28 • August 1-14, 2014 • The Log


Aussies drop out of America’s Cup; cite mounting costs


SAN DIEGO (AP) — Australia’s Hamilton Island Yacht Club has withdrawn as the Challenger of Record in the America’s Cup and announced that they were withdrawing Team Australia from the compe- tition, perhaps the first public sign of dissatisfaction with the direction sailing’s marquee regatta is heading. The move came six days after com- petitors met in Los Angeles to air their concerns. Among them are costs, not knowing the venue before the first installment of the $2 million entry fee is due and unhappiness that San Francisco was eliminated as host city. Organizers had promised to contain costs in this America’s Cup cycle but Hamilton Island officials said they are withdrawing because of the cash outlay needed to compete for the oldest trophy in international sports. “The Challenge was initiated with a view to negotiating a format for the 35th America’s Cup that was affordable and put the emphasis back on sailing skills,”


Bob Oatley said in a state- ment. “Ultimately our estimate of the costs of competing were well beyond our initial expectation and our ability to make the formula of our investment and other commer- cial support add up.


We are bitterly disap- pointed that this emerg-


ing team of fine young Australian sailors will not be able to compete at the next America’s Cup under our banner.” Hamilton Island was the first foreign yacht club to challenge Oracle Team USA, which successfully defended the America’s Cup in September with a stun- ning comeback against Emirates Team New Zealand on San Francisco Bay. Australia last challenged for the


America’s Cup in 2000, when its low- budget effort was led by Jimmy Spithill, who has since skippered Oracle Team USA to consecutive victories. Australia’s big moment in the America’s Cup came in 1983, when John Bertrand


beat Dennis Conner to end the New York Yacht Club’s 132-year winning streak. Four years later, Conner went down under and beat Murray to reclaim the Auld Mug. Oracle Team USA is owned by soft-


ware billionaire Larry Ellison, who has spent an estimated $500 million since the early 2000s in pursuing, winning and defending the silver trophy. Ellison and his sailing CEO, five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts, want the event to become self-sustaining commercially. But that’s created grumbling among challengers. Ellison has allowed Coutts to lead the way in writing the rules for the next America’s Cup and picking the venue. Many in the sport feel the New Zealander is putting commercial inter- ests ahead of sailing. Most foreign syndicates are unhappy


that San Francisco, which provided a spectacular backdrop and steady wind last year, was eliminated from con- tention to host the 2017 regatta due to financial reasons. They also are unhappy that Bermuda is under consideration to host the chal- lenger semifinals and finals, and the America’s Cup match in 2017. They feel it will be a logistical nightmare to take the competition to the British territory in the Atlantic Ocean. Bermuda is compet- ing with San Diego to host the racing. While San Diego Bay would provide


arena-style sailing, there are concerns that the wind won’t be strong enough. Another touchy subject is that Ellison and Coutts want to stage elimination


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rounds in another part of the world, which would add another layer of expense in moving the 62-foot, wing sail catamarans. Teams feel it will be hard to attract sponsorships because there are no assurances they’ll reach the final venue.


This is the second straight America’s


Cup in which the original Challenger of Record has dropped out. Ellison and Coutts had hoped to


attract more teams, not have them drop out. The last America’s Cup was star- crossed from the start, in part because only three challengers entered, a big drop from the 10 or 12 originally expect- ed. The competition was further marred when British Olympic star Bart Simpson was killed when Artemis Racing of Sweden’s boat capsized on San Francisco Bay in May 2013. That forced Artemis to sit out the round-robins in the chal- lenger trials, leading to the bizarre situa- tion of having its scheduled opponent sail alone around the course to collect a point.


The entry period for this America’s


Cup closes Aug. 8. The first installment of $1 million of the $2 million entry fee is due shortly after challenge papers are accepted. Teams must also put up a $1 million


performance bond. Coutts said recently he hopes to pick the venue by the end of September, but that the process could last longer. Entries are expected from New


Zealand, Italy, Britain, Sweden and maybe France and China.


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