Alex Maloney will be sailing for Live Ocean Racing again in 2023. Photo: Supplied / Live Ocean
Alex Maloney will be sailing for Live Ocean Racing again in 2023. Photo: Supplied / Live Ocean
When the first women’s America’s Cup is contested in Barcelona next year, expect New Zealand to be a leading contender to bring it home.
It’s a position Olympic silver medallist Alex Maloney knows is possible given the talent available.
Team New Zealand are yet to announce their women’s programme, butare required to put together a team for both the women’s and youth America’s Cups — as are all five of the challengers looking to take the Auld Mug from them.
They have, however, had prospective team sailor Liv Mackay at the helm of an AC40 as part of their two-boat testing programme and are expected to launch into their trial process soon.
Maloney admits she is hopeful of earning a spot on the team, which will sail in the four-person AC40s when the regatta comes around.
“I think it would be really cool for New Zealand to win the first women’s America’s Cup,” Maloney said. “We’ve got a lot of talented women sailors, so it’s a really cool opportunity for New Zealand. It would be a huge honour to be a part of that process.”
Maloney is one of several hopefuls for the squad to already have some foiling experience, as a member of Live Ocean Racing in the France-based ETF 26 Grand Prix last year alongside Mackay, Molly Meech, Jo Aleh and Erica Dawson, while Olivia Hobbs spent time with the team as well.
This year, Mackay and Maloney will return to the ETF stage, this time as part of a mixed-gender team that provides an opportunity for youth sailors to get into the foiling arena, which includes young talents Serena Woodall, Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush.
The five-leg European series will provide the sailors more time on the water in the foiling environment outside of their established commitments in the Olympic classes.
While hoping to earn a spot in Team New Zealand’s women’s team for Barcelona in 2024, Maloney is also hopeful of securing another Olympic Games berth, now sailing alongside Hobbs in the 49er FX after splitting from long-time teammate Meech after the last Games.
“In the next year and a half, I’d really love to just keep learning as much as possible to put my best foot forward to be on the boat. That’s definitely a goal of mine and I think the sailing all complements each other.”
While establishing women’s and youth America’s Cup teams is on the horizon for Team New Zealand, the holders of the Auld Mug took a big step this week in their preparations for their upcoming defence in Barcelona.
Emirates Team New Zealand's America's Cup-winning boat Te Rehutai has returned with a new look. Photo: Supplied / ETNZ
Team New Zealand’s Cup winning AC75 Te Rehutai emerged from the team base on Wynyard Point this week with a new look – both inside and outside. New paint job aside, the main difference is the refitting of the grinding pedestals, which have been replaced with cycling stations as cyclors will return to power the vessel.
The team’s cyclors have played an important role in the implementation of the systems that will help power the AC75′s with three fewer crew than that used in the 36th America’s Cup.
“It’s no secret that most, if not all, of the teams are going down the cyclor path in their AC75 designs for Barcelona.” cyclor Simon van Velthooven said.
“We have some experience with cycling from the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda, but that was six years ago now, so we have been working closely with the designers to create the most efficient systems possible.
“However, in saying that, this won’t change the fact that as cyclors we will still be required to push ourselves to the physical limit each time we are onboard, but it will be a welcome change from the long hours spent on a stationary bike in the gym each week. So, we are all chomping at the bit to get back in the saddle, so to speak.”
With teams only allowed to build one new AC75 in this campaign, Te Rehutai will serve as a bridge between the two editions of the Cup and allow the Kiwi crew to get familiar with the new systems in place.
