The former "Pinta" helmsman and world number one in match racing Karol Jablonski will sign a four-year contract with the new Italian America's Cup syndicate Toscana Challenge on Friday.
The team is led by Gualtiero Pantani, who competes for the Livorno Yacht Club.
According to Jablonski, the budget of 90 million euros has already been secured. Behind this are four main sponsors and numerous smaller companies from the Tuscany region, each paying 100,000 euros. Pantani has bought the two cuppers from Dennis Conner's Stars&Stripes syndicate and wants to hire his tactician Terry Hutchinson. Conner designers Reichel/Pugh are among those being discussed as designers.
40 people are said to already be on the payroll. "The idea is to build a team without the really big names," the German-Polish Jablonski tells YACHT online. "Pantani wants people who are still hungry. They are cheaper and have more potential. It's a great opportunity for me and my four men from the match race team, who are also signed up. But we have to work hard to come out on top."
He still mourns the Polish syndicate he wanted to set up in Gdansk a little wistfully. It failed because he was unable to find a major sponsor. Nevertheless, he is still hoping to attract some local sponsors for the new team. His consistent performances on the Match Race Tour were the decisive factor in his decision to sign up. Especially his successes in Italy.
"In past races, we were regularly represented in the semi-finals and beat all the stars from the America's Cup. Our third place at the Match Race World Championship on Lake Garda in particular has given us a large forum in Italy. This has boosted our contact with the Italians."
According to Jablonski, the former Prada team led by skipper Francesco de Angelis is still endeavouring to find sponsors for a new attempt in Italy. However, the prospects are not so good. On the other hand, the man who lived and sailed on the Steinhuder Meer for many years confirms the rumours that the ship owner Vincento Onorato and his team Mascalzone Latino are planning a joint venture with the New Zealanders.
On the subject of the America's Cup venue, which is to be announced on 26 November, Jablonski says: "I'm sure it will be Valencia."
Meanwhile, during a YACHT interview about the future of Olympic sailing in Germany with Jochen Schümann and others (published in YACHT 25), it was revealed that Alinghi is indeed in close negotiations with former Oracle BMW helmsman Peter Holmberg. "He's a likeable man and, like me and Russell, a former Finn sailor. We speak the same language. But nothing has been finalised yet."
