The chances of the Cup coming to Europe are still good. It is now certain that two European teams will be represented in the semi-finals. This is because there will be an all-American and a European duel in the quarter-final hopefuls.
OneWorld, which was allowed to choose its opponent as the best-placed team in the round robin round, surprisingly chose the "Stars and Stripes" of compatriot Dennis Conner. This means that the Italian Prada team will face Victory Challenge from Sweden in the second hopeful round. The winners of these two duels will then sail against each other for the right to compete against the winner of the Alinghi-Oracle BMW semi-final pairing.
OneWorld's decision to select Dennis Conner was a surprise to some, as the experienced team was recognised as having made great progress against the British in the last few rounds. But Tim Kröger, who was eliminated with the French team, still doesn't think the Conner boat is a rocket. "The guys are simply incredibly experienced and sail very well." However, the Swedes who tripped him up are not necessarily easier opponents in his opinion. "They were two tenths faster than us, although we were able to make huge gains." They were the team that had trained the most in Auckland. And that had a particular effect in the wind conditions at the upper end of the limit.
Meanwhile, Prada is preparing for this race with major changes. The boat they have used in previous races (ITA 74) is getting a new bow for the second time. And ITA 80, also with a new bow section, is undergoing intensive testing.
For Tim Kröger, however, Alinghi with Jochen Schümann is still the absolute favourite. "The Schümann factor in particular is constantly undervalued by the Anglo-Saxon media. His influence on the team is gigantic. The man has grown incredibly with his task. The team radiates an impressive calm. It is the coolest and most relaxed project." Oracle BMW obviously made a good decision by reappointing Chris Dickson. "But the man is a considerable risk factor. If they lose a race, it could quickly lead to a crisis."
