From the Ashes


Indications are that BMW/Oracle is fulfilling its promise of restoring the America’s Cup to its former glory. By David Schmidt


The six months since the 33rd


America’s Cup – a lopsided, freak- show affair between two extravagant multihulls off of Valencia, Spain – have been heady times. While there’s no escaping the PR nightmare that played out, repeatedly and publicly, in the New York State Supreme Court prior to February’s racing, historically speaking, the Cup is a Phoenix, reborn of its ashes (think 1988). Thankfully, Larry Ellison’s BMW/Oracle Racing and the Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), Defenders of the 34th have committed to a 34th


Cup, Cup that’s


aimed at erasing this negativity. Moments after USA won the 33rd


Cup, the new Defenders were accepting Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino and the Club Nautico di Roma as the Challenger of Record for the 34th Cup. Then, in June, the two teams rolled out a 56-page Protocol for the 34th America’s Cup. Read it and one word emerges: Independent. Gone are Ernesto Bertarelli’s misguided notions of a Defender-stacked playing field, replaced by the America’s Cup Race Management, a Regatta Director, and a five-member, ISAF-appointed Jury. The GGYC has also announced that


the Rating Rule Authorities in the U.S. and the UK have been commissioned to draft the rules for the next generation Cup boat. Currently, US SAILING is working up a rule for a multihull Cupper, while the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Seahorse Rating affiliate is drafting plans for a monohull. While the Defender has yet to announce the next Cup boats, this will be made public by September 30.


America’s Cup yacht designers meeting in Valencia, Spain, June 18, 2010.


48° NORTH, AUGUST 2010 PAGE 35


BMW/Oracle announced in early July that if the next Cup is to be held in the U.S., San Francisco Bay would be the place.


2013 and 2014 are the often-discussed years. In the meantime, BMW/Oracle


continues to hone their on-the-water skills. The team has been successfully


Still, many questions linger. Since


February, BMW/Oracle has taken the team and the Cup on a victory lap of cities and important places (say, the White House) to restore some sparkle to the Cup’s bedraggled PR image. After visiting both coasts, BMW/ Oracle announced in early July that if the next Cup is to be held in the U.S., San Francisco Bay (home to the GGYC and Mr. Ellison) would be the place. While this is exciting, we’ll (likely) have to wait until the end of 2010 for the official “where”. As for the “when”,


campaigning their two RC44s (Deal Breaker and Challenge) against some of the world’s best in RC44-class events that test both fleet-racing and match- racing acumen. And in August, BMW/ Oracle will compete in the Cowes Week 1851 Cup. There, BMW/Oracle skipper James Spithill will go head-to-head against TeamOrigin’s Ben Ainslie, also considered one of the world’s hottest helmsmen. The 34th


America’s Cup website,


ht tp//:www.amer i cas cup. com recently announced an ongoing talent search for a young (under 28) media professional, no doubt to help generate more Cup buzz amongst the Facebook generation(s). So, as the Phoenix reemerges,


there’s plenty of indication that the Defenders intend to uphold their pledge of restoring the Cup to its bygone grandeur. And given the diligent, transparent work that they have invested thus far, there’s little reason to think that the Cup is headed in any direction but up.


48° N


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