Luna Rossa disagree with the proposed timeframe for racing's resumption. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Luna Rossa disagree with the proposed timeframe for racing's resumption. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A stoush has erupted in the Prada Cup final, with disagreement over when to resume racing. Here's the latest from the quarrel.
More postponements on the way?
The Prada Cup could be settled "behind closed doors", after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's announcement that Auckland would move to Covid-19 alert level2 on Thursday.
Alert level 2 limits the number of people at social gatherings to 100, and social distancing requirements mean having spectators at the America's Cup village to watch the racing is a non-starter.
America's Cup Events Limited (ACE) intended to postpone the racing by a week, and resume with Challenger of Record (COR) Luna Rossa 4-0 up on Ineos Team UK on February 26.
Luna Rossa respond
Luna Rossa disagree with the proposed timeframe for racing's resumption. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Luna Rossa disagreed with the plan, claiming it was in "total breach of the regulations" which set February 24 as the end of the challenger series without any possible extension.
While Ineos Team UK respected the decision to curtail racing until it is safe to do so, as the Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa would have to agree to any delay in racing for it to be confirmed.
The team released a statement outlining their position, stating there were plans in place for such a situation in the AC36 Event Covid-19 Management On Land and On Water Plans to move forward in the timeline set out.
"These plans provide that, in a level 3 Covid-19 alert, the AC36 Village shall be closed and the regattas shall resume "behind closed doors", without any public, as it already happens for many international sporting events.
"This on-water management plan has already been tested and can therefore be immediately activated with the approval of the authorities. Since teams are authorised to sail and practice under Covid-19 level 3 alert, it is hard to understand why racing "behind closed doors" could not be allowed applying the same protocols."
What's next?
The Challenger of Record will hold a press conference at 11am tomorrow to outline their position, while tonight regatta director Iain Murray confirmed that racing would not take place tomorrow, after today's scheduled racing was postponed due to the level 3 lockdown. The Herald will have all the latest updates as they unfold.
