America’s Cup hopefuls come forward

Two new challenges for the next America’s Cup in 2013 have been received on the first day of an entry window which extends until 31 March next year.

The Italian Mascalzone Latino team, which is the Challenger of Record with whom the rules governing the next event, to be raced in 72-foot wing sail catamarans, was already an official challenger.

The America’s Cup Race Management organisation said it was withholding the names of the two new teams, though one is expected to be Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis group, based in Sweden, managed by the American Paul Cayard and joined by another American, Terry Hutchinson.

ACRM chief executive Iain Murray said that the names of the teams would be released by the teams themselves after verification had been completed. Artemis is expected to hold a press conference in Stockholm on 8 November.

Murray also confirmed that the team which won the Cup in Valencia in February, the San Francisco-based BMW Oracle, had entered. There have been hopes expressed by BMWOR that there may be a second defence syndicate.

One incentive to enter early is that the order of challenging will also be the order in which deliveries are made of the boat to be used for America’s Cup regattas next year, a 45-foot wing sail catamaran being built north of Auckland, New Zealand.

Twenty-four hours into the Route du Rhum singlehanded race from St. Malo to Guadeloupe, three of the top four big multihulls, Franck Cammas in Groupama, Francis Joyon in Idec and Thomas Coville in Sodebo, have been heading south at high speed. Sidney Gavignet in Oman Air Majan has taken a westerly route.