America's Cup: Royal Yacht Squadron confirmed as Challenger of Record
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 19 Oct 15:22 PDT
The Castle - base of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, Isle of Wight - June 2019 © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com
The Royal Yacht Squadron has confirmed that it lodged a Notice of Challenge for the America's Cup, and the Cowes based club will be the Challenger of Record for the 38th Match.
"We've put in another challenge for the 38th America's Cup, and that challenge has been accepted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron," said Bertie Bicket, a Director of Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, after RNZYS had successfully conducted its Defence of the 173 year old trophy.
The Challenge was made as soon as the RNZYS Defender Taihoro crossed the finish line to win its seventh race in the best of 13 race series, off Barcelona on Saturday afternoon.
"Over the last three and a half years, we had a great relationship with Emirates Team New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and we collectively felt that we that we could work together going forward in the future," Bicket said.
"We have ideas about further developments within the Cup, we really want to push and keep the Women's America's Cup event and the Youth America's Cup event."
Bicket added that personally he would like to see female sailors on the Cup boats. "It's by no means out of out of reach at all."
"We have a lot of common objectives that we want to work together with, and hopefully we'll, over the coming months, we will produce a new Protocol," Bicket said.
As Challenger of Record the Royal Yacht Squadron has the exclusive right to negotiate the terms of the next Match with the Defender. The Challenger of Record also has the right of approval on any changes made to the Protocol, or conditions of the Match after they have been agreed.
The downside is that no Challenger of Record has ever gone on to win the America's Cup.
Bicket said that when the RYS team, INEOS Britannia won the Louis Vuitton Cup it felt like the club was back in the America's Cup. "It was surprisingly emotional for everyone," he said. "It really was 173 years of somebody not giving us our ball back. It's pretty painful. And just to see the progression over the last three Cups, Bermuda, followed by Auckland, and then this Cup, if we keep going, we're going to get there eventually. And so it means a lot."
"I think that it's so good for British sailing, and for British sport in general."
INEOS Britannia backer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe also confirmed to America's Cup Media that INEOS would continue to back the British America's Cup team.
"We have to have another go," Ratcliffe said.
"I think it's the trajectory that was benchmark. "It's quite a big decision, obviously, to make, because it's a big financial commitment. But is a lot of personal energy that you have to put into it. We moving forward, at a rate that we're comfortable with."
"I think we've made enormous gains over, AC36 [in Auckland in 2021], if we carry on at that rate, we'll be in we've been an interesting place for the next America's Cup. At the end of the day day, we're only here to win the America's Cup. There's no prize for coming second."
Skipper and Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie confirmed Ratcliffe and INEOS' ongoing involvement.
"Jim's got on the boat, he told America's Cup Media. "He and INEOS have been incredible backers now for last two campaigns. I know he wants to stay involved with the team. "We've got to figure out just what that looks like," the 2013 America's Cup champion explained.
"As always with the America's Cup, it's a little bit of unknown as to what the next journey looks like in terms of the event, where it is, and when it is. There is so much to figure out.
"But for sure, Jim and INEOS are keen to support that. And, maybe we've got to find some other backers to come in and help take this team to the next level.
"Each time we do it, we're getting closer. So next time, we've got to go for the big one."
Ainslie was relaxed about his future role with the sailing team and whether he would stay as a helmsman.
"It's not really about me, it's about the team and what is right for the team," he said. "I'm committed to taking this team forward on that journey to win the Cup. That's all I know right now, and we'll figure out a rest when the time is right," he added.
Former co-helmsman, and now Head Of Sailing, for INEOS Britannia, Giles Scott is also keen to stay involved with the British team. "I certainly want to be involved in this team and future America's Cups. It's been a it's been a journey. I think we all did a very good job here."
"I'm very proud of what the team's put together. I think all of us here are," Scott said.
"It's been a long road of racing, but there's been a lot that's gone on before that over the past three, four years. I think as a team and as a unit, we put a good campaign together here, but we fell short the last hurdle."
From this America's Cup, Scott will be moving back into a helming and skipper's role, with Canada SailGP team. His departure from Ben Ainslie's Emirates GBR SailGP team was announced just 10 days before the start of the America's Cup Match.