Would it be any different if the roles where reversed?
The rules are clear as they are and IMHO the GGYC appeal regarding the LWL rule is a complete waste of time.
They should just suck it up and change the rudders, it is the risk they took by building a boat without knowing the rules up front.
LE will probably also complain about the venue, claiming it isn't safe because of its proximity to Iran. Like Spain doesn't have any terrorists!
Or would they prefer to sail in Valencia in February?
I have seen some of the worst storms on the Spanish coast in winter, you would not want to be there with a light weight gigacat.
I don't like either of these guys but what I do admire about Ernesto is his hands-on involvement in their campaign.
Do we have any pics of LE helming DZ?, has he even been out on it?
So, you're actually suggesting that they should have waited until last month to start design and construction of a boat for a match in February? Again, this is absurd. Also keep in mind that the final measurement rule has NOT yet been published and probably won't be until October. For any of the provisions in the Deed of Gift to be operable, there are certain givens that need to be in place; one of the big ones is the rules of the racing. The challenger is SUPPOSED to specify the type of boat for the match - but this has changed since the defender can define the measurement rule ad hoc - as per the latest outcome, now the defender defines a large portion of the boat, the rules, the venue, and by causing legal delay, the date of the match. What's left? One thing for sure, however, Alinghi has played their legal hand well to this point. If the defender can here forward affect so many terms of the match, there is no point in ever filing a challenge...none. This was not the intent of the Deed.
What has really screwed this whole thing up is the delay that Alinghi was able to accomplish in the court system. The challenger is supposed to have the advantage of a 10 month notice to the match - which is not much time. When BMWO lost that advantage, they lost all of their leverage to get Alinghi to negotiate.
