The 33rd America’s Cup will be a straight fight between Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing in July 2009.
We think.
The Cup has been bogged down in such uncertainty these past months, but following Justice Herman Cahn’s ruling at the New York Supreme Court today that the Golden Gate Yacht Club is indeed the Challenger of Record – despite Alinghi’s protestations – it appears that the impasse has been broken with both teams now ‘resigned’ to a Deed of Gift match. Each blames the other for bringing the Cup to such a low point, after such a high last July.
This is a disaster for the challenger teams who have been waiting in the wings. July 2009 was the original timescale for the 33rd Cup, but now that none of the Shosholozas, Origins, Mascalzones or the many other potential challengers are invited, it will be hard for them to survive through to whenever the 34th Cup takes place.
Will Emirates Team New Zealand come back from this? It’s hard to imagine the New Zealand people could care much about the Cup any more.
For those that do still care, this is what lead counsel for the defending yacht club, Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), Lucien Masmejan, had to say:
“Following today’s court order, Larry Ellison has eliminated the competition and gained access to the America’s Cup Match, a feat BMW Oracle Racing has never been able to achieve on the water.
“While we are disappointed with the outcome of this court order and believe that the matter of GGYC’s certificate of challenge wasn’t properly addressed, we have decided not to appeal the decision and we look forward to getting the fight back on the water and meeting BMW Oracle Racing on the start line of a Deed of Gift Match in July 2009,” Masmejan said.
Should Alinghi win the Deed of Gift Match, the Defender says it is committed to getting the America’s Cup back on track for a world class multi-challenge event in 2011 in Valencia, Spain. “The challengers can be assured that the 34th America’s Cup will be run with the same vision and commitment for a premiere multi-challenge sailing event that they supported in Valencia in 2007,” Masmejan concluded.
BMW Oracle spokesman Tom Ehman commented: “We are very pleased with this decision. The Court has ruled that our challenge complied fully with the Cup’s Deed of Gift, and we are now keen to keep moving forward towards the next regatta.”
Posted in 33rd America's Cup | Tags: Alinghi, Americas Cup, BMW Oracle Racing, Justice Cahn
