1 Jun 2013

Team NZ boss spurns big America's Cup changes

12:12 pm on 1 June 2013

The head of New Zealand's America's Cup sailing team has rejected the idea of major changes to the boats in the wake of an accident that killed a British sailor.

The Artemis Racing Team's catamaran capsized and broke apart during a training run in San Francisco last month killing the British Olympian, Andrew Simpson.

America's Cup organisers have proposed new safety rules, but some members of Artemis Racing have suggested they don't go far enough.

Team New Zealand director Grant Dalton says he supports the new rules but dismisses that big changes, such as smaller sails or power-assisted on-board controls, are necessary.

Team New Zealand is one of three teams vying to challenge Oracle for the America's Cup in San Francisco in July.