Sailing: Delays expected for the America's Cup protocol after failure of foils under pressure



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A respected commentator believes that team preparation for the next America's Cup could be delayed by three months due to technical difficulties, while a second preliminary regatta could be completely abandoned.

Peter Montgomery told Radio Sport that the date on which the unions will be allowed to launch the first boats before the 2021 test in Auckland will probably have to be postponed for three months, after tests that revealed that the foils presented on the design radical of the monohull could not cope with the load.

"They did load tests and they broke, so the problem comes," said Montgomery.

"Part of the agreement between the defender (Team New Zealand) and the official challenger was to include some components – one of the components being the foils, they did tests on them and several broken meaning, they just can not cope with the charges.

America's Cup Concept AC75 for the 36th America's Cup 2021 in Auckland. Image / Emirates Team New Zealand
America's Cup Concept AC75 for the 36th America's Cup 2021 in Auckland. Image / Emirates Team New Zealand

"The protocol was that you could not sail on the new boats until the first of April of next year … this will be postponed to June."

The America's Cup protocol currently states that the first boat will not be allowed to be launched until March 31, 2019, before a series of preliminary regattas to take place on the international scene.

The organizers were hoping to hold two World Series events for the challenger teams and allow the defenseman to play, with the first chance being confirmed for next season in Sardinia.

However, Montgomery said the delayed protocol would eliminate the possibility of a second event, ultimately putting a strain on the preparations for the 37th America's Cup.

"It will be a more compressed period as the dates of the America's Cup, March 2021, and the Prada Cup (…) will not be staggered," he said.

"This creates a tighter time and so there will be only one regatta in the World Series of America's Cup."

The deadline for registration is near today. Montgomery expects at least three other challengers to be confirmed for the Auld mug, including one from the Netherlands.

There are currently three confirmed challengers: Italian union Luna Rossa, American Magic and INEOS TEAM UK.

"Team New Zealand is encouraging them, so I'm expecting at least two, if not three, and I certainly think the Netherlands could be one of them," Montgomery said.

"The Netherlands could certainly be serious, maybe an out of Italy, and who knows outside of China and Norway, we will have to wait and see."

A source from Team New Zealand confirmed to the Herald that "there had been some problems" with the foils but insisted that they "had been solved".

To push back the dates of the tests, it would be necessary to modify the protocol – which is highly improbable, indicated the source.

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