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COR 36 | Borlenghi study
The duel between the New Zealand team and the United Kingdom in the Solent certainly has some appeal.
OPINION: The New Zealand team should take up the gift writing challenge to put the America’s Cup on the line in Great Britain next year.
It’s a win-win situation, even if they lose to Sir Ben Ainslie’s Team UK.
The will of the British to defend the Auld Mug in Auckland in 2024 if they manage to beat the Kiwis at Cowes, makes this a no-brainer.
Sir Ben Ainslie expresses his anger at the snub at the British team’s press conference following their defeat in the Prada Cup.
When the concept was first discussed, I thought it was exciting, simply because of the romance of bringing the Auld Mug back to the place where it all began in 1851, especially if the race around the Isle of Wight could really be replicated.
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It sounded like an event the world would sit down and take notice of because of all the history that surrounds it and these radical AC75s that bring a truly modern link to the roots of the sport’s oldest trophy.
But the more deeply you consider the idea, the more logical you will find.
The biggest problem with the America’s Cup is its constant loss of momentum. The aftermath of Auckland 2021 is already feeling it. The party is over, and it’s a long wait until 2024, just when sailing had focus and fascination filling its sails.
Getting a significant event to form an interlude is gold, especially for the New Zealand team.
The biggest problem that they regularly face exactly in these moments after the race is how to survive?
A gift writing challenge offers them the opportunity to marry finance with quirkiness in Britain, an easy sell for someone with the knack of knocking on Grant Dalton’s door.
Without knowing the details of other juicy offers in the future, this seems like a gift-wrapped opportunity.
The America’s Cup is always a game of risk and reward.
For something this exciting and potentially profitable on this scale, the rewards seem to outweigh the risks. Even in defeat, there could be great benefits.
Returning to Auckland 2024 to join the challenging fleet would not be the worst thing for the New Zealand team in commercial terms alone.
Dave Rowland / Getty Images
The New Zealand team’s commercial strength has surely multiplied thanks to its latest America’s Cup success.
A summer of consistent racing allows for much more exposure than the 10 races they were recently limited to in their Copa America win against Luna Rossa.
The reality is that it would take a lot of effort for the Brits to beat design expert Team New Zealand in the Solent anyway, especially if the Kiwis can train for the right time in those foreign waters, as they will surely insist.
Landing a hit like this could be the hardest task given the complaints from his other current rivals at American Magic and Luna Rossa, who see a gift writing challenge as a step back and one that could take the Auld Mug onto the courts.
I’m not a lawyer, but a basic look at the two nasty donation fact challenges in 1988 and 2010 came when races were imposed on the defender by two smart opponents who exploited loopholes for exclusive opportunities.
An advocate who voluntarily accepts a gift writing challenge appears to be another matter in a contest in which the America’s Cup holder is the big boss.
Be brave, be bold … it’s time for the settlers to conquer the old world.
Take the Cup on tour, I say.
COR 36 | Borlenghi study
Si Jim Ratcliffe, central defender with his UK team, continues to support Great Britain’s attempts to win the America’s Cup.
