AMERICA'S CUP: LATEST GOSSIP ABOUT THE 35TH EDITION...

With the America’s Cup, we never really stop following the rumours, even though previous editions have shown that what is true one day is not necessarily so the next. After close investigation by our teams, here is what we can expect for the next edition.

Firstly, the choice of boat seems to be fixed on a catamaran with a rigid wing sail, as for the 34th edition. The Cup’s design team, led by Gino Morelli, is currently at work, and should be revealing its results in the next few days. The idea is to reduce the costs, so as to have more competitors on the start line (there were only three challengers for the last Cup). A smaller wing, and therefore a boat of around sixty feet (in place of the 72’ cat), seems to meet everyone’s approval… To be continued.

Another question: where will this next America’s Cup take place? Here again, the craziest rumours have been doing the rounds. Today it seems that three towns have outclassed the others in the heart of Larry Ellison, the current holder of the Cup. San Francisco remains the favourite, as after all it provided a very good finale. San Diego organised the Cup in 1988, when a catamaran (Stars and Stripes) won for the first time in the history of the world’s oldest sporting competition, and was also in the running in 1992 and 1995. Finally, Hawaii is the surprise guest, and would really like to upset the apple cart by becoming the host for the 35th edition of the Cup...

Whatever happens, the teams will probably have to qualify to sail in these superb machines by racing in the 45-foot wing sail catamarans, on which Team Australia, the Challenger of Record, is already training...