Ahead of the Prada Cup, Michael Burgess profiles the four teams fighting for America's Cup glory.
TEAM NEW ZEALAND
Grant Dalton's 17-year vision will come to fruition in March, as Team New Zealand defend the America's Cup in home waters. It's been a long wait – and the painful memories of 2003 are still fresh for some Kiwi sailing fans – but the portents are much better this time round. They have an accomplished crew and a highly skilled, innovative design team, as exhibited in Bermuda in 2017.
There is also the benefit of a decade of experience since the Cup converted to 'foiling' boats and the wherewithal needed to navigate campaigns. The only fly in the ointment could be the energy, time and resources they have poured into their off-the-water battles with MBIE over disputes around the hosting over the event.
But the signs were good in the America's Cup World Series in December. Te Rehutai looked seriously fast and only dropped one race – by a narrow margin to American Magic – in taking out the warm-up regatta.
Key men
Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and Glenn Ashby.
Burling is a master of his art and keeps stepping up to every new challenge. Being at home – with all the associated pressures – with be another test, but one he will relish.
His cool demeanour and ability to think quickly in tight situations stood out in Bermuda, as he became the youngest Cup winning helmsmen in history at 26.
Tuke, who will be flight controller, has brought the golden touch to each campaign alongside Burling. They have six 49er world championships to their credit as well as Olympic silver (2012) and gold (2016), which was claimed by a record margin.
Ashby can go under the radar, with the presence of the young Kiwi duo, but shouldn't. The Australian is one of the best acquisitions in Team New Zealand history.
After being Oracle's head coach in 2010, he was hired as a multihull specialist, helping Team New Zealand immensely in their transition towards San Francisco in 2013. There are few worldwide with better understanding of what it takes to 'fly' in such vessels than Ashby, who also has 17 world championships across various disciplines.
Cup record
New Zealand didn't compete for the Cup until 1987 but have become the pre-eminent nation since then. Their first attempt remains one of the most memorable, with KZ7 taking the nation on an amazing journey, including a 37-1 record in the round robin series. It couldn't last – Chris Dickson's men were outfoxed 4-1 by Dennis Conner in the semifinals – but Fremantle cemented an enduring love for the Cup.
The 1988 'Big Boat' challenge was a fascinating but ultimately frustrating chapter, with the endless courtroom debates tiring for many fans.
In 1992 the Kiwis reached the Louis Vuitton Final – and looked well positioned at 3-1 up, before losing momentum after the Bowsprit drama.
Sir Michael Fay stepped away after that challenge and a new commercial entity, Team New Zealand, was created. With the late Sir Peter Blake running the team, and Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth steering the boat, Black Magic was unstoppable in San Diego.
They lost only once in the round robin races, before claiming the Louis Vuitton Cup 5-1 over One Australia. The Cup match was even more emphatic, as NZL32 led around every mark, against an overmatched Stars and Stripes syndicate to win 5-0.
Team New Zealand retained the Cup in 2000 (5-0 over Prada) but everything – including the boat – fell apart three years later. Team New Zealand never recovered from the loss of Russell Coutts and his 'tight five' (who signed with Alinghi) and lost 5-0 to the Swiss syndicate in the Cup match, with NZL82 too brittle for the conditions.
Four years later in Valencia Team New Zealand took the Louis Vuitton Cup, before falling to Alinghi in a series that was closer than the 5-2 scoreline indicated.
They came agonisingly close in 2013, with Aotearoa supreme for most of the regatta before Oracle's astonishing comeback from 8-1 down, though the Kiwis sailed without luck.
Redemption came, spectacularly, in Bermuda. They emerged top of the pile against four other challengers then cleaned out Oracle 7-1 in the Cup match.
Campaign story so far
After winning the Cup in Bermuda, TNZ, along with the challenger of record, settled on the AC75 class for Auckland. There had been suggestions that TNZ might want to continue with catamarans – given their prowess in Bermuda – but monohulls were always most likely.
They brought back a nationality clause, to prevent scenarios such as the Oracle situation in 2017, when the United States team had 10 Australians and only one American on board, amongst other Cup traditions.
Crucially, they have retained almost all key personnel. They are likely to have a significant advantage with simulator development and performance analysis and have a dedicated construction team (rather than using third parties) for the first time. Technological advances mean the design team can monitor the boat's performance in real time.
First-generation boat Te Aihe was launched on September 6, 2019 and the team have accumulated more sailing hours than any other syndicates. There have been a couple of capsizes, but those incidents reinforced how much more durable these vessels are compared with the catamarans of 2013 or 2017.
Te Rehutai was unveiled in October, the last of the second-generation boats, with head of design Dan Bernasconi saying they hoped to achieve "the perfect balance between hydrodynamic and aerodynamic performance".
Boats
Te Kahu – 12 metre test boat
Te Aihe – first generation AC75
Te Rehutai – second generation AC75
Finances
Aside from Emirates, Dalton has assembled an impressive family of sponsors, with Omega, Toyota, Spark, Steinlager and Genesis among the corporate support.
What's different about this team?
Team New Zealand features three Olympians from other sports, including a rower (Joe Sullivan), a cyclist (Simon Van Velthooven) and a kayaker (Steven Ferguson).
They said it
"One of the biggest things for this team is having to keep the intensity all the way through to the last race of the America's Cup, that's something we did extremely well in Bermuda.
"There are going to be a lot of distractions this time around, and we are going to [be] very careful to make sure we don't let those distractions infiltrate the core value and the core mana of the team." - Glenn Ashby
In a nutshell
Will be favourites and deservedly so. Burling, Tuke and Ashby will be key; filling the three most important positions on the boat, as a trio they have more experience together than any of the other syndicates can boast.
The unknown is the cumulative effect of the off-the-water dramas in the second half of 2020.
They also need to find a way to train effectively in January and February, while the challengers are competing in the Prada Cup. The outcome won't be as straightforward as 2000, but they will be hard to beat.
AMERICAN MAGIC
The New York Yacht Club is back in the America's Cup, which is a massive boost for the event. Given their storied Cup history, as holders of the 'Auld Mug' from 1851 to 1983, their presence will add considerable interest. The 2021 America's Cup might lack the quantity of teams originally hoped for, but the quality and profile of 'super teams' involved is hard to beat.
The American syndicate enjoyed two close races against Team New Zealand (winning one) in December's America's Cup World Series and project an air of quiet confidence from their Viaduct harbour base.
Key men
Terry Hutchinson (skipper) and Dean Barker (helmsman). They have a long association, back to the 2007 America's Cup campaign with Team New Zealand in Valencia.
Hutchinson, who is an 11-time world champion across various classes, has four Cup challenges behind him. Barker was with Team New Zealand for almost two decades and four campaigns before heading up the Japanese challenge in Bermuda in 2017. The duo won the TP52 World Series in 2018.
The USA syndicate also have former Team Zealand chief designer Marcelino Botin, who worked with the Kiwi team between 2004 and 2011, designing NZL92, which took out the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2007. The Spaniard has worked with Hutchinson on five TP52 campaigns.
"A fast boat is desirable, but it should also be reactive at lower speeds," said Botin when he was appointed.
A wildcard could be co-principal Roger Penske, one of the biggest names in American motorsport, with 18 Indy 500 wins to his credit (a record for a team owner). He's new to sailing, but he knows plenty about winning, creating the right culture and mentoring strong teams.
"The America's Cup is one of the hardest trophies to win, which for me is a big part of the attraction," Penske told an American sailing website last year. "This is not a fair fight, with the defending team being able to pick the boat, the racecourse, and the rules. The task in front of us is to win anyway, and we certainly have a team capable of doing just that."
Cup record
Like no other. The New York Yacht club held the trophy for 132 years until 1983, when Australia II beat Liberty 4-3 in one of the biggest sporting moments of the 20th century.
They challenged for the Cup in Fremantle four years later, missing the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals by a single point. They placed fifth of a record 13 challengers.
In 2000 Ed Baird helmed Young America, which didn't progress past the round robin phase.
Their last challenge was in 2003. Dennis Conner was the face of the syndicate, which included Hutchinson, while Ken Read helmed the boat. They were knocked out in a semifinal repechage, to finish fifth from nine teams.
Challenging through the New York Yacht Club means accepting the mantle of unparalleled history, which can be a burden.
Campaign story so far
The syndicate was formed in October 2017, as an amalgamation of Bella Mente Racing, Quantum Racing and the New York Yacht Club.
Their boats were constructed in Bristol, Rhode Island, not far from Newport, where a lot of historic America's Cup races were contested. The team have heavily prioritised time on the water, in addition to all the advanced simulation that is now standard.
They were the only challenger to launch a test boat (the Mule, in late 2018) and completed a lot of trialling with that. Their training programs were split between Rhode Island and Pensacola, Florida.
They were the first challenger to arrive in Auckland (July 2020) and their first AC75 boat Defiant was recently decommissioned, after 13 months of testing. They launched Patriot on October 16, which featured a softer, sleeker design. If Defiant resembled a flat-bottomed scow, then Patriot has a deeper skiff style design. It also features flared decks at the bow and deeper trenches for the helm and grinding stations.
What's different about this team?
Their crew includes two Olympic sprint kayakers.
Boats
Patriot (second generation AC75)
Defiant (first AC75)
The Mule – AM38 test boat
Finances
The syndicate is believed to be 50 per cent underwritten by the three principals (Hap Fauth, Doug De Vos and Roger Penske). They also have corporate support, including Airbus, TSI, Helly Hansen and BMW.
They said it
"Without the America's Cup, it's really hard to have a significant influence on our sport. We've tried in various ways. We've started things and we've all tried to keep things going. It's a challenge. The America's Cup is that beacon in our sport that brings people together." – Doug DeVos (Team Principal)
"It's very much a development class ... someone is going to be fast and you hope that's going to be yourselves. We know we have to keep getting faster because it's just the nature of this type of development sailing where what's good enough today won't be good enough tomorrow." – Dean Barker
In a nutshell
The presence of the New York backed team is a massive fillip for the event. They started from scratch, a considerable handicap compared to the other challengers, but have compensated with more time on the water. Barker's foiling experience and local knowledge is another plus. They have faced a daunting task over the last two years but appear to have got the big decisions spot on. Looked impressive during the America's Cup World Series and will be a strong contender for the Prada Cup.
LUNA ROSSA
Over the last four decades teams from Italy have been consistent Cup challengers. The Mediterranean country launched their first effort at the 1983 America's Cup in Newport (Azzurra) and had two syndicates in 1987 in Fremantle before Il Moro del Venezia reached the 1992 Cup final in San Diego. Since 2000 the Prada challenge have continued that tradition, with design flair, parochial support and charismatic sailors.
The signs were good for Luna Rossa during the America's Cup World Series last December. Until the last leg of the final race against Team New Zealand they were in contention to take out the regatta and their boat performed well, particularly in the lighter air.
Key men
Jimmy Spithill, Francesco Bruni and team director Max Sirena.
Spithill is a modern-day Cup king, having won with Oracle twice, including the against-the-odds comeback in 2013. One of the world's best helmsman, the Australian brings serious X-factor and bullish belief. He possesses that hard-driving, tough sporting mentality that isn't always common in sailing.
Spithill also understands the team's dynamics and culture, having sailed with the Italians in the 2007 America's Cup campaign in Valencia.
The experienced Sirena is in his seventh Cup campaign and his fifth with Luna Rossa. Aside from his nautical skills, Sirena is well versed in the mechanics and politics of the Cup. The 49-year-old gained an invaluable insight into the Team New Zealand operation in Bermuda, as a technical adviser for their 2017 campaign.
Among the rest of the crew (Spithill is the only non-Italian) co-helmsman Francesco Bruni is the most prominent. The three-time Olympian will be participating in his fifth America's Cup and his fourth with Luna Rossa. He has seven world championship wins across different classes and has been previously ranked No 1 match racer in the world.
Cup record
The team was founded in 1997 by Patrizio Bertelli, the long-time chief executive of the Prada Group. They made an instant impression in their first challenge in Auckland 2000, leaning on the expertise of designer German Frers, (who had worked with 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup winners Il Moro di Venezia) and skipper Francesco de Angelis.
Prada Challenge won 26 of 29 races in the round robin, before advancing through the semifinals. They edged America One 5-4 in the tightest Louis Vuitton Cup final in history, before falling 5-0 to an experienced Team New Zealand outfit in the Cup regatta. Their record was 38 wins from 49 races.
De Angelis returned as skipper in 2003, where they were one of nine challengers. They reached the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup but were beaten by One World.
Four years later in Valencia they competed as Luna Rossa for the first time, with Jimmy Spithill at the helm. After coming through the round robin phase with the third best record (16-4) they impressed in a 5-1 demolition of BMW Oracle in the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals before falling to Team New Zealand in the final (5-0).
Their most recent Cup campaign was in 2013. They edged Artemis to reach the Louis Vuitton Cup final, before being rolled 7-1 by Team New Zealand. They entered the 2017 America's Cup but withdrew before the event started in protest at controversial changes to the class rule.
Campaign story so far
Circolo della Vela Sicilia became the Challenger of Record for the 36th America's Cup in 2017. They set the protocols for the event along with Team New Zealand, as well as the design class.
However, a previously strong relationship with the defenders turned sour after a series of disagreements over the rules and regulations for this regatta. In October 2020 former New Zealand Cup hero Brad Butterworth was hired as a local conduit to smooth the waters.
Spithill was recruited in March 2018.
"It's a great mix of experience, new energy and enthusiasm in an open environment – the makings of a great team," he said at the time.
The Italians pushed the design envelope early, which was evident with their first generation AC75, with its skiff genre hull and centreline skeg.
"Ours is the most extreme boat" claimed Sirena before the launch of their second boat.
That yacht featured some slight tweaks, with more flare at the bow and a rejigged deck layout but Sirena emphasised the changes that were less discernible.
"It's not just what you see on the outside, it's what's there is inside…inside this kind of boat is a monster."
The boat was built in Bergamo and formally launched in Auckland on October 19.
Among the innovations, Luna Rossa are trumpeting their partnership with Pirelli to help deliver performance enhancements at the maximum speed ranges.
What's different about this team?
They have co-helmsman, with Spithill and Bruni sharing the duties. It's unusual but does have some advantages as they don't have to change sides during a tack or gybe. The Italians hope it will result in better manoeuvres and faster transitions and both men were positive about the scenario during the America's Cup World Series.
Finances
The Prada group provides plenty of support, along with Pirelli. They are also backed by Panerai, Ferrari and Woolmark.
Boats
Luna Rossa 1 and 2
What's in a name?
Luna Rossa translates as 'Red Moon'.
They said it
"Every day something is upgraded. It might be something physically that you can see, but a lot of the time it is stuff you can't see. They are very sophisticated boats and a lot more than where we were in San Francisco and even Bermuda. They are weapons."
- Spithill on the capabilities of the AC75 class.
In a nutshell
Should be strong contenders. Spithill provides a touch of class as well as the wherewithal required to compete in these events. He'll lift the crew up to his level.
They had a head start in terms of design as well as other advantages gleaned from being the challenger of record. The America's Cup World Series showed they are on the right track, especially if the winds are modest, as they often are as summer progresses in Auckland.
INEOS TEAM UK
The Brits are back. Britain has the longest history of challenging for the America's Cup, with 21 attempts over 167 years, since they lost the first contest in 1851. They were the primary challenger for the first century but haven't featured in an America's Cup match since Sovereign in 1964.
Before Ainslie's challenge in 2017, there had only been one British attempt since 1987, with the GBR entry in 2000.
"The America's Cup is one of the world's most competitive yacht races and Britain has never won it, despite founding the competition over 150 years ago. With the team we have assembled, we believe we can get a fully competitive boat to the start line," said Team chairman Jim Ratcliffe.
Key men
Ben Ainslie, Grant Simmer, Giles Scott and Nick Holroyd.
Ainslie is Britain's most decorated sailor, with five Olympic medals including a remarkable four golds between 2000 and 2012.
His Cup history goes back to 2003, when he was part of Team New Zealand, driving their back-up boat. Ainslie's career has been centred on the Olympics, but he was also Oracle's tactician during their improbable comeback in San Francisco in 2013 and helmed the British Cup challenge three years ago.
Scott competed against Ainslie in the Finn class, then had his own Olympic triumph in 2016. He was part of the 2013 Luna Rossa challenge, before being employed as Ainslie's tactician in 2017
Simmer could be a trump card. A veteran of 10 Cup campaigns, the Australian is an expert at judging situations and making big decisions. He was part of Australia II's historic win in 1983 (as the navigator) and 30 years later was a key player, alongside Russell Coutts in the backroom team as Oracle's general manager in San Francisco. He was also managing director and head of design for Alinghi's successful 2003 and 2007 campaigns.
Completing a talented roster, they have Nick Holroyd as chief designer. The Kiwi was with Team New Zealand between 1997 and 2015.
Cup record
The team was founded in 2014, competing as Land Rover BAR. They won the preliminary America's Cup World Series events in 2015 and 2016. At the Cup in Bermuda, Ainslie's team reached the semifinals, where they were beaten 5-2 by Team New Zealand.
Campaign story so far
The team, which was renamed Ineos Team UK two years ago, confirmed their entry for the 36th America's Cup in July 2018. Their also recruited Dutchman Rolf Vrolijk, who was chief designer for Alinghi's successful 2003 and 2007 campaigns. Their sailing team tuned up over the last two years by competing in the European GC32 Racing tour, while Ainslie won the first leg of Sail GP in 2020 before Covid-19 intervened.
The British team launched their first AC75 on October 4, 2019 in England before their second-generation yacht was unveiled a year later in Auckland. They have the most radical design of the four syndicates, including a massive bustle keel which stretches almost back to the stern. It's supposed to help with a quick lift onto the foils as well as improving the aerodynamics once in the air.
"It's fairly extreme but I think we have taken that concept and pushed it to its limit," said Holroyd earlier in 2020.
However, the team has been dogged by issues. Their boat took a few months longer to commission than anticipated and they barely took place in the practice racing last December. The America's Cup World Series raised more questions than answers, with the boat clearly off the pace compared to the other three.
What's different about this team?
The financial muscle of INEOS, one of the largest chemical companies in the world (annual revenues in excess of US$80 billion) affords enviable resources. Thirty members of the Mercedes Formula 1 team's applied science division were seconded to the INEOS team for a 12-month period to glean technological advantages and assist with manufacturing of key components. Most of their funding comes from a single source, unlike Team New Zealand who must service multiple sponsors.
Finances
The INEOS deal is believed to be the largest single sponsorship in sailing history. Other commercial partners include Belstaff, Grenadier and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.
Boats
Brittannia (RB1)
Brittannia (RB2)
They said it
"It looks like a rocket, let's hope it sails like one too," said Ainslie after the second boat was launched. "Taking Team New Zealand on in home waters, it doesn't get any tougher than that in sailing, so we have got to push the boundaries and I think with this boat we have pushed it pretty bloody hard."
In a nutshell
They have the advantage of an ongoing campaign, unlike American Magic, and stars across their roster, on and off the water. But they had boat speed issues in Bermuda and never really solved them; their only genuine win over Team New Zealand in the 2017 semifinals was built on tight match racing, which will be more difficult to replicate in Auckland.
They have opted for a radical hull design, which was always going to result in an apparent difference with the other teams, for better or worse. But the World Series left them with a mountain of issues to solve in a short timeframe.
Everybody hopes they will be competitive – and no one doubts the talent on their crew – but only time will tell.
Heading into the Cup racing?
• Be aware that traffic will be busy, and parking will be very limited.
• Give yourself plenty of time and think about catching a ferry, train or bus instead.
• Make sure your AT HOP card is in your pocket. It's the best way to ride to the Cup.
• For more ways to enjoy race day, visit at.govt.nz/americascup.
The Defender and Challenger of Record have started the clock in the search for a venue.