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.