SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — America’s Cup officials are refunding grandstand tickets for races through the Louis Vuitton semifinals due to the uncertainty of when challenger Artemis Racing will be ready to compete following the deadly capsize of its first boat last month.
Artemis said last week it plans to launch a new boat in early July and hopes to be able to race by the end of the month.
That leaves only two challengers to race in the early round-robins, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa of Italy.
British sailor Andrew Simpson died May 9 when Artemis’ 72-foot catamaran capsized on San Francisco Bay, trapping him under the wreckage of the 7-ton boat.
Depending on when Artemis returns, there could be only five days of racing between July 7-Aug. 1.
