While some sailing websites were having fun with April 1st jokes, America’s Cup Event Authority chairman Richard Worth was absolutely serious when he announced 15 entries were lined up to compete in the transformative 34th America’s Cup, set for the summer of 2013 in San Francisco.
As the entry period closed at midnight on March 31, 14 challengers had filed applications for the 34th Cup. Twelve of these have been validated while the remaining two teams will be checked against the qualifying requirements in the coming days. With ORACLE Racing previously accepted as the defense candidate, a total of 15 teams could be confirmed.
“Fifteen teams promises an exciting America’s Cup World Series, Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Series and ultimately 34th America’s Cup Final,” said Iain Murray, Regatta Director and CEO, America’s Cup Race Management (ACRM). “The new wing-sailed, multi-hulled yachts will be fast and physically demanding, keeping the racing dynamic and interesting until the finish. We are looking forward to seeing these teams on the AC World Series circuit later this year. It is time to go racing.”
The 15 entries from 12 countries would surpass recent editions of the Cup, which averaged 11 entries for the events in 2000, 2003 and 2007, and nearly equal the record of 16 entries during the 1986-87 Cup in Fremantle, Western Australia.
At a press conference in Plymouth, England, Worth also announced the first three venues for the America’s Cup World Series: Cascais, Portugal (Aug. 6-14), Plymouth, England (Sept. 10-18) and San Diego, Calif. (sometime between mid-October and early December).
“We have selected venues that reflect both the prestige of the America’s Cup, as well as can bring the action on the water to those on land,” said Worth of ACEA. “Similar to San Francisco, all of the inaugural AC World Series venues enable spectators to watch the racing live, which will help expose this great sport to more people worldwide.”
Worth compared the transformed Cup, featuring wingsail catamarans amid a new era of openness, as the F1 of the water. ORACLE Racing skipper James Spithill, who addressed the crowd via video conference, said the America’s Cup can finally stand up to the F1 comparison when he raved about the AC45.
“The America’s Cup has been compared to F1 for years,” said Spithill. “That comparison has held true in design, engineering and technology. Now with the America’s Cup has the boats to live up to the comparison.”
34th America’s Cup Entry List
Defender: ORACLE Racing/USA
Challengers: Aleph-Équipe de France
Artemis Racing (Sweden)
China Team
Emirates Team New Zealand
Energy Challenge (France)
Mascalzone Latino (Italy, Challenger of Record)
Team Australia
Venezia Challenge (Italy)
Four challengers – Confirmed/Confidential
Two challengers – In vetting process
From Oracle Racing
