The America's Cup in Valencia

Organizers for the 34th America’s Cup plan on September 13 to host a press conference in Valencia to reveal three of the four cornerstones of the next competition:

• The year in which it will be held
• The new Class of Boat for the competition
• The competition rules (The Protocol)

The objective for the 34th America’s Cup has been to create the fairest-ever competition, sustainable to teams and their partners with transformed racing to attract the widest possible audience for an event planned for either 2013 or 2014.

A new, dynamic and exciting class of boat will be revealed. The year of the 34th America’s Cup Match will also be confirmed.

Negotiations over the host city venue  continue, but organizers are confident of making an announcement ahead of the December 31 objective.

The Protocol is now finalized and will be formally signed by the defending Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Challenger of Record, Club Nautico di Roma, in a live-streamed ceremony on the official America’s Cup web site www.AmericasCup.com.

WHAT: 34th America’s Cup Press Conference

WHY: 34th America’s Cup year, Protocol and new class of boat announced

WHEN: September 13, 2010

TIME: 1300 CET

WHERE: BMW ORACLE Racing Team Base, Port America’s Cup, Valencia, Spain

WHO: Russell Coutts (CEO BMW ORACLE Racing Team) Vincenzo Onorato (syndicate head of Challenger of Record, Mascalzone Latino)

Via: http://www.americascup.com/

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In a joint initiative by the defender, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Challenger of Record, Italy’s Club Nautico di Roma, a draft of the Protocol rules for the 34th America’s Cup was sent to the challenging teams today.

Foremost amongst numerous innovations is a forward-thinking structure that allows funds and assets to transfer from one America’s Cup to the next.

The draft is a ‘listening and living’ document. Teams have been invited to comment and, contribute to its final form.

This follows an already unprecedented level of cooperation with the Challenger of Record and a dialogue with potential teams. It offers another chance for input before the Protocol is finalized and published by the target date of 31st August 2010.

“This has been a painstaking process, but we believe it sets out a New Deal for the America’s Cup and fair play for all teams. It also incorporates the vision of the Cup held by Larry Ellison and BMW ORACLE Racing,” said Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW ORACLE Racing.

“To create a fair playing field we plan to issue all of the event rules before the end of the year, and this is a significant first step in that direction,” Coutts said. “Teams will know exactly what they are signing-up to.”

Potential teams asked for these key elements to be included the 34th America’s Cup Protocol and they have been:

• neutral race management body
• wide-ranging powers for the Jury
• cost cutting measures
• initiative to transform television & media output
• added-value to sponsors & business partners
• sustainable, long-term business model

Building on the initiative by the World Sailing Team’s Association, a maximum of eight pre-regattas per year is planned for consistent racing and exposure for the teams in the years leading up to the America’s Cup.

The Protocol will rein-in costs by reducing the number of racing crew, introducing no-sailing periods and limiting the numbers of hulls, masts, appendages and sails teams can build.

At the end of the 34th Match, the New Deal leaves an inheritance of substantial funding and assets to the next Defender in a move to end the stop-start cycle teams have faced previously. This sustainable legacy is dependent of the 35th America’s Cup defender continuing with neutral race management and a schedule of regular competition.

In keeping with GGYC’s pledge of fair-play for all, among the many measures which will achieve this is a commitment that GGYC’s defender will not will not compete in the final Challenger Selection Series but that there will be defense trials if there is more than one viable US team.

Television and media output have been prioritized in the draft Protocol to deliver more pictures, more audio and more data than ever before to audiences for an immersive experience, either through television or online broadcast.

Progress on a new, exciting and physically-demanding class of America’s Cup yacht, again with a dialogue with stakeholders fundamental to the process, is moving strongly ahead.

Key dates (as announced at the joint Defender & Challenger of Record Press Conference on 6th May 2010):

• Protocol for the 34th America’s Cup will be issued by 31st August
• Design rule released by 30th September
• Race rules published by 30th December
• Challenge Period open from 1st October – 31st January 2011

http://www.americascup.com

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America’s Cup defenders Oracle have released a draft protocol for the next edition that envisages cost-cutting measures and an independent regulator to decide disputes.

The US syndicate called on challengers for the 34th America’s Cup to comment on the protocol before it is published by August 31.

Oracle won the 33rd edition in a best-of-three showdown with Swiss syndicate Alinghi in Valencia in February, after more than two years of legal wrangling over the rules.

The draft protocol is eyeing a “neutral race management body” to regulate disputes.

It also seeks to “rein in costs by reducing the number of racing crew, introducing `no sailing’ periods and limiting the hulls, masts, appendages and sails teams can build.”

The draft is a joint initiative between Oracle and Italian syndicate Mascalzone Latino, the official “challenger of record.”

“This has been a painstaking process, but we believe it sets out a new deal for the America’s Cup and fair play for all teams,” Oracle CEO Russell Coutts said. “This is a significant first step in that direction. Teams will know what they are signing up to.”

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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For the fourth consecutive year, the Audi MedCup Circuit, the world’s leading regatta circuit, returns to Portugal. The Audi MedCup Circuit is the world’s leading regatta circuit. The Circuit is made up of five events that take place over five months in four countries over southern Europe.

The most hard fought and closely matched circuit featuring the cutting edge TP52 and GP42 Series will compete between the 11th and the 16th of May, for the Portugal Trophy at the first Audi MedCup Circuit of 2010.

After three very successful years in the Algarve, the Portuguese stage of the Audi MedCup Circuit visits Cascais.

The only Audi MedCup event on the waters of the Atlantic will take place at a world class sailing venue, which has hosted many World and European Championships including the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

2010 OPENING EVENT: AN EXTRA INCENTIVE
The Portugal Trophy will be the first of the five events which comprise the Audi MedCup Circuit this season.  As the curtain raiser for  for the 2010 season, Cascais will be the first venue to feature the modified TP52, which has undergone key changes which were designed to enhance the performance of this already exciting, demanding class.
Emirates Team New Zealand (TP52) and Islas Canarias Puerto Calero ( GP42), the Audi MedCup 2009 winners, will try to carry on their winning momentum into the new season, starting in Cascais:

Nacho Postigo (ESP) Audi MedCup Circuit director commented: “We are seeing a rise in the level of the competition and the quality this year, particularly due to the three new America’s Cup entries.  Cascais is getting the sailors nervous, many know the race area from previous events and realise that they will need to very agile to control the boat.  The boats are more powerful with the modifications that have been introduced since last year.  The changes have made the boats faster and that is what you have to control with one less crew member. It is guaranteed to be quite a spectacle and I encourage all the people in the region of Lisbon to come and enjoy all this in Cascais.”

“Last year’s fleet was difficult to beat. The teams improved race by race. In 2010, three new teams, TeamORIGIN, ALL4ONE and Luna Rossa,will make things even more difficult for us. We didn’t have much time to train on our modified NZL380 and we are looking forward to coming to Cascais, so that we can test our performance level with the rest of the fleet”, says Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand.

Ten TP52 and five GP42 have registered for the Portugal Trophy, among them a total of two America’s Cup crews new to the Audi MedCup Circuit: Britain’s TeamORIGIN and Italy’s Luna Rossa, which has Brasilians Torben Grael and Robert Scheidt on board, two of the world’s most important sailors, who have a very good knowledge of the race area of Cascais.

The host nation Portugal will be represented by Bigamist 7, of Pedro Mendonça. The Portuguese TP52 was the circuit’s revelation in 2009, after eight race wins and climbing on to the podium in the last event, Cartagena.

In the Audi MedCup 2010, after being modified, she is expected to improve last year’s performance and be fighting for the final success.

SUPPORT OF INSTITUTIONS
Beyond the cut and thrust of the action on the water, the Portugal Trophy has been consistently acclaimed for the organization, infrastructure and glamour ashore. Such values are keynote to the Lagos Sports brand, the event organizer together with the Clube Naval of Cascais, the Marina of Cascais, and World Sailing Management with the support of Turismo de Portugal and Turismo Estoril/Camara Municipal of Cascais.

BAY OF CASCAIS: THE SHOW GOES ON
The Portuguese event of the Audi MedCup 2010 starts competition on the Tuesday 11th of May and runs until the Sunday the 16th. Each day up to three races will be held, as well as a spectacular coastal race scheduled for Saturday, the 15th: the fleet starts from Cascais heading to Cabo da Roca towards Cabo Espichel, and heads back to Lisbon where it turns at Ponte 25 of Abril to reach the finish off Cascais.

The competition will be based in the Marina of Cascais and includes a Race Village, a Press Room, the Race Office of Clube Nacional of Cascais and an area in the Bay of Cascais which will allow visitors a live and exciting experience of the event, with a big screen which will relay racing with live images enhanced by the virtual tracking system, as well as leisure activities, a merchandising area and food and beverage options.

The AudiMed Cup: Preview

Photos:

© Carlos Rodrigues/Joao Lagos Sports
© Richard Walch / Audi MedCup
 Trofeo Quebramar - Chrysler © Nico Martinez
© Joao Casanova/PortugalVela

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Golden Gate Yacht Club announced that they had accepted a challenge from Club Nautico di Roma for the America’s Cup. Club Nautico di Roma are the Challenger of Record for the 34th America’s Cup and will be represented by their sailing team Mascalzone Latino. Club Nautico di Roma submits their challenge for the America’s Cup to Golden Gate YC as behind them USA wins their match against SNG, 2 races to none.

Statement by GGYC Commodore Marcus Young

A challenge has been received from the Club Nautico di Roma. GGYC is pleased to confirm that the Italian club will be the Challenger of Record for 34th America’s Cup. We look forward to working in close partnership with CNR and their challenging team – “Mascalzone Latino” owned by world champion sailor Vincenzo Onorato – to reinvigorate the America’s Cup. Mascalzone Latino competed as a challenger for both the 2003 and 2007 America’s Cup. GGYC and CNR have pledged to start a dialogue and wide-ranging discussions with the America’s Cup community, including existing and prospective teams. The objective is to ensure that the 34th America’s Cup is built on the foundations of the competition’s unique past as well as on a shared vision for its future.

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16:21
Alinghi have been given a penalty, we believe, for not being outside the start box when the signal went.
16:16
In fact USA have not yet rolled out a headsail but were doing over 20 knots for a few seconds. Alinghi have starboard entry and so have the rights of way, may try to pin a penalty on USA but appear to be late setting up correctly on entry and if fact get a penalty themselves.

Congratulations USA!!

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America’s Cup Defender BMW Oracle won the first race of the 33nd America’s Cup Match on Friday afternoon in the waters off Valencia. In perfect conditions for racing, with a stable knot sea breeze.

Match 1 – BMW Oracle beat Alinghi – DELTA 15 minutes and 28 seconds.

Timeline

17:22
Alinghi appear not to have completed their penalty properly and so the final delta is 15 minutes and 28 seconds.

17:08
And BMW ORACLE cross the finish line to provisionally win Race 1 of the 33rd America’s Cup. Delight for the American team and certain vindication in these conditions for the concept of the solid wing sail and the trimaran platform.

16:53
Alinghi shedding some water ballast again trying to keep the power on in the lighter conditions. Something like 10 minutes to the finish line.

16:46
Hard to judge what the delta will be, but the biggest recent Cup Match margins were in the 27th America’s Cup in 1988, the Deed of Gift ‘mis-match’, when USA’s Stars and Stripes consecutively defeated New Zealand’s KZ1 by 18 minutes and 15 seconds and then 21 minutes and 10 seconds.

16:43
Over half way down the downwind leg now.

16:37
USA extending all the time, sailing deeper and faster all the time than Alinghi who are now 3440 metres behind. Certainly the consensus at the moment is that the power and efficiency of the BMW ORACLE Racing Team wing is actually more telling downwind.

16:26
So USA is making 26 knots downwind and seem to consistently be able to fly their windward hulls for longer, peaking now at 28.5 knots of boat speed. Wind speed at the finish is eight knots at 160 degrees. And great work from Harold Bennett and his crew getting this race away, a great spectacle.

16:24
Alinghi gybe first, USA respond almost immediately. USA leading by 2980 metres or so.

16:13
And USA peak speed there is around 25 knots as they spear deeper and faster ‘downind’ than Alinghi in a puff, and as soon as they get their bow lower and sail faster than Alinghi for any length of time then their gains multiply. Now over 2000 metres of lead to USA. Big changes in course as the apparent wind builds and the leader powers up, Jimmy Spithill USA helmsman bringing the bow down and sailing deep and fast. Alinghi pressing well too.

16:11
So net on that upwind leg BMW Oracle pulled back something around 5 minutes on Alinghi, including that initial deficit.

16:06
Wind looks a little lighter but Alinghi marginal for flying a hull on approach to the turning mark, they go around 3 minutes 21 seconds – we believe – behind USA

16:04
And at an hour and a half after the start USA bear away at the windward mark first, unrolling their huge downwind headsail, breeze is about seven knots.

15:58
Alinghi tacking now on to port for their approach to mark 1, navigator Juan Vila (ESP) calling the time to the top mark to helm Bertarelli, tactician Brad Butterworth, strategist Murray Jones, all, of course, America’s Cup winners. Bow and mast crew are preparing the downwind headsail, as they are on USA. Advantage to USA about 1400 metres or so.

15:55
USA now approaching the port tack layline, an hour and 21 minutes after the start, their speed dropping to 6.5 knots as they tack. Speed building on port tack now. Alinghi still to tack. Will they take their penalty before the turn, or hang on?

15:50
Still Ernesto Bertarelli steering Alinghi, just getting a little marginal to keep the weather hull flying on Alinghi. USA have unrolled an upwind headsail to apply a little more power, anticipating the softening of the breeze as they approach the windward mark.

15:46
So downwind there is very little difference between the apparent wind angle generated to that upwind, only five or six degrees. Breeze has dropped a little for both as they approach the port lay line. The wind is between 160 degrees at 10 knots at the windward mark.

15:41
The question is when Alinghi will do their penalty, they must do a gybe if they are going upwind or a tack if they are going downwind. Breeze has picked up to around 10 knots at the windward mark. USA are setting up their giant gennaker for the downwind leg.

15:35
Around six miles to the windward mark, one hour and two minutes into the whole 40 miles race. BMW ORACLE Racing leading by something like 1260 metres.

15:31
So USA lead now by 730 metres and as the breeze decreases we see Alinghi shedding some water ballast. Breeze at the weather mark is around seven knots at 165 degrees.

15:24
Alinghi tack but so far no response from USA. Alinghi’s speed only dropped to 10 knots through the tack and they looked pretty slick. USA tacks now.

15:06
So certainly much closer than most expected, really not much between them in terms of boat speed. Speculation had the crossover between the two around 8-9 knots wind speed perhaps and we are pretty close to that. At the top mark we hear the wind is lighter, maybe 5.5 to 6 knots. About half way up the 20 miles beat now. Really very close, despite the huge differences in design philosophy. Perhaps the design teams taking a quiet sigh of relief, but huge credit is due to both design and build teams…. and those who have put in the hundreds of thousands of man hours of labour to get here. Fantastic match so far…..

15:03
Alinghi catching, now 140 metres or so behind when they were 440 metres behind.

14:57
And USA sitting consistently higher and faster, wing only. Dirk De Ridder (NED) trimming the wing, very experienced sailor on his second America’s Cup, won the round the world race with USA tactician John Kostecki and trimmer Ross Halcrow.

14:55
USA have now rolled away their jib and are flying wing only, no jib and are expected to point a little higher, now making consistently 19 knots plus and hit 20 knots boat speed.

14:51
So at around 15 minutes after the start USA overhaul Alinghi and make good that initial deficit of around 650 metres when they got across the start line. Both making between 17 and 19 knots in 6-7 knots.

14:49
USA appear to have their weather hull flying higher consistently and are sailing at a very slightly higher angle to the breeze. 180 degrees at the windward mark, eight knots.

14:45
And USA are closing in to Alinghi now there is 235 metres between the two, but of course Alinghi have their penalty to unload. But there is really little difference in speed, USA maybe has the small edge.

14:40
At the Windward Mark we now have 8 knots of wind at 180°, Alinghi have changed now to an upwind jib from their bigger GZero. Alinghi’s lead has almost halved since the start, around 450 metres ahead.

14:38
Alinghi lead by about 650 metres, boat speeds are roughly even around 18 knots. USA are now catching a little less than five minutes into Race 1. USA look to be sailing a few degrees higher but they are in slightly different pressure.

14:36
USA have not yet started and it is about 1 minute 45 seconds after the gun that the challenger gets back to the start line.

14:33
USA to the right and both boats are above the start line, Alinghi have the penalty. USA have stalled, flat footed and are stuck, Alinghi win the start and USA are all but stopped on the wrong side of the line.

14:32
Both very slow with two minutes to go, Alinghi pinned to the left of the box a little and USA have the upper hand for sure.

14:30
Alinghi cannot cross and USA take the immediate advantage, USA force penalty on Alinghi for failing to keep clear.

14:29
Getting ready for entry to the start box at 5 mins, timing is crucial. Alinghi at 23 knots BMW Oracle making 17 knots as the gun.

Via: http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/live-ticker/

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- The Race Committee has informed the teams there will be no start before 13:00 CET

- Committee Boat is on start line area, still assessing the situation on both wind and waves conditions.

- Race 1 is now postponed until Friday with a planned start schedule beginning at 10:00 hrs.

Midday:The AP flag is flying over the A flag above the Varadero building, the main race control offices. So, that means no racing today.

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