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Reactions to the New Protocol: Mike Sanderson

Posted 1 year, 2 months ago

Reactions to the New Protocol: Mike Sanderson
Statement yesterday by TeamOrigin's sailing director, Mike "Moose" Sanderson (NZL) on the AC 33 Protocol.... The 32nd America?s Cup was an unprecedented success both on and off the water and we welcome the early response from Alinghi who have acted quickly to clarify a number of details for the next Cup. It is great news that the event will remain in Europe, possibly in Valencia, and we are really excited at the prospect of the new class of boat. The world?s oldest sporting trophy has never been so popular, with over four billion TV viewers and five (5.7m) million visitors to the America?s Cup Port. The new America?s Cup class gives TEAMORIGIN the opportunity to compete on a level playing field with all the other Challengers. These bigger boats will require completely new concepts for yacht design, such as the sliding keel, and our designers will be among the first to push the new rule to its limits to give us a competitive platform. The new class should create faster sailing and a more exciting spectacle. We were always aware of the possibility of a design rule change (as were all teams) and we remain confident that our purchase of SUI 75 provides a valuable asset as a training boat and will be used in the preliminary regattas. The creation of the competitor?s commission and other steps taken towards transferring more power to the Challengers will benefit all aspects of the competition, ensuring the event becomes even more appealing for both sponsors and spectators. We look forward to a resolution on a number of outstanding issues but firmly believe that the Cup will continue to grow both in terms of competitors and popularity and are excited about putting together a successful campaign to win the America?s Cup. TeamOrigin's Mike Sanderson (NZL, sailing director) and Sir Keith Mills (GBR, chairman). Full Story »

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