America's Cup update, Joint statement released by challenging teams Ben Ainslie Racing, Luna Rossa, Artemis Racing and Team France

This following statement has been released via the teams below:

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/105_-All-the-elements-for-the-success-of-the-event-are-there-.html

JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE TEAMS LUNA ROSSA CHALLENGE, ARTEMIS RACING, BEN AINSLIE RACING AND TEAM FRANCE, WHO WILL BE CHALLENGING FOR THE 35TH AMERICA’S CUP.

Following the announcement of Team Australia – representative of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Challenger of Record of the 35th America’s Cup – of its intention to withdraw from the competition, the teams Luna Rossa Challenge, Artemis Racing, Ben Ainslie Racing and Team France – jointly with the yacht clubs they represent – confirm their full support to the event, regardless from the host venue that will be selected.

The four teams, who have so far made clear their involvement, also reiterate their commitment to co-operate in a constructive way with the Defender to the sporting and commercial success of the 35th America’s Cup, with the aim of bringing this event to the peak of the world’s professional sport in terms of media, show, public and the intense sporting competition which has always characterised the America’s Cup.

read more here

Hamilton Island Yacht Club/Team Australia withdraw their challenge for the America's Cup

From the following entry on Americascup.com

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/102_Update-on-teams-for-the-35th-Americas-Cup.html

The America’s Cup organizers have received notification from the principals of Hamilton Island Yacht Club of their intention to withdraw Team Australia from the 35th America’s Cup.

“We are very disappointed to be receiving this news,” said Russell Coutts, Director of the America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA). “We were excited to have Australia as a challenger and we were also looking forward to the prospect of holding America’s Cup World Series events in Australia.

“But our focus going forward is with the teams that have already submitted challenges and the teams that have told us of their intent to do so before the entry deadline on August 8th.

read more here

Ben Ainslie Racing, launch of new British America's Cup Challenge

From the following article on BYMnews:

http://bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=133840

Sir Ben Ainslie launches British America’s Cup Challenge

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Sir Ben Ainslie, one of Britain’s best sailors, today launched his bid to win the America’s Cup, the 163-year old trophy never won by Great Britain. The Duchess of Cambridge, a keen sailor herself, attended the launch at the Royal Museums Greenwich to show her support for the campaign.

The four-time Olympic gold medal winner, Sir Ben, who announced his challenge with Yacht Squadron Racing, said: “This is the last great historic sporting prize never won by Great Britain. It has always been my ambition to mount a home challenge. The time is right and I am hugely encouraged by the support we are getting, not least from the Duchess of Cambridge. I learned a great deal aboard Oracle in San Francisco and I would not be challenging if I did not believe we have a real chance of winning this time.”

Ainslie became the world’s most successful Olympic sailor after winning a fourth gold medal in London 2012, and quickly turned his attention to his long term ambition – winning the America’s Cup for Britain. In 2013, Ainslie became the first Briton to be part of a winning America’s Cup team in 110 years with ORACLE TEAM USA. He played a vital role in one of the greatest comebacks sport has ever seen, overturning an 8:1 deficit to Team New Zealand, and allowing the USA to retain the trophy. Now Ainslie is planning to take the trophy from the Americans in 2017, and bring the America’s Cup back to Britain with his team, Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR).

read more here

35th America's Cup protocol released

From the following press release on the America's Cup site:

http://www.americascup.com/pressreleases/?id=1768

“We’re going to have our work cut out for us, that’s for sure.”

So says ORACLE TEAM USA skipper Jimmy Spithill as he assesses the competition for the 35th America’s Cup.

Today, the Protocol was released, which defines the rules, format and commercial regulations for the 35th America’s Cup. Entries open on June 9th and close August 8th, 2014, giving prospective teams two months to enter.

See what the teams are saying

The Class Rule for the new AC62 yacht, which has already been shared with teams in draft format, will be issued in the coming days, prior to the entry period opening.

Highlights of the Protocol include:

   * A three year racing program from 2015 to 2017 with every race counting towards qualification and/or points in the final America’s Cup Match

   * At least six America’s Cup World Series events per year in 2015 and 2016 to be raced in the AC45 class. All teams have an opportunity to host an event in their home country

   * An America’s Cup Qualifiers series in 2017 involving all teams, with a bonus point in the America’s Cup Match at stake

   * America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs for the top four challenger teams to emerge from the Qualifiers

   * The America’s Cup Match, featuring the defender, ORACLE TEAM USA against the top challenger. The first team to win 7 points will win the America’s Cup

   * Up to two Youth America’s Cup events providing a pathway for young sailors to join the top rank of professionals

   * The new AC62 yacht – a foiling, wing sail catamaran sailed by 8 crew – to be raced in all events in 2017

   * A crew nationality rule requiring at least 25% of the AC62 crew to be nationals of the country of their challenge

The Protocol was negotiated between defending champion ORACLE TEAM USA and its Golden Gate Yacht Club and Team Australia’s Hamilton Island Yacht Club, the Challenger of Record.

The 35th America’s Cup builds on the successful elements of the last America’s Cup – fast, exciting racing in foiling multihulls that is challenging for the best sailors in the world and appealing to spectators.

read more here

35th America's Cup, Sir Ben Ainslie secures funding for British challenge

From the following article on the uk telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/10820934/Sir-Ben-Ainslie-prepares-to-unveil-Americas-Cup-team.html

While potential America’s Cup challengers wait for details of the 35th America’s Cup to be announced, Sir Ben Ainslie has secured the private seed funding for a British campaign, to be unveiled next month.

It will be difficult for him to go ahead with the next phase of the Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) campaign - raising the £100m commercial sponsorship - until he has seen the protocol governing the Cup, which is currently being agreed by Cup holders Oracle Team USA and official challengers Team Australia.

The protocol, which was due to be announced in March but has been promised for disclosure next week, will contain the rules for the next event, including plans for a 62-foot foiling wing-sailed catamaran, a similar but smaller version of the high speed AC72 used so dramatically in San Francisco last year.

read more here