TO EUROPE

Shortly after winning the America's Cup, the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) accepted a challenge from the Golden Gate Yacht Club, putting the wheels in motion for the 32nd America's Cup. A new Protocol was issued, detailing the plans for the next event and outlining some of the changes.

It was immediately clear that the move to Europe would mean a sea change for the America's Cup. Taking advantage of what some perceived to be a problem, the SNG announced that it would take its time to decide upon a venue, drafting up a selection criteria that would ensure reliable sailing conditions. The nationality rules were abolished, freeing up teams to sign the best people, regardless of their passport, and rules on the transfer of technology from prior syndicates were eased to enable new teams access to old information. Most importantly, a new organising authority, AC Management, was created and charged with the task of overseeing all aspects of the 32nd America's Cup, including the Challenger Selection Series. In short, a new era of the America's Cup had dawned.