With the launch of their new AC75 on Friday afternoon, the defenders of the America’s Cup now have a definitive window in which to work before the pack up and head for Barcelona.
While sailing in Spain does not begin until the final preliminary regatta gets under way in late August, Team New Zealand will lose weeks of the campaign as their AC75 is shipped to their Barcelona base.
Shipping time between Auckland and Barcelona is around six weeks, and with Team New Zealand having a target of sailing their AC75 in Spain in early July it gives them five to seven weeks at best to put the boat through its paces.
Team New Zealand chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge said the team had “a couple of weeks” of trialling, testing and developing on the boat, but noted the looming pack-up was not all that far away.
“It’s a big step forward. We’re glad we made our date – or slightly overachieved on that by a few days – to get the rig in now,” Shoebridge said.
“It’s a good moment for the team and it signals the start of the final phase really.”
It will see the main sailing team reunite onboard with the power unit for the first time since they retired Te Rehutai – their second-edition AC75 on which they defended the Auld Mug in Auckland – late last October. The cyclors have been doing power-specific training while the helmsmen, flight controllers and trimmers have been working on their handling of the boat in the team’s scaled-down AC40.
That process started on Friday when the team had their new AC75 – which will be officially launched in a naming ceremony on Thursday - out on the water to get the sails up and take it for quick test run, which they got through without issue.
Team New Zealand took their new AC75 out on the water on Friday afternoon. Photo / Hamish Hooper, Emirates Team New Zealand
Team New Zealand were the second syndicate to reveal their new race boat, after Alinghi Red Bull Racing held a ceremony to unveil theirs in Barcelona last weekend. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli will reveal their AC75 in Cagliari this weekend, with the AC75s of American Magic, Ineos Britannia and Orient Express Racing Team having been delivered, with launch dates yet to be set.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see what we’ll be racing in Barcelona,” Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling said.
“It doesn’t seem like too far away now. We’ve got a really intense little block here before we’ve got to ship the boat, but it’s super exciting to see it in the water and knowing this is the race boat we’ll be defending the America’s Cup in.”
America’s Cup key dates
Barcelona Preliminary Regatta: August 22-25
Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins: August 29-September 8
