Lawyers for New Zealand’s America’s Cup syndicate,...

Lawyers for New Zealand’s America’s Cup syndicate, as expected, filed a petition with the New York Supreme Court to prevent San Diego’s Sail America group from defending with a catamaran in September.

Syndicate leader Michael Fay maintains that Sail America must use a boat similar to his 90-foot-waterline monohull.

Tom Ehman, Sail America executive vice president, said that according to the Deed of Gift that governs Cup competition, the defender may use “any one yacht or vessel constructed in the country of the club holding the Cup.”