YACHT online: Is Alinghi as confident as the 4-0 win over Prada would have you believe?SchümannWe are very satisfied with our performance. But the wins against Prada were very close.
The smallest mistakes are decisive. We made some too. Prada even overtook us once as a result. But one of our great strengths is our morale. We fought our way past again. Generally speaking, the top four are very close together. Anyone can beat anyone.
YACHT onlineDid Alinghi have a disadvantage over Prada downwind? The Italians were always well ahead.
Schümann: This was particularly due to the wind conditions. It was blowing offshore from the city. The wind was very gusty and irregular. This generally favours the chasing boat if it can catch up with fresh wind. We are not worried about that.
YACHT online: What was the biggest surprise in the quarter-finals?
SchümannI wouldn't have thought that Oracle would win so clearly against OneWorld. That shows how much potential there still is in the teams. Now it's a question of who develops it best.
YACHT onlineWhat else does Alinghi have to add? Will the new boat be used in the semi-final against Oracle BMW?
Schümann: That will remain a secret. In any case, we are training very intensively with both boats. This morning we were on the water at six o'clock and were back in again at five o'clock. There are still lots of things to try out.
YACHT online: Do you still have aces up your sleeve?
SchümannSometimes it's enough to have enough kings in your hand. The sum of all the little things makes the best package in the end.
YACHT onlineWhat exactly is your job as a strategist? How does communication work in the Afterguard, Alinghi's decision-making centre?
SchümannI collect the weather data from our weather team before the start and decide which sails to put on board. During the race, I'm in constant communication with tactician Brad Butterworth. The boundaries between our jobs are fluid. We decide together when to tack. A lot is based on eye contact and body language. Navigator Ernesto Bertarelli constantly provides us with data from his computer. For example, how long it will take to get to the lay lines.
YACHT online: During the last races there were some loud noises on board the "Alinghi" after botched manoeuvres. Did people fly off the boat afterwards?
SchümannOn the contrary. They were definitely back the next day so that they could make up for their mistake. We analysed it and tried to eradicate it. In most cases, it's not just one person who is responsible. We all make mistakes and the trick is to recognise and correct them.
YACHT online: Isn't it difficult to keep the team's spirits up when half the crew are always on the bench?
Schümann: That's a general problem. But I think we've got it under control quite well by rotating. All 32 sailors were used in the preliminary round. However, an A team is crystallising more and more. I still hope that we can keep everyone happy. Because we absolutely need two top teams for the in-house matches during training and testing.
YACHT onlineHow do you personally experience the Cup? It must be very different from last time, when you competed with a boat that had no chance.
SchümannI enjoy working with my team. Especially because I can contribute my expertise very well. And now that we can reap the rewards of our long, hard work, it's even more fun.
YACHT online: How much do you feel about the campaign by the New Zealand Blackheart club to publicly agitate against the departure of Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth?
Schümann: Some very unsportsmanlike things happened. For example, their children have been treated with hostility at school. But the majority of New Zealanders don't support that. They are very sporty. Russell and Brad are, though. It would be a shame if it escalated.
The semi-final duel between Alinghi and Oracle BMW begins on 20 December 2002.
