Halfway through the 35th America's Cup duel in 2017, the Cup defenders have pushed through the announced class change from the initially planned large AC62 catamarans to a smaller version between 45 and 50 feet. A majority of the challengers supported the American proposal in a vote. The decision is now being celebrated by the initiators as a "new era" and a "cost-saving measure". What initially reads like an April Fool's joke has been in preparation for months and was announced today in a statement. It reads: "The America's Cup teams have decided to make changes with the aim of significantly reducing the costs of the 2017 America's Cup."
The core of the agreement is the introduction of a new cup class with some one-design components. It will be a hydrofoil catamaran with wing sails in a length of 45 to 50 feet." Cup marketer Harvey Schiller said: "The move to the new America's Cup class is a big step forward for the America's Cup." According to Schiller, the teams had jointly decided that the current running costs were neither justifiable nor sustainable. According to Schiller, a majority had agreed to take a sensible course to reduce costs. Schiller said: "I believe that this will put the America's Cup on a solid footing for now and the future."
The Cup organisers hope that the changes will potentially attract more participants. Firstly, however, there is an acute danger that they will lose established strong campaigns. At least two teams are not at all happy about this turnaround manoeuvre in the current 35th Cup cycle: the Italian Luna Rossa Challenge and Emirates Team New Zealand had already vehemently opposed the class change in advance.
For the financially sound Italians, who were well advanced in their design work for an AC62 catamaran, the class change is a serious setback. As a result of the decision, they may lose the advantages they have gained - and that in the current competition. The New Zealanders are struggling with the decision that all Cup regattas in 2017 should be centred on Bermuda. The Kiwis could therefore lose the support of their government and hoped-for funding because they will not be sailing off Auckland as originally planned.
In contrast, there is joy in the camps of those teams that have not yet got their budget together. French skipper Franck Cammas (Team France) said: "To be a global success, the America's Cup must be feasible for the best teams. Not just for the biggest and richest. So we have to change in this way." For Team France, the change means hope - for others, however, it means a setback.
In the press release from the American Cup defenders, the German Olympic bronze medallist Roland Gäbler is also quoted as the initiator of a German Cup campaign: "It is true that there is some criticism of the manoeuvre, but we have to move with the times. This is a rule that gives the America's Cup its essence: the design challenge, the sport, the athletic spectacle - and without prohibitive costs. I had my sights set on the next America's Cup, but with these changes we may be able to accelerate that."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
