America’s Cup teams prepare amid police decision on 2013 death

The juxtaposition could not be ignored.

In London, representatives from the six boats expected to compete for the next America’s Cup gathered for a news conference to talk about preparations.

Hours later on Tuesday, police in San Francisco announced that no charges will be filed in the accident that killed British sailor Andrew “Bart” Simpson during last year’s races.

Simpson died on May 9, 2013, when the Artemis catamaran nosed into the water and flipped in San Francisco Bay. The Olympic star suffered head and neck trauma and subsequently drowned while being trapped underwater for about 10 minutes, authorities said.

Artemis Racing plans to take a run at the 35th America’s Cup.

“We’re trying to keep the key components of what we had at the end of the last campaign,” helmsman Nathan Outteridge said. “This year is about trying to build on top of where we ended up last year. We have the building blocks of a very good team.”

Five teams have stepped forward to challenge defending champion Oracle Team USA. The competition will begin with a string of World Series events in 2015.

Officials have shifted away from the controversial, 72-foot foiling catamarans used in 2013. It is expected that 45-foot boats will be used instead.