The starting gun, whistle at kick-off, the first serve…all represent the start of sporting action whether on the track, pitch, or court. Match racing is unique in that the most important battle between the competitors actually happens five minutes before the start.
"Two days are never the same. You learn something new every day, and if you don’t you’re not doing your job right."
Peter Reggio
Yet the activity begins well before that fundamental starting sequence. A floating sports ‘stadium’ requires a remarkable building operation, and day after day the weather (wind speed and direction, the waves and the current) dictates where, how and when the racing will be held.
A whole convoy of security and umpire RIBs, mark-set catamarans, and the Race Committee boat leave in a convoy two hours before the scheduled match start to begin the huge job of laying the race course. It’s an incredibly complex process and it is fascinating to witness such a hive of activity revolving essentially around the Race Committee boat and one main person - Peter ‘Luigi’ Reggio, Principal Race Officer for the 32nd America’s Cup.
For anyone who has never seen Luigi and his team in action, it is highly recommended. A day onboard the Race Committee boat reveals a little world far removed from the tense, hushed, nerve-wracking atmosphere that might be imagined at the centre of the Cup’s race operation. From the moment the boat leaves the dock Luigi and co. are chatting, joking and exchanging the kind of wisecracks that can only occur between people who have spent immense amounts of time together; as friends, and as a team.
Every second counts
The Race Committee team is however, very aware that every second counts, and each has a specific role in a choreography that flows exactly when, where and how it should. Skipper ‘Lucky’ Zampieri and crew Sarah Verhoken are ‘flag’, as well as boat handling experts, and helped by volunteer Jesus Pintos del Vales. Harold Bennet, Senior Race Officer for the Cup, and who ran the Juliet Course during the Round Robins, is a key figure in the team, but currently running races for Defender Alinghi. Carlos Beltran, another young volunteer, efficiently controls and counts down the times throughout the start sequence, as well as radioing the mark buoy coordinates between the committee boat and the RIBs, Ginny Holt relays the official RC mark rounding times and information to the Virtual Eye animation centre back on shore. Luis Ormachea, is ‘Course Marshall’, an experienced ISAF race committee member and the director of the 26-strong security boat fleet that patrol the race course, keeping it clear of obstructing spectator boats. And Rafa Gonzalez, is Deputy Race Officer and Luigi’s ‘sounding board’ who he ‘trusts implicitly. It is quite clear however that Luigi is the man that makes it all happen.
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A specially-devised computer programme uses information sent from the MDS weather buoys on the race course; advanced technology that means the windward-leeward course is laid with absolute precision, although Luigi emphasises the importance of simply looking out at the boats sailing on the water, ‘it is the people who are watching the real world rather than the screen who do the best,’ says this true professional; a cheery, extremely likeable and relentless perfectionist who speaks with great passion about his work,
“Two days are never the same. You learn something new every day, and if you don’t you’re not doing your job right. It’s the people that I love in this job - it’s fun playing around with sail boats - and doing it with people you like.”
What is so attractive about what is essentially working with wind? “I call it mental gymnastics. You are constantly thinking, and thinking ahead. You try to learn from what you’ve seen and push it forward to anticipate things. You aren’t always right but the longer you do it, the more correct you get with what you are trying to accomplish. Its kind of fun to figure things out – and when conditions are more difficult it’s satisfying to pull it off and have done the best possible job.”
Do you feel the pressure during those key moments of the race? “No. This is what I do. It’s not about pressure. We are all here because we know how to do what we have to do, we just go ahead and do it and it usually works out ok. If you start feeling the pressure then you are not having fun. I can guarantee that if you are not having fun you are not going to do as good a job.”
How do you juggle your role, coordinating your team and your attention to constant phone calls? (Teams, TV, radio commentators, graphics department...)
“Everyone is involved and we are all trying to make it work and accomplish the same thing. Media is a big part of it but without a doubt the most important thing to us is the teams. We are all working towards getting it right and correct so the racing is as fair as possible - that is all we care about. The media want to know what we think, and the sailors sometimes tell us what we should think. We put everything together to inform people as soon as we possibly can about conditions and the start.”
Doesn’t the ‘Ref’ usually get all the abuse? “No! The thing is if I am wrong, or make a bad call then I’m the first one to admit it. I generally know what is right or wrong – it’s not always the case of course, but if I do get it wrong, there is no one who is harder on themselves than I am. The sailors couldn’t be any harder on me than I am on myself. But our relationship with the teams is great - we talk before the races about what we are seeing with the wind and I’m constantly on the phone with them before they throw their phones overboard. We are all trying to work together. Without a doubt they are the focus of what we are trying to accomplish. As far as I’m concerned we are doing a job for the teams and are not here for any other reason.”
How would you describe what you do?
“I feel very fortunate. In an event I know I am there for a reason - to pull things together. All I know is if I give it my best shot then I have done my job. If some people don’t agree with it that’s not my problem as long as the sailors are happy and satisfied that I am trying my best for it to be fair. That is all I care about. I’m there for them. I happen to be the one lucky enough to be paid to have fun! The day I don’t appreciate that is the day I’ve got to stop. Sometimes I go out on the water and ask myself, ‘how the hell am I going to pull this off?’ but somehow it seems to happen. There are times that I have to will it happen, but it always does.”
And now more importantly, why are you known as Luigi?! “I worked at North Sails in the early 70s and there were 5 guys on the floor named Peter so we all got renamed… with my Italian surname I got nicknamed “Luigi”. I guess I was lucky in a way, others got gems like “Turkey Teeth”, “Pig Pen, and “Bugs”. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!”
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