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Japan Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
New America's Cup protocol sees female sailors, battery power in seismic change for the Auld Mug
yachting By STEVE McMORRAN New rules for the America's Cup sailing regatta announced Tuesday have been described as a seismic moment for the historic event and the 'boldest change in 174 years of the Cup.' Crews competing in the 38th Cup regatta in Naples, Italy in July of 2027 will comprise five members, including at least one woman. Under new criteria, at least two members of each crew, including a female, must be nationals of each team's country of origin. Each 76-foot America's Cup boat will also carry a sixth 'guest' crew member who could be a celebrity, influencer, media representative or sponsor. The America's Cup will now be contested every two years and the protocol or governing document for the event now establishes a system of governance under which all competing teams will have equal responsibility for organizing the event on and off the water and for the control of media and commercial rights. Most functions of the boats will now be powered by batteries, rather than the brute strength of their crews. The moves to modernize the Cup have mostly been well received by competitors and key shareholders. 'As the founding Trustee of the America's Cup, we are completely supportive of the move to modernize the oldest sporting trophy in the world,' said Jay Cross, commodore of the New York Yacht Club. The NYYC was the first to win the America's Cup when its schooner America — from which the trophy takes its name — beat 15 yachts representing Britain's Royal Yacht Squadron in a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851. The United States held the trophy until 1983, when the challenger Australia II ended the streak. Team New Zealand has dominated the recent regattas. 'As the three-time successive winner and defender of the America's Cup and along with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron as current Trustee, we feel the responsibility to continue to drive the growth of the America's Cup event,' Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said. 'Although the America's Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and the pinnacle of sailing, its Achilles heel has always been its lack of continuity," he said. "So this transformation now gives all teams collective stewardship and we are introducing a new executive management team to be headed up by a new independent CEO.' In a move to contain costs, a cap of 75 million euros ($87 million) has been imposed on each team competing in 2027. Teams returning from the last America's Cup will be required to retain the same hulls while new teams will have to either acquire an AC75 hull or build to the same specifications. 'This is a seismic moment for the America's Cup,' Athena Racing team principal Ben Ainslie said. Athena Racing is the Challenger of Record which develops the protocol in partnership with the defender. 'The partnership agreement fundamentally reshapes the governance and organization of the event,' Ainslie said. 'The teams and yacht clubs share a vision to make the America's Cup more inclusive, compelling and financially sustainable. "This new model marks a unified commitment to that vision. I am excited for the future of the sport.' Tuesday's announcement follows a fractious development process for the protocol during which Athena Racing and the American and Swiss challengers criticized Team New Zealand's management of the event. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
France 24
4 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Mixed crews introduced for 2027 America's Cup
The boats will race with a crew of five, one of which must be a woman, and the functions of the boat will increasingly be powered by battery. The woman crew member and two others must come from the country that the boat is racing for. In another new measure, team costs will be capped at 75 million euros ($87.1 million) for the 2027 edition. Holders Team New Zealand and their challengers Athena Racing signed off on the protocol. Athena's CEO and Team Principal Ben Ainslie described the protocol as a "seismic moment" for the competition. "The teams and yacht clubs share a vision to make the America's Cup more inclusive, compelling, and financially sustainable. This new model marks a unified commitment to that vision," the Briton added in a statement. The 38th edition will feature Peter Burling of New Zealand, a three-time winner, bringing his wealth of experience to Italian outfit Luna Rossa, although it is in an undefined role. Burling, who was pivotal to New Zealand's three successive wins (2017/21/24) skippering them in the last two, became a free agent in April when he was unable to reach an agreement with Team New Zealand. While it is traditionally the holders who choose the venue, Team New Zealand said in April they could not secure government backing to host the regatta. Italy then stepped in. It will be the first time the world's most prestigious regatta takes place in Italy and the home advantage gives the hosts a chance to finally win one of the oldest competitions in international sport.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
All aboard! America's Cup teams can carry celebrities
America's Cup teams have agreed to carry a "guest" crew member, which could be a VIP, celebrity or influencer, in the 2027 edition of the world's oldest international sports crew will have an additional sixth member on board in the 38th America's Cup, with a media representative or sponsor also among the options agreed in the new rules for the crew will also have to contain at least one woman, and a minimum of two crew members - including a female sailor - must be nationals of the team's country of Ben Ainslie, team principal of Great Britain's Athena Racing, said it is a "seismic moment" for the event."The teams and yacht clubs share a vision to make the America's Cup more inclusive, compelling, and financially sustainable," Ainslie said."This new model marks a unified commitment to that vision. I am excited for the future of the sport."The competition started in 1851 and the 38th edition takes place in Naples, Italy in 2027, with entries for the regatta to open on 19 are also changes to the format, with all competitors taking part in both match racing - when two crews go head to head - as well as fleet racing - when all the yachts race together. The top four challengers will then feature in a knockout match will be limited to a maximum spend of 75m euros, with refinements scheduled for the 39th new rules also say existing teams must use the same AC75 hulls which were raced in 2024, with increased function of the boat powered by battery.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Major changes coming for future for America's cup
Major changes are coming for the future of the America's Cup on and off the water. After months of toing and froing the protocol for the next event, to be held in Naples in mid-2027, has finally been signed by the defender Team New Zealand and the challenger of record Athena Racing. The changes are being promoted as being "more inclusive, compelling, and financially sustainable". Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
New America's Cup protocol sees female sailors, battery power in 'seismic change' for the Auld Mug
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New rules for the America's Cup sailing regatta announced Tuesday have been described as a seismic moment for the historic event and the 'boldest change in 174 years of the Cup.' Crews competing in the 38th Cup regatta in Naples, Italy in July of 2027 will comprise five members, including at least one woman. Under new criteria, at least two members of each crew, including a female, must be nationals of each team's country of origin. Each 76-foot America's Cup boat will also carry a sixth 'guest' crew member who could be a celebrity, influencer, media representative or sponsor. The America's Cup will now be contested every two years and the protocol or governing document for the event now establishes a system of governance under which all competing teams will have equal responsibility for organizing the event on and off the water and for the control of media and commercial rights. Most functions of the boats will now be powered by batteries, rather than the brute strength of their crews. The moves to modernize the Cup have mostly been well received by competitors and key shareholders. 'As the founding Trustee of the America's Cup, we are completely supportive of the move to modernize the oldest sporting trophy in the world,' said Jay Cross, commodore of the New York Yacht Club. The NYYC was the first to win the America's Cup when its schooner America — from which the trophy takes its name — beat 15 yachts representing Britain's Royal Yacht Squadron in a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851. The United States held the trophy until 1983, when the challenger Australia II ended the streak. Team New Zealand has dominated the recent regattas. 'As the three-time successive winner and defender of the America's Cup and along with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron as current Trustee, we feel the responsibility to continue to drive the growth of the America's Cup event,' Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said. 'Although the America's Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and the pinnacle of sailing, its Achilles heel has always been its lack of continuity,' he said. 'So this transformation now gives all teams collective stewardship and we are introducing a new executive management team to be headed up by a new independent CEO.' In a move to contain costs, a cap of 75 million Euros ($87 million) has been imposed on each team competing in 2027. Teams returning from the last America's Cup will be required to retain the same hulls while new teams will have to either acquire an AC75 hull or build to the same specifications. 'This is a seismic moment for the America's Cup,' Athena Racing team principal Ben Ainslie said. Athena Racing is the Challenger of Record which develops the protocol in partnership with the defender. 'The partnership agreement fundamentally reshapes the governance and organization of the event,' Ainslie said. 'The teams and yacht clubs share a vision to make the America's Cup more inclusive, compelling and financially sustainable. 'This new model marks a unified commitment to that vision. I am excited for the future of the sport.' Tuesday's announcement follows a fractious development process for the protocol during which Athena Racing and the American and Swiss challengers criticized Team New Zealand's management of the event. ___ AP sports:
