Cup Experience

Many America's Cup fans say this is their best source of information.

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Team Updates

Emirates Team New Zealand has retained Emirates Airlines as title sponsor and has re-signed sponsor Omega. ETNZ is giving tryouts to sailors from the two Kiwi teams in the 2013 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. Head of Design Nick Holroyd has left the team, as have sailors Derek Saward, Winston Macfarlane and Jeremy Lomas.

Artemis Racing will build their base at Morgan’s Point and move to Bermuda by the end of 2015. They will also have a presence in the AC Village at Dockyard in 2017. They made the decision to move to Bermuda after their training camp on the Great Sound in May.

Ben Ainslie Racing is close to completion of their new base in Portsmouth, which will be their home for the next three AC cycles. They have an AC45X test boat, called T2 (test boat 2) in construction in the UK.

Team France is sponsored by Groupama for the 2015 AC World Series racing. They continue to look for sponsors for their full campaign. They took advantage of recent Protocol changes to delay the payment of the final $900,000 entry fee and the $1 million performance bond. Originally scheduled for 1 May, those payments are now split into four equal installments beginning 1 July.

Softbank Team Japan signed former ETNZ helmsman Dean Barker as skipper and CEO. They have recruited Chris Draper, former Luna Rossa helmsman.

Oracle Team USA completed their move to Bermuda in May, where they will be based all the way through the America’s Cup Match in 2017.

Promotional Tours
Tucker Thompson has been appointed TV and Public Host of the America’s Cup. He will give presentations in a yacht club tour, with the America’s Cup trophy. The yacht America will also be on tour, visiting ports on the North American West Coast in 2015, the East Coast in 2016 and finally in Bermuda in 2017.

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Chinese Challenger?

Don’t be surprised if a Chinese challenge is announced soon:

  •  Title sponsor Louis Vuitton gets about one third of their sales from Chinese customers.
  • Chinese broadcaster CCTV has agreed to pay broadcast rights to deliver AC racing to 400 million Chinese households.
  • Softbank, sponsor of Team Japan, owns 32% of Chinese internet giant Ali Baba. Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Ali Baba CEO Jack Ma are all close business associates.
  • ACEA officials have said another Asian team might challenge.

All these signs seem to point to a Chinese challenger.

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Louis Vuitton Returns

Luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton will have an increased presence in this America’s Cup Cycle. They are title sponsor for the AC World Series, the AC Qualifiers (round robin) and the AC Challenger Playoffs. In addition, they are presenting sponsor for the AC Match.

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AC World Series Racing in One Design AC45F Catamarans

The AC45 catamarans got a major modification for racing in this America’s Cup cycle: they have been modified for foiling. Rudders and daggerboards now have winglets and an electrically powered rake control system for the daggerboards has been added. The deck layout is unchanged except for the addition of the pushbutton controls for the daggerboards, visible in the photo below. Rudder rake can be changed between races with an adjusting screw at the top of the rudder stock.

America's Cup - Helmsman Ben Ainslie has his finger on the daggerboard rake control.

Helmsman Ben Ainslie has his finger on the daggerboard rake control. There is another set of controls just aft of the daggerboards. Since there are no grinding pedestals, batteries power the hydraulic pump for the daggerboard control system.

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Racing Begins in One Month in Portsmouth

Racing for the America’s Cup begins in Portsmouth in July. This will be the first time for fleet racing in foiling wing sailed America’s Cup catamarans.

The results of this first event in the AC World Series could directly affect who wins the America’s Cup in June 2017. Remember that the winner of the round robin phase of racing in 2017, if they make it to the America’s Cup Match, carries a bonus point into the Match. Ties at the end of the round robin phase will be broken based on AC World Series standings.