Cup Experience

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

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America’s Cup Defender Oracle Team USA Foiling Camp

 

Tom Slingsby, strategist on the AC72 and sailing team manager for the 2017 America’s Cup, organized a “foiling camp” in Moths to help the OTUSA sailors improve their foiling skills.

“When you sail these boats, everyone’s got a smile on their face.” – Jimmy Spithill

The Oracle sailors clearly agree with Chris Draper of Luna Rossa and Nathan Outteridge of Artemis Racing about the benefits of sailing small foiling boats:

Kinley Fowler: “They’re definitely the hardest boat I’ve ever sailed in my life…   It’s the perfect learning platform for us.”

Kyle Langford: “It’s good to get back to the basics… It’s good for all of us, no matter what your position is on the big boat – to be able to trim, to be able to steer – to get a good handle on the foiling.” 

Tom Slingsby: “I think just sailing these small foiling boats and then adapting that to an America’s Cup with a big foiling catamaran, it just gets everyone on the same page as what we’re looking for with the boat…   Everyone learns quickly. It’s a cheaper way – everyone can get out there and sail by themselves and learn, and then they can bring that knowledge back to the bigger boat.” 

Added Benefit for the Public – Get to Know the Sailors Better

Small boat sailing lets the public hear the banter among the sailors – developing the “personalities” we need to engage the audience better. At 1:38 in the video you’ll see this exchange:

AC72 wing trimmer Kyle Langford: “Jimmy’s obviously the helmsman of the (big) boat and he should be the best at steering (a Moth). I don’t think he’s beaten anybody in a race.  It’s good to see the trimmers and the grinders getting races off the helmsman. So I think he’s got a bit to prove today.” 

Skipper Jimmy Spithill’s reply: “I’m surprised by his statement about beating me in every single race, because I actually saw it quite differently, funny enough. Kyle Langford doesn’t know what’s gonna hit him.”

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Luna Rossa Wins GC32 Austria Cup in “Closest Cat to America’s Cup”

 

America’s Cup challenger Luna Rossa won 10 of 13 races to win the Austria Cup, held on lake Traunsee 28 May to 1 June 2014:  Chris Draper on the helm, Francesco Bruni – tactician/mainsail trimmer, Adam Minoprio trimmer and bowman Emanuele Marino, with Pietro Sibello – coach.

Francesco Bruni said, “These boats are very interesting and, at present, are the ones that most resemble the America’s Cup class boats. To sail with one-design catamarans, full foiling and on a short race course is a great workout for us in view of the 35th America’s Cup.”

Paul Campbell-James of America’s Cup challenger Ben Ainslie Racing took second place helming on board Pete Cumming’s boat.

Third place went to Oracle Team USA strategist Tom Slingsby and wing trimmer Kyle Langford who teamed up with Austrian 49er sailors Nico Delle Karth and Niko Resch, who provided local knowledge of the tricky Traunsee conditions.

Not sailing, but in town to keep an eye on their competitors, were Artemis Racing’s Iain Percy and Loïck Peyron.

 

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Who will compete?

Until the Protocol is issued, no one else can officially challenge. But we know who is likely to be racing:

America's Cup Oracle Team USA

Oracle Team USA (Defender)

Russell Coutts stays on as CEO, with Grant Simmer as General Manager. OTUSA has re-signed helmsman Jimmy Spithill, strategist Tom Slingsby and grinder Rome Kirby. They have recruited American olympic Laser sailor Andrew Campbell. In addition they have named the core of their design team, stressing that 11 of the 18 designers are American. Some of the sailing team began training in the AC45 with Team Australia in Sydney. They plan to stay until June and have more training “camps” scheduled in 2014. Apparently they have no plans to race in the Extreme Sailing Series. (Image: OTUSA Video)

America's Cup Team Australia

Team Australia (Challenger of Record)

Australian wine tycoons and owners of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club resort, Bob Oatley and his son Sandy initiated the challenge and are underwriting part of the funding. CEO Iain Murray has sailed for years on the Oatley’s fast racing yachts named “Wild Oats.” Murray named Mat Belcher skipper. Mat was the London gold medalist in the 470. Team Australia will race on the Extreme Sailing Series circuit as “GAC Pindar” with 18-Foot Skiff world champion Seve Jarvin as skipper of their X-40. (Photo: Andrea Francolini)

America's Cup Emirates Team New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand

The New Zealand government committed US $4 million to fund the team through May 2014, enabling them to fend off other syndicates trying to poach their talent. Team boss Grant Dalton has been working to line up sponsors. Emirates Airline is still the title sponsor for the team on the Extreme Sailing Series circuit. The ETNZ’s youth team won the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in 2013. Youth helmsman Peter Burling and trimmer Blair Tuke have joined ETNZ. The pair took the silver medal in the 49er at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: Chris Cameron.  L to R: Peter Burling, Blair Tuke, Grant Dalton.)

America's Cup Artemis Racing

Artemis Racing

Iain Percy, Team Manager (he did not want the title “CEO”) of Artemis Racing, has publicly stated on multiple occasions that the goal of Artemis Racing is “to dominate” the America’s Cup. Artemis has re-signed helmsman Nathan Outteridge and wing trimmer Iain “Goobs” Jensen. The Artemis team had learned to foil gybe their AC72 in time for their first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals, their ninth day of sailing (compared to Luna Rossa’s 75 days of sailing their AC72). Artemis has also re-signed Loïck Peyron as coach, backup helmsman and design team member. They have poached designers from ETNZ and from OTUSA. They will be a force to contend with in the 35th America’s Cup. (Photo: Carlo Borlenghi)

America's Cup Luna Rossa

Luna Rossa

Team owner Patrizio Bertelli has won the Louis Vuitton Cup (2000) and been inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. His team has set up camp in Sardinia to prepare for his fifth America’s Cup challenge. Luna Rossa bought their AC72 design from ETNZ for the 2013 America’s Cup, so they will need to build up their design team. Like OTUSA, Luna Rossa has shown no plans for racing in the Extreme Sailing Series. Francesco Bruni holds a “tour card” on the World Match Racing Tour and recently defeated Ben Ainslie in the Bermuda Gold Cup, so it appears they will train in 2014 by combining monohull racing on the World Match Race Tour with training in their AC45’s in Sardinia. Luna Rossa recently hired Adam Minoprio, the young Kiwi helmsman who was the 2009 World Match Racing champion. (Photo: Carlo Borlenghi)

America's Cup Ben Ainslie Racing

Ben Ainslie Racing

J.P. Morgan sponsors Ainslie’s team on the Extreme Sailing Series. Sir Keith Mills and Charles Dunstone have indicated that they are ready to support Ainslie’s America’s Cup campaign. Reuters reported this week that Ainslie is making good progress towards raising £100 million ($130 million) with about $45 million coming from private investors led by Mills and Dunstone. BAR is racing in the Extreme Sailing Series, finishing seventh at the Singapore regatta in February.

America's Cup Team France

Team France

Frank Cammas has won the last Volvo Ocean Race, the “Little America’s Cup” in C-Class catamarans and the Route du Rhum. He set the record for a circumnavigation in 2010, holding the record for two years before Loïck Peyron broke it in 2012. He has won the Bol d’Or in a D35 catamaran on Lake Geneva. He is preparing for the mixed multihull event at the 2016 Rio Olympics with teammate Sophie de Turckheim. French insurance company Groupama has funded his projects including his current Extreme Sailing Series team. They will not fund the Team France America’s Cup challenge, so Cammas will need to find other sponsors.

America's Cup Gazprom Team Russia

Gazprom Team Russia

With strong backing from Gazprom, the 21st largest company in the world, this Russian team would have the means to mount a campaign for the 35th America’s Cup. They have recruited Paul Campbell-James as helmsman. Paul won the Extreme Sailing Series in 2010 at the helm of The Wave, Muscat and in 2011 as helmsman for Luna Rossa. Team Russia also has the 2009 winner on board, Pete Cumming, who helmed Oman Sail Masirah. The team represents the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club, whose Commodore Vladimir Liubomirov has declared his desire to challenge for the 35th America’s Cup. A decision may depend on how they perform at the Saint Petersburg Extreme regatta in June. (Image: Lloyd Images)

 

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More Details About the 2017 America’s Cup

 

iain-murray-leads-the-negotiations-for-team-australia
IAIN MURRAY LEADS THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR TEAM AUSTRALIA AND HAMILTON ISLAND YACHT CLUB

In mid February the America’s Cup website declared “Protocol and Class Rule Expected in March.”  The Protocol sets out the terms for challenging and rules for the way the competition will be run. The Class Rule defines the boats to be sailed. Hamilton Island Yacht Club represented by Team Australia is the “Challenger of Record” and is negotiating these topics with Oracle Team USA of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Yacht Club. The latest reports give these details:

Boats: Hydrofoiling wingsail catamarans, from 60-65 feet long – most likely an “AC62” – with a crew of eight. Some one design components. Able to foil upwind in 12 knots of wind and downwind in 8 knots.

Venue: San Francisco, San Diego, Honolulu, Newport and Chicago are candidates. Latest rumors say Chicago is the leading candidate. Announcement in Summer.

America’s Cup World Series: Racing in foiling AC45 catamarans in 2015-16 in each competitor’s country. No details on whether these races would affect challenger selection.

Nationality: 25% of the crew must be be nationals. No details yet on how nationality is determined.

Budgets: $60-80 million

Teams: Team Australia, Team New Zealand, Artemis Racing (SWE), Luna Rossa (ITA), Ben Ainslie Racing (GBR) and Team France have all announced their challenges, but only Team Australia, Artemis and Luna Rossa appear to have significant funding lined up. In addition, Team Russia has strong sponsorship, they are racing in the Extreme Sailing Series and they have declared their interest in the next America’s Cup.

Event Management:
– AC Race Management costs to be shared among competitors.
– Umpire, measurers, race officials to have “final say” – does this imply no International Jury?
– AC Commissioner to resolve commercial disputes.

On 10 March, Sandy Oatley of Hamilton Island YC was reported by Australia’s Financial Review as saying that negotiations are ongoing and would be completed by April at the latest. Team Australia CEO Iain Murray mentioned potential challengers from China and Korea, but there have been no announcements of Chinese or Korean teams.

An Interesting “Vision” of the America’s Cup with Many Issues

Also on 10 March, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Larry Ellison’s vision for the 2017 America’s Cup. He would like to see America’s Cup World Series racing using AC45 catamarans in 2015 and 2016 to select four teams to build and race “AC60” foiling cats in “division championships” in 2017. The “Atlantic Division” championship would be held in Rome for the top two teams from the “Atlantic Division” – Sweden, Italy, UK, France, Germany and Switzerland. The “Pacific Division” of New Zealand, Australia, Korea, China, Japan and San Francisco would see their top two teams meet in Shanghai. The two division champions would then race in the Louis Vuitton Cup in Honolulu to select the challenger. The challenger would race in Honolulu against defender Oracle Team USA in the America’s Cup Match. Full story here.

This vision seems to have too many issues to become reality:

  • Unless the new AC60 yachts were largely one design,  the defender would have a massive advantage:  challengers would need to design a boat for conditions in Rome or Shanghai and for Honolulu, while the defender would optimize their design for Honolulu only.
  • Challengers could not promise sponsors that they would ever race an AC60.
  • Since they would compete in the America’s Cup World Series, the defender can influence which challengers make it through to the division championships.
  • Who are the potential leaders of syndicates from China, Korea, Japan, Germany and Switzerland? There has been no sign of syndicates forming in these countries.
  • Could any team sell this concept to sponsors?
  • Reliable sources say that Louis Vuitton has no plans to continue its sponsorship.