americas cup

[TaoJones]

Except that SNG may not be the ones who will call the tune when it comes to scheduling the next A-Cup.

The original America's Cup Deed of Gift stipulates that any litigation involving the Cup must be adjudicated in the New York State Court System, and if the Court finds that the "paper Yacht Club" from Valencia (Desafio Espanol) that SNG accepted as the Challenger of Record (COR) is disqualified from that role, Golden Gate Yacht Club becomes the new COR. As COR, they have the right to bring a challenger vessel to race the Defender within 10 months of the end of the last A-Cup, and in a vessel of the challenger's definition.

In their objection to SNG's acceptance of Desafio Espanol's challenge, GGYC defined the competing vessel as ". . . a 90-ft single-masted, sloop-rigged boat with a 90-ft beam - that’s not a typo - and draft of 3 feet (boards up) to 20 feet (boards down). Can you say 'multihull'? The first race would be on July 4, 2008." The quoted passage is from 'Lectronic Latitude of July 13, 2007.

TaoJones

[David M]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

The first race would be on July 4, 2008." The quoted passage is from 'Lectronic Latitude of July 13, 2007.

TaoJones

Could they put together a boat that fast?

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by David M

Could they put together a boat that fast?

One wonders . . .

I'm dubious myself, David, but with Larry Ellison's checkbook behind the effort, well . . . who knows? It seems to me it's a bit like NASA's frantic efforts back in the sixties when they were trying to make good on President Kennedy's vow: ". . . I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

Werner von Braun is quoted as having said, "Crash programs fail because they are based on theory that, with nine women pregnant, you can get a baby a month." So unless BMW Oracle is already well into their effort, I wouldn't hold my breath that there will be A-Cup racing by early next July.

TaoJones

[TaoJones]

Well, the New York State Supreme Court has ruled in the suit brought by Larry Ellison and BMW Oracle. Here's the report from today's 'Lectronic Latitude:

~ ~ ~

"Ellison Wins A-Cup Court Challenge

"November 28, 2007 – New York, NY

"Chalk up a point for Larry Ellison. The New York State Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the Golden Gate YC's challenge for the 33rd America’s Cup is, in fact, valid - that is, GGYC, rather than the Spanish CNEV, will be the Challenger of Record. . . ."

~ ~ ~

To read the entire report, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

TaoJones

[GordMay]

BMW Oracle named Challenger of Record

On November 27, Judge Herman Cahn of the New York Supreme Court ruled against the current holder and defender of the America’s Cup trophy, Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG), sponsor of the winning Alinghi sailing yacht (Ernesto Bertarelli). The Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco, sponsor of the challenging yacht BMW-Oracle Racing, filed the suit and claimed that SNG had falsely accepted into the fold a non-yacht club, the Club Náutico Español de Vela (CNEV), as Challenger of Record for the next America’s Cup event, to be held as early as 2009.

The judge noted that the new Spanish club did not appear to meet the traditionally accepted definition of a yacht club, and did not meet the America’s Cup’s Deed of Gift from the mid-1800s.

By ruling against the America’s Cup Management (ACM) decision to accept the newly formed CNEV yacht club as Challenger of Record, the judge’s ruling specifically designates BMW Oracle Racing as the new Challenger of Record. As such, BMW Oracle, tasked with organizing the other challengers, has already indicated it wants the next America’s Cup regatta to be held in 90-foot long mega-catamarans.

Conclusion:
"The court concludes that CNEV’s challenge is invalid, and that OGYC is Challenger of Record pursuant to the Deed. GGYC’s breach of fiduciary duty claim against SNG is dismissed."

The Full Ruling: ggyc.com/071127_CourtDecision.pdf
http://www.ggyc.com/071127_CourtDecision.pdf

[TaoJones]

From today's 'Lectronic Latitude, in case you thought things couldn't get any stranger, the Kiwis have lobbed an interesting demand into the Alinghi camp:

~ ~ ~

"Just When You Thought The America's Cup Couldn't Get Any Worse

"November 30, 2007 – America's Cup-ville

"In the latest of a long line of legal squabbles that have tarnished the America's Cup, Grant Dalton, head of Team New Zealand, has sent a letter to Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli, demanding compensation for the postponement of the America's Cup to after '09. . . .

"Anyone remember when the America's Cup was about sailing rather than lawyering?
© 2007 ACM 2007 Guido Trombetta"

~ ~ ~

For more, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

TaoJones

[David M]

Perhaps they need to add a second cup to the Americas Cup called the Lawyers Cup to see which team does best in court?

It's a good thing that the Americas Cup is not as popular as NASCAR or football, otherwise these people would be known as the biggest joke in the sports world. It's a good thing for them that not many follow the America's Cup

Constantly going to court in order to gain an edge only perpetuates the myth that all sailors are wealthy.

Latitude speaks like a 90 foot multihull would be a bad thing. I disagree, it would be a great thing to see an ACR that can break 20 knots in a good breeze. All the people who normally watch NASCAR would come out to watch the ACR crashes.

Hopefully someone will come up with a viable and a less embarrassing alternative to the Americas Cup. There is nothing like a little competition to get someone to straighten things out.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by David M

Latitude speaks like a 90 foot multihull would be a bad thing. I disagree, it would be a great thing to see an ACR that can break 20 knots in a good breeze. All the people who normally watch NASCAR would come out to watch the ACR crashes.

I, too, would greatly enjoy seeing 90-foot catamarans or trimarans in the A-Cup. I think it would add some interest.

Latitude 38, it seems to me, is really well-informed on the whole A-Cup spectacle - undoubtedly because they have the sailing scene in the Bay Area wired. So while they did indeed report that, "BMW Oracle and Alinghi are hoping to quickly reach an agreement that would prevent them from having to resort to the default — which would be racing in 90-ft multihulls," I don't think that is an editorial comment on their part, merely reportage of what they've learned.

As an aside, since you mentioned NASCAR, David. I spent a few days in the Phoenix area a couple of years ago, and came across a bar in Mesa that had a big banner across the front that proclaimed the place "Your NASCAR Headquarters!" You've seen this kind of sports bar in every locale that has some tenuous link to some major sports team, if only by virtue of geography, but this was the first one I'd ever seen dedicated to NASCAR outside of the South.

Oh, yeah . . . the name of the bar - Simpleton's.

TaoJones

[David M]

Tao,
Your right..it did initially come across as editorializing on the part of Latitude 38. Which kind of surprised me since they have a big cat themselves, Profligate. After reading it again, they are more quoting the attitude of someone else about racing 90'X90' cats.

Just as an aside, the SF Bay would make an excellent venue for watching the Americas Cup because unlike all the other venues, it would make a natural "stadium" for people to seat themselves up on the hillsides to watch the racing...as opposed to taking it a few miles offshore where virtually nobody can see it in person. Can you imagine watching it from the Golden Gate Bridge or the Marin hills above Yellow Bluff with binoculars...woohooo! Tactically, it would be far more interesting inside the SF Bay than having it out in open waters.

I hope it all works out but right now it seems they are more interested in doing the racing in court rather than out on the water. I hope common sense prevails and they get back to the racing.

David

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by David M

Just as an aside, the SF Bay would make an excellent venue for watching the Americas Cup because unlike all the other venues, it would make a natural "stadium" for people to seat themselves up on the hillsides to watch the racing...as opposed to taking it a few miles offshore where virtually nobody can see it in person. Can you imagine watching it from the Golden Gate Bridge or the Marin hills above Yellow Bluff with binoculars...woohooo! Tactically, it would be far more interesting inside the SF Bay than having it out in open waters.

I think you're exactly right, David - the Bay would make a great venue for the A-Cup. And though all of the legal folderol can be a tiresome bore to those of us who just want to see a close, fair contest between the best sailors, in truth Larry Ellison's suit against the present Cup holders was probably a necessary step to prevent the America's Cup from becoming a farce with a non-existent "yacht club" being the Challenger of Record.

And with Ellison sufficiently motivated to spare no expense in fielding ("seaing," perhaps "oceaning") the most competitive vessel and crew, there is at least a 50-50 chance the Cup will indeed be brought home to GGYC. A subsequent defense of the Cup in the Bay Area would, I believe, bring a lot of renewed interest in the America's Cup among US sailors.

TaoJones

[TaoJones]

Here's where things currently stand, in the wake of BMW Oracle's victory in the New York courts, from today's 'Lectronic Latitude:

~ ~ ~

"Exciting America's Cup Inaction

"December 14, 2007 – The Mind of Ernesto Bertarelli

"The America's Cup inaction has been moving along at a furious pace.

"After BMW Oracle won their court case against Ernesto Bertarelli and Alinghi on November 27 — which meant the default became BMW Oracle racing the next America's Cup in 90-ft (presumably) multihulls against Alinghi — BMW Oracle suggested a meeting with Alinghi to negotiate a more traditional America's Cup, with as many participants as possible. Alinghi reacted by twice having their representative fail to show for meetings with BMW Oracle. Sticking their head further in the River Denial, Alinghi then met with the New York YC over the longer term vision of the America's Cup, seemingly ignoring a much more immediate decision they have to make. . ."

~ ~ ~

For the rest of the story, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

TaoJones