Wednesday 1 September 2010

America's Cup: 34th Protocol Finalised and New Class Announcement 13th September 2010


The America's Cup. Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

by Tim Jeffery

Organizers for the 34th America's Cup plan on September 13 to host a press conference in Valancia.


The face of things to come? Which will it be - mono or multi? The Wave, Muscat, Extreme 40, crosses in front of BMW ORACLE Racing off Cowes, while the latter was finishing the 1851 Cup round the island race course. Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

Three of the four cornerstones of the next competition will be revealed in Valencia:

* The year in which it will be held
* The new Class of Boat for the competition
* The competition rules (The Protocol)


Emirates Team New Zealand in an ACC version 5 boat, Act One, Marseille. Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

The objective for the 34th America's Cup has been to create the fairest-ever competition, sustainable to teams and their partners with transformed racing to attract the widest possible audience for an event planned for either 2013 or 2014.


Luffing match in RC44s: Puerto Calero and Ceeref. Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

A new, dynamic and exciting class of boat will be revealed.


Will the new class be a larger version of the RC44, with its impressive, 'wow' factor, kite? Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

The year of the 34th America's Cup will also be confirmed.


BMW ORACLE Racing, on 'Deal Breaker', lead in an RC44 match race. Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

Negotiations over the host city venue - the fourth cornerstone - continue, but organizers are confident of making an announcement ahead of the December 31 objective.


TEAMORIGIN racing with Jaguar at the end of the 1851 Cup round the island clockwise race off Cowes, August 2010. Image copyright Anne Hinton - all rights reserved.

The Protocol is now finalized and will be formally signed by the defending Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Challenger of Record, Club Nautico di Roma, in a live-streamed ceremony on the official America's Cup website: http://www.americascup.com

America's Cup
Golden Gate Yacht Club