America’s Cup, RYS confirms: we are Ben Ainslie’s Challenging Club

There comes the final word on the Ineos-Ben Ainslie issue and who should be recognized by the Royal Yacht Squadron as the sports team to represent the Club in the upcoming America’s Cup. A note from the RYS itself puts an end to the affair, recognizing Athena Racing, Ben Ainslie‘s new team, as the official team to represent the Yacht Club that has already been accepted by the New Zealanders as Challenger of Record, i.e., the party that will have the right to discuss the rules of the next edition.

America’s Cup . The note from the Royal Yacht Squadron

“Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd is honored to be the Challenging Club for the British Challenger of Record Athena Racing ahead of the 38th America’s Cup. We will work with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron to develop the Protocol for the oldest Trophy in modern sport. The Protocol establishes the basis and rules of participation for all teams in the 38th America’s Cup and certifies compliance with the America’s Cup Deed of Gift agreed between the Defender and the Challenger of Record “.

Tombstone on the Challenger of Record issue, it will then be Ben Ainslie’s turn to represent the Club, despite the fact that the challenge had been submitted before his divorce from Ineos, which occurred with the dismissal of the Baronet by Jim Ratcliffe.

What had happened

We had once loved each other so much. It seemed almost impossible that two personalities as strong as those of the patron and Sir could coexist for two challenges in a row together without sparks flying. And eventually the knots came to the boil and Ineos exploded. Ratcliffe, accusing Ainslie of having made him spend millions upon millions by reaping at least two embarrassments (Bermuda and Auckland), and straightening out the last challenge in the process. Ainslie, allergic to patron interference and critical of the role of Mercedes designers within the British design team. Recall that Ratcliffe owns 33 percent of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, as well as 25 percent of Manchester United in the Premier Leaugue and is also involved in cycling.

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In fact, Ainslie bemoaned the fact that Mercedes engineers have never been able to make a boat that was truly competitive at the highest level, and posited the need for a change in method. During the final against the New Zealanders, Ainslie barely concealed his frustration at having a significantly slower boat. Ratclife reacted with the most classic of ” the money is mine and I decide, also because you’ve made me spend enough of it already,” and it also seems that there was no agreement on which should be the main sponsor of the next challenge, with Ben Ainslie pressing for the entry of other partners. This brings us to the final days.

Mauro Giuffrè