New Zealand, Britain Agree to Sail-Off

Sail America and San Diego Yacht Club officials were studying an agreement Tuesday between New Zealand and British syndicates to have a sail-off at San Diego in August to determine which would challenge for the America’s Cup in September.

Since New Zealand’s Mercury Bay Boating Club already has been designated as the challenger in court, San Diego must agree to a substitution in the event the British boat should win.

Apparently, the Blue Arrow Challenge, backed by British financier Peter de Savary and sponsored by the Royal Burnham Yacht Club, would sail a 90-foot-waterline monohull similar to what Michael Fay has built for New Zealand, although Sail America intends to sail a 59-foot catamaran.

Two weeks ago, New York Supreme Court Judge Carmen Ciparick denied de Savary’s petition to participate, so de Savary went directly to Fay.

“We shall be racing an elimination series in August against Fay’s boat,” said David Redfern, a spokesman for Blue Arrow

New Zealand spokesman Peter Debreceny said from Auckland: “We’re obviously thrilled. We’ve said on a number of occasions that we’d be prepared to race anybody that was going to be there.”