INEOS Britannia concludes UK’s 60-year quest for a spot in the America’s Cup Match
by INEOS Britannia 4 Oct 10:12 PDT
4 October 2024
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Ben Ainslie raise the Louis Vuitton Cup © Ian Roman / America’s Cup
INEOS Britannia, the British Challenger of Record representing the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, has won the Louis Vuitton Cup, earning a place in the 37th America’s Cup Match against the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand. Ben Ainslie’s crew is the first British team in six decades to achieve this milestone, having defeated the Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 7-4 in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final—a first-to-seven series to determine the challenger facing the Kiwis.
The America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy in the world, originating in Britain with a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851. Despite its roots, Britain has yet to win the America’s Cup, but Ben Ainslie and his team are now closer than ever to ending 173 years of disappointment. The British team will commence their battle against Emirates Team New Zealand in the first-to-seven series starting on 12 October.
INEOS Britannia Team Principal and Skipper Ben Ainslie stated, “This marks a tremendous day for our team. I want to express my pride not only in those competing on the water but also everyone back on shore in Barcelona and in the UK in Brackley who have supported us technically. I’m thrilled for our fans and supporters—it’s a monumental moment.”
“We founded this team ten years ago when Britain wasn’t in the America’s Cup, and it needed a lot of incredible people to rally around us. We greatly appreciate the unwavering support from Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team, and I want to extend a huge thank you to all who have backed us and British sailing overall—this moment is for you.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS, remarked after the victory, “We are immensely proud of the team for winning the Louis Vuitton Cup and qualifying for the America’s Cup match for the first time in 60 years. The Italians have been remarkable rivals all along, providing outstanding competition and thrilling races, showcasing some of the finest America’s Cup racing ever witnessed.
“However, we must now shift our focus as we prepare to face Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup match. While we have made major strides throughout the races, we recognize that now is not the time to relax. As we have done over recent months, we will relentlessly pursue performance to ensure we are in the best shape for the Cup match.”
INEOS Britannia held a 6-4 lead over Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli at the race’s start on Friday. The British team only required one more win to claim the Louis Vuitton Cup and gain that vital spot in the 37th America’s Cup Match. The thrilling series culminated with an exceptional sailing performance by the crew of INEOS Britannia, commanding the eleventh and final race from the outset. The British boat rocketed off the line at 40 knots, just four meters behind the line, swiftly taking charge on the first leg and rounding the first gate ten seconds ahead.
The next lap and a half remained neck and neck, but during leg four, the Italians started to close in. It took some calm yet competitive sailing to push the Italian boat back again, with the lead narrowing to mere meters before INEOS Britannia regained and extended it to a firm eight-second advantage at the end of lap three. The British team finished strong, ultimately winning by 17 seconds.
INEOS Britannia Co-Helm Dylan Fletcher expressed, “I’m incredibly proud of our team’s performance. It seems like we’ve been building momentum, and it genuinely feels like we are progressing as a unit, which is a testament to everyone involved, from software engineers to the performance team and shore crew managing the boat.
“We are eager to further develop both the boat and our performance leading into the America’s Cup Match. To find ourselves here winning the Louis Vuitton Cup is surreal; it’s been a lifelong ambition for me to compete in the America’s Cup. I can’t wait to show what we are capable of next weekend. Bring on the Kiwis.”
INEOS Britannia has dedicated nearly three years to designing and refining its AC75 race boat, Britannia. They collaborated with the Applied Science Division of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, merging top talent from both the high-performance marine and automotive sectors for their America’s Cup campaign.
The race boat, Britannia, will challenge Emirates Team New Zealand starting on 12 October. UK audiences can catch all the action live on TNT Sports at 13:00 BST (14:00 CEST).
