Hulls bells! Luna Rossa quit cup

Luna Rossa followed through with its threat to pull out of the 2017 America’s Cup on Friday, and blasted decisions by the organisers that the Italian challenger called unprecedented and illegitimate.

Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand voted on Wednesday against reducing the size of the catamarans for the second time in less than a year.

However, both teams were overruled by a majority of teams, led by two-time defending champion Oracle Team USA. The other challengers were Artemis Racing of Sweden, Ben Ainslie Racing of Britain, and Team France.

The America’s Cup class rules could only be changed by unanimous consent, but Oracle Team USA last week led an amendment to change the class rule to a majority vote.

Luna Rossa said before the vote ‘‘it will be obliged to withdraw’’ if the rules were disrespected, and it was backed by Team New Zealand. Luna Rossa has been one of the strongest challengers since 2000, when it reached the America’s Cup match before being swept in five races by Team New Zealand.

‘‘Team Luna Rossa indeed considers illegitimate the procedure adopted and founded on an evident abuse of process by surreptitious use of procedures to modify the protocol in order to overturn the class rule, which instead requires the unanimity of the teams entered. This is an attempt to introduce boats that are substan- tially monotypes and in total contrast with the ultra-centennial tradition of the America’s Cup, not to mention a two-month extension period to introduce further modifications to the rules, decided by the majority.’’

The 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco was raced in 22-metre cats. Last June, the teams unanimously agreed to reduce the boats to 19m. Now, the boats are down to 14.5m for the 2017 regatta in Bermuda.

‘‘Today is a sad day for the America’s Cup,’’ Oracle rival Alinghi said. ‘‘Luna Rossa are a team of passion, skill and determination – all the qualities needed in this great competition. They inspired us to compete in 2000, and to win. The cup is diminished without you, our friends.’’

Team New Zealand, which also has sparred with Oracle Team USA, said it was ‘‘deeply saddened’’ by the withdrawal by Luna Rossa, ‘‘one of the most established, respected and admired brands in the history of the event.’’ Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton said the continued action of the America’s Cup Event Authority ‘‘sends a clear and unmistakable message that the self-serving manoeuvering of rules within sports’ oldest trophy has consequences for not only the America’s Cup but also all of sailing.’’

America’s Cup official Harvey Schiller said that the withdrawal was puzzling ‘‘as it was Luna Rossa who insisted on the switch to majority rule on these issues.’’