America's cup : confidence up for eagle challenge : syndicate director says new mast makes boat stronger

A week before the start of competition, the Eagle Challenge remains short on funds but long on confidence. “Here’s your scoop,” director Tom Omohundro told reporters at Newport Beach Friday.

“I think we’re going to win the America’s Cup.” Omohundro recently returned from Fremantle, the port suburb of Perth in Western Australia, where the boats are based. He described Eagle’s

headquarters as “a fantastic facility. I looked it all over and thought, ‘This is too good to be true.’ We’re on the best spot on the bay.” The New York Yacht Club facility for the America

II effort is more plush, Omohundro said, “but I like our place best of all.” Omohundro said Eagle is a stronger boat than when it left Long Beach, shortly after splitting its mast in final

testing. The mast was repaired but replaced at Fremantle, so the syndicate has at least one spare. That’s important. The Australian government will not permit syndicates to swap or borrow

equipment because it has been shipped into the country duty-free. “We even have to save our empty paint cans,” Omohundro said. Omohundro oversaw the shipping and installation of 425 pounds

of special equipment “to make sure we don’t break every time it blows 30 knots.” The modifications took three weeks while rivals were already sailing, but Omohundro believes it will save

critical down time later when the competition is under way. America’s Cup Notes Thursday was cold and overcast in Perth, but the weather improved Friday and Eagle sailed two practice races

with Canada II in 16-18-knot winds. The results were not disclosed, according to the general agreement among syndicates. . . . Several America’s Cup skippers are competing this week in the

Australian Cup, a match-racing series on Perth’s Swan River sailed in Viking 30s. The field includes Australia’s two leading defender rivals, Colin Beashel of Australia IV and Iain Murray of

Kookaburra III, but only one American, Buddy Melges of Heart of America, who doesn’t have much match racing experience despite his long list of successes. . . . A Perth bookmaker favors

Australia at 5-4 to retain the cup, the United States is at 6-4 to regain it, followed by New Zealand 7-1, Britain 16-1, France 25-1, Italy 33-1 and Canada 200-1. However, the odds do not

take into account Canada II’s impressive performances in practice. MORE TO READ