The Swiss statement welcomes the choice of Naples as the venue for the next cycle of the America's Cup, but goes on to echo the statements from the British Challenger of Record Athena Racing and NYYC American Magic, who both argued that announcing the venue before agreeing the protocol for AC38 was a case of putting the cart before the horse.
Although the Swiss syndicate had claimed to have started winding itself down after failing to agree with Emirates Team New Zealand on plans for the next Cup, this had been questioned publicly by New Zealand boss Grant Dalton. Now, according to the concluding paragraphs of today's statement, there is still a chance Alinghi could yet mount a challenge for the 2027 event – providing 'a protocol between the Defender and the Challenger of Record can be agreed that establishes an equitable sporting framework for the racing and a commercially viable event for all America’s Cup stakeholders'.
The full statement reads as follows:
When Alinghi Red Bull Racing withdrew in April from consideration for the 38th America's Cup, we did so because we had serious concerns about the administration and governance of the Cup by the Defender, Team New Zealand.
While we wholeheartedly welcome the choice of Naples as a perfect host venue for the Cup in 2027, our concerns were deepened yesterday when Team New Zealand celebrated the announcement of the host venue at an event in the city.
