Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

America's Cup- Oracle believed to be on wrong side of spying Decision

by Richard Gladwell on 20 Dec 2012
A spy boat watches Emirates Team NZ AC72 on her final day of sailing on December 12, 2012 Richard Gladwell www.photosport.co.nz

It is believed that the International Jury for the 34th America's Cup has ruled on a protest lodged by the Italian Challenger Luna Rossa, against the America's Cup defender Oracle Team USA.

Sail-World's information is that the US team have been found in breech of the Surveillance provisions of the Protocol.

In the incident complained of by the Italian Challenger, Oracle Team USA's spy boat was stopped some distance from Luna Rossa's AC72, and took photos from close range as Luna Rossa sailed towards them. Evidence produced by the Italians showed that the US team's spy boat was 105metres from the Italian catamaran - around half the distance permitted under the Protocol, unless permission had been given - which had not occurred in this case.

If correct, the implications of the finding could be quite serious, as this is one of the first in America's Cup history where an actual team member has been caught in the act of spying on another team - usually it has been third parties such as divers etc who have been seen or apprehended.

It is believed that International Jury has called for Submissions on the matter, and also a recall of the photographs taken.

The return of photographs will not erase the knowledge gained by the individuals and design teams, and a fundamental of sailing rules is that a team cannot gain in any way through a rules breech or 'professional foul'.

A further issue is whether the crew on the spy boat in Auckland, were acting under orders from the USA, or if they were acting of their own volition.

Claims by Emirates Team New Zealand that they had been subject to the same actions by Oracle Team USA, were not expected to be considered as no protest had been lodged as a result.

The Italian protest was accompanied by photographs of the incident and distance calculations based on the camera lens used. These showed the OTUSA spy boat between the Italian Chase boat and its AC72, Luna Rossa.

The background to the Protests was outlined in an earlier Sail-World story, which can be read by http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Americas-Cup:-Italians-fire-off-protests-over-Spying-and-Venue-switch/104292!clicking_here
RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERDoyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP BOTTOMExposure Marine

Related Articles

One thing. One big, very fast boat
One thing that opened the door, another made us enquire some more - 50 knots! Yes. It was one thing that opened the door, as it were. One thing that piqued the curiosity enough to go, ‘I'll take a look at that!' One thing that when you're trying to crack in excess of 50 knots...
Posted on 30 Jun
NYYC International Women's Championship update
The first group of invited skippers have been announced Elite-level international women's keelboat competition will return to Newport, R.I., in late summer of 2026 when the New York Yacht Club hosts the inaugural International Women's Championship.
Posted on 30 Jun
Luna shines bright in 2025 Morgan Cup Race
This was a truly international fleet with the majority of the teams from the UK and France The start of the Morgan Cup Race was a spectacular sight with over 100 boats beating to windward into the Western Solent for the fourth race of the Cowes Offshore Racing Series and the 11th race of the 2025 RORC Season's Points Championship.
Posted on 30 Jun
Freestyle Pro Tour Paros day 1
Kicking off with a nuclear single elim The opening day of the Freestyle Pro Tour (FPT) Paros kicked off exactly as forecasted - nuclear winds from morning till late afternoon, accompanied by nonstop freestyle action.
Posted on 30 Jun
New Zero Weight 2-in-1 Shorts from Henri-Lloyd
When the weather's hot, there's nothing better to keep you cool on or off the water When the weather's hot, there's nothing better than Henri-Lloyd's Zero Weight 2-in-1 shorts to keep you cool on or off the water.
Posted on 30 Jun
2025 Tiedemann Regatta
Experience shines alongside the brightwork at the Nw York Yacht Club A century ago, R Class yachts were the sports cars of the yachting world, sleek and low to the ground, nimble in the corners and quick around the course, and, above all, demanding to drive.
Posted on 30 Jun
2025 Marion to Bermuda Race - Trophy time
Recognizing the outstanding achievements of the sailors Thank you to everyone who made the 2025 Marion to Bermuda Race such a memorable success! We're thrilled to recognize the outstanding achievements of our sailors with this year's special awards, which were presented at last night's prize-giving and Gala.
Posted on 30 Jun
Foiling Week Malcesine 2025 concludes
Champions crowned and records set during the twelfth edition The twelfth edition of Foiling Week came to an end today in Malcesine with the awarding of the first BirdyFish World Championship title, showing the largest fleet ever for the occasion.
Posted on 29 Jun
Transpac 2025 opens with Aloha send off
Aloha Spirit & Naval salutes on aboard historic USS Iowa It's not every day that serious offshore sailors get the opportunity to party aboard a decommissioned WWII battleship—but it's also not every day that world-class sailors gather to race across 2,225 miles of open Pacific Ocean.
Posted on 29 Jun
Team Malizia starts Course Des Caps
Challenging race around the British Isles Team Malizia set sail today from Boulogne-sur-Mer, kicking off the inaugural Course des Caps race in light winds and challenging conditions with a solid start.
Posted on 29 Jun