Peter Holmberg, Virgin Islander, Olympic medallist, number match racer in 2001/02 Swedish Match Tour and current “driver” for the Oracle BMW Racing syndicate speaks to www.caribbeanracing.com about the campaign and his rise from the ashes of a somewhat public sacking by his billionaire boss Larry Ellison.

What he doesn’t say is as interesting as what he does!

caribbeanracing.com: I’ll start with the most obvious questions about your somewhat public and undignified removal as helm/skipper. It was obviously a shock to the outside world but was it to you? General consensus seemed to be that the boat was just not fast downwind. Were you a scapegoat for the boat’s performance?

Peter: Yes it was a bit of a shock since I and generally everyone, thought I was doing a good job.  The reality is that Larry and media confused things by using the wrong terminology.  I was never the skipper; I was the driver, responsible for starting the boat, driving full speed, executing the plan given by the tactician, and dealing with any boat on boat matchracing situations.  We never named a skipper.  The closest thing to our skipper would be John Cutler who was the tactician, Director of Sailing Operations, and my boss.  So Larry's announcement of installing Dickson as the skipper, responsible for all sailing operations and onboard decisions, was in reality replacing John Cutler.

caribbeanracing.com:  Dickson coming onboard has made a big difference as you are now through to the semi finals with no losses since his arrival. Pretty much his first move was put you back onboard as helmsman and remove Mr E from the 17th position. What did this do to the crew dynamics and particularly the afterguard?

Peter: Basically we replaced Cutler with Dickson, and the results speak for themselves.  Dickson is a strong character, very smart and decisive, and it has moved our performance up several notches. The manner that Larry did it and some of the wrong assumptions people made was unfortunate, but we are all getting on with the business at hand which hasn't changed -- winning the Cup.

caribbeanracing.com: Your immediate re-instatement must have been a relief and a vindication of your talents?

Peter: Yes.

caribbeanracing.com: If you can tell me without giving too much away what has he done to improve the performance? Boat set up? Crew changes? Better tactics?

Peter:  It is a combination of boat and tactics.  We made a change to the boat/sail configuration just before Dickson joined us, so that improvement is mixed in with the better tactics, adding up to our improved performance.

caribbeanracing.com: Dickson’s re-appointment caused quite a stir and some resignations.  How did you get on with him before he was benched and how do you get on now?

Peter: We get along, not great mates, but as two professionals doing their job.  We have different management styles, but we have never clashed. 

caribbeanracing.com: You’re two very different personalities, are your different characters complementing each other?

Peter: No, I don't think that aspect is playing out.  He is the skipper now and runs the show in his style, I interact as one of several in the afterguard giving our input.

caribbeanracing.com: Winning must have improved your outlook, but are you happy with the new set up?

Peter: Wining is great.  It was an arranged marriage -- it is working, but we did not seek it out.

caribbeanracing.com: What will the team be doing between now and December 9th?

Peter: We will use the time to test new appendages, sails, and refine our racing skills with the new afterguard. 

caribbeanracing.com: Can we expect to see Mr E back on the boat in the semis and is it all Dickson’s choice?

Peter:  I suspect we might see Larry back on board.  Ultimately it is Larry's decision.

caribbeanracing.com: Dennis Conner has won the Cup and is a sailor’s sailor, Mr E, although a sailor, is a billionaire software mogul first.  Other than the fact that you were fully funded from day one with Oracle BMW Racing what have been the differences in the management and philosophy of the syndicates?

Peter: Yes, they are all led in different manners.  OracleBMW and Prada are the most directly led by the owners, while Alinghi, OneWorld and most of the others have entrusted the leadership more to the managers they selected. 

caribbeanracing.com: Or does having enough money make all the difference in the world?

Peter:  Having enough money is what matters, not having a lot.

caribbeanracing.com: If asked back after the Cup is over, would you re-join Oracle BMW Racing?

Peter:  That depends on what the plans are for the syndicate, who will run it, what their plan is, who else will be on the team.

caribbeanracing.com: Notwithstanding the ‘glitch’, how does it feel to be driving in the America’s Cup after all these years of trying? It must seem a long way from the VI Challenge?

Peter: Yes, it is an incredible experience, all of it.  Driving an 80 foot IACC boat and orchestrating maneuvers with a team of great sailors is one of the greatest experiences in life.  The whole campaign has been a tremendous challenge, with great thrills, hard work, great friendships, hard times, and fun all mixed together.  Bottom line, a huge life experience.

caribbeanracing.com: Oracle BMW Racing has pretty much avoided the legal shenigans that have been going on. In your view does this legal wrangling detract from the AC and the real business at hand or does it add to the excitement of the build up?

Peter:  It is a part of all major sporting events.  The America's Cup does suffer a little more because of the way the rules are written, creating the beast that it is.  Sure it would be better if they tightened up the rules, eliminated some of the inherent problems, but we the sailors just get on with the game and don't get too caught up in the rule issues.

caribbeanracing.com: I presume you’re the only “islander” competing in NZ?

Peter: Actually the Caribbean has pretty good representation in the Cup.  In our team we have Henry Menin from St. Thomas as our rules advisor.  Alinghi has Kirst Fedderson and Chris Curreri from St. Thomas doing rig design and engineering.  And Mascalzone Latino had Carlo Falcone's son from Antigua as a grinder.

caribbeanracing.com: And what odds would you give for Oracle BMW Racing going home with Cup?

caribbeanracing.com: I give us a good chance at wining the Cup.  The boat package is capable, the crew has the talent to win.  If we continue to make the small improvements to the boat and sails, and if we improve our game as a team, we could win it all.

Peters’ biography

America's Cup Affiliation:

Afterguard, Larry Ellison’s Oracle BMW Racing syndicate
Tactician, Stars & Stripes in 2000 

Accomplishments:

1988- Silver Medal Olympics (Finn Class)
1990- Maxi World Champion
2001/2002 champion Swedish Match Tour.

Peter learned to sail at age five and began racing internationally at age nine. After many years of training locally in the Virgin Islands, Peter won the Silver Medal in the Finn Class at the 1988 Olympics in Korea. This is the first and only Olympic Medal ever won by the Virgin Islands.

After winning the Olympic Medal, Peter began racing as a professional sailor and has since gone on to win two World Championships and numerous international events. Peter entered the Match Racing circuit in 1992, climbed to #1 in the world in 2002, and continues to focus on this form of racing.

In March of 1996, Peter formed the Virgin Islands America’s Cup Foundation. It was an ambitious undertaking, with the goal not only to challenge for the America’s Cup, but to re-unite Virgin Islanders with the water, promote water sports and careers, improve race relations with a national endeavor, and promote the Virgin Islands as a tourist destination. The Foundation raised over 4 million US dollars, gained international acclaim, and taught hundreds of residents to swim and sail through public programs.

Unable to raise the additional 6 million US dollars required to meet the minimum budget, the Foundation merged with Team Dennis Conner in January 1999. Peter went on to race in the afterguard of Stars & Stripes in the America’s Cup 2000 Challenger Series where they finished third.

Peter is a past President of the Virgin Islands Sailing Association and a past Commodore of the St. Thomas Yacht Club. Through his efforts of representing the Virgin Islands around the world, Peter hopes to encourage more Virgin Islanders to pursue excellence in sports and begin to enjoy, utilize, and respect the water.