AC36: Why the NYYC announced their challenge two months before the challenge period opens on January

NEW YORK – By announcing its challenge now, Bella Mente Quantum Racing Association can get a jump on hiring designers and sailors. New nationality rules call for 20 percent, or three crew, whichever is higher, to be true nationals, while the rest of the crew must live in the country of a challenging yacht club for a minimum of 380 days between September 2018 and Aug. 31, 2020. “Is every single person going to be an American citizen? Probably not,” Hutchinson said. “But we will definitely be waving the flag.” Hutchinson, 49, said it’s unlikely he’ll be the helmsman, but, “this is the America’s Cup, and you never say never. It’s a bit too soon to say.” He sailed as tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2007 America’s Cup match, the last to be contested in monohulls. –The AP's esteemed Bernie Wilson from the story he filed after today's announcement by the New York Yacht Club that they intend to file a challenge for AC36. Full story.

Terry Hutchinson (USA, Annapolis) racing on Doug Devos' QUANTUM in the TP52 Super Series earlier this year. Photo: Marina Semenova via Quantum Racing.