Golden Gate rejects America's Cup venue

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World on 3 Oct 2009 Golden Gate Yacht Club, the Challenger for the 33rd America's Cup has rejected the venue of Ras al-Khaimah, UAE, selected by the Defender, Societe Nautique de Geneve.

In a statement GGYC have advised that they have requested the New York Supreme Court to reject Ras al-Khaimah
and order the 33rd America’s Cup match returned to be sailed Valencia, Spain, the venue for the 32nd America's Cup in 2007.

In an earlier Decision given on 12 May 2008, Justice Herman Cahn of the New York Supreme Court, set the date for the 33rd America's Cup as 8 February 2010, and 'Ordered that the location of the Match shall be in Valencia, Spain, or any other location selected by SNG...'

SNG believe that this Decision gave them the right to select any venue they wish. For their part, GGYC believe that any venue selected other than Valencia, must be compliant with the Deed of Gift, and therefore must be in Valencia or a Southern Hemisphere venue if sailed before April 2010.

The statement released by Golden Gate YC is as follows:

San Diego, CA (October 1, 2009) – The Golden Gate Yacht Club, Challenger of Record for the 33rd America’s Cup, has requested the New York Supreme Court to reject Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) as the venue for the 33rd Americas Cup and replace it with Valencia. The Spanish city hosted the 32nd America’s Cup in July 2007.

Under the America’s Cup Deed of Gift, for a match in February the Defender, Société Nautique de Geneve (Alinghi’s yacht club) cannot select a Northern Hemisphere location without GGYC’s mutual consent.

The only exception is Valencia, which the court’s April 7, 2009 decision expressly permits.

GGYC has consistently reminded SNG that, without our mutual consent, any other venue they select would have to be fully compliant with the Deed of Gift.

In good faith, however, BMW Oracle Racing sent a team to inspect SNG’s proposed venue, and, although the team was met warmly by the local authorities, it was clear that the RAK venue fails on every key measure necessary for a successful America’s Cup, including: lack of infrastructure, security and wind.

Moreover, in light of the developing situation in the Arabian Gulf region, Ras al-Khaimah is particularly unsuitable. SNG’s proposed course area is within 17 miles of islands occupied by Iran in a current territorial dispute with the United Arab Emirates – of which Ras al-Khaima is a member state.

'The choice of RAK underscores SNG’s abject failure in its responsibilities as Trustee of the America’s Cup,' said Russell Coutts, skipper and CEO of GGYC’s BMW Oracle Racing team. 'It seems that the Defender is prepared to go to any lengths to make this America’s Cup a travesty.'

Alinghi 5 arrived in Ras al-Khaimah, today and has been unloaded from the freighter, ready to begin sailing in what they believe will be the Match venue.

The full Motion from Golden Gate YC can be read http://www.ggyc.com/GGYC%20Memo%20of%20Law.pdf!by_clicking_here

The affidavit of a Security Consultant, Graham Brooks can be read http://www.ggyc.com/Brooks%20Aff.pdf!by_clicking_here