Good luck Team New Zealand
America’s Cup crunch time
The departure of a leading electronics consultant from the America’s Cup measurement committee has raised concerns of an “expertise gap” in the pool of officials charged with ensuring the competing yachts comply with class rules.
The rapid development of technology in the 50ft foiling catamarans sailed in this America’s Cup has seen the measurement committee’s resources extended to include specialist consultants in the area of electronics, hydraulics and control systems.
Electronics expert Wayne Meretsky is understood to have last week walked out on his role.
There is no suggestion there is anything sinister behind Meretsky’s departure, but it has led to fears the rules around the complex control systems in the boats could be open to exploitation.
Iain Murray, who heads America’s Cup Race Management, admitted the measurement committee had had difficulties with Meretsky.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush, there is a little bit of tension there, but it was nothing to do with a measurement issue, it was more a personality thing,” Murray said. “It was nothing to do with a measurement issue, Meretsky is there and if we need him he’ll come back.”
Murray said the electronics expert had not resigned, he had simply left, but he pointed out none of the consultants have been based in Bermuda fulltime during the Cup period.
“These guys come and go. The other consultants aren’t here at the moment either,” Murray said. “They come in and do the systems checks. They came in in April, they came back in May.
“All the consultants have now gone, and then they come back when they are required for the particular job, because they’re expensive guys.
“We expect to have them back at the Cup period time.”
Murray insisted the departure would not leave the committee short on expertise, with a marine electronics guru from New Zealand hired to add to the brain power at the disposal of the committee.
Their job is to double check the work of the measurement committee.
“There’s a whole range of things that they’re checking.
“They check the boats initially to make sure they’re doing what they’re doing, then they do a final check to make sure they’re good before racing.
“He [Meretsky] had been involved through the earlier stages — the boats were only launched in February, so it’s not been long.
“First and foremost once the boats are checked and the competitors are satisfied that everyone is playing the game on an equal footing and there’s no mischief going on in that area. So we will do what is required to make sure that’s okay.”
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