With just seven months to go until the start of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, we check in with each team as they continue their prepartions.
‘PATRIOT’ SIGNS-OFF FROM ACTIVE SERVICE
She’s one of the most recognisable AC75s in the world with a back-story rich in hope, despair, redemption and pay-back but for now, it’s a graceful retirement for NYYC American Magic’s ‘Patriot.’
EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALANDThe outstanding winners of the Preliminary Regatta in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in November 2023, Emirates Team New Zealand returned to Auckland for the antipodean summer and immediately went into intensive training on their much-tweaked AC40 in LEQ12 mode. Immediately upon arrival back, the core sailing team were presented with a new starboard foil and just five days later this was complimented on port with their final foil design.
INEOS BRITANNIA
Having de-commissioned their prototype LEQ12 on the 13th November 2023, the Challenger of Record for the 37th America’s Cup INEOS Britannia, has now switched focus to two-boat training in the team’s AC40s whilst investing a lot of time in the final build process of their new AC75 – codenamed ‘RB3’- over the Christmas period – a process that Sir Ben Ainslie described as “intense.
ALINGHI RED BULL RACING
Having retained a base on the Obhur Creek in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after the conclusion of the second Preliminary Regatta in November, the Swiss team have taken full advantage of the stunning conditions, escaping the European winter for some warm-weather training through mid to late January. 2024 The intensity of their two-boat AC40 programme has been impressive with plenty of emphasis on pre-starts, short-course racing, tactics and sails.