Oracle forfeits 2 world series titles over ‘ridiculous’ mistake
Print Edition
America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA has forfeited its championships from the first two seasons of the America’s Cup World Series — a lead-up to the main event — after it was determined that its yachts were modified without the permission of the Measurement Committee.
Syndicate CEO Russell Coutts, a four-time America’s Cup winner, called the violations — adding about 2.5 kilograms of extra ballast to each boat — a “ridiculous” mistake that didn’t affect the boats’ performance but warranted punishment.
“This is a serious issue for us,” Coutts said. “It may have had little effect on the performance, but it’s breaking the rules and the international jury may be obligated to conduct an investigation as to how it happened and establish whether people intentionally broke the rule.”
Coutts thought it unlikely there would be any penalty beyond the forfeit.
While seemingly insignificant in the big picture — the ACWS was a lower-profile warm-up event — the violations are another smudge on a troubled regatta.
At the very least, it’s an embarrassing mistake by the powerhouse syndicate, which is owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison.
Oracle turned itself in after discovering the violations.
Oracle Team USA will begin defense of the America’s Cup — the sport’s oldest trophy — on September 7.
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