Hamish Ross explains some of the changes (02/13/04)  (source : Alinghi) AC Management recently published two key documents which will govern how the next event will be organised. Substantial changes have been made to the Protocol signed by Société Nautique de Genève and The Golden Gate Yacht Club when Alinghi won the Cup in March 2003, and the terms on which additional challenges will be accepted has been published. Alinghi's General Counsel, Hamish Ross, the primary author of the Protocol, explains some of these changes. Bernard Schopfer : Why are these documents significant? Hamish Ross: The Protocol records the terms and conditions under which competition for the next America's Cup Match will be held and establishes the Challenger Selection Series. The recent amendments made to the Protocol reflect the work being done by ACM, Oracle BMW Racing and Alinghi over the past year since the Cup was won. Alinghi has been working hard to reduce the cost for competitors to compete. In some areas, it has been successful and in others not. The main amendments made to the Protocol are the elimination of the entry fee and modifications to the technical rules affecting the competing yachts. For example, there are now restrictions on the number of support vessels a competing team may operate, competitors are now entitled to use old masts, regardless of their design and manufacture, and re-use mast tooling built for the last event. The ability to modify the hulls of ACC yachts has been reduced as a cost saving measure. There have been many other amendments of a clarification or tidy-up nature. The Terms of Challenge is a new document for the America's Cup. The venue for the Cup has been successfully tendered for the first time, providing very considerable financial and logistical benefits for all competitors. This in itself is revolutionary. In tendering out the venue, there are commercial rules and regulations competitors need to observe to ensure all competitors obtain the full benefit of ACM's work. In short, the Terms of Challenge specify the manner in which challengers are to challenge for the America's Cup, the events they are required to participate in, and their participation in an America's Cup village facility at Valencia. BS: What are the philosophical changes reflected in these documents? HR: For the first time in the America's Cup, there has been a real attempt by the Defender to reduce the costs of participation, not only for its own benefit but also to encourage wider participation. It is no secret many of us would like to see challenges from countries with a strong sailing tradition who are yet to participate in the America's Cup. There is a feeling that the lack of activity between America's Cups, sometimes with gaps of as long as 5 years between events, is damaging. For this reason, a series of well organised regattas in each year prior to the Cup year of 2007 will help sustain the interest of competitors, their sponsors and the public. Perhaps most importantly, there is at long last recognition for more independent and impartial event and race management. The Protocol specifically requires ACM as the event organiser and the Race Committee to act neutrally and not favour the interests of any competitor over other competitors. This philosophy of openness and transparency is new to the America's Cup and long overdue. BS: There has been a lot of discussion about the high costs of participating in the Cup, are there financial advantages now for the teams? HR: ACM has been successful tendering the venue for the America's Cup and securing key sponsors at an early stage. Teams will be offered logistical support in attending pre-regattas and their costs in establishing a base in Valencia will be more reasonable than the charges experienced in Auckland. ACM will distribute a dividend to competitors at the end of the America's Cup Regatta on a formula which is set out in the Protocol. Perhaps the greatest advantage offered to competitors is the opportunity for increased exposure they are able to offer their potential sponsors through participation in the series of pre-regattas and proposed exhibition regattas commencing this year and leading up to the America's Cup. BS: Challengers are required to deposit a bond of €1 million, isn't that costly? HR: It is obviously a large amount of money, however, it can be posted by way of bank guarantee rather than cash and it will be returned to the challenger at the end of the competition if they have met their obligations. In the last America's Cup, teams were required to come up with US$400,000 in cash, which was never seen again, as well as a US$500,000 performance bond in cash or by bank guarantee. Given the substantial benefits that will be provided to competitors, it is reasonable they provide a tangible guarantee before they receive those benefits. It is not uncommon for an individual or a group of individuals to contribute towards the costs of entering a challenge in the expectation funds will be secured from sponsorship and other sources. BS: Will these changes be permanent changes to the America's Cup event? HR: One of the benefits of the Deed of Gift is the mutual consent clause that gives the competition flexibility to be re-shaped appropriate to contemporary circumstances. Things always change and evolve. It would be disastrous to put in stone the arrangements being made for the next America's Cup Regatta for all future regattas as it would be for the arrangements for the Match of 1870 to govern the next Regatta (those arrangements involved 1 challenger against a defending fleet of yachts!). However, it is difficult to conceive how a future holder and trustee of the America's Cup would not continue many of the changes Alinghi has introduced.    AC Management appoints a "Mister Spain" (02/12/04)  (source : AC Management) The event organiser of the 32nd America’s Cup today appointed David Gallego as the Director of Institutional Relations for AC Management in Spain. Based in Valencia, he will be responsible for the relationships with local institutions, company establishment in Valencia and implementation of the communications strategy. Having worked in sports marketing and management for the past 10 years Spanish- born David Gallego brings with him a wealth of specific talents and experiences (UEFA Champions’ League, Olympic Games). "I am extremely excited about my new position", he said. "Being responsible for the Host City relationship for an event as prestigious and important as the America’s Cup is a major task but something for which I am particularly motivated." "This is the first time the America’s Cup event organiser has had to work in a ‘foreign’ country and it is my role to coordinate and run this challenging situation", David Gallego added.    A pre-regatta in Lake Geneva ? (01/02/04)  (source : Le Matin) While the Swiss could run the next AC in Lake Geneva (contrary to what many believe, the Deed of Gift does not prohibit it), they opted for Valencia where, among other things, the breeze is steadier than the Swiss lakes. If they can't organize the Cup in Lake Geneva, they don't forget their roots and are now studying the idea of running the third 2006 pre-regatta (between April and July) in their homeland. "Imagine America's Cup yacht sailing on the Lake with mountains in the background", dreamed Michel Bonnefous, CEO of AC Management. An idea which could be the ideal way to thank the Swiss for their support. "We will do everything we can to make this event possible in Geneva, in the Cradle of the Defender", said Jean-Charles Magnin, director of Economic affairs for the State of Geneva. "It is a wish for Ernesto Bertarelli and for all of us. The major problem remains to get the boats to Lake Geneva." A prudence which was shared by Alec Tournier, General manager of the Societe Nautique de Geneve. "It's a very positive step but I'm not sure that it's so easy to launch these boats weighing 24 tons", he said. "We will have to use cranes and there will be many practical problems." "We are in the first steps of this project ", Michel Bonnefous said, before added that it "requires work and support".    Registration open for America's Cup (01/26/04)  (source : AC Management) With the signing of an amended protocol and the publication of the Terms of Challenge, the challenge period for the 32nd America's Cup commences today and remains open until the end of 2004. The challenge deadline is 17 December 2004. Challengers will be accepted after that date until 29 April, 2005 if accompanied by a late fee. If ACM is demanding a €1 million "performance bond" from teams, the start-up costs have received a welcome reduction by the waiving of the non refundable entry fee, which had been set at €450.000. The Swiss have felt able to drop the entry fee by virtue of holding a bidding auction for host cities. Valencia's winning offer and the sale of title sponsor rights to Louis Vuitton and Endesa mean the Swiss have raised at least €100 million. These two fundamental documents, which describe in detail the rules, terms and conditions for teams wishing to participate in the 32nd America's Cup, reflect the new dimension and the increased sophistication that the event is taking as it arrives in Europe for the first time in its 153-year history. The 2004-2007 America's Cup will benefit from significant changes in its racing format as well as from its integration into Valencia, Spain, the Host City for the 32nd America's Cup, gradually building up to the climax, the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup Match, in 2007. "These two documents are in line with the new dimension that the America's Cup is taking as it moves into Europe", Michel Bonnefous, CEO of AC Management said. "On the one hand, we at AC Management are devoting our energy to organising an event that will perpetuate the legend and allow people to share the intensity and emotion that the America's Cup inspires, while, on the other, we are providing strong support to all teams in a number of significant areas." Also contained in the Terms of Challenge document are many measures to aid teams wishing to participate in the 32nd America's Cup along with details and principles to govern a fair and balanced event for all concerned. These include: - A Pre-Regatta programme that will deliver immediate exposure in a variety of geographic locations from September 2004. The series of pre-regattas will yield more meaningful America's Cup racing, with at least three events being held in each year leading up to 2007. Fleet racing will be incorporated in some of these regattas, and the races are open to all, including the defender and in 2004 for other teams who may not have registered as challengers yet. - Significant infrastructural and logistical support, both in Valencia and during the pre-regattas. These include a consolidated weather programme for the race committee and teams, a dedicated race village where all team bases will be built and public access to allow fans close to all the action. Two racecourses will be set just a 15 minute tow from the bases, and racing may take place just tens of metres from the shoreline. - Administrative support for all teams present in Valencia. This will include a one-stop-shop for members of the America's Cup community, facilitating schooling, housing and local administrative issues. Much of this has been made possible because, for the first time ever, there is a single event authority - AC Management (ACM) - for the America's Cup. The 2004-2007 America's Cup now consists of Pre-Regattas, the Louis Vuitton Cup (the Challenger Selection Series) and the America's Cup Match.    Version Five of the ACC Rules is published (12/15/03)  (source : AC Management) Following many months of work and consultation with designers, sailors, teams, and the America’s Cup community, Version Five of the America’s Cup Class Rule has been published. The result is boats that are lighter, quicker, more responsive and exciting, for sailors and spectators alike. Version Five of the America’s Cup Class Rule makes a number of small, significant changes with a view to ‘turbo-charging’ the boats for the Mediterranean venue of the 32nd America’s Cup. The goal was to make America’s Cup racing closer, more vibrant and compelling, and increase the possibility of place changes downwind. Work on a new draft of the Class Rule began nearly immediately following Alinghi’s victory in the 31st America’s Cup in March 2003. The parties responsible for the America’s Cup Class Rule are the Defender, the Société Nautique de Genève, the Challenger of Record, the Golden Gate Yacht Club, and the event authority, AC Management, represented by the Class Technical Director, Ken McAlpine. Since 1992, the America’s Cup Class (ACC) has been the type of boat used for America’s Cup competition. At the end of each America’s Cup cycle, modifications and adjustments to the Class Rule are made in anticipation of its use for the following America’s Cup. The intention of the America’s Cup Class Rule is to produce "wholesome, fast and manoeuvrable day sailing monohulls of similar performance intended for spectacular match racing in a wide wind range." With the announcement of Valencia, Spain as the host city for the 32nd America’s Cup, the parties felt some small, yet significant changes were appropriate. Among the developments: - A drop of one tonne in maximum allowable displacement - An increase in maximum allowable draft of 100mm - An increase in allowable downwind sail area of up to 8% - An increase in working crew, from 16 to 17 - A general narrowing of permissible design parameters. The drop in displacement, and increase in draft, coupled with the increase in downwind sail area, should make for much more lively performance off the wind, and increase passing opportunities on the runs. The increase in crew will help the sailors tackle that extra horsepower, while a narrowing of design parameters is intended to keep the racing close. Boats measured to Version Four of the ACC Rule for the last America’s Cup will be permitted to sail in the 2004 pre-regattas. By 2005, Version Five of the ACC Rule comes into force. For older boats to comply some simple modifications will be required to bring the hulls back into class. The biggest part of this will entail hanging the bulb (with 1000kg of lead removed) 100mm lower. This will give an ACC yacht similar stability to the old configuration, and the same speed upwind. But, with up to 8% more sail area downwind, a longer spinnaker pole, and 4% less displacement, the new rule will make for a more interesting boat downwind; one that will accelerate better, respond to gusts more quickly, and ultimately sail faster through the water. AC Management has also been working diligently with the Defender and Challenger of Record to produce the "Terms of Challenge", a document outlined in the America’s Cup Protocol that defines the rights and obligations of all participants. The issuance of the document has been postponed to a later date "by agreement between the Challenger of Record and the Defender".