With the deadline now expired on GGYC’s offer to Alinghi/SNG sign the Singapore Agreement, the uncertainty over key issues for the 33rd America’s Cup which is due to start in less than three weeks continues.

“Last Wednesday we signed the Singapore Agreement, and the
governing body of our sport, ISAF, witnessed it. The only signature
missing was that of the Defender, SNG/Alinghi,” said GGYC spokesperson Tom Ehman.

“On Sunday GGYC offered the Defender another chance to sign the Agreement, which had been drafted by Alinghi’s rules advisor.”

“It isn’t possible to negotiate under the threat of a lawsuit. We refer you back to our letter of 17 January and we look forward to racing on the 8 February, the date imposed by the NY Supreme Court,” said a spokesperson for the SNG

Although the details of the agreement, as reported yesterday (Mon 18 Jan) remain confidential, the issue of Alinghi’s sails and the Sailing Instructions and Notice of Race are among the crucial issues that have yet to be decided.

Perhaps more worrying, is the suggestion that a delay to the start of the event could also be included in the proposed settlement. With the clock counting down towards an event that couldn’t be further away in spirit and in practice from the multi-challenger event of 2007, the prestigious event appears to be no closer to a resolution.

Mutual consent between Defender and Challenger lies at the heart of virtually all of the America’s Cups in the modern era. Here, there is patently none which may provide the biggest indication as to how this bitter Cup will be played out – by default. As one experienced Cup observer put it, “Any delay would require mutual consent and given the track record of these two over the last two years, that doesn’t look very likely.”