ACM has today released the Event
Regulations, the third and final document that will
rule the competition scheduled to take place in
2009 in Valencia.
Following the publication of the AC90 Class Rule
on October 31st and the Competition Regulations
on November 8th, this new document will govern mainly
the commercial aspects of the relationship between
the organisation and the participants. It also includes
the deadline for entries, which has been set on
December 15, 2007.
"All the elements required to proceed with
a successful competition in 2009 are now in place,
and have the support of the Challenger of Record
and all the existing competitors", said ACM
in a statement.. "However, the possibility
of a race for the Cup in 2009 is impaired because
of the negative effects that Golden Gate Yacht Club’s
(GGYC) lawsuit is having on sponsors and other arrangements
for the Event".
The Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) therefore has send a letter
requiring GGYC to withdraw its lawsuit by November
16 at 1700 hours, New York time, and to clarify
its position with regard to its participation in
the 33rd America’s Cup.
Later, the GGYC published a letter in response,
signed by Russell Coutts, rejecting the demand and
saying it is disappointed.
"This demand comes as a considerable surprise
and contradicts the very substantial progress that
we believed our representatives had achieved over
the past few weeks in coming to an amicable resolution",
Russell Coutts said. "It is precisely the same
demand that you made after the litigation began
four months ago".
"It is a demand that we have consistently rejected",
he added. "It is a demand that, before you
sent it, you must have known would be rejected.
Your refusal to now conclude the few remaining points
of negotiation with us, which are readily resolvable
combined with this demand, compels the inescapable
conclusion that you want the New York litigation
to continue no matter what the effects on sponsors
and other arrangements for the Event".
"This could only mean that you and Alinghi
have decided that you do not want a race for the
Cup in 2009", Coutts concluded. "If you
decide to pursue a race for the Cup in 2009, we
Will work with you, as we have over the past few
weeks, to a compromise and end the lawsuit".
