GGYC presents draft Protocol for the 34th America's Cup
[Source: BMW Oracle] In a joint initiative by the defender, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Challenger of Record, Italy’s Club Nautico di Roma, a draft of the Protocol rules for the 34th America’s Cup was sent to the challenging teams today.
Foremost amongst numerous innovations is a forward-thinking structure that allows funds and assets to transfer from one America’s Cup to the next. The draft is a ‘listening and living’ document. Teams have been invited to comment and, contribute to its final form.
This follows an already unprecedented level of cooperation with the Challenger of Record and a dialogue with potential teams. It offers another chance for input before the Protocol is finalized and published by the of 31st August 2010 target.
“This has been a painstaking process, but we believe it sets out a New Deal for the America’s Cup and fair play for all teams. It also incorporates the vision of the Cup held by Larry Ellison and BMW ORACLE Racing,” said Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW ORACLE Racing.
“To create a fair playing field we plan to issue all of the event rules before the end of the year, and this is a significant first step in that direction,” Coutts said. “Teams will know exactly what they are signing-up to.” Potential teams asked for these key elements to be included the 34th America’s Cup Protocol and they have been:
• neutral race management body
• wide-ranging powers for the Jury
• cost cutting measures
• initiative to transform television & media output
• added-value to sponsors & business partners
• sustainable, long-term business model
Building on the initiative by the World Sailing Team’s Association, a maximum of eight pre-regattas per year is planned for consistent racing and exposure for the teams in the years leading up to the America’s Cup.
The Protocol will rein-in costs by reducing the number of racing crew, introducing nosailing periods and limiting the numbers of hulls, masts, appendages and sails teams can build.
At the end of the 34th Match, the New Deal leaves an inheritance of substantial funding and assets to the next Defender in a move to end the stop-start cycle teams have faced previously. This sustainable legacy is dependent of the 35th America’s Cup defender continuing with neutral race management and a schedule of regular competition.
In keeping with GGYC’s pledge of fair-play for all, among the many measures which will achieve this is a commitment that GGYC’s defender will not will not compete in the final Challenger Selection Series but that there will be defense trials if there is more than one viable US team.
Television and media output have been prioritized in the draft Protocol to deliver more pictures, more audio and more data than ever before to audiences for an immersive experience, either through television or online broadcast.
Progress on a new, exciting and physically-demanding class of America’s Cup yacht, again with a dialogue with stakeholders fundamental to the process, is moving strongly ahead.
Key dates (as announced at the joint Defender & Challenger of Record Press Conference on 6th May 2010):
• Protocol for the 34th America’s Cup will be issued by 31st August
• Design rule released by 30th September
• Race rules published by 30th December
• Challenge Period open from 1st October – 31st January 2011
Labels: 34th America's Cup
15 Comments:
Non sailing periods to cut costs! Would Coutts accept to be paid only when he sails??
Hopefully GGYC got the electronic version of the 32AC Protocol. Thus it was a very fast work. Just making sure fees are much higher, and for the rest pretty much the same. Oh! Also GGYC is now promoting what they made sure to destroy during the 32AC. (mikes, etc.)
Can someone explain the role of WSTA in all of this and why it's memebers (share holders) get preferential entry terms? All looks a bit cosy.
Smaller crews? Bye Bye to the grinders. Hello electric winches!
Is it now clear what kind of caracter Russell is?
Onorato, if you had anything to say about this protocol, what came through your mind to accept a 3mio bond?!?! You were making difficulties paying 1 last time. And is it Deed legal to have discrimination of non wsta members?
Looks as if the best way to win this is to enter the Deffender Series. Oops I forgot GGYC are gate keeping that little fiasco!
The $3M is just a bank guaranty. The teams don't pay any of it unless they enter and then drop out before the AC completes. It is a 'performance bond' a promise that you are serious enough to race with the big boys.
Yes, fewer sailors, with fewer sail days. But that is what the challenger of record wanted. It saves costs and makes more teams possible.
7.01
So have you got $3 mill that you can give me for three years to sit on? Not expensive, two boats, no help with bases, up to 8 regattas a year. Look's a bit expensive to me.
So have you got $3 mill that you can give me for three years to sit on? Not expensive, two boats, no help with bases, up to 8 regattas a year. Look's a bit expensive to me.
If you are serious then you can get someone to back the performance bond. If not then maybe you are trying to fight well above your weight?
Whit a maximum of 8 events per year, let's say a week each, plus 4 days sailing allowed preceding each one, then you have something like 8 events * 11 days = 88 event-days of sailing. For an AC campaign that strikes me as an unprecedented-low amount of sailor preparation time. Strict limits on what gear teams can build too, it is the most bare-bones event I can remember, and enforced that way intentionally.
How close to the bone would you have it? Make it just another sailing series? Maybe it is one of those series, that you should instead enter.
That other trophy may not be as big. But then maybe it is more right-sized for your ambition?
Defender series??
You mean BOR Team "B" ; BOR Team "C" ; BOR Team etc...
The Cup is heading towards another 132 years chained in America. Just by twisting the rules their way as they did for the first 132 years.
I suppose "Draft" doesn't translate to the native tongue of some that have responded on here already. This is a draft, or "living document", that asks for potential challengers to weigh in and give feedback. Nothing is set in stone so to speak. Big difference over the EB's original AC33 protocol isn't it?
And no defender in the challenger selection series. To me that is the main positive. EB trying to sneak that in was complete and utter bullshit.
And for some bitching about the 3mil bond, those teams that can't hack that amount should look towards the Audi MedCup. Or Wed. night beer races.
I quote "The WSTA (World Sailing Team Association) was founded in Spring 2009 under the initiative of Larry Ellison, Yves Carcelle, Grant Dalton, Bruno Troublé and Russell Coutts".
The WSTA is an old established sailing association that's been around for a very long time, that's why its such an important component of this draft. Lets dream up a new international body for future AC series.
I think everyone should just get over them selfs and what they think the protocol should be, you go win the Americas Cup and then you can have it the way you want it. I say good luck to BOR and all the other teams who get in there and get on with some sailing. I look forward to the technological improvements and better television and internet coverage that will be available to spectators.
4.29
Your point would be fair if BMWOR had taken the same attitude last time.
They took a very "puritanical" position on Alinghi's protocol supposedly in the interest of all challengers and set themselves some very high standards. No surprise therefore that a lot of people are interested in how they approaching things.
This happens to be a blog where people are encouraged to post their views, you may not agree with all of them but everyone is entitled to an opinion without being chastised for it.
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