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Artemis Racing has announced it is moving forward with its challenge for the America’s Cup. The team’s continued participation had been in doubt following a tragic capsize that led to the death of a crew member last month.

The Swedish challenger has confirmed it is now preparing its second AC72, which will undergo a rigorous testing regime. When the sailing team is satisfied that the boat is ready to race, it will join the Louis Vuitton Cup, America’s Cup Challenger Series.

“Artemis Racing’s decision to continue will inspire race fans,” said Stephen Barclay, the CEO of the America’s Cup Event Authority. “I’m sure we’ll see massive support and goodwill for the Swedish team.

Paul Cayard, the CEO of Artemis Racing: “We are working around-the-clock to get our new boat ready, in the water and to prepare our team to race. We still have a mountain to climb, but our plan is to launch our new boat in early July and get ourselves in a position where we can race by the end of the month.”

“Learning that Artemis Racing is focused on getting to the start line is truly great news,” Barclay said. “I don’t think we can expect them to be ready for the first races but I’m certain the America’s Cup community will support them in every way possible.”

Prior to this announcement and following confirmation from Artemis Racing that it intends to continue on 6/6/13, Regatta Director Iain Murray updated the schedule to reflect one of the Safety Recommendations developed after the capsize, reducing the number of preliminary rounds to five from seven. This safety recommendation is what the teams wanted for a safer challenge with more time for maintenance between races.

The Summer of Racing kicks off with an opening ceremony on July 4, followed by a fleet race with the Defender and challengers on July 5. The first race day of the Louis Vuitton Cup, America’s Cup Challenger Series, remains July 7.
America’s Cup: Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand, June 6 2013, training on the San Francisco Bay Courtesy of John Navas, videographer

Great news about Artemis Racing from our friends at KTVU, Channel 2 6/6/13: “A good day to get back out on San Francisco Bay, sailing the foiling AC45,” the Artemis team tweeted. And the Cup holders welcomed their presence: “Great to see Artemis Racing back out on San Francisco Bay this week,” responded Oracle Team USA.

By Mary Lou Thiercof|2013-06-08T08:10:27-07:00June 6th, 2013|0 Comments

Impressionists on the Water, an exhibition organized in conjunction with the America’s Cup summer races on the San Francisco Bay, opens at the Legion of Honor, 100 34th Ave. in San Francisco on June 1 and runs through Oct. 13, 2013.

Visit the Legion of Honor, a gift of Alma de Bretteville Spreckel to the city of San Francisco, and view the artistic side of sailing in a collection of Impressionist and post impressionist paintings. Sailing played a significant rolein the lives of artists such as Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Denis and Signac.

Learn more. 415- 750-3600.  Go behind the scenes and watch the building of the exhibit!

By Mary Lou Thiercof|2013-06-20T18:34:20-07:00June 6th, 2013|0 Comments

America’s Cup: Best of Tchaikovsky with the San Francisco Symphony

Nicola Benedetti will play at America’s Cup Pavilion Sat., July 20.

26 yr. old Scottish solo violinist (prodigy at age four) Nicola Benedetti, will play with the San Francisco Symphony at the America’s Cup Pavilion, a new 9,000 seat waterfront venue on Sat., July 20.

Courtesy of SF Symphony

Among all the pop concerts booked from Imagine Dragons to Sting to Train, Steve Miller Band and more, Nicola and the San Francisco Symphony have the distinction of bringing the first classical music concert to the venue. They will perform a heartwarming program from Tchaikovsky’s work including the waltz from Sleeping Beauty, the beautiful Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture and the well-known Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.

Hear Nicola: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

The America’s Cup Pavilion opened on Fri., May 31when indie-icons Imagine Dragons performed the first of a series of summer concerts in a sold-out show at the new waterfront venue on the Embarcadero, located in the America’s Cup Park at Piers 27/29 in San Francisco. The America’s Cup Pavilion and Concert Series hopefully will encourage more people to become engaged in the America’s Cup Summer of Racing. The Pavilion will also be a gathering place on race days for visitor to watch the races on large screens.View the entire concert series artists.

By Mary Lou Thiercof|2013-06-02T16:42:46-07:00May 29th, 2013|0 Comments

America’s Cup announces 37 Safety Specifications and the AC72s are back on the water

Wed., May 22, the America’s Cup organizers announced 37 safety rules for the continuance of the 34^th annual America’s Cup challenge. Among the 37 recommendations, the maximum winds speeds for the racing events were reduced from 33 knots to 23 knots with a flexible start time, additional body armor and hands-free breathing devices were suggested, as well as crew locator devices. The full list can be viewed on the America’s Cup website.

Shortly after the announcement, at midnight, the moratorium on practicing on the Bay was lifted and three of the AC72s were out on a fairly peaceful San Francisco Bay with winds about 12 -16 knots on Thurs., May 23. Cup Defender Oracle USA, and Challengers Luna Rossa Challenge and Emirates Team New Zealand took to the water to stretch their sea legs or wings. Take a look (video). View photos.

By Mary Lou Thiercof|2013-05-29T18:45:24-07:00May 29th, 2013|0 Comments

America’s Cup Races are on with Appointed Review Committee

Tom Ehman, Golden Gate Yacht Club Vice Commodore, and other organizers of the America’s Cup races announced today that the races will continue this summer with the addition of a special sailing and safety review committee at the helm.

News from the America’s Cup website:

America’s Cup organizers have confirmed that this summer’s events remain on track.

In parallel with completing the final arrangements for the America’s Cup, a highly experienced panel of sailing and safety at sea experts has been appointed and charged with reviewing the training and racing of AC72 yachts in the 2013 America’s Cup.

The Review Committee will make its recommendations following the loss of Artemis Racing crew member Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson (GBR) in a training accident on San Francisco Bay on Thursday of last week.

Members of the Committee – download bios here – have strong backgrounds in the sport at its highest levels as well as involvement in other reviews where an incident at sea has claimed the life of a competitor.

Iain Murray, the Regatta Director, will chair and lead the Review Committee comprised of:

Iain Murray (AUS, Chair)
Sally Lindsay Honey (USA, Deputy Chair)
John Craig (USA)
Chuck Hawley (USA)
Vincent Lauriot-Prévost (FRA)
Jim Farmer QC (NZL)
The U.S. Coast Guard supports this approach and will assist as appropriate. Lt. Jon Lane, with 26 years in the Coast Guard and 10 years experience as a marine casualty investigator will serve as liaison.

Tom Ehman, the Vice Commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club (the America’s Cup Trustee), said, “The America’s Cup will go ahead this summer. We will see the world’s best sailors racing at the highest level on one of the most iconic race tracks in sport.”

With regard to the Review, Ehman added: “The Committee brings immense experience and expertise to this Review. At a meeting in San Francisco this morning, the teams expressed unanimous support for this Committee and this process.”

The Review Committee will report as soon as possible, given that racing starts in seven weeks.

America’s Cup Website

By Mary Lou Thiercof|2013-05-14T23:30:06-07:00May 14th, 2013|0 Comments