[Source: Alinghi] On his return to Valencia, Brad Butterworth, Alinghi team skipper and representative at the recent Singapore meetings with BMW Oracle, comments on what happened: “We had a meeting with BMW Oracle representatives from 09:00 SGT on Tuesday 12 January until 20:00 that night and agreed to reconvene the next morning to continue as there were a lot of issues that we had agreed on but a few that were holding us apart. We agreed before the ISAF representative, David Kellett, and the ISAF AC Jury chairman, David Tillett, to have a media blackout and to do nothing that would jeopardise the discussions until we had had sufficient time the following day to talk these remaining issues through. As it happened, we all ended up having dinner together and continued the discussions, which concluded that night with a gentleman’s agreement. When we reconvened at 09:30 the next morning (Wednesday 13) and the meeting was brought to order by Tillett, Tom Ehman – on behalf of BMW Oracle – instructed us that court proceedings had been filed in New York overnight and that they were sending a media release. At this stage the relationship between the two teams soured dramatically, but despite this surprising development, the ISAF representatives encouraged us to take the agreement back to the team principals which I agreed to do. The meeting ended and the ISAF guys left for the airport. During the course of the afternoon, I was initially instructed that BMW Oracle were keen to sign the deal, but by the time I got hold of the guys in Valencia to discuss it, Oracle had withdrawn from the agreement.â€? Direct Link
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For the Record: Singapore – Brad Butterworth @ Valencia Sailing
Interesting view of the canal from land – Photo by Laurence SunderlandG’day to all,It is good to be back home again after so many days away this month. Here is a synopsis of my time with Zac in the amazing country of Panama.I arrived in Panama the evening before Zac. A taxi ride from the airport took me to Shelter Bay Marina which is the marina that yachts transiting from the Atlantic to the Pacific stop at to take care of the formalities of transiting the canal. Saying that the weather was hot and humid would be an understatement. Of course being 1 or 30 lbs overweight does not help. The Shelter Bay Marina has a hotel that overlooks the marina and rooms were reasonable at $65.00 per night.The hotel and marina are on the opposite side of the river from the city of Colon which is a small city that is crime ridden and not a place that you would wonder around alone. One has to travel into Colon to get groceries, go to the Port Captain to arrange the admeasurer (guy who measures the boat before transit) and pay the agent who posted the bond for Zac’s transit. It is a 35 minute drive if you don’t cross the river at the same time as a ship is passing through the Gatun Locks. If that is the case, then you may have to wait at the one way swing bridge for up to an hour. Shelter Bay is somewhat isolated and is surrounded by rain forest. It is built where the US forces base used to be. Russ, the manager, was eager to help with questions and was an invaluable help getting organized for the canal transitThe Thursday evening before Zac arrived, I was overlooking the Marina watching a healthy thunder storm brewing. I thought about Zac out there knowing he would be in for quite a night. Not only would he be dealing with the thunder storm, but he would have to be extra vigilant throughout the night because of the increased shipping.Zac arriving at Shelter Bay in the rain – Photo by Laurence SunderlandEarly the following morning I spotted Intrepid on the horizon. It was raining with remnants of the thunderstorm. I managed to persuade one the marina workers to take me out to guide Zac in to Shelter Bay. Zac, though tired, was pleased to see me. He had just made the passage from Granada – 1300 nm in a little over seven days and the Panama basin would be the last planned stop of his solo circumnavigation.We went straight into action organizing the transit through the canal. For all of you who plan to do this in the future, this is what you will need to do. If you don’t have 4 x 125 ft lines you will have to rent them. Speak to Russ or if on the Pacific side talk to someone at the Balboa Yacht Club. It cost us $80.00 for … Direct Link
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A Lengthy Laurence Blog @ Zac Sunderland
It was 0420 and I’d already killed a cat. Two minutes later a rabbit copped it and it seemed at that time of the morning Hampshire was like the Serengeti. Actually I think the cat jumped. It had that “I’ve no regretsâ€? look in its eye. Dignitas seemingly hasn’t reached the feline species yet. The rabbit was stupid. When you make a run for it, keep going! Never turn back. There’s a lesson there. I was on my way to London’s Gatwick airport for a business meeting in Holland, and forced to think about animals, it occurred to me how astute cows had been. You see if our goal as individuals is to ensure the survival of the species, then they’ve got it cracked. Cunningly they’ve made themselves indispensable to man. In short we eat ‘em, and they are nice! We always will. A great marketing strategy from a misunderstood animal. Except by Indians, who literally worship them. And you can extend that survival of the species theory to those of us who have children. Well sorry but we are now redundant. “Spentâ€? if you will. If we were Salmon we’d develop a hooked beak, a hunched back, and be swimming up the river of our birth to be caught by a grizzly bear, but failing that, to spend the final hours with our mates drowning in it. Which is exactly how I plan to go.So a lot of animals must be feeling a little threatened right now. Not because they are going to be eaten, but because they are not. Take your average Tapir for example. Must be shitting it. Neither tasty nor wearable. With a big nose.Anyway you can tell I was in work mode, I have sales and marketing business with several customer in the marine industry. Mach 2 boats being one of course. At the airport I fell into line with the usual queue of primer grey passengers who had that the same look in their eye that the cat had. Christ I’m glad I’m not part of that anymore. I was reflecting that now being in charge of my own destiny was really what I’d always wanted when I err.. fell asleep. But 45 minutes later it was time to land and I awoke in the middle of an erotic dream convinced that I’d mumbled “err Sorryâ€? out loud.It was a nice day, and I write this in the evening sitting in an Amsterdam airport bar where I’ve just identified a Dutch Bogan! He is fat with a beer bottle on his T shirt and a slogan underneath. The actual translation didn’t matter but what it really said was “I haven’t had sex for a yearâ€?. I do think when people get past a certain size we should just simply burn them as energy, but then I once believed in castration at thirty and euthanasia at forty. That’d fuck the masters trophy up eh? So its time to board the aircraft in a place in … Direct Link
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Daydeam believer @ Simon Payne
