Times Up For The Cup

In a briefly worded statement, the RORC announced the cancellation of the Admiral’s Cup 2001.

In a press release that could have surprised no one they said, “It is with great regret that the Management Committee of the Admiral’s Cup have decided not to run the 2001 series. The Management Committee had agreed that for the event to continue there had to be at least four national teams plus one recognised country grouping team. The Notice of Race called for Challenges to be logged by 2nd April 2001, and on this date only France and the UK were confirmed entries. The Committee therefore had little option but to cancel the series.

There has been a tremendous amount of effort behind the scenes to produce the required level of participation, and a number of initiatives were explored to see if there were ways of saving the 2001 series. However, the Management Committee felt that the format as laid down in the Notice of Race gave a commitment to the three selected classes and conformed to the Trust deed. They did not feel it was right to disregard these two central elements of the series.

Peter Rutter, Chairman of the Management Committee said, “I am very sad that we have had to take this decision. I am sure it is right in the long term interest of the Admiral’s Cup to make a clean break and to return in 2003 with a new event that will put the Admiral’s Cup back at the forefront of international keelboat racing. I would particularly like to thank those people in the racing community who tried so hard to preserve the 2001 event. We plan a wide ranging international review of the series with the aim of announcing the form of the 2003 Admiral’s Cup by the end of the year”.”

A second press release went on “The RORC intends to organise and conduct an inshore regatta based from Cowes, Isle of Wight for One Design Boats between 19th and 22nd July 2001.

A further announcement will be made once the details are agreed. The present intention is to provide racing for Farr 52’s, IC45’s, Sydney 40’s, Farr 40’s, Mumm 30’s and other classes if they wish and have sufficient numbers.