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Discovering the teams of the 37th America’s Cup

Discovering each 37th America’s Cup team

INEOS BRITANNI team

The British America’s Cup team, INEOS Britannia, launched their first test boat for the 37th America’s Cup, code-named T6, designed and built-in collaboration with Mercedes-AMG F1 Applied Science, a division of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.

The 40-foot test boat will play a vital role in the team’s programme for the next America’s Cup in Barcelona in the summer of 2024. T6’s work will commence with an extensive testing period, primarily aimed at validating the team’s design tools and testing key componentry ahead of the design deadline to start the build of the team’s race boat.

James Allison, Chief Technical Officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, commented:

“We understand from our F1 experience the importance of creating the best tools for designing and engineering the vehicle. We also understand the crucial role that validation plays in improving and coming to trust those tools. T6 was designed for that purpose, and we’re all looking forward to getting to grips with the data she can provide.

“A huge thanks and congratulations to the team for getting T6 on the water, but in the Cup game we can’t rest on one’s laurels, the challenge has only just begun.”

INEOS Britannia ventured out for a fourth training day in a row at the Bay of Palma. After a tow out to the kiteboarding mecca of C’an Pastilla, the test team once again had T6 popping with ease, even with the low-horsepower J3 jib up. It’s becoming a feature of the ‘Silver Bullet’ this ease of flight and one that other teams will be analysing closely.

The Brits are on to something, and it’s awe-inspiring to watch as a couple of quick fans on the traveller equates to a fast-pop and stable flight. From there, and as the wind increased, the cunningham was much in play to control the top of the sail and de-power – only really visually noticeable as the boat came off a flight and to rest with the cunningham still wound on hard.

With flat water, Giles Scott and Leigh McMillan were tasked with driving T6 on data runs as much as the light conditions would afford. Iain Jensen and Luke Parkinson showed deft skills, once again, in the flight control department, seemingly able to hold T6 accurately through various ride height modes with consummate ease. They make the impossible look easy, and one thing’s for sure – the Brits know how to fly.

Ugo Fonollá / America’s Cup

Overall, a productive, if short, two-hour sailing session today to end what has been an excellent week for the INEOS Britannia team. Bleddyn Mon summed it up to perfection, saying: “Yeah I think we’ve had a great week. We’ve had quite a few days on the water; yes, they’ve been long days. Still, I mean, that’s what we’re all here for, and we’d much rather see the boat out on the water sailing and just learning from that, and that’s the case for us sailors and the shore guys.”

It’s a considerable effort the whole team have put in this week, and the data gathered has been exceptional. Impressive to witness the team on the water as the sailing has been top drawer. INEOS Britannia is looking like the real deal.

ALINGHI RED Bull Racing

Around the Alinghi Red Bull Racing camp, there’s an air of intensity, with the team noticeably turning up the dial on every aspect of their campaign. With the new AC40 in the shed being assembled and the apparent anticipation around that, plus some Persico 69Fs that will be used presumably for Youth & Women’s selection as other teams are doing in this cycle, the Swiss are, pardon the pun, on a roll.

Sailing out of Barcelona, the Swiss have been making strides forward on the water under the watchful eye of Sailing Team Adviser Pietro Sibello. After four weeks in the shed over Christmas to fit a new self-tacking jib system, January has been a watershed for the team on the water with a noticeable upping of the intensity and willingness to push BoatZero harder both in straight lines and through manoeuvres. The team received their first AC40 at the end of January alongside some Persico 69Fs for training and evaluation.

Arnaud Psarofaghis, one of the new breed of next-gen ambassadors for the high-octane 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, gave a fascinating interview post the session and asked about the stability at rocket speeds; he said: “I think the faster you go, the boat gets more and more stable so when you are at the mid 44-45 knots the boat seems to be really locked in and it’s quite ‘enjoyable’ to sail the boat at this speed. It’s more in the transition zone between the upwind and downwind (where we) just get used to the boa,t and it’s the first few times that we have sailed in this breeze, so the first bear away we always take a bit of care there, but it’s been really good, so we just need to push more and more.”

Alex Carabi / America’s Cup

Clearly, that mantra of pushing “more and more” is feeding around the team. Arnaud was joined in the starboard helm position towards the end of the session by Maxime Bachelin, one of the young rising stars of what Alinghi Red Bull Racing call the ‘Driving Group.’ Maxime was pretty quickly up to speed. The recon unit was impressed with his speed and willingness to dive into foiling manoeuvres.

A big day in terms of distance covered, with some 60 nautical miles logged for the analyst teams sucking the data to feed back into the simulations in the design office and with a drone in the sky looking at sail shapes; all round it was a highly productive, near five-hour session in sunny, almost spring-like, Barcelona.

The Swiss rocketship took off today. All credit to the sailing team.

NYYC AMERICAN MAGIC Team

American Magic brings together two highly successful racing programs with one of the top yacht clubs in the world, united by a campaign to win back the Cup, reconneamct the American sailing base with the premier event in the sport and elevate the quality of competitive sailing in the United States. Formed in October 2017 by Bella Mente Racing, Quantum Racing and the New York Yacht Club, American Magic represents a joint vision to win the America’s Cup, the highest prize in sailing and the oldest trophy in international sports. American Magic is a nod to the New York Yacht Club’s storied America’s Cup history; a combination of the boat the trophy is named for and the first boat to defend it.

Paul Goodison, the skipper alongside Riley Gibbs today, had a tinge of sadness about the de-commissioning of Patriot, saying: “Yesterday we had some full-on fliying with up to 25 knots (of wind) and over 50+knots of speed in every bear-away to then going outside and having a seaway the biggest we’ve sailed Patriot in today – so a lot of challenging conditions and it’s been great to see how everybody in the team rise to the challenge. We’ve had two fantastic days sailing to finish Patriot here in Pensacola.”

Goodison, a technically brilliant sailor of the foiling generation, explained what the team faced today when he said: “It’s just full on. When the waves are so big it’s hard to keep the foil in the water and the hull out of the water just with the way the whole thing shapes up – obviously one tack’s a little bit easier than the other, on port we had real issues as soon as the hull touches down the foil’s out of the water or you have to accept a little bit of heel and then the boat’s out of whack and then to being on starboard the boat’s obviously a little bit more settled because you have a bit more margin to keep the bulb in the water and the hull out of the water so really tricky conditions but fantastic learning again.”

The team will be taking delivery of their AC40s in the coming weeks, and Patriot will be dismantled carefully by the shore team to inspect everything. One of the most famous yachts in recent America’s Cup history will be fondly remembered. Farewell Patriot.

LUNA ROSSA Prada Pirelli Team

In an America’s Cup team, each person, and each division, plays a vital role in the success of the campaign: the work of the individual, although far from the limelight, has impacts the entire Cup crusade and is interconnected to that of the others. The shore team, for example, is the beating heart of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, as boat captain Michele Cannoni, in control of this department, explains. He is a professional sailor with over 20 years of experience in international regattas. With two America’s Cup campaigns (Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 2007 and 2021) under his belt, Cannoni coordinates the “shore team” that carries out all the modifications suggested by the sailors or designers and any repairs required at the end of a training session or a race.

Organising 35 people with different personalities and needs are not easy, nor is establishing and sticking to the timeline. Still, Cannoni can rely on his long and multifaceted experience. «Having been a professional sailor for over 20 years helps me to understand both the dynamics of a boat and the needs of the sailors and the shore team, so I believe I can help set the right pace for various departments working on the same goal». The shore team is undoubtedly the most ‘stressed’ department in terms of working hours and shifts. «It’s a beautiful job, but not an easy one», Cannoni admits; «you have little time for ‘normal’ life, but when you toast a victory, that repays you for everything. You have to have passion and a strong motivation: mine is to win the America’s Cup».

LUNA ROSSA PRADA PIRELLI’S FIRST YOUTH CAMP COMPLETED

A first successful session, packed with enthusiasm and inconsistent weather conditions

At the end of the first Youth Camp (January 30th – February 5th organised in Cagliari by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli for sailors under 25, the outcome was highly positive, both for the 14 youths involved and for the coaches who followed them as they sailed on the 69Fs.

Committed to a demanding schedule every day, with early morning starts and long days, the young sailors attended theory lessons at the team base, gym and pool training (learning water safety techniques), and sessions at sea, alternating roles on board. Although accustomed to sporting success and podiums, there was an overall excitement and appreciation for the unique opportunity to be part of this project.

«These sailors are very young and all very good, with different skills and experience», comments Simone Salvà, coach of Youth Camp 1 (together with coordinator Jacopo Plazzi). «Not only have they proved to be technically skilled, but they are also motivated and have showed their ability to work as a team, all qualities that are of primary importance for us. Those with more experience were always ready to help those who were trying the 69F for the first time, and this is something that impressed me positively».

K-CHALLENGE Orient Express Team

The Accor hotel group has committed to K-Challenge for the 37th America’s Cup naming its Orient Express brand as the partner of the official French contender, which will be known as the Orient Express Team.

The team, led by Stéphan Kandler and Bruno Dubois and gifted French experts such as naval architect Benjamin Muyl, skipper Quentin Delapierre, head of performance Franck Cammas, and technical director Antoine Carraz, will face four other challengers at the Challenger Selection Series in September 2024.
For the first time in France’s history in the America’s Cup, the French challenge will benefit from the latest generation technology package provided by the Defender. This allows Orient Express Team to gain time and start on equal terms with its opponents. The goal is to carry the colours of Orient Express as far as possible into the competition.

Pierre Roinson, President of the SNST:

“The Orient Express Team, which will represent us at the America’s Cup – a contest of excellence – can count on the unfailing support of the more than 500 members of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez. We are very happy to be a cornerstone of the 2024 campaign.”

Stéphan Kandler founded K-Challenge in 2001 for a previous America’s Cup campaign. He was joined in 2021 by Bruno Dubois, and since then, the partners have been committed to building a solid and talented French team.

The wider team includes:

Benjamin Muyl, Principal Designer

Antoine Carraz, Technical Director

Franck Cammas, Head of Performance and Design/Sailor Coordinator

A Sailing Team managed by Bruno Dubois, led by skipper Quentin Delapierre and coached by Thierry Douillard.

The AC75 Orient Express is planned to launch in the spring of 2024. In the meantime, the sailing team will train on an AC40. This smaller but equally powerful monohull will be utilised as the platform for the Youth and Women’s America’s Cup.

Knowledge transfer, one of the pillars of the French challenger’s DNA, will not be overshadowed by the team’s involvement and performance in the America’s Cup. On the contrary, discovering and developing sailors and selecting the integration and training of women and young people in elite competitive Sailing will remain at the heart of Orient Express Team and K-Challenge’s mission.

Leigh Rose

Journalist, Youtuber and Skipper, Leigh Rose pursue her huge passion for the sea and yachts every time she can, often delivering sailing and motor boats all around Europe.