It comes as expected: The new America's Cup defenders from New Zealand are making a comeback for the nationality rule in cooperation with their Italian "Challenger of Record". The New Zealand Yacht Squadron with Emirates Team New Zealand on one side and the Circolo della Vela Sicilia with the Luna Rossa Challenge on the other have apparently agreed on this.
How tight the corset will be that obliges the teams in the 36th America's Cup to use sailors from their own country will be revealed in September. That is when the protocol with the details of the next edition of the Cup will be published. What is already certain, however, is that there will also be a rule requiring the Cup yacht to be built in the team's country of origin.
A statement from Emirates Team New Zealand said: "Recognising the fundamental terms of the Deed of Gift that the Cup be preserved as an ongoing challenger cup for friendly competition between different countries, the protocol for participating yachts will include a 'built in country' requirement and a nationality rule for participating crew members."
According to the defenders' publication, the target timeframe for the third Cup battle in New Zealand after 2000 and 2003 is early 2021: the challenger series and the 36th America's Cup match will therefore take place in the New Zealand summer. The most eagerly awaited answer to the question of which boat - foiling monohulls or a modified version of the current catamarans - will sail the Cup into the future remains unanswered for the time being. However, many experts assume that the Kiwis will not sacrifice the technological work of the past three years lightly and will stick with twin-hulls, on which they won their third Cup victory.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
