The future of the America's Cup has been plunged into uncertainty after the owner of the Luna Rossa syndicate said he was considering pulling his team out following the death of British sailor Andrew Simpson.
Artemis Racing member Simpson died when the Swedish team's AC72 catamaran capsized during a training run on San Francisco Bay on Thursday, casting a cloud over the most prestigious event in international sailing.
Patrizio Bertelli, chief executive of the Prada fashion house and sponsor of Luna Rossa, says his team will take the weekend to reflect on their position.
Bertelli says he won't impose a decision on his crew, but he says the adoption of the 72-foot catamarans for this edition of the race had turned the America's Cup into an extreme sport.