Let's talk it over - Team NZ and CORM try to calm things down

Tom Schnackenberg talking to the
media

The issue of whether the challengers can substitute their boats between the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals and finals appears to be going away as quickly as it appeared – as long as the parties involved talk to each other. Neither Team New Zealand, nor the Challenger of Record Management (CORM) want the matter to go to the Arbitration Panel and the defender today called for talks with CORM to sort it out. Both parties seem somewhat taken aback that it has blown up into a major issue and want to quell it as quickly as possible.

Team New Zealand called a media conference today and syndicate head Tom Schnackenberg said he did not believe it was necessary for the matter to go to the Arbitration Panel. “I think it will be resolved pretty easily,” he said. “We look forward to talking to the Challengers in a positive frame of mind.” Louis Vuitton Cup Regatta Director Dyer Jones agreed: “I don’t see it as a big issue either. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.”

Yesterday, Team New Zealand sent a letter to the Challenger of Record Management (CORM) pointing out an anomaly between the America’s Cup Protocol and the Louis Vuitton Cup Conditions of Race. The requirements in the Protocol effectively committed the Challenger to sailing the same yacht from the Louis Vuitton semi-final to the America’s Cup Match. That would prevent any of the three teams still alive in the regatta from using their alternate boats from now on. The Challengers Conditions of Race document, however, would allow the teams to switch boats between the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals and finals. Where there is a conflict of this kind, the Protocol takes precedence.

But Jones argued that when the Challengers and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, as the defending yacht club, signed the Race Conditions, they were effectively modifying the Protocol. “We intend on running this regatta according to the Louis Vuitton Cup Conditions,” he said. “The Conditions have modified the Protocol – it is a matter of mutual consent, which is fundamental to the Cup.”

At today’s media conference, Schnackenberg said it was a question of tidying up the anomaly and indicated that Team New Zealand would not be opposed to the challengers being allowed to substitute yachts between the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals and finals. Clearly, there is some regret on both sides that the matter has escalated. Jones said today it was “unfortunate” that the Team New Zealand letter was written, but Schnackenberg said the issue did require resolution. “It is a bit of a mess when there is a conflict like this,” he said. Asked if Team New Zealand would withdraw the letter, Schnackenberg said: “I am not sure how you withdraw a letter. Everything we said in the letter was factual.” Somewhat surprised the issue had been played out in the media, Schnackenberg said it was intended as a low-key letter to Dyer Jones.