Newport: exciting racing in the final...
Newport was the closing event of the first AC 45 season. And the least we can say is that it was a superb final for the American Defender, which showed that it was fast and intended to remain in control of its home waters. With victory in Newport for Russell Coutts in the match racing event first of all, then James Spithill being crowned Champion of the Season, Oracle Team USA hit hard. Note during this event Luna Rossa’s victory in the fleet grand final, as spectacular as ever, and Energy Team’s final third place in the fleet racing championship...
What follows: the deadline is September!
Time is in fact starting to run out for challengers for this 34th America’s Cup. At the end of July, they must be officially entered (and have paid the substantial entry fees) for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the qualifying regatta, whose winner will have the honour of challenging the Americans. Organised at San Francisco in July 2013, these races will be in the new AC 72s, which must be built between now and then. And to do this, work must begin in...September 2012! In other words, the funds have to have been found...now!
As we write these lines, and therefore subject to alteration, as the nature of the Cup is that there are often major reversals in the situation, here is the list of those who are sure to be on the start line:
The American defender: Oracle Team USA.
As for the challengers, we should find: Artemis Racing, the Challenger of Record, Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Korea. It will be much harder for the Italian Luna Rossa Challenge 2013, the English BAR and the French Energy Team to be launched in time, as they are all still trying to finalise their budgets. The China Team seem to have abandoned the idea of being on the line for this 34th Cup, and will now be dedicating themselves to the 35th...
So? Who will be on the line in July 2013? We will have the first elements of the answer next September, when we know who has really started building their AC 72...
The 2011/2012 AC 45 season
ACWS Overall
1 Oracle Team USA Spithill
2 Emirates Team New Zealand
3 Artemis Racing
4 Energy Team
ACWS Fleet Racing
1 Oracle Team USA Spithill
2 Emirates Team New Zealand
3 Energy Team
4 Team Korea
ACWS Match Racing
1 Artemis Racing
2 Oracle Team USA Spithill
3 Emirates Team New Zealand
4 Oracle Team USA Coutts
