America’s Cup: Royal Yacht Squadron Confirmed as Challenger of Record
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 19 Oct 13:24 PDT
The Castle – headquarters of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, Isle of Wight – June 2019 © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com
The Royal Yacht Squadron has announced that it has submitted a Notice of Challenge for the America’s Cup, and the Cowes-based club will serve as the Challenger of Record for the upcoming 38th Match.
“We’ve submitted another challenge for the 38th America’s Cup, which has been accepted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron,” stated Bertie Bicket, a Director of Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, after RNZYS successfully completed its Defense of the 173-year-old trophy.
The Challenge was initiated immediately after the RNZYS Defender Taihoro crossed the finish line to secure its seventh win in the best-of-13 race series off Barcelona on Saturday afternoon.
“Over the past three and a half years, we’ve had a strong relationship with Emirates Team New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and we collectively believe we can collaborate effectively in the future,” Bicket mentioned.
“We are considering new developments within the Cup, and we are eager to promote and maintain the Women’s America’s Cup event and the Youth America’s Cup event.”
Bicket also expressed his personal wish to see female sailors on the Cup boats, emphasizing, “It’s not out of reach at all.”
“We share many common goals, and we hope to form a new Protocol in the coming months,” Bicket remarked.
As the Challenger of Record, the Royal Yacht Squadron holds the exclusive right to negotiate Match conditions with the Defender. Additionally, the Challenger of Record can approve any modifications made to the Protocol or Match conditions after these have been established.
However, historically, no Challenger of Record has ever gone on to win the America’s Cup.
Bicket stated that the RYS team, INEOS Britannia, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup felt like a significant return for the club to the America’s Cup. “It was surprisingly emotional for everyone,” he shared. “It’s about 173 years of someone not returning our ball. It’s painful. Observing the progress through the last three Cups—Bermuda, followed by Auckland, and then this Cup—if we keep advancing, we will succeed eventually. It means a lot.”
“I believe this is extremely beneficial for British sailing and British sports in general.”
INEOS Britannia supporter, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, also confirmed to America’s Cup Media that his company would continue to support the British America’s Cup team.
“We have to have another shot,” Ratcliffe asserted.
“I see the trajectory as something to benchmark. It’s a significant decision, obviously, given the financial commitment involved. However, it’s also about the personal energy one has to invest. We are progressing at a comfortable pace.”
“We believe we’ve made remarkable progress since AC36 [in Auckland 2021]; if we keep this momentum, we’ll be in an exciting position for the next America’s Cup. Ultimately, we are here to win the America’s Cup; there’s no honor in coming second.”
Skipper and Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie confirmed Ratcliffe’s and INEOS’ ongoing involvement.
“Jim’s onboard,” he told America’s Cup Media. “He and INEOS have been outstanding supporters throughout the last two campaigns. I know he wants to remain with the team. We need to determine what that looks like,” explained the 2013 America’s Cup champion.
“As is always the case with the America’s Cup, there’s some uncertainty regarding the upcoming journey, in terms of the event, its location, and timing. There are many details to work out.
“However, I can assure you that Jim and INEOS are eager to support this endeavor. We may need to find additional sponsors to help elevate this team to the next level.
“With each attempt, we are getting closer. Next time, we really need to aim for the top.”
Ainslie felt comfortable about his future role with the sailing team and whether he would continue as a helmsman.
“It’s not just about me; it’s about the team and what’s right for them,” he stated. “I’m dedicated to guiding this team forward in its pursuit of winning the Cup. That’s all I know at this moment; we’ll iron out the rest when the time is appropriate,” he concluded.
