America’s Cup Quibbling Begins : Sailing: France recognized as Challenger of Record, but Taylor complains that SDYC jumped the gun.

The 29th defense of the America’s Cup still is nearly three years away, but there already is controversy.

The defending San Diego Yacht Club on Thursday acknowledged the Yacht Club de France as the regatta’s Challenger of Record, saying it has issued the only valid challenge.

But Ernie Taylor, executive director of the Challenger of Record Committee for the recently completed 28th America’s Cup, immediately complained that the move was a breach of protocol. In this era of multiple challenges, the Challenger of Record represents the interests of all challengers.

“The SDYC cannot appoint, nor can the French claim to be, the Challenger of Record as that term is only used when multiple challenges have been accepted,” Taylor said in a statement from his Australia office. He said he is working on behalf of other intended 1995 challengers.

“The appointment by SDYC of the Yacht Club de France was made when it was the only valid challenger. (The French) called a meeting with themselves seven days after the July 14 appointment, did not invite or advise anyone else and elected themselves Challenger of Record.”

Taylor also contended that SDYC officials won’t tell Spanish, Australian and Japanese syndicates where to wire their non-refundable, $75,000 entry fees.

A protocol document signed May 13 gave the SDYC 60 days from the last race of the 1992 America’s Cup to appoint a challenger to convene a meeting of intended 1995 participants to elect a Challenger of Record.

France and Spain issued challenges immediately after Bill Koch’s America 3 syndicate successfully defended the America’s Cup against Italy’s Il Moro di Venezia on May 16.

France paid its entry fee, but the Spanish check didn’t clear, said Sandy Purdon, a SDYC board member and its immediate past commodore. The Spanish group said it would write a check on another account but getting it in within the 60 days “was no big deal to them,” Purdon said.

“A number of other people say they will be challengers, but nobody else has sent their $75,000 check, which is required to make them qualified,” Purdon said.

Nippon Challenge, which mounted Japan’s first America’s Cup challenge this year, notified SDYC officials that it also would challenge. But the Japanese group didn’t meet the 60-day deadline to be considered as the Challenger of Record, Purdon said.

An Australian group also intends to challenge. It includes John Bertrand, who ended the New York Yacht Club’s 132-year winning streak in 1983 when he skippered Australia II to an upset victory over Dennis Conner’s Liberty.

“France has told us it’s their intention in November to hold a meeting of all challengers, at which time it will form a Challenger of Record Committee of all duly acknowledged challengers,” Purdon said.

Purdon disputed that the SDYC was stonewalling other intended challengers by not telling them where to send their checks.

The appointment of the French syndicate followed two days meetings among representatives of the SDYC, Yacht Club de France and its syndicate, Le Defi Francais.

Noel Robins of Australia was appointed Challenger of Record chairman. Challenges for the 1995 America’s Cup will be accepted by the SDYC until Nov. 12.

“My primary job will be to get a mutual-consent agreement by mid-September and to get the challenges in by November,” Robins said.

Eight yacht clubs from seven countries challenged during the 1992 regatta off San Diego. America 3 defeated Il Moro, 4-1, in the final.