Challenger has a good day in America's Cup Jury Room

by Richard Gladwell on 3 Feb 2010
Other significant issues have been ruled on by the International Jury for the 33rd America's Cup in Valencia

All have gone as expected and are consistent with rulings from the New York Supreme Court on related matters.

Justice Shirley Kornreich previously ruled that the America's Cup was a test of sailing technology, as well as sailing skill itself.

The Int Jury responded favourably to a claim by the Challenger Golden Gate Yacht Club, that the rules for the 33rd Match prescribed by the Swiss Defending club, restricted the use of some technology. Those restrictions have been lifted, and specifically, the use of forward facing wind detection technology will now be permitted in the event which is scheduled to get underway in five days time.

In a statement issued after the Decision of the international Jury was announced, Tom Ehman, GGYC spokesman said:

The International Jury for the 33rd America’s Cup has confirmed the start time for races will be 1006.This was one of five decisions reached by the Jury following hearings in Valencia in which Golden Gate Yacht Club’s requests for redress were heard for improper actions taken by the defender, Société Nautique de Geneve.

The Jury gave Race Office Harold Bennett the discretion to use his experience and judgment on what constitutes fair and safe conditions for racing. GGYC submitted that SNG’s planned low wind limits would unfairly advantage Alinghi 5 and disadvantage USA.

GGYC’s yacht USA has also been cleared to use onboard wind-detection equipment as well as fast and green friction-reduction technologies.

SNG had previously arranged rules (advising in the New York Supreme Court Hearing that they would be deleting racing Rules 49-53 inclusive) to permit both these things, but had a last minute change of mind, and then attempted to prevent USA from using them.

'This brings some degree of common sense back to the rules,' commented GGYC spokesman Tom Ehman. 'The pinnacle event in our sport, contested by the world’s best sailors, ought to allow racing in conditions that even kids in the Optimist trainer class would say were too light to be any fun.'Race 1 for the 33rd Match is scheduled for Monday, February 8, with Race 2 on Wednesday and Race 3 (if necessary) on Friday.