At a press conference in Barcelona today, ACM presented the new Competition Regulations, including the event format and schedule, and elaborated on the new AC90 class.

Attending the presentation were Michel Hodara, CEO of ACM, Tom Schnackenberg, ACM class rule and competition regulations consultant, Rolf Vrolijk, Alinghi principal designer, Juan Kouyoumdjian, TeamOrigin principal designer, and Agustín Zulueta, Desafío Español general director.

AC90: Bigger, Faster, More Demanding

AC 90 vs ACC

The AC90 yacht, in summary, will be 90ft overall (27.4m), 6.5m in draft whilst racing, retracting to 4.7m. The beam will be 5.3m, up from 3.5m for many of the ACC V5 boats.

It will have a displacement of 23tons, a mast height of 37.9m above the deck, a maximum bowsprit distance of 15.5m from the mast and unlimited spinnaker area.

With a crew limit of 20 people, this will be a very demanding and exciting boat to sail (there are three more crew than on a V5 boat and approx 50% more sail area!). In recognition of the demanding nature of the new yacht, the crew weight limit has been removed.

This rule is a product of six weeks worth of exhaustive design consultation between the five entered Challengers and the Defender under the leadership of Tom Schnackenberg, ACM class rule consultant. As previously announced, it was published on October 31st.

Event format and schedule

Format

ACM has gone to great lengths to work with the five entered Challengers and Alinghi to create a competition that balances the needs of all competitors. The resulting Competition Regulations and event format for the 33rd edition are based on the goal to have a very competitive and exciting event but with the clear intention of controlling cost.

ACM aims to limit costs for competitors through outlawing two-boat testing (the only permitted opportunity for one AC90 yacht to sail alongside another is when racing in ACM organised Practice Race or the Event), introducing “no-sail periods” and limiting the total number of sails produced.

The 33rd edition will be divided into four phases (based on a 10 team scenario), with the Defender being able to compete in the Acts, the Trials and the Match, but not in the Challenger Selection Series :
	Three Acts : Results from the Acts do not carry forward into the Trials. However, aside from the exposure and prestige gained, there are bonuses with regards to sail allocation for 2009. If teams compete in the 2008 Acts, they gain five sails on top of their 45 sail allocation for 2009. The overall winner of the 2008 Acts gains an additional two sails and the second placed competitor gains one extra sail. Schedule : End of June/ July 2008: Act 1, in Valencia (fleet & match race in ACC V5 yachts) September 2008: Act 2, location in Europe tbc (fleet & match race in ACC V5 yachts) April 2009: Act 3, in Valencia in AC90 (fleet race) (tbc)
	Trials (Starting on May 2nd 2009) : - Round Robins 1 and 2 will result in a ranking that includes all Challengers and Alinghi. The six top ranked teams proceed into the Semi Final. The remaining teams proceed into a parallel fleet racing event called the ‘Challenger Sail Off’, the results of which go towards the final ranking and therefore the net surplus distribution.     - Semi Final May/June 2009: Three Rounds of the Semi Final (between the top six teams of the Round Robins) will result in a Challenger ranking. Number 1 in the ranking goes straight to the Challenger Selection Final, whilst there will be a Repechage between the 2nd and 3rd placed Challengers. Alinghi moves to the parallel ‘Secondary Series’ at this stage.
	Challenger Selection Series (late June 2009) The Challenger Selection Series starts with the Repechage. The winner of this goes on to meet the top ranked Challenger in a best-of-seven Challenger Selection Final in July. The winner of the Challenger Selection Final becomes the Challenger and goes on to meet Alinghi in the America’s Cup Match. Concurrent with the Challenger Selection Final, Alinghi and the newly eliminated Challengers race two Round Robins of a parallel event called the ‘Secondary Series’. Results from this determine the final ranking of these Challengers.
	America's Cup Match (Starting on 18 July 2009) : the best Challenger will face the Defender in a best of nine match race series.

Practice Racing has been introduced as a replacement for two-boat testing. Any team can request a practice race and the regatta director will arrange an official practice series.

This will be a carefully organised schedule publicised well in advance and providing equal opportunity for all Challengers who wish to participate. These are due to start as early as October 2008 and will continue up until April 2009. They will include a mixture of fleet and match racing round robins.