go home, we just want to wait for the hearing of the jury."


This is where it started to get tetchy. Russell Coutts, head of Oracle Team USA - the team which Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand believe would benefit from Murray's changes - said Sirena's team were "behaving like babies" and described them as "a bunch of spoilt rich kids in Prada clothing." No love lost there then.


As effusive as their Italian training partners on the topic earlier in the week, the Kiwis had adopted a 'butter wouldn't melt in our mouths' persona. "We are ready to race." said skipper Dean Barker at the press conference. The Kiwis made good on that promise - ripping solo around the racecourse at peak speeds of over 40 knots in their sail over matches against Luna Rossa and the beleaguered Artemis Racing, who were still trying to get their second AC72 on the water.


Three days of jury deliberation began on Monday July 8th before we got the awaited puff of white smoke on Thursday to indicate that a ruling had been handed down.


It wasn't good news for Murray who was told he had over reached his brief as regatta director when he changed the AC72 measurement rule without all the teams' support. "Regatta Notice 189 has the effect of changing the class rule and is therefore not in accordance Protocol Article 4.3 (K). The regatta director is ordered to withdraw RN 189." So the measurement rules went back to the way they were.


Murray, had previously issued a thinly veiled threat that the rejection of any of his safety recommendations could mean the US Coast Guard withdrawing their permit for the America's Cup to take place. The jury decision effectively took that stick away by formally requiring him to include the opinions of all the teams in his submission to the Coast Guard.


Murray confessed to being "disappointed" with the decision, but said he was sure there was a way to move forward. "This is complicated," he said. "I am just a simple man with 37 safety


July 2013


recommendations. ..... but I'm sure we can sort all of this out."


For the mainstream media representatives who had been dispatched by the local San Francisco newspapers, radio and TV channels, the result of the process was befuddling. "What was the point of all this fuss if the teams all now comply?" one of them asked ETNZ boss Grant Dalton. "Good question," Dalton answered with a slightly embarrassed smile, before composing himself and adding: "The important thing is that the integrity of the rules have been retained," he said. "The decision itself is not as important as what happens next."


Oracle Team USA were next to confirm they were willing to play nice. "We respect the decision of the America’s Cup Jury," said general manager Grant Simmer. We don’t have an issue complying with the Class Rule, and we will be ready to race under the rules affirmed by the Jury."


Luna Rossa were out on the water completing their first 'race' of the Louis Vuitton Series when the jury made their announcement but afterwards, Sirena confirmed that the they were also happy to move forward and focus on the competition.


Artemis were yet to comment as we went to print but it seems likely that a suggestion from ETNZ to give them dispensation to race, even if they cannot comply to the rudder requirements as they stand, will be supported by all the teams.


Hopefully by the August edition of this magazine I will be able to report on the racing rather than the rules. No guarantees however - this is the America's Cup after all - but, based on how impressive the AC72s have been racing alone, if and when we get two boats on the same course, the Summer of sailing could yet turn out to be something worth watching.


Justin Chisholm Editor - Sail Racing Magazine San Francisco - July 11 2013


All written content © 2013 Sail Racing Magazine. Editorial assistant: Maddy Smith. Advertising enquiries: kt@sailracingmagazine.com


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