"It is true that Paul and I have been talking
about doing something new", Russell Coutts said. "I
am not entirely sure about what that format should
be right now, but we're working through it. Once we
get to a stage where we have a clearly defined thing,
we will probably make that public."
The rumours are that the Kiwi/American's new international
event will be an alternative to the America's Cup.
But the world class sailor denies that.
"We are definitely not thinking of doing any event
that would try to compete with - or that you could
compare with - the America's Cup", Russell Coutts
said. "If we do something, it would be entirely
different. I think the America's Cup is a great event.
It is moving on and has been there for 150 years.
It will always be there."
Coutts intimated that a new event is not his only
possibility, if the separation from Alinghi succeeds.
At the moment he is considering several ideas with
possibilities ranging from the Olympic Games to Volvo
Ocean Race or match racing on the Swedish Match Tour.
The new situation means that the America's Cup is
likely to continue without the greatest ever America's
Cup skipper in history. But Coutts has no regrets.
"I have been in the Cup game for 15 years or so",
Russell concluded. "And the sport is so much
bigger than the America's Cup. I have been in such
a narrow and defined field for such a long time -
maybe it's good to change track now."
Is
it time for an America's Cup secession ? (07/02/04) (source
: The
Australian)
After the Tracy Edwards' Oryx Cup directly inspired
by The Race, the America's Cup could come under threat
from a new event being proposed by two of its best-known
competitors.
New Zealander Russell Coutts and American Paul Cayard
are believed to be close to finalising details for
the creation of an international sailing event aimed
at attracting the world's best sailors and a massive
television audience.
The proposal is for the establishment of a fleet of
extreme high-performance yachts built to an identical
design that will compete for a major prize.
The event the pair is formulating involves fleet racing
one-design yachts similar in length to the existing
America's Cup yachts, about 24m (80ft). But that's
where the similarity will end.
The new boats will move into the next generation of
performance sailing. It is proposed that they will
be created along the lines of the radical and extremely
fast monohulls that race on Italy's Lake Garda. They
are planned for a crew of only 10 or 12 with a significant
number suspended over the side from trapeze systems
to enhance stability.
In being identical one-designs, the cost of entry
to this competition will be considerably less than
the $100million-plus required to enter the America's
Cup. And with all the hulls being the same, the racing
promises to be close and exciting.
It is understood that the initial backer for Coutts
and Cayard is New York-based, but it's likely the
money to launch it will come from the Middle East.
Financiers in both Bahrain and Dubai have been eagerly
courting the pair.
If plans continue on their current course, the announcement
of the event could come within the next two weeks.
However, although both men have left no doubt that
something is developing behind the scenes, they are
keeping mum on details.
"There
will be no second ..." (06/15/04) (source
: AC
Management)
With the first races
of the 32nd Americas Cup looming just over the
horizon in September, a bold, new brand identity for
the Americas Cup has been unveiled today on
the official website of the Cup.
The Blazing Cup is an incarnation of the
passion, the prestige, and the fascination with the
duel that is at the heart of the Americas Cup.
Flames, sparked from two duelling yachts at the base
of the Cup spiral up along its edge, symbolising the
intensity and passion of the drama that is the Americas
Cup.
The Blazing Cup, the brand architecture
and the visual identity of the 32nd Americas
Cup was created by Dragon Rouge, a European design
and creative agency that was established in Paris
by Pierre Cazaux and Patrick Veyssière 20 years
ago.
"AC Management is very proud of the brand
identity developed in collaboration with the team
from Dragon Rouge. The identity developed completely
captures the passion and spirit of the whole Americas
Cup story, both from the past, and towards the future,"
said Margrethe van der Stroom Holdener, Director
of Marketing and Business for AC Management. "I
really think that this is the ultimate expression
for the 32nd Americas Cup."
Jury
is appointed for the 32nd America's Cup (06/02/04) (source
: AC
Management)
AC Management announced today the Jury for the
32nd Americas Cup. As per the Protocol for the
32nd Americas Cup, the five members of the Jury
have been appointed by the Société Nautique
de Genève, and the Golden Gate Yacht Club (representing
the Challengers Commission).
The members of the Jury are:
- Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler (SUI)
- Graham McKenzie (NZL)
- Henry Menin (ISV)
- David Tillet (AUS)
- Bryan Willis (GBR), Chairman
The Jury for the 32nd Americas Cup will
have broad responsibilities for dispute resolution
in the areas of racing disputes normally handled
by an International Jury appointed under Appendix
M of the Racing Rules of Sailing, and some commercial
disputes that may arise between persons or entities
under the Jury's jurisdiction.
On the 29th May, 2004, the Jury issued its Rules
of Procedures and it began operations effective
that date.
Detailed biographies of each member of the Jury
are below.
* * *
Professor Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler is a partner
with the law firm Schellenberg Wittmer in Geneva,
and Professor of Private International Law, including
international dispute resolution, at Geneva University
Law School. She is a member of the bar of Geneva
and of New York.
Professor Kaufmann-Kohler was the Chair of the
Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for
Sports (CAS), which included responsibility for
the Olympics in Atlanta 1996, Nagano 1998, and Sydney
2000. She also chaired the CAS Ordinary Division
from 1994 to 2001. She has acted as arbitrator on
ad hoc sports tribunals, and advised international
sports organisations on matters in connection with
sports disputes and sports dispute resolution.
Professor Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler speaks English,
French, German and Spanish. She is the President
of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA) and a
member of the International Council for Commercial
Arbitration (ICCA). She acts as arbitrator in international
commercial and investment disputes, and is a member
of a number of arbitration panels including the
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International
Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes
(ICSID), and the American Arbitration Association.
She has written many publications related to sports
arbitration, including a book on Arbitration at
the Olympics and many other publications in the
area of international arbitration and litigation
as well as international contracts and electronic
commerce.
Professor Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler is a Swiss
citizen living in Geneva with her husband and three
children.
Graham McKenzie is a partner in the legal firm
of Bell Gully in New Zealand. He obtained an LLB
at Victoria University of Wellington and an LLM
at Warwick University, England. He is a Notary Public.
He is a corporate Barrister and Solicitor with his
experience including advising a range of industry
sectors including the aircraft, construction, dairy,
food and technology, yachting and wine industries.
McKenzie is a director of several public companies.
He is Deputy Chairman of St Kentigern Trust Board
(an education trust) and a Trustee of the Bruce
McLaren Trust (a charitable trust). McKenzie lives
in Auckland with his wife and two children. He also
has two adult children living in England and Australia.
When he has the time he sails mainly around Auckland
in a number of different sailboats.
Henry Menin lives with his wife Fredelle in
the U.S. Virgin Islands. He formerly practiced law
and now owns a business in St. Thomas. He has raced
competitively in dinghies and keel-boats and has
won a variety of titles. He is an ISAF International
Judge and International Umpire.
He was an Umpire and member of the International
Jury for the Louis Vuitton Cup and the Americas
Cup Match in 1999-2000, and for the Olympic Jury
in Sydney 2000. Menin is a member of the ISAF International
Umpires Sub-Committee, author of various ISAF Umpire-related
manuals and documents, as well as co-author of a
book on match racing. He was Rules adviser, coach
and Umpire for Oracle BMW Racing for the 31st Americas
Cup. Menin is a past Commodore of the Saint Thomas
Yacht Club and an honorary member of the Long Beach
Yacht Club, California. He is married with two children
and two grandchildren.
David Tillett is a partner of the South Australian
law firm Duncan Basheer Hannon and practices in
Commercial Law. He is Chairman/Board Member of several
Adelaide companies. Tillett was a member of the
Olympic Jury in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000,
and has been appointed Chairman of the Athens Olympic
Jury 2004. He was an Umpire and Jury Member for
the Louis Vuitton Cup in San Diego in 1992 and 1995,
and a Jury Member for the 31st Americas Cup
in Auckland in 2003. He is a Council Member of the
International Sailing Federation and chairs the
ISAF Racing Rules Committee. Tillett is an ex-World
Dinghy Champion, with a family of two teenage children,
and continues to sail competitively.
Bryan Willis has been an International Sailing
Federation International Judge and International
Umpire since the inception of the schemes. He has
chaired the ISAF Race Officials Committee and Race
Management Sub Committee and been a member of the
Racing Rules Committee for 26 years. Willis is an
author and editor of several books on the racing
rules, protest procedures and match racing. He has
served on several Olympic Juries and was Jury chairman
for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He has been rules
advisor for several Americas Cup syndicates
(Swedish team in 1980, British Victory
team in 1983, Australian Kookaburra
Defence in 1987) and an Umpire and member of the
International Jury for the Americas Cup 1992.
He was Jury chairman and Chief Umpire for the previous
two editions of the Americas Cup. He has four
grown-up children and two grandchildren. He is a
member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators,
and a practising magistrate.
El
Corte Inglés partner of the America's Cup (05/30/04) (source
: Masmar)
At the occasion of the inauguration of a new
superstore in Valencia this week, the President
of the Spanish group "El Corte Inglés"
Isidoro Álvarez announced that his company
is joining the 32nd America's Cup as an official
partner.
ECI is one of the largest mixed retail groups in
Europe and is by far the biggest in Spain.The Group
is regarded as a Spanish institution hat ranks as
the third largest company in the country.
The Group controls almost 90% of the Spanish large
mixed retail market and posted sales of €13
billion for fiscal year ended February 2003, an
increase of 9.4% over the previous year.
El Corte Inglés SA Department Stores
is the Group's flagship and core business. The store
started off as a small tailor's shop in Madrid in
the 1920s, and now has 60 stores throughout Spain
offering fashion and accessories, household products,
sport goods and leisure and culture goods and services.
El Corte Inglés joins the two official partners
Endesa and Grupo Santander and the principal partner
Louis Vuitton in supporting the 32nd America's Cup.
The
America's Cup welcomes Grupo Satander
(05/12/04) (source
: AC
Management)
At an announcement ceremony in Valencia, Spain,
the Host City for the 32nd America's Cup, Michel Bonnefous,
the CEO of AC Management welcomed Grupo Santander
to the America's Cup.
Grupo Santander is Spain's leading bank, and the second
largest financial institution in the Euro zone. Its
businesses throughout Europe and Latin America employ
over 100 000 people and in 2003, the group posted
a Euros 2.61 billion profit.
The Group is a leader in the retail banking sector
and continues to grow in all the markets in which
it operates.
Grupo Santander joins official partner Endesa and
Louis Vuitton, the principal partner, in supporting
the 32nd America's Cup.
"As with the yacht America in 1851, we have found
a way to pass our competitors," said Alfredo Sáenz,
Second Vice-Chairman and CEO of Grupo Santander. "In
our case, instead of navigating by the stars, we have
been guided by four values. Dynamism, strength, innovation,
and leadership are our corporate values and I think
they are also the common values of the America's Cup."
Grupo Santander will also enjoy a significant birthday
in 2007. It was in 1857 when the Banco Santander was
first incorporated in Spain. Grupo Santander will
thus be celebrating its 150th Jubilee during the 32nd
America's Cup in Valencia.
A
new partner for AC Management
(05/08/04) (source
: AC
Management)
AC Management, the event organiser for the 32nd
America's Cup, will host a press conference in Valencia
on Wednesday, 12th May, 2004 to announce the appointment
of a new Official Partner of the America's Cup.
"This new partner is an international company,
considered a leader in its field", AC M said.
"As a dynamic, strong and innovative company
it shares many values with the America's Cup".
Michel Bonnefous, the CEO of AC Management will be
joined by Rita Barberá, Mayoress of Valencia in welcoming
the new partner.