America's Cup: Oracle to assist newest rival

Oracle Team USA leading Emirates Team New Zealand, in Race 16 of the America's Cup, on San Francisco Bay, United States of America. Photo / Brett Phibbs.

America's Cup defenders Oracle Team USA will be assisting their newest rival for the 2017 event.

Cup officials today confirmed the acceptance of a Japanese entry for the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda. The new syndicate, SoftBank Team Japan, will sail under the banner of Kansai Yacht Club and will be headed by Kazuhiko Sofuku, a veteran of four previous America's Cup campaigns.

"To lead a Japanese challenge for the America's Cup is a dream come true," said Sofuku, who last raced with a Japanese team for the Cup 15 years ago as bowman for Nippon Challenge during the 1999/2000 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series.

"This is a great opportunity for Japan and for Japanese sailors to get back into the America's Cup game. We are planning to build up our team using America's Cup World Series events to recruit and train Japanese sailors for our crew."

Axed Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker has been linked with a Japanese challenge since the prospect of new syndicate joining the America's Cup race was first floated, but there was no word today on who would be at the helm.

With the official entry deadline for the next event having long passed, Cup officials have apparently bent their own rules to allow the late entry as they seek to boost numbers for the next event.

Even defenders Oracle are bending over backwards to get a new challenger on board, providing the Japanese team with "a base level of technical assistance" as it prepares for the 2015 America's Cup World Series events.

"SoftBank Team Japan is a very positive addition to the America's Cup," said commercial commissioner Harvey Schiller. "The Japanese challenge will increase interest in the America's Cup across Asia which is good news for all of our teams and partners."