A spokesman for Team New Zealand has denied any involvement or relationship with the group said to be organising an alternative monohull competition to the 34th America’s Cup.
The story, first published in a Spanish newspaper has been doing the rounds in Europe and USA, and names four teams as being involved – Sir Keith Mills (TeamOrigin), Ernesto Bertarelli (Alinghi), Patrizio Bertelli (Luna Rossa Prada) and Grant Dalton (New Zealand Team ).
The story was dismissed by Team New Zealand as being many months old, and predated the announcements by Oracle Racing and the Defender of the America’s Cup as to the venue and other basics associated with the 34th America’s Cup.
The concept was that the AC90 genre of yachts, devised by Alinghi in conjunction with the Challengers (during 2009) would be used for the new competition.
There has been no published comment from the other teams involved.
The first two (Alinghi and Team Origin) have said they will not compete in the 34th America’s Cup. Luna Rossa have not made a statement of intent either way. Team New Zealand have indicated they are doing due diligence and trying to raise sufficient finance and sponsorship to mount a credible campaign for the 2013 Match.
Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand have entered the 2011 Extreme 40 series to be conducted in 40ft catamarans, as have Alinghi who are one of the principals of that circuit. TeamOrigin are believed to be competing on the Audi MedCup circuit to be sailed in TP52 monohulls n 2011
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.
34th America’s Cup: Russell Coutts officially announces Mascalzone Latino as the new Challenger of Record for the AC34
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.
18:43
Confirmed then, no protest, so BMW ORACLE Racing win the 33rd America’s Cup match for the USA. A fantastic finale to this historic match.
18:37
Alinghi cross the finish line 5 minutes and 26 seconds after USA. The Swiss team were 24 seconds behind off the start line, 28 seconds behind at WW 1 mark, 2mins 44 secs behind at the gybe mark, Mark 2.
18:32
USA cross the finish line first and should lift the America’s Cup subject to any protest. The crew look delighted. It is the first time that a challenger has won a Deed of Gift match. USA win 2-0. Coutts remains unbeaten in the America’s Cup match, winning 15 Cup match races on board.
18:13
USA making a gybe to lay the finish and are back up to 18-19 knots after encountering a spell of lighter winds.
18:07
A remarkable spectacle as USA stretch towards the finish line of Race 2, towards overall victory. An American team have not won the America’s Cup since 1992 when America3 defeated Il Moro 4-1 in San Diego.
18:05
Just over 8 miles to go to the finish for USA and what is increasingly looking like a second win for BMW ORACLE Racing.
18:02
USA changed their mind at the gybe mark, choosing not to go with the bigger gennaker but to stay conservative, perhaps. USA lead by over 2000 metres.
17:55
At Mark 2 the leader’s delta is 2 minutes and 44 seconds and so USA have gained 2 minutes and 16 seconds on Alinghi 5 this 13 miles reach.
17:47
Alinghi preparing to hoist a gennaker at the gybe mark, USA hits 33 knots.
17:44
USA now over 1700 metres ahead of Alinghi 5 down the first reach, and about six minutes to the gybe mark.
17:35
So the wing weapon and tri platform does seem to be stronger on this reach, gaining to 1145 metres of lead over Alinghi 5 after about 13 minutes, or half of this first reach.
17:29
24 seconds was the delta at the start for USA when they lead Alinghi 5 off the line, and at WW1, the windward mark, the delta was 28 seconds when the BMW ORACLE Racing Team trimaran lead around the top mark. USA now extended to 740 metres after about eight minutes of this first reach. USA hits 30 knots again.
17:27
USA has a little more speed, peaking again there at 30 knots in around 8 knots of true wind speed.
17:24
USA timed, unofficially, at 28 seconds ahead at WW1 and surge immediately close to 30 knots of boat speed as they accelerate. Alinghi give chase.
17:22
An extraordinary race, no one expected to be this close as USA approach the windward mark, nearly one hour since the start. USA lead at the mark.
17:18
Alinghi cross by just over 100 metres ahead of USA, Alinghi 5 tacks and their lead drops. USA appear to be close to the port tack lay line with Alinghi to their left and behind, it is extremely close. USA may have the small advantage again.
17:12
USA have profited slightly on the left now and are now back to 260 metres behind Alinghi. USA are tacking, speed drops to 5.6kts through the tack. Alinghi preparing their hoist for the windward mark, very close at the cross.
17:08
A protest flag is being flown on Alinghi.
17:06
Three miles to the lay line, USA is closing now and has halved the distance they were behind as the breeze has backed slightly to the left again.
17:02
Alinghi have been consistently quicker over the last few minutes and their lead has grown again. Speculation over what is making Alinghi quicker includes a different mainsail, the smaller headsail and better moded with their ballast set up, but they have looked more consistent in the long swell.
16:55
And of course the advantage will stretch for whoever gets to the windward mark first as they get on to the reach first and accelerate. In very rough terms we reckon on somewhere around 500 metres of an advantage needed to unload a penalty…so if Alinghi get to the windward mark first then their hopes will rise for sure.
16:53
Around start the wind was at 100 degrees at the windward mark now it is at 120 degrees, and it has been to Alinghi’s gain now is at 450 metres. Breeze is backing again very slightly, back to 115 degrees.
16:51
Wind at the top mark is still around 7 knots at the windward mark, and a little more at the gybe mark. Alinghi weather team may have got this one right with their choice of the right, 20 degree lift.
16:46
Alinghi now 150 metres ahead and lead is growing very slowly, smaller Solent jib on today and seems to be better set up than Friday.
16:43
8.2 miles to the windward mark, Alinghi get that wind shift perfectly to make a gain and they are still profiting. The right side seems to be getting a little more pressure. USA had a small soft spot in the breeze.
16:40
And Alinghi have taken the lead, USA went slightly soft to the left and the Swiss holders gained. Loick Peyron is on the helm of Alinghi. Lead is slender 70 metres but USA tacked when they saw they could not cross Alinghi.
16:35
USA’s lead has grown to around 650 metres now, certainly a closer race than Race 1 in, although this time USA have had the upper hand since the start. USA appear to be gaining consistently on the left side of the course. The wing seems to be a potent weapon again in these marginal conditions, Dirk De Ridder always working to achieve the target angles and power, gaining real time pressure and angle info off the foil and targets. Breeze is 6-7 knots, but maybe building very slightly.
16:26
So a split on the cards, already 2000 metres of lateral separation and growing all the time. USA looks more powered up and has a lead of nearly 400 metres. USA have tacked and are in a good band of wind pressure. 13 miles first beat. Speeds are actually pretty even. Ellison and Coutts both on board USA.
16:24
Start gun goes and USA start first as Alinghi struggle to get moving, long swell, Alinghi heading to the right after picking up speed USA head left. USA accelerating quicker but boat speeds are now similar.
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.
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