America's Cup enlists Champions League developers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Yachting has turned to soccer for inspiration in the organisation of the next America’s Cup. Two men described as performing a pivotal role in the development of the Champions’ League, Richard Worth and Craig Thompson will head the newly-formed America’s Cup Event Authority, working in parallel with the organising America’s Cup Race Management, which is headed by Australian ceo Iain Murray and British coo Andy Hindley.
“The America’s Cup has a wonderful past, but it is the potential of its future that is exciting,” said Thompson, with Russell Coutts, ceo of the Cup holder BMW Oracle, adding: “We studied best practice in the world’s top sporting events. Now, we are fortunate to have secured two of the best practitioners.”
While the next defence is not until 2013, at a venue yet to be confirmed, the build-up starts next year with a series of up to five regattas in 45-foot, specially-built wing-powered catamarans. The new-style Cup boats, 72-foot wing-powered catamarans, make their race debuts in the 2012 America’s Cup World Series, which is aiming for seven events.
More conventional TP52 monohulls, gathered just yards from Russell’s BMW-Oracle base in Valencia, continued their world championship series with a morale-boosting win in the first race of the day for the British boat, Cristabella.
‘Chuny’ Bermudez, who will join the Team New Zealand-managed, Mallorca-based Volvo race entry Camper next year, is steering, with Manchester-born New Zealander John Cutler responsible for tactics. Their fifth in the second race also leaves them fifth overall with the two other British boats, Johnny Vincent’s Pace and Tony Langley’s Weapon of Choice, both testing the waters for next year’s Audi MedCup, lying eighth and ninth.
The overall leader, the American yacht Quantum, skippered by Terry Hutchinson, was second in that race ands won the second race of the day.
That gave him a three-point lead over the defending champion, Argentina’s Matador with the series concluding Saturday.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments