| MOOLOOLABA, AUSTRALIA-(30-7-2004) American yachtsman Dennis Conner today named his America’s Cup rival of near 21 years ago, Australian John Bertrand, as the skipper to beat in next week’s ACE Etchells World Championship at Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
“John is on fire this year and is one of the favourites, if not THE favourite to win his first Etchells Worlds,” said Conner, a two times winner of the prestigious title in this one-design keelboat class.
Bertrand, however, does not under-rate Conner’s prospects of winning a third Etchells World Championship, also ranking New Zealand America’s Cup helmsman Cameron Appleton and former Etchells World Champion Cameron Miles from Sydney as among his toughest rivals.
Arguably two of the world’s bestknown America’s Cup yachtsmen, Bertrand and Conner met this afternoon for a press conference at Mooloolaba Yacht Club which is hosting a fleet of 85 boats for the World Championship.
Racing starts with an invitation race on Sunday with Monday scheduled for the first of eight scoring races through next week.
Since that famous Match in 1983 when Bertrand outsailed Conner to end the New York Yacht Club’s 132 year ownership of the America’s Cup, the two have sailed against each other in subsequent Cup regattas and regularly in the Etchells class.
Both agreed they are still very competitive sailors; “I guess we have been competitive for the past 21 years,” said Bertrand. He added that whilst they did discuss the America’s Cup when they met from time to time, it was mostly on the future of the event, not the past.
Both said they really enjoyed sailing Etchells and particularly so at Mooloolaba. “The sailing here is superb, the hospitality is superb; it is always a joy to sail here,”said Bertrand.
“I haven’t had much time to focus sailing an Etchells this year, but I’m trying to hone my skills again before the regatta starts and then sail against some of the best sailors in the world,” said Conner, adding similar complimentary remarks about Mooloolaba as a venue for the World.s
Conner has won the Etchells World Championship twice – “I probably won because you were not competing then,” the American quipped – and he has also placed ahead of Bertrand, but only slightly, in their encounters in Etchells Worlds.
According to Bertrand, Conner placed second in the 1991 Worlds with Bertrand fourth; in 1998, Conner was 21st, Bertrand 22nd, and in 2002 the Australian finished sixth with Conner 12th.
Both Bertrand and Conner have new crews sailing with them in this World Championship.
Sailing with Bertrand, who is representing the Melbourne Etchells fleet at the helm of Two Saints and a Magpie, are two young international sailors from Sydney, Mark Richards and Richie Allanson, while Conner’s crew on Menace comprises Canadian Dick Kneulman and Mooloolaba-born international sailor Peter Burton.
Kneulman is also a former World champion skipper, having won the title at Marblehead, USA in 1998.
Ideal sailing conditions, with 10-15 knot south-easterly seabreezes, have been forecast for the early days of the ACE World Championship 2004, with Sunday’s Maroochy Shire invitation race and Monday’s first heat scheduled to start at 12 noon. On Tuesday, two races are scheduled, the first at 10Am.
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