Monday 23 July 2007

TEAMORIGIN For The 33rd America's Cup

Following on from the official announcement of Shosholoza's 33rd America's Cup challenge, TEAMORIGIN today released a statement confirming the acceptance of their application to challenge in the next America's Cup.

The TEAMORIGIN statement in full:

TEAMORIGIN Becomes An Official Challenger Of The 33rd America’s Cup

Today, Monday 23rd July 2007, the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), represented by Alinghi, received a challenge from the Royal Thames Yacht Club (RTYC), represented by TEAMORIGIN, for the 33rd America’s Cup. AC Management (ACM) has now informed the RTYC and TEAMORIGIN that its challenge has been accepted.

Following the Spanish Club Náutico Español de Vela’s challenge represented by Desafio Espanol and the South African Royal Cape Yacht Club’s challenge represented by Team Shosholoza, the Royal Thames Yacht Club’s challenge, represented by Sir Keith Mills’ TEAMORIGIN, becomes the third officially accepted challenge for the 33rd America’s Cup since Alinghi completed its successful defence of the 32nd America’s Cup on 3rd July 2007.

Sir Keith Mills commented from London, “TEAMORIGIN and the RTYC have together challenged for the America’s Cup believing that a Host City, a full regatta programme for the coming seasons and a class rule for the new boat to be used for the 33rd America’s Cup Match will shortly be announced. TEAMORIGIN further believes that several other teams will challenge in the coming weeks and months following these announcements.”

John Stork, Vice-Commodore of the RTYC, added, “The impetus and momentum created by the event organisers ACM over the course of the past four years with the 32nd America’s Cup gives the Royal Thames every confidence that the 33rd America’s Cup will be just as successful, both on and off the water.”

Mike Sanderson, Team Director of TEAMORIGIN, said, “These are exciting times for the America’s Cup competition. A new class of boat will put all challengers, old and new, on an equal footing. Other than the techniques used to design and build boats there will be little of technical value to be taken forward from the old class. The first generation of any new yacht racing class always sees many differences show up in the different concepts adapted by the various design teams. We believe it will be easier for a new team to become competitive at the America’s Cup with the introduction of a new class of boat and should deliver faster sailing and a more exciting spectacle.”

Sir Keith Mills concluded, “Our goal is to win the America’s Cup and bring the Auld Mug back to British shores for the first time in history. The challenge is therefore an important and positive step forward to achieving our objectives and we look forward to further event details being announced and other teams joining us for the 33rd America’s Cup.”

This is the 21st time that a British yacht club’s challenge for the America’s Cup will result in racing for the ultimate prize in sailing. The name TEAMORIGIN is a subtle reminder that the origins of the whole America’s Cup phenomenon can be found in a race that took place in 1851. This original race saw the yacht ‘America’ beat a fleet of British racing yachts around the Isle of Wight, the prize for which was a sterling silver wine ewer. This trophy was popularly renamed the America’s Cup as a result of that yacht’s notoriety. A Deed of Gift, first written in 1871 and updated several times since, transformed the America’s Cup into a perpetual challenge trophy open to yacht clubs from all nations. It has just been put back into competition for the 33rd time.

TEAMORIGIN will formally present its key team members at the Southampton Boat Show on Friday 14th September 2007.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The America's Cup Series is now officially a joke. Why even bother with human beings on boats? In fact, forget about the boats. Whoever has the biggest boat wins a virtual trophy!

What a joke!