FACES IN THE FOREDECK CROWD Aug 31, 18:54
Following on from Formula One's "Paddock Club" and the "Base Club" during the last Cup in Auckland, ACM erects a "Foredeck Club" for team and VIP hospitality at each Act venue. The one here at Malmoe, up on stilts like the Base Club was in Auckland, is particularly nice and has a terrific view of the paddock.
Managed by the effervescent and efficient Louise "No I'm not Dyer" Dier, the Foredeck has very kindly extended an invitation to team members to come by for a complimentary drink or two each evening on the way home. And since you bike or walk past the Foredeck Club on the way out of the paddock, it is a tempting and increasingly accepted invitation. And with today being a day off, last evening was the largest teams' Happy Hour yet.
The relaxed, friendly inter-team atmosphere is great, even better than it was in Marseille for Act 1 last year -- witness the snaps below, taken last evening while enjoying a vino or two with a number of old Cup friends....
Desafio Espanol designer Jim Pugh (USA) with Peter "de rigeur" Harken
(USA and the World).
BMWOR Exec Director, and former Olympic umpire, Russell Green
(NZL) with home-grown (NZL) AC32 umpires Shane Borrell and Wayne
Boberg.
ETNZ design chief Clay Oliver (USA) with former teammate Tom "Schnacks"
Schnackenberg (NZL) now with Luna Rossa.
Another cross-team Kiwi contingent -- old friends catching up: our Tim
Hacket, Alinghi's Tim "HQ" Gurr, ETNZ's esteemed ops/sailing manager Kevin
"Shoe" Shoebridge, and our David "Duffy" Duff.
Luna Rossa's irrepressible tactician and double-Olympic medalist, Charlie
McKee (USA) with Norwegian umpire Marianne Middelthon.
BMWOR's Mark "Squark" Bradford (AUS), sizing up his interview on
the AC TV coverage that plays at least throughout the Foredeck Club.
Victory Challenge team member and Dicko -- comparing notes on the
often tricky current the teams found this week on the Øresund Sound?
Oracle Corp Sr VP Judy Sim (USA), with Jane "Bubbles" Eagleson (USA)
and Laurent "Father" Esquier (FRA and the World). Always looking after
our team's partners and suppliers, they checked to be sure the Moet
was being served at the right temperature.
Our mastman David "Brookie" Brooke (NZL, right) introducing his
niece to Dicko. Brookie's niece is also a volunteer on the race
committee.
Hollywood comes to the America's Cup. LA film producer Gary Goldstein
(USA), well-connected promoter Kimberly Jones (USA), and noted Imax
director Stephen Low (CAN).
BMWOR grinder and crew boss, Craig Monk (NZL), with +39 grinder
and two-time Finn Class Olympian and VOR vet Anthony "Knocker"
Nossiter (AUS). Knocker was one of the two +39 crew who went for a
swim in the race against us when they were swept overboard during
an errant spinnaker take-down.
Our mast designer Steve "Stevo" Wilson (NZL) with one of the senior AC
32 umpires, John Standley (AUS).
On the right, Star Class 2000 Olympic gold medalist Iain "Hollywood"
Percy (GBR), helmsman of the rapidly rising +39 challenge, with ETNZ
trimmer Andy Hemmings (GBR).
Antipodean members of the International Jury, Graham McKenzie (NZL)
and David Tillett (AUS).
Empressario Louise Dier (center) with two of her Foredeck Club
colleagues.
Managed by the effervescent and efficient Louise "No I'm not Dyer" Dier, the Foredeck has very kindly extended an invitation to team members to come by for a complimentary drink or two each evening on the way home. And since you bike or walk past the Foredeck Club on the way out of the paddock, it is a tempting and increasingly accepted invitation. And with today being a day off, last evening was the largest teams' Happy Hour yet.
The relaxed, friendly inter-team atmosphere is great, even better than it was in Marseille for Act 1 last year -- witness the snaps below, taken last evening while enjoying a vino or two with a number of old Cup friends....
Desafio Espanol designer Jim Pugh (USA) with Peter "de rigeur" Harken
(USA and the World).
BMWOR Exec Director, and former Olympic umpire, Russell Green
(NZL) with home-grown (NZL) AC32 umpires Shane Borrell and Wayne
Boberg.
ETNZ design chief Clay Oliver (USA) with former teammate Tom "Schnacks"
Schnackenberg (NZL) now with Luna Rossa.
Another cross-team Kiwi contingent -- old friends catching up: our Tim
Hacket, Alinghi's Tim "HQ" Gurr, ETNZ's esteemed ops/sailing manager Kevin
"Shoe" Shoebridge, and our David "Duffy" Duff.
Luna Rossa's irrepressible tactician and double-Olympic medalist, Charlie
McKee (USA) with Norwegian umpire Marianne Middelthon.
BMWOR's Mark "Squark" Bradford (AUS), sizing up his interview on
the AC TV coverage that plays at least throughout the Foredeck Club.
Victory Challenge team member and Dicko -- comparing notes on the
often tricky current the teams found this week on the Øresund Sound?
Oracle Corp Sr VP Judy Sim (USA), with Jane "Bubbles" Eagleson (USA)
and Laurent "Father" Esquier (FRA and the World). Always looking after
our team's partners and suppliers, they checked to be sure the Moet
was being served at the right temperature.
Our mastman David "Brookie" Brooke (NZL, right) introducing his
niece to Dicko. Brookie's niece is also a volunteer on the race
committee.
Hollywood comes to the America's Cup. LA film producer Gary Goldstein
(USA), well-connected promoter Kimberly Jones (USA), and noted Imax
director Stephen Low (CAN).
BMWOR grinder and crew boss, Craig Monk (NZL), with +39 grinder
and two-time Finn Class Olympian and VOR vet Anthony "Knocker"
Nossiter (AUS). Knocker was one of the two +39 crew who went for a
swim in the race against us when they were swept overboard during
an errant spinnaker take-down.
Our mast designer Steve "Stevo" Wilson (NZL) with one of the senior AC
32 umpires, John Standley (AUS).
On the right, Star Class 2000 Olympic gold medalist Iain "Hollywood"
Percy (GBR), helmsman of the rapidly rising +39 challenge, with ETNZ
trimmer Andy Hemmings (GBR).
Antipodean members of the International Jury, Graham McKenzie (NZL)
and David Tillett (AUS).
Empressario Louise Dier (center) with two of her Foredeck Club
colleagues.
General | by TFE
