CC MEMO -- ACC 88

[2nd Update -- 10:25 Thu 8 Dec]

[Updated -- 11:30 Tue 6 Dec]

No surprise that, with 87 having been allocated by the Technical Director yesterday, Mr McAlpine reports this morning that 88 has now been spoken for.

The media have speculated for some time that 88 might be considered auspicious by a number of teams -- perhaps Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team, who already have 66 and 77, and possibly China Team for cultural and historical reasons (among others, eight sounds the same as “prosperous” or “fa” in Cantonese; also, 8 stands for potential and for growth: a change from bad luck to good luck.)

As the TD does not reveal to which team a number has been allocated, it remains confidential unless and until announced by the team or otherwise disclosed by a team member.

According to an ACM website report:

"At the end of the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts, Emirates Team New Zealand tactician Terry Hutchinson spoke about launching and sailing ‘84’ in January, so it appears the Kiwis will have NZL 84."

From the same report:

"At the same time, +39 Challenge team leader Luca Devoti spoke about “launching our new boat in Sicily in March.” This implied building would have to start about now. Last week, the team acknowledged it had been assigned ITA 85, and building had begun.

The website of a leading Italian sports newspaper, La Repubblica Sport, now reports that Luna Rossa's first new yacht will be ITA 86.

Desafio Espaniol has confirmed on their website this morning that they have been allocated 88.

To which team[s] [86,] 87 has [and now 88 have] been issued remains, to our knowledge, undisclosed.

(Not wild about the font color for this update, but somehow seems appropriate given the holiday season and green-liveried Desafio Espanol?)