Shaping the future

The 37th America’s Cup came a step closer recently as the Protocol was released, eight months to the day since Emirates Team New Zealand won the 36th America’s Cup on their home waters off Auckland.

Setting out the foundations and rules of participation for the next challenge for sport’s oldest trophy, the 80 page document has been drawn up following close negotiations between the Defender - the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Challenger of Record - Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd and their representative team INEOS Britannia.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s CEO Grant Dalton described the Protocol as “progressive”, while INEOS Britannia’s CEO Sir Ben Ainslie said it was “bold”, and said the creative thinking it entailed was “what was required to take the sport forward for the future”. Certainly, the launch of the Protocol - held jointly by video from the UK and New Zealand - set the tone for a forward-thinking event. Words like ‘collaborate’ and 'collective' are not often associated with Cup announcements, yet were in plentiful supply, as too were ‘ambitious’ and ‘inclusive’. There was lots to be excited about, and, far from the usual Cup wrangling that typically divides the Defender and Challenger of Record, both sides say their collaborative approach has strengthened their relationship – certainly a refreshing start to a Cup cycle.

So, what do we now know about the next America’s Cup?

AC75s centre stage

Once again, 75ft foiling monohulls will take centre stage, as the Protocol confirms that the AC75 class will