By winning the title of "Defender"
for the next America's Cup, the Société Nautique de
Genève, represented by Team Alinghi, has also acquired
the weighty privilege of organising the 32nd edition
of the competition, and in so doing, takes on the
writing of the Protocol.
This document defines all the aspects of the competition,
from the format of the regatta, up to the use of the
materials for the construction of the boat. Since
the announcement of the new Protocol, Team Alinghi
has positioned itself evenly between tradition and
modernism.
All the announced modifications are supported in article
2, decreed by the Team: "The general underlying purpose
and intent of this Protocole shall be to promote a
competitive sporting regatta for all Competitors,
to realise the commercial and sporting potential of
the America's Cup and to encourage worldwide growth
and interest in the America's Cup as the premier event
in the sport of sailing, consistent with the provisions
of the Deed of Gift."
In the course of different meetings between the challengers,
the International Jury, the Race Committee or the
arbitration panel and the officials of CORM, the management
of the Team revisited this document, identifying the
transformations seen as favorable to the development
of the event.
Are we speaking of a revolution, no - but perhaps
of reform - to illuminate certain areas of potential
that have yet to be capitalized upon until today,
certainly.
The venue for the competition
The Société Nautique de Genève has endeavored (via
the services of AC Management, a new structure put
in place in order to manage the event side of the
America's Cup) to research a location that will provide
security for the sporting side of the competition.
In other words, the wind must blow on the racecourse
without reprieve, which will enable the competitors
to concentrate on what is essential once the competition
has begun - the art of the duel.
The objective is clear. To ensure that the word "postponement"
disappears from the racing calendar, a mention that
appeared too often in the unfolding of the 31st America's
Cup.
For the moment, eight cities are under consideration
(Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Lisbon, Naples,
Genoa, Porto Cervo, and Marseille.) AC Management
will announce the names of the four candidates that
will remain in the running during the month of May.
Also note that the competition's venue in Europe will
greatly facilitate the logistics of the challengers.
The nationality and residence rule
The Cup remains a competition between the yacht clubs
of different nations. The rule of nationality or residence,
applied to the sailors and the designers, was cause
for debate during the last America's Cup.
From now on this rule shall be repealed. Has the ax
fallen on tradition? Not truly - we have often heard
used as an example the story of Charlie Barr. His
Scandinavian crew possessed nothing of anglo-saxon
origins, except for the language spoken onboard.
However, the Protocol does anticipate certain restrictions.
A team member who sails with one challenger during
the 18 months preceding the start of the competition
- whatever the type of race - cannot take afterwards
a position with another challenger.
With regard to the designers, they cannot change syndicates
after signing a contract with one of the competitors.
The boats and the technology
One of the innovations of the 32nd Cup resides in
the fact that a veto has been levied on the rule regarding
the transfer of technology. In effect, up until the
last America's Cup, a Challenger was able to purchase
a boat but could not access the plans, nor the information
relating to its performance.
Yes, the team could see that a boat performed well
in certain conditions, but the design teams had to
spend long hours trying to figure out "why" the boat
performed the way it did. Therefore, the developments
were done almost blindly. As such, the designers held
a tool in their hands, but they did so without knowing
what the boat's limits were, which resulted in breakage
during training as well as sagas in the jury room.
Nevertheless, the task will remain to determine who,
whether it is the Challenger or the architectural
advisor, has the right to sell these documents.
The origin of the boat
The rules have relaxed in this domain as well. The
previous Protocol specified that the boat, as well
as its components, had to be built in the Challenger's
country of origin. Now, we know that the transportation
of the boats is being done in "detachable pieces,"
delivered to the competition venue, including with
the cost implications of transporting a 25-tonnes
bulb!
From now on, only the boat's hull is required to have
a "certificate of origin." The other components of
the boat can be built on site, at the location of
the competition, or in the country chosen by the competitor.
In the next parts, Alinghi will outline what new economic
and commercial forms and the structural modifications
in the organisation of the competition.
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