New boat designs for the Americas Cup?

After several months of no-news about the Americas Cup, this week a press conference was held in London to discuss plans for the 35th Americas Cup Challenge. Streamed live, the conference contained a few little tidbits of information for those of us sitting behind our computers eagerly, none more so than mumblings of a change in class.

Currently, the boat in question is the awe-inspiring AC62. This hydrofoiling masterpiece of sailing technology is the wet dream of almost every man, woman and child who’s ever set foot on a boat. That’s how the Americas Cup design should be, on the razor sharp edge of design. The AC62 is already 10ft shorter than the previous yacht in an attempt to provide a cheaper route for challengers. So with that in mind, what on earth should they change it to?

We don’t know of course, discussion of a new design is being held behind tight lips until a firm decision can be made. It’s a shame the Aussies won’t be in the running either, after Bob Oately of the Hamilton Island Yacht club chose to bow out of the challenger role, citing excessive costs as the straw that broke the multi-million-dollar-campaigns metaphorical back.

What will it be? You can be sure it’s going to be fast, exciting and extremely photogenic, but will it be an AC62? Time will tell…