Auckland, New Zealand (March 15, 2019) – The America’s Cup Arbitration Panel decision finding all three Late Entry challenges to be valid has been released today.
The Challenger of Record and the Defender had already reached a settlement agreement on March 5 under which the validity of the Challenges was accepted and issued a Protocol amendment allowing for the Late Entry to be paid by deferred installments.
However, the New York Yacht Club elected to continue to pursue their case and request clarification of the late entries. The Arbitration Panel is the umpiring body for the America’s Cup Protocol and other regulation issues, as such every Challenger has the right to seek direction or clarification from the Panel.
The Panel found that the payment of entry fees is a condition to their being able to race in the America’s Cup, not a condition of their being an accepted Challenger meaning that Entry fees have only to be paid before the first race of the competition.
The Challenger of Record will continue to support all the entered Challengers that are currently working diligently on their preparations for the next America’s Cup, though there are concerns as to the likelihood of the Maltese Malta Altus Challenge being able to continue.
In addition to Challenges from Italy, USA, and Great Britain that were accepted during the initial entry period (January 1 to June 30, 2018), eight additional Notices of Challenge were received by the late entry deadline on November 30, 2018. Of those eight submittals, entries from Malta, USA, and The Netherlands have also been accepted. Here’s the current list:
Defender:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)
Challengers:
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger of Record
• American Magic (USA)
• INEOS Team UK (GBR)
• Malta Altus Challenge (MLT)
• Stars & Stripes Team USA (USA)
• DUTCHSAIL (NED)
Key America’s Cup dates:
✔ September 28, 2017: 36th America’s Cup Protocol released
✔ November 30, 2017: AC75 Class concepts released to key stakeholders
✔ January 1, 2018: Entries for Challengers open
✔ March 31, 2018: AC75 Class Rule published
✔ June 30, 2018: Entries for Challengers close
✔ August 31, 2018: Location of the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed
✔ August 31, 2018: Specific race course area confirmed
✔ November 30, 2018: Late entries deadline
March 31, 2019: Boat 1 can be launched
2nd half of 2019: 2 x America’s Cup World Series Preliminary Events
February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched
During 2020: 3 x America’s Cup World Series Preliminary Events
December 10-20, 2020: America’s Cup Christmas Race
January and February 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
March 2021: The America’s Cup Match
Details: www.americascup.com
Source: America’s Cup Media
Source: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2019/03/14/americas-cup-ruling-on-late-entries/
