A cloud of doubt looms over the Bermuda Schools WaterWise programme.

It is understood that the programme has been suspended to avoid clashing with the America’s Cup Endeavour Programme, that targets the same middle school students from the public school system, and it remains unclear whether it will be reintroduced into the island’s Middle Schools after the America’s Cup leaves Bermuda.

In an e-mail written by Gus Miller, the Olympic sailing coach, who introduced WaterWise to Bermuda nearly two decades ago, it was suggested that the island’s Middle Schools were not notified that the WaterWise programme was ending.

“I am sorry to report that a WaterWise programme will not be offered this Spring,” Miller wrote. “We had hoped to start a programme last Fall with a concurrent teacher training programme, however funding was diverted towards the America’s Cup and Endeavour took over the established WaterWise M1 water programme to ensure the success of their programme.

“I must apologise that no public communication was ever made in Bermuda about this.”

Christian Luthi, the WaterWise programme director, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

The WaterWise programme began in 1999 with a pilot scheme and was fully implemented in 2002 as a collaboration between the Bermuda Sailing Association and the Government to introduce Middle School children to their maritime heritage and teach them about water safety and aquatic awareness.

WaterWise was scaled back significantly due to loss of funding but was relaunched last summer after receiving a $20,000 grant from the Bermuda Security Group and another $15,000 from the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, which continues the legacy of the late America’s Cup sailor, Olympic gold medallist and world champion who lost his life in an accident in the lead-up to the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay in 2013.

“Sport for young people growing up is a great way to focus the mind and learn good life skills, and we just think the Bermuda WaterWise Programme is a fantastic initiative,” Sir Ben Ainslie, team principal and skipper of British America’s Cup challenger Land Rover BAR, told those gathered at last June’s official relaunch of the Bermuda Schools WaterWise programme.