The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup officially started in sunny Barcelona with the third and final preliminary regatta. This was also the first time that all the teams met on the water in the third generation AC75 race boats, 75-foot foiling monohulls masterminded by the Emirates Team New Zealand’s design and engineering teams.
At first sight all six teams’ boats look quite different, but as they are a very complex racing machines, the shape of the hull itself is just the tip of an iceberg. It doesn’t reveal much about other aspects of the boat, the solutions the teams have opted for, and all the hidden features selected in pursuit of designing, engineering and building the fastest sailboat for this historic regatta. Which team has got it right?
We will know the answer by the end of October, but one thing is already clear – the boats are more advanced and a lot closer to each other than they were at the last Cup in Auckland three years ago, so we are in for some intense and exciting racing over the next couple of months.
Six teams contending for the Auld Mug
The four teams we saw at the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland – Emirates Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, INEOS Britannia and New York Yacht Club American Magic – have been joined by two more teams this time around.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing Team from Switzerland is rather well known to New Zealand sailing fans. The team first joined the world of the America’s Cup at the start of the new millennium and in 2003 successfully challenged and beat the then-defender, Team New Zealand, in their own backyard. To add salt to the wound, The Swiss challenger’s crew was mostly made up of reputable Kiwi yachtsmen. The Alinghi team then successfully defended the Cup four years later, in 2007, in Valencia, but lost it in 2010, to Oracle Team USA in a Deed of Gift match in Valencia.
After that loss, the Swiss sat out a few America’s Cup cycles, but they are back now, this time joining forces with the Red Bull F1 Racing Team, no doubt with their eyes on the world’s oldest sporting trophy once again.
The fifth challenger and the sixth team contending for the 37th America’s Cup is a young team from France, Orient Express Racing Team. The French are steeped in tradition and prestige after 2017, when their compatriots from Groupama Team France competed in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda.
Bruno Troublé, a French sailing legend, America’s Cup sailor and the person responsible for bringing the French brand Louis Vuitton to the game many years ago, once said that while French sailors are really good in offshore single-handed racing, as soon as there are more sailors on board a boat, they struggle. The French are passionate and fiery, they love to argue, but they don’t like to communicate. This has always been a recipe for disaster in a team sport, especially in sailing where clear communication is one of the keys to success.
Well, the Orient Express Racing Team is indubitably proving Troublé wrong. The team is full of talent, enthusiasm and passion. It is hard-working and demonstrates a strong desire to win.
Are desire and talent enough?
As displayed many times in the 173-year history of the America’s Cup, a team needs to have more than just a strong appetite for winning to triumph. Immense talent won’t seal the deal either, although it helps. Ultimately, the fastest boat always wins, and to design and build the boat that will be faster than all others, one needs deep pockets.
Orient Express is believed to be this year’s America’s Cup underdog. They joined the competition at the start of 2023, by which time other teams were well established, with numerous days of training and sailing in previous generation AC75 boats. They were also well down the track with the designs of their racing boats. It took the French some time to set up their base in Barcelona. They received their AC40 training boat only weeks before the first preliminary regatta in Villanova last September. This team was also the last one to launch their AC75 and has therefore had the fewest number of days sailing in these yachts.
They are, however, the only team that hasn’t designed their own AC75, but has instead opted in for a design package from the Kiwis. They built their boat in France and have probably made some modifications to better fit it to the team and their sailing style. But arguably, the French boat should be the closest to the AC75 Emirates Team New Zealand will be sailing in the regatta, and so it’s expected to perform rather well. It will really come down to how fast the French can learn to sail it.
Exciting Barcelona summer
The third and final preliminary regatta was held on 22-25 August. This was the first time that all teams for the 37th America’s Cup officially met on the water in real racing conditions. This was also the first time that all teams got some real indication where they are currently standing compared to the other teams.
Before the regatta any kind of engagement among the teams on the water was prohibited by the America’s Cup Protocol. The boats were allowed to ‘meet’ and sail on the same tack for a maximum of 20 seconds. When the AC media components were installed on the boats, the ACE ran a few practice races, mainly to test the race management, media and broadcasting equipment, and the first signs of individual teams’ strengths and weaknesses started to show. These early observations were mostly confirmed in the preliminary race.
During the preliminary regatta, the French Orient Express Racing Team expectedly had the most issues, mainly with boat handling and their pace. They only secured one point in five races, with that point secured not because of a good race against the Americans, but due to the failure of the American Magic’s Patriot and its retirement from the race. At time of writing the French team have lots of work on their hands if they want to survive the Round Robins at the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Their biggest problem, as is notorious in this event, is a lack of time.
The big enigmas prior to the Preliminary Regatta were Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing and the British Ineos Britannia. Alinghi suffered two mast failures inside two months before the preliminary regatta started, which is always a setback. The Brits didn’t have any similar issues before the first teams lined up, but they also hadn’t stood out in any way. Their AC75’s hull looks bulky with unconventional lines, but with the Mercedes-Benz F1 Racing Team and their engineers and design team backing the team, all doors are open.
From the boats’ reveal days through to the Preliminary Regatta, the sleekest on the waters in front of Barceloneta beach looked to be the Italians, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli with Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni at the helm, and the Americans, NYYC American Magic with Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison behind the wheel.
The shapes of both boats’ hulls appear sleeker with smoother lines. The Americans also opted for recumbent cyclors (lying down instead of being seated) who are positioned right behind the helmsmen, mainsail trimmers and flight controllers facing the back of the boat.
Emirates Team New Zealand’s Taihoro resembles the Italian boat, but with some similar but less aggressive features of the Swiss boat. Her shapes are soft and her lines smooth. Like the other teams, the New Zealanders have opted for two helmsmen and chosen to use cyclors to generate power. Prior to the latest preliminary regatta, there had been very little reporting on their performance, except that the team looked fast and dangerous. With their win in this final Preliminary Regatta, they certainly proved to be the team to look up to.
Which team?
The first few days of the preliminary regatta didn’t offer major surprises or upsets. The French struggled and managed to score one point only, and that was due to the rudder failure on the American boat. Ineos Britannia finished in fourth place with two wins and three losses, one point ahead of the Swiss, who scored only one win against its four losses.
Another disappointed team were the Americans. While American Magic sailed an incredible regatta, proving they are a team to teams to keep an eye on – they were the only team that stole the win from the Emirates Team New Zealand in an epic battle in Race 13 of the regatta – they also lost against the Italians who schooled them in the pre-start. Equipment failure against the French cost them another valuable point.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli showed itself to be an extremely strong team, even though mistakes nearly cost them the race against Alinghi. In the final race against the Kiwis, errors drew costly penalties, allowing America’s Cup defender Emirates Team New Zealand to celebrate the regatta win at the end of the weekend.
None of the preliminary regattas held any weight for the Louis Vuitton Cup. The teams were mostly looking at learning lessons in preparation for the real racing about to start. And judging by the racing we saw at the final preliminary regatta, America’s Cup fans, supporters and spectators in Barcelona and around the globe can look forward some great racing in the months to come.
The Louis Vuitton Cup
Racing to decide which worthy challenger will take on the Emirates Team New Zealand started on 29 August and will run until early October. The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup final begins October 12 for a best of seven race spectacle. All racing will be shown live on the official event website, Stuff, on Facebook and on Youtube.
See www.boatingnz.co.nz for daily AC updates.