Fuente info ninemsn
Australian hopes remain for America's Cup
Adrian Warren
21:48 AEST Thu Jun 16 2011
The Team Yachting Australia syndicate insist their challenge for the 2013 America's Cup is alive, despite them not being named among the latest lineup of competitors.
The list of challengers announced at a press conference in the host city of San Francisco included two teams from France plus representatives from China, Italy, New Zealand, South Korea, Sweden and the United States.
But TYA spokesperson Peter Baker, who was in San Francisco, was adamant their America's Cup campaign would proceed.
Baker said TYA had not by last Friday received an endorsement from Yachting Australia which they required in order to get a number from the Australian Sports Foundation, that would allow donors to their campaign to claim tax deductibility.
Without that in place, TYA didn't put a deposit on a new AC45 boat, which they will need to contest the inaugural America's Cup World Series, the first part of the leadup to the 2013 America's Cup.
Baker felt YA had not responded quickly enough to their request for endorsement and they had insufficient time to prepare new documents after being asked by YA to change the name of the syndicate.
YA directors expressed some concern about the TYA name, believing it was too similar to their own organisation.
YA chief executive officer Phil Jones said his organisation hadn't been aware the syndicate was operating under the Team Yachting Australia name until a media release containing it went out on May 28 and that their first meeting with Baker was not until June 2.
Both parties were adamant TYA America's Cup campaign could still continue.
Baker said he hoped to get the outstanding issues resolved within a fortnight and purchase a new AC45 in time for the third leg of the World Series in San Diego in November.
"It hasn't stopped our (America's Cup) challenge," Baker told AAP from San Francisco.
"It just means we are not getting the experience and the benefits of sailing the 45s, which are the mini versions of the 72s (the boat to be used in the 2013 America's Cup)."
Jones said YA was issuing an endorsement on the provisos TYA changed their name and supplied their business plan and other documents that would confirm their credentials.
"We've written to Peter (Baker) today and said we don't think by any means this (TYA's America's Cup) campaign is over," Jones told AAP.
"And suggested we discuss this when he gets back into Australia, how we move this forward and get a boat in the America's Cup.
"We certainly don't want to stand in their way. We want to actively encourage this and we are obviously very keen to see it happen."
Sydney is a potential venue for a World Series leg next January, though the 2012 venues have yet to be announced.
