UK, US get edgy over America’s Cup plans

British America’s Cup challenger Team UK are growing concerned at a lack of certainty around their ability to enter New Zealand to prepare for the regatta.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to squeeze yachting’s biggest spectacle with warmup races set for Auckland in December ahead of the Prada Cup challenger series in January and February with the winner of that to meet Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup match in March.

Time is ticking away with teams needing to be in New Zealand to complete building their bases and start training. They also need to get their two boats to

Auckland from the other side of the world.

The issues were raised with INEOS Team UK CEO Grant Simmer

in a Zoom interview with leading Australian yachting commentator, Peter Shipway at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

‘‘Dalts [Team NZ supremo Grant Dalton] and his team have consistently said, ‘we want to hold the cup on schedule’. The New Zealand government have been quite silent on that which is frustrating to ourselves, the Americans and the Italians. They haven’t come out and said that it is definitely on,’’ said Simmer, an Australian with vast America’s Cup experience.

‘‘The Australians in the teams don’t need a work visa to work in New Zealand, but they [the NZ Government] haven’t told us they are going to give us [nonaustralian team members] work visas. So we don’t know when we can enter New Zealand.

‘‘We need to get a forward party of people there to get the base set up and to start things happening. All governments have more important things on their plate than the America’s Cup.

‘‘But we are hoping they could spend a moment to give us an indication that tells us when our work visas can be processed, and we can get into New Zealand.’’

Currently, only New Zealand residents are allowed into the country. America’s Cup teams will need dispensation if those rules aren’t relaxed.

The British concerns are echoed by American Magic, the powerful syndicate backed by the New York Yacht Club. They have already gambled by sending their first AC75 Defiant to New Zealand. It is currently on a container ship bound for Auckland.

‘‘They’re hanging it out there,’’ Simmer said of American Magic’s early move that leaves them with no AC75 to train on in the US summer.

‘‘They [the US team] are getting a bit sh...y with the Kiwis. But we’re playing a competitive game, and I don’t think the Kiwis are in any hurry to tell us when those visas are going to be issued and when in fact we can go to New Zealand.’’

Italian Challenger of Record Luna Rossa have indicated they will continue training in Sardinia with an eye on an October arrival in Auckland.