Peter Burling leaves America’s Cup defense

The New Zealand America’s Cup defender will have to prepare for the 38th edition without their skipper Peter Burling who was unable to reach an agreement with the team. Here’s the official statement from Team New Zealand:

With the America’s Cup now shaping up to be contested in more regular cycles, the requirements on team members are changing. As the balance between design, simulation, boat build, testing and racing windows become more compressed, the integration of key sailors with the design team becomes more critical than ever.

“Pete has been a central figure who has grown incredibly within Emirates Team New Zealand since he joined 10 years ago,” said team CEO Grant Dalton. “We can all look back with great pride on what has been achieved, having enjoyed unprecedented success as a team with Pete at the helm.” – Full report