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A five-member international jury has upheld the protest by Italy’s Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand regarding rudder wings on the AC72s in this year’s America’s Cup competition.
The next step for the event may be withdrawing its current racing permit with the Coast Guard. In that case, the regatta would be put on hold until Cup officials submitted and the Coast Guard approved a new safety plan. It is up to regatta director Iain Murray whether or not the permit will be reassessed.

In a ruling posted Thursday on the America’s Cup web site, the jury of the International Sailing Federation said regatta director Iain Murray’s directive ordering larger, heavier rudder wings to help prevent pitchpoles “has the effect of changing the Class Rule” and therefore is impermissible since all the teams had not agreed to it.

“The Regatta Director is ordered to withdraw” the ruling on the rudder wings, the jury said.
There was no immediate comment from the teams or from Murray on the ruling. On July 3 Murray said that if the jury upheld the protest, he would tell the Coast Guard that he didn’t think the racing would be safe.

Change of rudder

In the wake of Simpson’s death, regatta director Iain Murray issued 37 safety recommendations, one of which was that teams should use heavier, symmetrical winglets on its rudders to help prevent similar pitchpole crashes.

Unlike the other teams, the Swedish team would have a problem reverting to the old rudder because its new boat incorporates Murray’s safety recommendations, including the revised rudder arrangement.

Grant Dalton, CEO of Team New Zealand, proposed letting the Swedish team race next month using the new rudder wings, if all the teams agree.

“We want them back on the water for the event,” Dalton said. Such an agreement, though, may not be simple.

After Luna Rossa made its first appearance of the regatta Thursday and picked up a point in a solo sail – because Artemis wasn’t ready – skipper Max Sirena said his team hasn’t decided whether to cut Artemis some slack.

“We built our boat under the original class rule,” he said. “I don’t understand why other people don’t respect that (rule). You should ask the other team.” Cayard could not be reached for comment Thursday.