Stuff.co.nz. By Duncan Johnstone.
Oracle's desperation to make the struggling America's Cup more competitive now extends to handing their design secrets to cash-strapped newcomer Team France.
Team France boss Franck Cammas made the revelation in an interview with French radio station Europe 1.
The 2017 regatta is reeling from the withdraw by seasoned challenger Luna Rossa with the Italian syndicate angry at a decision to alter the size of the boats from 62-foot foiling catamarans to a smaller 45-50 foot version that features several one-design components, aimed at cost-cutting.
Team New Zealand voiced their support of Luna Rossa and have thrown the regatta into further disarray by taking the decision to deny Auckland the January 2017 challenger series to the Cup's arbitration panel.
Oracle, Team France, Ben Ainslie Racing (Britain) and Artemis Racing (Sweden) controversially formed a majority to rush through the changes. And it appears those links now run deeper.
Team France are well behind the other challengers, struggling for finances to return to Cup action.
But Cammas, who told the radio station they were still searching for funding to find the “€7 million per year to be in the America's Cup with a chance to win”, said they'd been given a helping hand by Oracle.
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