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America’s Cup, un altro Challenge of Record che se ne va America’s Cup, un altro Challenge of Record che se ne va
Non manca poi molto al termine ultimo per iscriversi alla 35ma America's Cup... America’s Cup, un altro Challenge of Record che se ne va

Iain Murray, Matthew Belcher e Bob Oatley - Team AustraliaSan Francisco – Non manca poi molto al termine ultimo per iscriversi alla 35ma America’s Cup – il Protocollo parla dell’8 agosto come deadline – e il Defender, invece di festeggiare l’ingresso di nuovi iscritti, deve fare i conti con la defezione del Challenger of Record: l’Hamilton Island Yacht Club ha fatto annunciato l’intenzione di ritirare Team Australia dalla prossima America’s Cup.

Ci siamo resi conto che i costi sono ben più alti di quelli che avevamo stimato nel momento in cui abbiamo deciso di presentare la nostra sfida – ha dichiarato Bob Oatley, deus ex machina della sfida aussie – e ci dispiace che un team di giovani talenti australiani non possa prendere parte alla regata“.

Una figura certo poco edificante per un uomo d’affari come Bob Oatley, considerato uno dei tycoon più influenti dell’Australia, chiamatosi fuori dai giochi subito dopo aver contribuito a scrivere le regole della partita.

Russell Coutts, CEO dell’America’s Cup Event Authority, mostra di prenderla con filosofia, ma va da sé che la novità non può certo essere accolta con i sorrisi da parte di Oracle Team USA, che già la scorsa edizione ha dovuto supplire al forfait dell’allora Challenge of Record Mascalzone Latino.

Intanto prosegue il processo di selezione della sede dell’America’s Cup che, lo ricordiamo, è in programma nel 2017, così come quello per le sedi dei vari eventi delle America’s Cup World Series, per ospitare le quali si è già fatto avanti Ben Ainslie Racing proponendo Southampton, dove verrà edificata la base permanente del team di Sir Ben Ainslie.


AMERICA’S CUP, TEAM AUSTRALIA TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CUP
San Francisco – The America’s Cup organizers have received notification from the principals of Hamilton Island Yacht Club of their intention to withdraw Team Australia from the 35th America’s Cup.

We are very disappointed to be receiving this news – said Russell Coutts, Director of the America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA) – We were excited to have Australia as a challenger and we were also looking forward to the prospect of holding America’s Cup World Series events in Australia”.

But our focus going forward is with the teams that have already submitted challenges and the teams that have told us of their intent to do so before the entry deadline on August 8th”.

In commenting on the decision not to proceed with the challenge, Sandy Oatley’s Hamilton Island Yacht Club said: “When we entered the Cup we had the intention of trying to change the Cup in many ways. Our position as Challenger of Record gave us the opportunity through the drafting of the protocol to affect this change. Central to these changes, was the desire to make the participation in the Cup more affordable and more sustainable”.

Bob Oatley said: “The Challenge was initiated with a view to negotiating a format for the 35th  America’s Cup that was affordable and put the emphasis back on sailing skills. Ultimately our estimate of the costs of competing were well beyond our initial expectation and our ability to make the formula of our investment and other commercial support add up. We are bitterly disappointed that this emerging team of fine young Australian sailors will not be able to compete at the next America’s Cup under our banner”.

In the meantime, ACEA is continuing its work to select a host venue for the America’s Cup in 2017. The selection process is progressing well with an aim to announce the final venue in October.

Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR), which revealed its America’s Cup team in a gala ceremony in London last month, had this comment: “We remain supportive of the Defender’s continued drive towards a more commercial event format, along with a more sustainable future for this historic trophy. BAR will be bidding to host two America’s Cup World Series events in 2015/16 at our new home in Portsmouth; as a key part of the road to the 35th America’s Cup. While the withdrawal of the Challenger of Record is regrettable, it is also not unusual and we will continue our own preparations for the 35th America’s Cup and look forward to an exciting future“.

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