America’s Cup: Foil issues could delay launch

Auckland, New Zealand (November 30, 2018) – Preparation for the next America’s Cup could be set back by up to three months due to technical difficulties, while a proposed second preliminary regatta in 2019 could be scrapped altogether.

Yachting commentator Peter Montgomery told Radio Sport the date syndicates will be allowed to launch the first boats on the water ahead of the 2021 event in Auckland will likely have to be pushed back by three months, after tests revealed that the foils featured on the radical monohull design couldn’t cope under load.

“They’ve been doing load tests and they have been breaking and so there comes the issue,” Montgomery said.

“Part of the agreement between the defender (Team New Zealand) and the challenger of record was to have certain components – and one of the components is the foils. They’ve been doing tests on them and several have been breaking meaning they just cannot cope with the loads.

“The protocol was that you were not able to sail the new boats until the first of April next year … it will be delayed until June.”

The America’s Cup protocol currently states that the first boat is not permitted to be launched prior to March 31, 2019, ahead of a series of preliminary regattas to be raced internationally.

Organisers were hoping to have two World Series events next year for challenger teams and the defender to line up against each other, with the first opportunity confirmed for next October in Sardinia.

However, Montgomery said the delayed protocol would rule out the opportunity of a second event, ultimately putting a strain on preparations for the 36th America’s Cup.

“It will be a more compressed time because the dates for the America’s Cup, March 2021, and for the Prada Cup … will not be shifted,” he said.

Source: New Zealand Herald

Key America’s Cup dates:
✔ September 28, 2017: 36th America’s Cup Protocol released
✔ November 30, 2017: AC75 Class concepts released to key stakeholders
✔ January 1, 2018: Entries for Challengers open
✔ March 31, 2018: AC75 Class Rule published
✔ June 30, 2018: Entries for Challengers close
✔ August 31, 2018: Location of the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed
✔ August 31, 2018: Specific race course area confirmed
✔ November 30, 2018: Late entries deadline
March 31, 2019: Boat 1 can be launched
2nd half of 2019: 2 x America’s Cup World Series Preliminary Events
February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched
During 2020: 3 x America’s Cup World Series Preliminary Events
December 10-20, 2020: America’s Cup Christmas Race
January and February 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
March 2021: The America’s Cup Match

Details: www.americascup.com

Source: ETNZ