TWO BOAT TESTING BEGINS

America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand has started its two boat testing programme on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.

The benefits of the two boats squaring off were quick to appear for coach Ray Davies: “The boats were engaging so well from the outset and as a result you could definitely see some instant gains in communication between the guys and girls onboard, obviously keeping check on the other boat’s performance and moves which is really important as far as match racing goes.”

In campaigns long past the sight of two boats testing was a common occurrence, especially in the days of the IACC class used between 1992-2007. But not since 2012 has ETNZ had two boats together when a couple of SL33s were used to verify the significance of foiling vs non-foiling in the America’s Cup.

The 40ft one-design will be the boat used in the first two pre-regattas, and the Youth & Women’s America’sCupevents.

For the team, it is a ticket to more training; the delivery of the AC40 marks the start of a new two-boat training phase (this will increase to three later in the year with the arrival of the second AC40). With the launch and maintenance likely to be much simpler, the sailors will be able to continue training on the AC40 when the AC75 is out of the water for maintenance.

Stéphan said: “We very quickly entered discussions with the ETNZ, with whom we have had a very good relationship since the first K-Challenge campaign in 2003. The resulting technological partnership includes a latest generation design package to work from and we will build our own AC75 made in France. This partnership allows us to compete on equal terms.”

The AC75 Orient Express is scheduled to launch in spring 2024. In the meantime, the sailing team will train on an AC40, a smaller monohull that will also be used as the platform for the Youth and Women’s America’s Cup.

Ashore, the team base in Barcelona will be set up and operational from summer 2023. Afloat, the team will alternate between training onboard the AC40 in Barcelona and racing on the SailGP circuit.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s first AC40 – delivered to the team base in Barcelona at the end of January – was christened last month. This second boat marks the start of a new phase of training towards the 2024 America’sCup. The boat had been due to arrive at the end of 2022 but was delayed to make changes to the structure following an assessment of damage to the ETNZ AC40 after a capsize in November.