Another traditionalist "lamenting the loss of direction in the America's Cup has surfaced this week" -- with a claim that Oracle and the other organizers have arranged a regatta that is "a disgrace to the America's Cup and yourselves," according to Paul Lewis of the NEW ZEALAND HERALD. Last week, former Cup sailor and Louis Vuitton representative Bruno Trouble commented on the change to smaller boats and broken promises by saying, "What we have now is a vulgar beach event smelling of sunscreen and french fries. This is definitely not the Cup." This week, America's Cup historian Bob Fisher wrote an open letter to the America's Cup Events Authority, whose CEO is also Oracle Team USA CEO Russell Coutts. Fisher said in the letter, "You have abused it, misused it and reduced it to no more than an average regatta, losing on the way its prestige and at the same time driven away the most serious competitors. Gone is all semblance of stability and adherence to rules unanimously agreed at the outset and in their place an undercurrent of commercial misunderstanding and constantly changing rules without the unanimity of the challengers as initially agreed. Both of these are a disgrace to the Cup and to yourselves." Fisher also hinted Oracle had set matters "even more in its favour" by eliminating defender trials -- which allow other U.S. yacht clubs to challenge Oracle for the right to defend the Cup (NZ HERALD, 4/12).
