An America’s Cup yachting event already marred by tragedy was stung again in its first race Sunday when Emirates Team New Zealand won by forfeit Sunday over Italy’s Luna Rossa on San Francisco Bay.
Luna Rossa boycotted the challengers’ Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin opener in a rules protest, the Italians refusing to race until an international jury rules on its protest against a late change to a rudder design rule.
“We have been forced into this position,” Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena said Sunday. “We did not come to San Francisco to watch races, but to race.”
But as a result, the Kiwi squad aboard Aotearoa sailed the seven-leg course alone, completing almost 16 nautical miles in 46 minutes, 27 seconds. The crew averaged 20 knots with a top speed of 35 knots.
A tweet from Team New Zealand during the race said, “Half way through race 1. No surprises to be leading in a race with ourselves.”
It was a lackluster start for an event set to last until late September, when holders Oracle will face one of three challengers in the America’s Cup proper.
“We had a discussion with Emirates Team New Zealand about sailing the shorter course, but it was their wish to sail the full course,” regatta director Iain Murray said.
Sirena says Murray exceeded his authority to impose some of the 37 safety rules created in the wake of British sailor Andrew Simpson’s death in May without approval from all of the competing teams.
Simpson died in a training accident in which the AC72 catamaran of Swedish syndicate Artemis Racing capsized, and Murray has held firm that rule changes aimed at preventing another such tragedy were within his authority.
Rivals have complained that Oracle was handed an advantage by the rudder design rule change because it has trained with the new design.
An international jury is expected to rule on the rules protest this week.
“By racing under these rules, enforced by the regatta director with race notices 185 and 189, we would somehow silently approve them. This is not the case,” Sirena said.
“Therefore we have no choice but to stay ashore until the international jury has reached a decision on the matter.”
A total of 15 round-robin races were scheduled through August 1 to decide one qualifier for next month’s challenger final, with the remaining two boats to stage another head-to-head series for the remaining challenger final spot.
With Artemis struggling to recover and not planning to race this month, the five races between Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand took on greater importance as the other 10 are also unlikely to feature more than one boat.
Luna Rossa’s forfeit means that for the Italians to move directly into the challenger final, they must win three of the four remaining races scheduled with New Zealand, which weather permitting will be on July 13, 21, 23 and 28.
Scotty
Guest
I agree 100% Kaga and as a former sailor (Lasers) I used to love the Americas Cup, and it was a special event. NOT the pinnacle, that was always the Olympics, but a very special event. Michael Fay unfortunately ruined the whole thing with his giant boat and Conner participated by building a cat not in the spirit of the Cup. Bring back the 12s, or at least some form of
Scotty
Guest
I agree 100% Kaga and as a former sailor (Lasers) I used to love the Americas Cup, and it was a special event. NOT the pinnacle, that was always the Olympics, but a very special event. Michael Fay unfortunately ruined the whole thing with his giant boat and Conner participated by building a cat not in the spirit of the Cup. Bring back the 12s, or at least some form of keelboat of a decent size. The AC Class was a bit too fragile, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. I attended a round of the Americas Cup series in Plymouth, a few miles from where I live. The racing was OK, and spectacular enough, but in an attempt to emulate Formula 1 something has really been lost.
Chairman Kaga
Guest
The laws of the sport are odd, but that is half the point. Sailing is incredibly technical and the defenders of the cups do everything they can to make it hard to lose the precious trophy. I still get confused which boat is supposed to give way when changing direction. If it was up to me, I would make America's Cup only for national teams, as it is supposedly meant to be about in the "Deed of Gift". So I believe the current setup actually contravenes the rules of America's Cup racing. Shame they do not go back to the old mono hulls like 12 metre class or J Class which are more attractive than these ridiculous contraptions.
BBA
Guest
I do find America's Cup yachting to be classified as a sport to be rather dubious. There is no spirit to this sport and any sport that their lawyer is the most important member of their team is dubious. This is not getting into the validity of the Luna Rossa's protest, however for the sake of the event surely it would have been more appropriate to lodge your protest, but still race and give the spectators a contest. This attitutde is why the "sport" has no credibility
chuck
Guest
Sandbox its important because P.I. players that play for the wallabies they hitch a ride over from N.Z. too get too play against lions.
Emric
Guest
I love it but how is this related to rugby?
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
Hey DirtBox, it constantly amazes me that you Ockers speak of Kiwis & Sheep as synonymous. Well, if you did your homework on sheep numbers, you'd find that Orstralia Fair has more of that species spread around gullies and nooks/crannies of vast continental OZ than NZ has - and ours are better looking and better mannered :) ........ but hey, don't let this get in the way of a good story :)
Jerry
Guest
Your moniker seems quite apt, cause the way you constantly whinge about Kiwis you do appear to have sand in your ladyparts.
SandBox
Roar Guru
more relevant to an Australian Rugby forum than most of the other kiwi posts here. “Half way through race 1. No surprises to be leading in a race with ourselves." Sheep can't speak back, this is really an infinite regress
krisl
Guest
the top speed was 42 knots rather than 35 and be ready to for the cup to head down under again......