Terry Hutchinson: Clearing the air

Terry Hutchinson, a key member of the Artemis Racing team during their preparation as a challenger for the 34th America’s Cup in 2013, provides the following statement…

On August 7, Maxim magazine posted an interview about the 35th America’s Cup that included some untrue statements and inaccurate remarks I made about Artemis Racing.

To be clear, Artemis Racing is a well-organized and responsible professional sailing team that considers safety an absolute priority. My departure from the team more than five months prior to the tragedy of May 9, 2013 was on agreeable terms with the owner and my teammates. No one could have anticipated what occurred, and I meant no disrespect to the memory of Andrew “Bart” Simpson or to any current or past members of the Artemis Racing team. I deeply regret any misunderstanding that was drawn from the Maxim interview.

Regarding the safety issue specifically, following the capsize of the Oracle AC72 in October 2012, Artemis Racing went through a thorough safety review, including enhanced training for the crew. Every sailor conducted underwater survival testing, including carrying and learning how to use canisters of spare air in the case of an accident. As a participant in these exercises, I can attest to the fact that the sailors, shore support, and entire team made safety the highest priority.

Like many professional sports where competition is conducted at the highest levels, the 34th America’s Cup tested many boundaries, as demonstrated by the sheer power of the AC 72’s, in both their size and performance.

As preparations for the 35th America’s Cup come underway, I wish Artemis Racing and all involved success.