CC MEETING (FEB) -- Media Statement

32nd America’s Cup
CHALLENGER COMMISSION

San Francisco Meeting -- Media Statement


For Immediate Release
4th February, 2005


The Challenger Commission for the 32nd America's Cup ("CC") met in San Francisco 1st -2nd February hosted by the Challenger of Record, the Golden Gate Yacht Club.

The Challenge Representatives from five of the seven announced Challengers were present:

BMW ORACLE (USA) -- Russell Green
Emirates Team NZ (NZL) -- James Farmer
K-Challenge (FRA) -- George Clyde
Luna Rossa (ITA) -- Bruno Finzi
El Reto (ESP) -- John Cutler

Apologies were received from +39 (ITA) and Team Shosholoza (RSA).

Dyer Jones, ACM Regatta Director, was in attendance by invitation for much of the two-day meeting.

This was the first CC meeting after the 17th December 2004 interim challenger deadline.

Main decisions:

1. The CC will be incorporated as a Spanish Company with each Challenger holding one share and one vote.

2. A detailed format and scoring system for the Challenger Selection Series for the “Louis Vuitton Cup” was unanimously approved, subject to discussion with and confirmation by ACM. Details of this “San Francisco Plan” should be announced no later than the final challenger deadline of 29 April 2005, hopefully sooner. The San Francisco Plan calls for two or three rounds-robin (depending upon the final number of challengers) for all Challengers starting in mid-April 2007, followed by a knock-out semi-finals for the top four boats from the rounds-robin, and a two-boat final. Results among the Challengers in the thirteen Louis Vuitton pre-regattas or “Acts” in 2004-2007 figure significantly in the Plan – an America’s Cup first.

3. The Regatta Director asked the CC's guidance on a number of draft rules for the six Acts in 2005. The CC unanimously recommended that:

+ as a cost-cutting measure, teams be limited to using ("carding") a maximum of 26 sails for the six 2005 Acts, except that sails carded by teams in the 2004 Acts and that "old sails" measured prior to the end of the 2003 America's Cup Match would be permitted in addition to the 26;

+ windward-leeward courses of four legs be used, but with slightly longer legs than 2004 (depending on wind strength, 2.5 to 3.0 miles instead of 2.0 to 2.5), and maintaining a target length of 90 minutes per race with, normally, two races per day.

+ racing be conducted when the wind is in the range of approximately 7 to 23 knots (as measured by the Race Committee at six metres above the water), and that the starting times, at least in Valencia, be pushed back to 14:00 by when the sea breeze is normally well developed.

4. A proposal to experiment in 2005 with the deletion of racing rule 17.1 ("proper course") was not supported.

5. Challengers expressed a number of concerns about marketing, TV and promotion, and some of the costs associated with team bases in Valencia. Further discussion and negotiations with ACM are being pursued.

6. The acceptance by SNG of a challenge from a national federation, as opposed to a yacht club, was briefly discussed. It was agreed a CC position or action on the matter was not appropriate.

Overall, the Challengers viewed the Acts in 2004 as a big success, and very much look forward to the six Acts scheduled in 2005. All appreciate the extensive planning, hard work and good progress shown by ACM, the Regatta Officials, Louis Vuitton, and the venues, especially Valencia.

On behalf of the Challenger Commission I wish to express our grateful appreciation to the Golden Gate Yacht Club, especially Staff Commodore Norbert Bajurin and Manager Bill Chow, for turning the clubhouse over to us for two days, and helping to make our meetings productive and successful; and to the Sausalito Yacht Club for hosting a reception in honor of the Challengers Tuesday evening.


Tom Ehman
Chairman
AC 32 Challenger Commission

tfe[at]tfehman[dot]com