the challengers next week.”

After three tries, New Zealand heads home again without the America’s Cup, a fact driven home when this happened to Fay: “They photographed me and Mr. Gardini shaking hands on the dock. A TV interviewer said, ‘I know that is Mr. Gardini. Who are you?’ ”

How quickly they’ve changed positions.

Advertisement