Team Shosholoza on song in Spain
4 July 2006
Team Shosholoza, South Africa's entry for the America's Cup, is up to the level of the best yachts in the world. That's the word from the team's managing director, Salvatore Sarno, after they finished eighth in the 12th Louis Vuitton regatta in Valencia and seventh overall in the 2006 America's Cup Season Championship.
The South Africans edged out the French Areva Challenge and the Italian +39 Challenge for a place in the middle silver division of the 12-boat fleet, and Sarno reckons that, with a little more luck, the team could have fared even better.
Edged by Spain
Up against Spain's Desafio Espanol in the semifinal of the 12th Louis Vuitton Act, Team Shosholoza won the first race but was defeated in the next two showdowns, leaving the South
African yacht to face Sweden's Victory Challenge in a battle for seventh place.
Shosholoza again opened with a win, but the Swedes stormed back to claim two victories in succession to take seventh.
Skipper Mark Sadler reckoned he was happy to achieve the crew's goal of winning more races, but admitted to being disappointed that Shosholoza couldn't get over the hump and move up to fifth position.
Dramatic improvement
Assessing his team's performance, Sadler said they had improved dramatically in 2006. "I think all of South Africa would be very proud of the amount of work this team has put in."
Having most of the crew together for two years, with few changes, meant the team had grown, so much so that they were working "seamlessly" together, Sadler said. The South Africans on board, who make up the majority of the crew, didn't have any previous America's Cup experience, but have been quick to take on the lessons learned and reach
the world-class levels of the other crews.
Team Shosholoza's helmsman and coach, Tommaso Chieffi, praised the never-say-die attitude of the crew, and said sailing with them was a great experience.
High expectations
Navigator Marc Lagesse has high expectations for 2007. At present, he says, four boats dominate the competition but, come 2007, he believes there will be 10 yachts in the running, and that one of those will be Shosholoza.
A visit to the America's Cup website, and a check on Team Shosholoza's profile, confirms that this is a team on the up. From running in twelfth and last place when the sailing started, the team has managed to finish just outside the top four on a number of occasions.
Now, Team Shosholoza aims to take the next step and mix it up with the big boys.
Coming up
The challengers will compete in one more Louis Vuitton regatta in 2007 and finally in the Louis Vuitton Cup,
a round-robin elimination regatta to determine which single team will square up against Alinghi in the final, the America's Cup Match.
With Louis Vuitton ranking points counting towards the bonus points that teams take into the Louis Vuitton Cup, the 32nd America's Cup effectively started with the first Louis Vuitton regatta of 2005.
However, as the final draws nearer, the races become increasingly important: Louis Vuitton ranking points for 2006 count double, while points for the final Loius Vuitton Act in 2007 count treble, towards each team's bonus points.
'Ranks with the Football World Cup'
"The America's Cup is ranked with the Olympic Games, the Soccer World Cup and Formula One motor racing," says Sarno. "It is a contest that depends on leading edge technology, human resources and skills.
You can't find a better international platform for showcasing all that is positive about our country and our new
democracy."
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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