Changes introduced to improve safety

America’s Cup organizers said yesterday that they have made rule changes to improve safety in the upcoming regatta after a fatal training accident on San Francisco Bay earlier this month.

As a result of investigations into the death of Andrew Simpson when an ultra-fast AC72 catamaran capsized on May 9 and broke apart, competitors will review the integrity of the boats and their wing sails, the America’s Cup Event Authority said in a statement.

The authority also laid out a plan for improved personal safety gear, limits on wind speeds and several other measures to make the event – the most famous race in yachting – less dangerous.

Many of the revised rules are the result of suggestions by teams, some of which have already begun to adopt them, Golden Gate Yacht Club Vice Commodore Tom Ehman told Reuters.

“We’re pleased with what they’ve achieved in a short period of time. It’s a comprehensive set of recommendations,” Ehman said of the proposals adopted by the authority.

The new rules include reducing the number of qualifying races to allow more time for boat maintenance.

A request by the authority that competitors refrain from sailing during the investigation has been lifted and Oracle Team USA, backed by software mogul Larry Ellison, plans to sail in San Francisco Bay on Thursday morning, weather permitting, a team spokeswoman said.

Artemis Racing of Sweden, Italy’s Luna Rossa and a third team, Emirates Team New Zealand, are scheduled to begin competing on July 4 for the right to challenge Oracle for the America’s Cup. The championship regatta is scheduled for September.

Accidents are considered even more likely under race conditions than in training, and Artemis and Luna Rossa have indicated they may not compete in the absence of substantial rule changes.

Under rules for the 2013 cup, established by the defending champion, teams have built ultra-lightweight, double-hulled vessels with hard “wing” sails and hydrofoils that can cruise at close to 50 mph (80 kph).