ON THE WIND

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE WORLD OF YACHTING

- Terry Hutchinson

The America’s Cup is no stranger to public fallings-out and backroom dealings, but the twists and turns of the venue selection for the 37th America’s Cup must rank alongside the very worst of America’s Cup disputes.

The Protocol for the 37th America’s Cup is due to be published on 17 November, 2021. Ahead of that announcement, which will include the design and rules for the next regatta, the venue for AC37 was due to be announced on 17 September. However, Cup holders Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), announced instead that they were extending the selection period for shortlisted venues.

In a statement RNZYS Commodore Aaron Young said: “For the benefit of both the 37th America’s Cup and the eventual host venue, we’d rather allow some more time now so we make the right decision as opposed to a rushed decision.”

With increasing uncertainty regarding where the event may be heading, key figures in the Cup world began to voice their frustrations. “New Zealanders are great at saying a lot and saying nothing,” Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena said at a press conference at Genoa Boat Show. “We do not know where the Cup will be held, when, with what rules, with how many and which boats.”

Meanwhile, an unedifying battle of words broke out between Emirates Team New Zealand and Mark Dunphy, a New Zealand petroleum magnate who called for ETNZ CEO Grant Dalton’s sacking then pledged NZ$20 million to try and force ETNZ to defend the Cup in Auckland.