The New Zealand Herald has reported that a challenge for the 37th America’s Cup has already been issued and accepted.
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron general manager Hayden Porter confirmed the club had received a new challenge after the final race.
Latest Update 19 March:
The Challenge letter was signed on 17 March 2021 onboard the yacht IMAGINE, by Bertie Bicket, Chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and accepted by Aaron Young, Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club as Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line to win the America’s Cup for the fourth time.
Full signing details available here . . .
Rumours in Auckland are that Ineos Team UK owner Jim Ratcliffe and ETNZ boss Grant Dalton are negotiating to hold a one-off defence in the Solent next year, based at Cowes on the Isle of Wight where the America’s Cup was first contested in 1851.
The Challenger of Record helps to set the guidelines for the next America’s Cup, including the location, date and type of boats for the competition.
“We have received a challenge for the 37th America’s Cup. There’s a lot of details to come; discussions will evolve over the next few days, weeks and months and things will happen from there … it was all done out on the water – all details will be revealed in the next wee while,” Porter said.
In a move thought to be to pressurise the NZ Government into supporting ETNZ with funding to keep the event in Auckland, ETNZ earlier issued a tender document that envisaged the 37th America’s Cup being held in 2023, at an overseas venue.
The level of interest from overseas in hosting the event is not known, but there are rumours that China and Dubai are likely bidders.
Full COR signing details available here . . .
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