Italians' exit huge blow for Team NZ

Team NZ and Luna Rossa believe the decision to reduce boat size should have been a unanimous one. Photo / Greg Bowker

Departure puts defenders in good position to push through more rule changes.

Luna Rossa's shock withdrawal from the 35th America's Cup leaves Team New Zealand without an ally at the bargaining table as organisers prepare to make further changes to the rules governing the next event.

The Italian challengers pulled out of the event yesterday in protest at a vote to reduce the size of the catamarans to be raced in the 2017 Cup match.

Luna Rossa had indicated before the vote took place that the team would walk away if the America's Cup Events Authority (ACEA) forged ahead with plans to rewrite the class rule, but this was dismissed in many circles as posturing.

However, the Italian team, who have been involved with the America's Cup for more than 15 years, stayed true to their threats.

In a statement Luna Rossa said it considered the procedure adopted by the ACEA to introduce the changes to the class rule to be "illegitimate ... and founded on an evident abuse of process".

The changes were able to be pushed through after Luna Rossa agreed to change the old system from one needing unanimous support to one which needs only a majority.

But the Italians, with Emirates Team New Zealand, believed a change of this magnitude should not have been made without unanimous agreement.

"This is an attempt to introduce boats that are substantially monotypes and in total contrast with the ultra-centennial tradition of the America's Cup, not to mention a two-month extension period to introduce further modifications to the rules, decided by the majority.

"All of the above contributes to a lack of credibility and uncertain technical grounds for what should instead be the most sophisticated sailing competition in the world."

The prospect of further changes being made to the protocol without the requirement of unanimous consent will be of huge concern to Team NZ, who are already locked in a battle with America's Cup authorities over the decision to ditch Auckland as the venue for the qualifying series in early 2017.

As Team NZ noted in a statement responding to the withdrawal of Luna Rossa, the Italian and Kiwi teams were "great friends" and "close allies". All the remaining competitors appear closely aligned with Oracle Team USA, putting the defenders in a strong position to push through any more amendments to the rules.

British sailor Ben Ainslie is now in charge of his own self-titled syndicate and has been vocal in his support for the changes introduced by the organisers.

Swedish-flagged challenger Artemis also have a close working relationship with the defenders, having served as challenger of record in the last America's Cup cycle.

The French challenge had voted in favour of the changes, but still has not been able to announce funding for 2017, so the only two certain challenges are the Brits and Artemis, led by Ainslie's friend, rival and fellow Olympic gold medallist Iain Percy.

Luna Rossa said it had considered lodging a protest over the rule changes with the America's Cup arbitration panel, however it noted that "10 months after signing the Protocol, the defender is only now initiating the first formal procedures to compose this important body".

"This fact contributes to making the entire governance of the event even less credible and reliable."

Luna Rossa team principal Patrizio Bertelli said he was deeply saddened to say goodbye to the America's Cup.

Grant Dalton, managing director of Team NZ. Photo / Chris Cameron

Answers on the America's Cup row

Dana Johannsen examines the main points in the latest Cup flare-up.

Why has the America's Cup Events Authority pulled the pin on the Auckland regatta?
The other teams just don't want to come to New Zealand. Don't take it personally - it's not us, it's them. The costs of coming down here and setting up camp are so prohibitive, many were considering just paying the $1 million event forfeiture fee and heading straight to Bermuda.

Is all hope lost of Auckland being reinstated as the venue for the qualifiers?
Team NZ have lodged an appeal with the America's Cup arbitration panel, claiming the ACEA has breached a signed agreement and its protocol obligations by discarding Auckland. However, the protocol also allows the ACEA to select an alternative host venue "if for any reason it becomes impossible or infeasible or uneconomic ... to hold the whole or any part of the America's Cup qualifiers".

Will it be the end of Team NZ if their appeal is unsuccessful?
No. While Team NZ's bid for Government funding hinges on securing the hosting rights for the qualifiers, the Government was only expected to contribute $5 million-$10 million to Team NZ's next campaign so the potential loss of that funding will likely be offset by savings made by the reduction in boat size.

Why are Luna Rossa so unhappy with the changes?
When the original protocol was published in June last year, several challengers questioned Oracle's assertion they would make the event more viable for commercially funded teams. The initial challenger of record, Team Australia, then withdrew citing spiralling costs. Still the ACEA did nothing. So for organisers to turn around and make fundamental changes to the next event now the teams are well-advanced with their planning is frustrating. But Luna Rossa appear more dismayed at the way the change has been brought about.

The Italians have accused the defenders of "surreptitious use of procedures to modify the Protocol in order to overturn the class rule" and believe such a fundamental change can only be made by unanimous consent.

Are the defenders deliberately messing the teams about or are they just disorganised?
If all the chopping and changing of the rules is a deliberate ploy by Oracle, it's a bad one. So far it has cost them one challenger and a whole lot of goodwill.

How different will these new boats be to the class rule originally planned?
The new AC48 class - a 48ft wingsail, foiling catamaran - is 4.2m smaller in hull length than the original AC62 class rule, so it will be much closer in size and scale to the one-design AC45 catamarans the teams sail on the world series circuit.

Will the smaller boats be as spectacular as the AC72s?
Apparently so. Initial testing from Oracle and Artemis in their lighter, wider, more powerful and more sophisticated 45-footers, or "turbos", suggests the AC48s will be even faster than the AC72s. The smaller, more nimble boats will also allow for more close-quarter maneuvering and fast-paced tactics.

How many more syndicates are expected to sign up?
There has been talk of interest from a couple of Asian teams, but there are few firm details to back this up. A statement from the ACEA announcing the new cost-saving measures also included a quote from Olympic medallist Roland Gaebler, who has been working to establish a German challenge. "My focus had been on the next America's Cup but with these changes we may be able to accelerate that," he said.

Does this open up the possibility of Dean Barker being involved in the next America's Cup?
Yes, if these teams do get off the ground they will be on the hunt for a top-class helmsman, and you can imagine Dean Barker would be at the top of their list.