AMERICA’S CUP UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Kiwis Still Press Bowsprit Issue

While reducing the function of its bowsprit to an adornment, New Zealand says it will continue to press the America’s Cup match jury to explain exactly what it finds offensive about it.

“The issue has not gone away,” syndicate manager Peter Blake said in a statement.

The Louis Vuitton Cup challengers jury approved the Kiwis’ use of the appendage in January, but the Cup match jury, which will preside over the finals in May, disagreed. The LVC jury then reversed itself, and New Zealand agreed to comply with the new ruling through this third round of the trials resuming today.

“New Zealand has agreed to race Round Robin 3 using adapted jibing procedures,” Blake said. “But we still believe that the match jury’s decision contains serious anomalies and feel we have an obligation to pursue it because of the ramifications it could have on the sport.