Team NZ confirms working with new Challenger

Emirates Team New Zealand has issued a statement confirming that they interacted with a third Italian team, Columbus 2021.

The Challenge first surfaced on September 8 and will be based at the Imperia Yacht Club.

“The Defender confirms that there have been communications with the lawyer acting for the Columbus 2021 challenger over the past few weeks. He has now supplied preliminary documents in relation to their yacht club and we have provided him with the required details on the process to file a formal Notice of Challenge.”

In a report yesterday in the Italian newspaper La Stampa, and echoed in the authoratiative Italian sailing magazine, Farevela, it was confirmed that a lawyer for the new team had filed the first set of documents with the America’s Cup Defender. Those papers confirm that the club meets the minimum requirements of the Deed of Gift and Protocol governing the 36th America’s Cup.

The fact that the first part of the entry documentation had been received was confirmed in the statement from the Defender issued on Tuesday.

Late entries close on November 30, 2018. However, Emirates Team New Zealand have indicated that with the agreement of Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa that time could also be extended further.

There has been no further developments from the second Italian team, the Sardinia Challenge. Similarly with the Team US 21, which said it was one US$10million sponsor short of lodging a formal Challenge. Other teams contemplating a Challenge come from Norway and China.

Story by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz