Golden Gate YC responds to America's Cup Meeting

by Golden Gate Yacht Club on 13 Dec 2008
Golden Gate Yacht Club and BMW Oracle Racing have issued a statement following the Competitors Meeting held in Geneva SUI on 12 December 2008.

The event SNG seeks to organize is not a legitimate America’s Cup – it is the Alinghi Cup. It does not have fair rules in keeping with the 157-year-old America’s Cup tradition and the Deed of Gift, which make this event so special. For these reasons, we stand by our decision not to participate in the Alinghi Cup.

Given the arbitrary deadline and our exclusion from the secretive rule-making process, the only avenue open to create a fair and competitive challenge that preserves the long-term integrity, prestige and tradition of yacht racing’s pinnacle event is the New York State Court of Appeals, and that is where we are focusing our attention.

It is worth defending the integrity of the America’s Cup even if it entails a few more months, especially since much of the delay is due to the Defender’s actions, not ours.

As the Appellate Division's opinion illustrates, if it becomes acceptable to ignore the Deed's eligibility criteria it will be impossible to recapture what has made the America's Cup so special.

If we win the case, as we expect we will, we will again make every effort to negotiate with the Defender a fully competitive, multi-challenger America's Cup to take place as soon as possible.

Tom Ehman
BMW Oracle Racing

NB: The next Hearing is set down for 10 February 2009 and a decision is expected in four months time by March - April 2009. This is the final Appeal, and there can be no more, unless the Appeals Court refers the matter back to Justice Herman Cahn for further action.