New York, New York – 4/4/2022 – by The Boating Chronicle – In an April 1 radio interview, Sir Humphrey Michael Gerard Fay, one of the ten richest men in New Zealand, strongly reacted to New Zealand’s loss of the 37th America’s Cup to Barcelona, Spain. In the interview, Sir Michael said that The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron had failed the country by letting the defense of the America’s Cup go to Barcelona. He made the comments on Checkpoint, Radio New Zealand’s weekday drive-time news program hosted by Lisa Owen.
Who has the control, the sponsoring club or an individual?
The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest sporting event, starting long before the Olympics. Racing teams are sponsored by the sailing clubs of each nation. As Sir Michael pointed out in the interview, the America’s Cup set up a structure under a deed of gift so that a yacht club always had to have control of the competition, not an individual.
He objected to the sight of Grant Dalton being photographed with the America’s Cup in Barcelona. Sir Michael said that as far as he is concerned, it should be still in a cupboard at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron until it is challenged successfully. He added, “We’re seeing a bad development, I think for America’s Cup in the future.”
More reactions
On April 3, Scuttlebutt Sailing News published in the US posted the below feature article. We are sharing parts of it below.
America’s Cup: Pull out the smelling salts
The America’s Cup is relevant because of its history, but maybe nobody noticed how recent chapters have been rewriting the book. Notably, how teams have been representing a club of their country, which remains a requirement of the event. Functionally, however, clubs have become nearly irrelevant.
Where once clubs were in charge of their team, the tail has been wagging the dog for some time, with teams now fully in control of their destiny, and while each team may still promote their country, that is only when convenient, required, or has a purpose.
And now, as the world comes to grips with the New Zealand defender taking the trophy to Spain for the 37th edition, Kiwi commentator Andrew Dickens of NewstalkZB pulls out the smelling salts…
4/1/2022 – America’s Cup blamestorming begins, but Barcelona offers best chance of Cup recovery
4/3/2022 – Phil Goff, Auckland Mayor & An opinion article by Tim Beveridge: Stop whinging over America’s Cup Barcelona announcement
4/4/2022 – Opportunity to board America’s Cup waka
More on the America’s Cup
- Barcelona to host 37th America’s Cup in 2024
- 3/29/2022 official press release of American Magic, prospective U.S. Challenger for the 37th America’s Cup.
- 36th America’s Cup and the history of the Cup
- Everything you need to know about the 36th America’s Cup. Follow the build-up to the 37th America’s Cup as the teams prepare to fight it out for the oldest sporting trophy in the world.
Cover photo: (L to R) Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona. Pere Aragonés, President of the Government of Catalonia and Grant Dalton, America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand CEO.
