Skippers' photo-op.

This morning's skippers' press conference will be widely reported on by better journalists than I, but suffice to say that, as usual, what went unsaid was probably more interesting than what was said.

One thing that did strike me -- the number of different nationalities among the 12 skippers:

DEN
FRA (2)
GBR
GER
ITA (2)
NZL (2)
POL
RSA
SWE

Twelve skippers from nine countries, no more than two from any one country, and no American. Moreover, the Dane sails for the German team, the German for the Swiss team, the Brit for one of the Italian teams, the Pole for the Spanish team, one of the French for the Chinese team, and, as you will know, one of the Kiwis sails for the "American" team, which has team members from 16 different countries!

By the way, I am reminded by Peter Huston to mention that "skipper" means the person in charge on the yacht, and that the skipper may or may not be the "helmsman." Chris Dickson is our skipper and helmsman; by way of example, Geoff Meek is skipper of Shosholoza, but for this regatta at least their helmsman, newly installed, is Chris Law.

Can you name the other skippers that go with the list of nationalities and the picture above? If not, you may wish to check the ACM website , which has a very good report on today's skippers' press conference.

The moderator, Richard Simmons (no, not THAT Richard Simmons) seemed to think we had changed our appendage package (we have not) and that the Kiwis had not (they have). As previously reported the Swedes have made the biggest change since the Valencia Acts -- swapping their older SWE 63 for the second of their 2003 boats, SWE 73. When asked why, Magnus Holmberg smiled slyly and said something about 73 being an even faster boat than 63 (63 went very well in VLC until they were found by the Measurers to be out of compliance with the Class Rule).

Our change in the afterguard -- Dicko on the wheel and Gavin moving from the wheel to tactician -- is also a significant change. Likewise Alinghi's change of helmsman -- Jochen Schuemann in for Peter Holmberg.