I agree with your assessment.

With his knowledge of the defender organization, it
wouldn't be ethical for him to switch back to Team NZ.

He has a great reputation now, he's too smart to ruin that.

On the other hand, he may want to show the world that he,
as the variable that is consistently linked with winning the
cup. He's already done that, but one more win would
put him way over the top in the history books. Perhaps
he is thinking about going with another challenger?

Paul Cayard is pursuing the olympics in the Star Class
and comes off a win in the 2003 Star NA's and 5th in the
Star Worlds. Could Coutts being thinking about the
Olympics?

http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/Ol...PaulCayard.asp


OzOne wrote

On Tue, 27 Jul 2004 07:12:14 GMT, "Bart Senior"
scribbled thusly:

Odd. Didn't expect that one.

OzOne wrote

Can't see him with TNZ...

Seems pretty obvious that he was deliberately breaching the employment
term....something must be in the wind but I can't see Alinghi allowing
him to move to another camp, he knows too much!