America's Cup Will Continue

AC officials confirm that event will go ahead this summer and announce the members of the review committee following last week’s tragedy

At a press conference in San Francisco on Tuesday (14 May) America's Cup regatta director Iain Murray and Vice Commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club Tom Ehman confirmed that the 34th America's Cup would proceed as planned.

"The America's Cup remains on track and will take place this summer," said Ehman before continuing to say that the organisers have, "every reason to believe that all four teams will be racing."

The announcement came after AC34 Regatta Director Iain Murray had chaired a meeting of all four teams earlier in the day to outline the plans following last week's tragic accident and to announce the names of the review committee. There was ‘unanimous support' from the teams he said.

The committee includes:
- Iain Murray (AUS, Chair) - Regatta Director 34th America's Cup
- Sally Lindsay Honey (USA, Deputy Chair) - US Sailing's Safety at Sea Committee
- John Craig (USA)- Principal Race Officer for the 34th America's Cup
- Chuck Hawley (USA) - Chairman of US Sailing's Safety at Sea Committee
- Vincent Lauriot-Prévost (FRA) - Chairman of US Sailing's Safety at Sea Committee
- James Farmer QC (NZL)

Tom Ehman confirmed that the committee also has the U.S. Coast Guard's support and will be assisting by providing Lt. Jon Lane, with 26 years in the Coast Guard and 10 years experience as a marine casualty investigator, as a liaison.

In answering questions about the time frame for publication of the report Murray said, "Obviously time is of the essence here, but then again we don't want to be pressured into making decisions or recommendations effected by time. The mission is to look after the safety of the racing crews. There are a number of investigations and other reviews going on and we will try to work to the same timetable as the San Francisco Police Department."

Murray did however state that he expected that there would be ‘something significant to talk about within a couple of weeks.'

When asked about the current mood within the teams Murray said, "The teams are very subdued. There's a lot of emotion particularly from the sailors. It's a tight knit community and everyone is united. We need to focus our effort not on performance, but on making this a better place to be."

Ehman continued by saying that there was, ‘no discussion whatsoever about calling the event off.'

However, Iain Murray did confirm that if there were less than the three planned challengers then the Louis Vuitton Cup may have to change.

"If Artemis or any other team would withdraw from the competition we would have to reassess the preliminary rounds. Obviously it is very hard to have a semi final with just two boats. With the Round Robin dancing between two boats would mean that we would need a different programme to what we have."

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