INEOS Britannia – an exceptional campaign for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup
by America’s Cup Media 20 Oct 09:23 PDT
INEOS Britannia on Louis Vuitton Cup Race Day 9 © Ian Roman / America’s Cup
The most accomplished British Challenge in over 90 years concluded in loss at the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match after a spirited competition against the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, that was significantly closer and harder-fought than the 7-2 scoreline implies.
What INEOS Britannia accomplished by reaching the nation’s first America’s Cup Match final since 1964 and winning two races against the defender—a feat last achieved by Sir T.O.M. Sopwith in 1934—was truly remarkable and a significant boost for British sailing at the elite level of the sport.
Sir Ben Ainslie, Skipper and Team Principal of INEOS Britannia, was quick to commend his team after the setback, stating: “For our team to make it to the America’s Cup itself was a significant achievement. We have been on quite a journey over the past 10 years—especially the last three. Ultimately, falling short at the last hurdle is always tough, but we know we’ve competed against one of the best, if not the best, teams in America’s Cup history. We have to take that on the chin, and I believe the team have done an excellent job developing through this campaign. As a very courageous Brit remarked, ‘it’s the courage to continue that counts,’ so that’s our aim.”
Looking ahead, while reflecting on the tremendous support received in Barcelona, Ainslie added: “We cannot express enough gratitude for the support we’ve had here and back in the UK; it has been incredible. I have never witnessed anything like it, and it has greatly motivated the team. Regarding the team’s future, we set out to win the Cup, we came close, and we’re getting better each time. To me, when aiming for a goal, you must achieve it. Therefore, we will keep pushing forward and advancing this organization.”
The journey began immediately after the last America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021, with INEOS Britannia becoming the Challenger of Record the moment Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line on March 17.
With the Challenger of Record position secured, work began behind the scenes as Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Sports Group fully integrated with the America’s Cup team. Investments in Formula 1 and cycling were emphasized as the Protocol governing the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup was established between the Defender and Challenger of Record, confirming in October 2021 that the sailing team could tap into the resources of both the Mercedes-AMG F1 Applied Science division, part of the dominant Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, and the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team.
Team signings announced in October 2021 included seasoned naval architect Martin Fischer, a crucial member of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s design team for two America’s Cup campaigns, as well as Giles Scott, the team’s tactician in Auckland, who re-signed following his exceptional gold medal victory in the Finn Class at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Additionally, Dave Endean, Project Director for the team’s 36th America’s Cup campaign, joined as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing daily operations alongside Ainslie.
Reflecting on the initiation of their 37th America’s Cup campaign, Ben Ainslie remarked: “The America’s Cup is the ultimate team sport, and success requires continuity. It takes time to cultivate the IP, skills, and expertise necessary to form a winning team, especially against opponents with over 25 years of experience. As we embark on our third campaign, we have learned tremendously from our previous challenges and assembled a world-class team, blending talent from Formula 1 and the America’s Cup. Mercedes-AMG F1 Applied Science contributes a legacy of design; they are proven champions, it is part of their DNA and culture.”
INEOS Chairman and Founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe stated: “The America’s Cup has represented 170 years of disappointment for Britain. We have had fantastic sailors, but we’ve never possessed the boat capable of winning. We believe that by assembling this unique collection of elite sports teams, we have a greater chance of achieving what has never been accomplished before. Many synergies exist within our sporting family, and Mercedes F1’s engineering and organizational expertise remarkably enhances our America’s Cup challenge.”
In early 2022, the first sailings were announced with names like Neil Hunter, Matt Gotrel, Bleddyn Mon, Luke Parkinson, Ben Cornish, Iain Jensen, David Carr, and Leigh McMillan being confirmed. By the end of 2022, Cyclor strength was boosted with the addition of Matt Rositter, and in March 2023, it was announced that Dylan Fletcher, a gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 and International Moth World Champion had joined. The following month, the acquisition of sailor James Skulczuk and elite rowers Harry Leask and Ryan Todhunter was confirmed. Ainslie had gathered extraordinary talent for the impending challenge.
With the team assembled and eager to commence sailing, it was announced in May 2022 that the winter training base would be established in Mallorca at the Palma Ribera de San Carlos Quay, adjacent to the Portopi lighthouse, in partnership with the Ports de Balears. Meanwhile, the construction of the team’s first boat, an LEQ12, progressed rapidly back in the UK at Carrington Boats in Hythe.
The summer of 2022 also marked the announcement of the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup and the welcome return of the Youth America’s Cup. As Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia embraced this initiative, and a thrilling new project was launched by Sir Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills OBE at the beginning of August 2022—Athena Pathway.
At that time, Mills remarked: “Sailing has made remarkable advances in gender equality in recent decades, thanks to the Olympic side of the sport, where gender equality has now been achieved on the water. However, the professional aspect, especially in high-performance foiling sailing, lags far behind. We as a sport have a unique opportunity to effect significant global change concerning gender equality. High-performance sailing has no significant physical entry barriers, and through the Athena Pathway, we will create a gender-equal route for all, focusing on sustainability. I am extraordinarily excited to partner with Ben on this initiative to transform the landscape of professional sailing in the UK. It is amazing to see young girls approach me, thrilled by potential opportunities within the America’s Cup and beyond as they grow older. Conversely, the growth potential for our sport as more females discover career opportunities in the marine industry could be enormous.”
Much anticipation accompanied the arrival of the team’s first boat in October 2022, an angular craft named ‘T6,’ which led to a distinctly defined process for the team. Constructed at Carrington Boats on England’s south coast, the boat was then transported to Brackley in the UK, home of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, for its fitting.
At the boat’s unveiling in October 2022, James Allison, Chief Technical Officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, stated: “Our F1 experience informs us of the vital importance of creating the optimal suite of design and engineering tools for the vehicle. We also grasp the pivotal role of validation in improving and gaining trust in those tools. T6 has been designed for that purpose, and we are all eager to engage with the data it can provide.”
On February 8, 2023, a training capsize caused T6 to completely invert, submerging the mast and double-skinned mainsail. The shore crew and sailors collaborated for over two hours—first getting T6 upright before completely righting the yacht. T6 was subsequently towed back to the team base by two support vessels, where a comprehensive damage assessment was conducted. The team encountered additional challenges when seawater compromised the lithium batteries powering the yacht’s complex control systems, resulting in an onboard fire.
With T6 temporarily out of commission, fortune smiled upon them with the timely delivery and commissioning of the team’s first AC40 on February 13, 2023. This new boat, named ‘Athena,’ was officially christened by Operations Team member Athene Macrae. The sailing team swiftly adapted to the AC40, aiming for their first Preliminary Regatta in Vilanova i La Geltrú, Spain, in September 2023. However, having spent limited time in the boat compared to the competition, the regatta did not go well for INEOS Britannia, who finished last. Ainslie expressed his frustration: “We are incredibly disappointed with our performance. While we have prioritised testing T6 over the AC40, it remains unacceptable for us to be at the back of the fleet. We clearly misjudged our strategy and need to rectify it.”
The second Preliminary Regatta in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the end of November 2023, offered the British a chance to reset. Nevertheless, a fifth-place finish was again disappointing, with Ainslie commenting: “While it’s a frustrating result, there are still many lessons learned, with significant progress since our last outing in Villanova. We have gained far more insights than we anticipated from these two AC40 events. Disappointing as the results may be, they have immensely benefited our campaign. Without these events, we undoubtedly would not have been as competitive next year in Barcelona.”
The European winter was spent in Barcelona at the team’s superb facilities in Port Vell, while the final fit-out of the new AC75 occurred at Turweston Airfield, supervised by Mercedes engineers. Finally, everything was loaded onto a low-loader for the boat they referred to as ‘RB3′ to commence its four-day, 1,000-mile land and sea journey to Barcelona—the culmination of two and a half years’ design, construction, and assembly.
Upon arriving in Barcelona on April 6, INEOS Britannia Team Principal and Skipper Sir Ben Ainslie remarked: “It’s been a tense few days monitoring RB3’s route from a small village in Northamptonshire to bustling Barcelona. The entire INEOS Britannia team and our partners have worked tirelessly to reach this stage, so it’s fantastic to welcome RB3 to its new home. Although we are relieved to have the race boat in Barcelona, the work is far from over. Our focus will now shift to launching the boat and accumulating sailing hours ahead of the Preliminary Regatta in August.”
Just twelve days later, on April 18, the team unveiled a hyper-design, an angular, muscular hull, distinct from other Challengers, evoking the words of the Marquess of Anglesey: “If she is right, we must all be wrong.” The technical specifications released included: over 120,000 individual parts, more than 700 sensors & channels, 33 onboard cameras connected to shore, over 30,000 data channels, an estimated top speed exceeding 50 knots, a length of 20.7 meters, a maximum beam of five meters, and a weight of 6,200 kg. Overall, the finest British challenger for the America’s Cup in modern history—perhaps ever in the Cup’s 173-year timeline.
May 1, 2024, served as a milestone for the yacht’s inaugural sail—a cautious commissioning as sailors acclimated to the extensive technology at their disposal. Upon returning to shore, Ainslie remarked: “This is a significant day for the entire team. Everyone has worked remarkably hard to bring us to this point, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their effort and commitment. Following years of design and development, it felt incredible to be sailing on Barcelona’s waters in RB3. We’ve spent considerable time in our simulator recently, making it gratifying to be out there for real and applying all of our lessons.”
A few weeks later, on May 17, INEOS Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe attended the British yacht’s naming ceremony, with Julia Ratcliffe and Romane Polli officially naming her ‘Britannia’ as the boat’s godmothers. At the ceremony, Ratcliffe stated: “The America’s Cup boasts a long, rich history and always sets the new bar in design, technology, and innovation in racing. Thus, returning as the British challenger racing Britannia—with the legacy the name represents—is a genuine honor for the team. The challenge ahead is immense, and I know the team will approach it with grit and determination.”
As racing commenced with the final Preliminary Regatta in August 2024, rumors circulated around Port Vell and globally that the British had a super-boat, with the computing power from their collaboration with Mercedes Formula 1 expected to be crucial. However, early results were disappointing for the sailing team, as they finished fourth overall in a regatta that yielded zero points in the overall standings.
At the critical moments in the regatta, however, ‘Britannia’ came alive as the team began claiming victories and navigating effectively through the Louis Vuitton Round Robin Series. The standout competitors among the Challengers were the Italian Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli campaign, which led the series from the beginning, yet by the end of the second Round Robin, ‘Britannia’ became nearly unbeatable in various conditions—most importantly defeating the Italians in a thrilling final race to secure the top overall position.
For INEOS Britannia, their journey to the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final lay firmly in their control, and their choice to face Alinghi Red Bull Racing in a first-to-five points series made logical sense. On the water, ‘Britannia’ demonstrated remarkable speed across diverse conditions, swiftly scoring the first four points with remarkable ease. A resurgence from the Swiss team was anticipated; it arrived in lighter airs, but the final score of 5-2 reflected INEOS Britannia’s dominance as they advanced to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.
Facing Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the experienced America’s Cup team from Cagliari, was the reward for the Italians after winning a closely contested match against NYYC American Magic, and initial results were evenly matched. The series commenced with a win for Luna Rossa, yet soon, a pivotal moment arose as INEOS Britannia thrived in conditions that showcased their yacht’s advantages.
Two races were awarded by default during the series: first, when the Italians broke their mainsail battens ahead of the pre-start for the third race, and secondly, when they incurred significant structural damage in the seventh race before bouncing back to even the tightly contested series at 4-4 in the eighth race. That would be the last race the Italians would win; INEOS Britannia surged forward, closing out the series 7-4 and qualifying for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, clinching the Louis Vuitton Cup in the process.
It was a highlight for the team, who celebrated exuberantly both on the water, where Sir Jim Ratcliffe joined the crew for the traditional champagne spraying, and ashore as the INEOS Britannia team took to the main stage of the Race Village en masse. It was a well-deserved reward for a brilliantly executed campaign, but the challenge of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match loomed ahead, and the team was acutely aware of the upcoming challenge.
Facing Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match proved to be an immediate eye-opener. In lighter windy conditions mid-October, the Kiwis showcased their strength, scoring four rapid wins while appearing invulnerable. However, during a lay day in which INEOS Britannia practiced on the water, the British team made impressive speed gains—particularly in their tacking and gybing techniques. The following day, with residual swell across the racecourse and in light winds, Britannia found their rhythm. They scored two race victories—one when the Kiwis faltered in the pre-start and another by a mere 7 seconds after an impressive display of front running by the British team, instilling faith and hope that they had disrupted Emirates Team New Zealand’s momentum and were on the verge of extending the series.
Another lay day passed, and excitement intensified in Barcelona as fans traveled from around the world to witness possible history in the making. The vibrant presence of enthusiastic British spectators was evident, as sailing clubs back in the UK hosted watch parties immersed in the unique atmosphere surrounding the team. However, a relentless Emirates Team New Zealand emerged the next day, delivering two decisive defeats in flatter conditions with tricky westerlies to bring the series to Match point.
With determination fueling their efforts, the Kiwis landed the knockout blow on Saturday, October 19, in the day’s opening race in lighter winds. Despite a spirited mid-race comeback from INEOS Britannia—reflective of the unyielding spirit they had nurtured throughout their campaign—the 173-year dream was extinguished by an assertive and dominant Emirates Team New Zealand performing at the peak of their capabilities.
Afterward, Sir Ben Ainslie remarked: “There are certainly a lot of those ‘would’ve, could’ve, should’ve’ moments, and I’m sure every team has those as well. I believe we have a fantastic boat and have discovered more performance within it. Whether we extracted its full potential remains uncertain for us. The event’s structure and navigating through it were intense. It has been an incredibly demanding six weeks. Numerous questions loom regarding how we could improve: be it our boat’s performance or our team’s effectiveness. All I can say is that I’m immensely proud of everyone, and their commitment has been phenomenal.”
Kevin Shoebridge, Chief Operating Officer of Emirates Team New Zealand, expressed admiration for the INEOS Britannia campaign: “We share a very close relationship with Ben and his team. They are superb competitors with an excellent boat, and it has been a pleasure having them in the competition. We just managed to come out on top this time, but it has not been straightforward—it was challenging. Therefore, great respect is due to them for their effort.”
Iain Murray, Race Director for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, also commended the British team, stating: “I think what they contributed to this Cup is a testament to Ben Ainslie and Jim Ratcliffe’s vision. They assembled a very thorough team that explored every conceivable opportunity: new technology, involvement from Mercedes-Benz and Formula 1 teams, and an incredibly talented young sailing team with massive potential.
“In addition to Ben’s vast experience, having Dylan Fletcher and other young talents at the helm is outstanding. They have made remarkable progress since Auckland. They demonstrated immense courage and adopted unconventional strategies. Some may have succeeded, while others did not, but ultimately, they transformed that boat from a presumed underdog to a very strong competitor. They have navigated it with impressive precision against what is probably one of the most formidable Defenders in America’s Cup history. The Kiwis represent the complete package—an exceptionally well-sailed, highly efficient, and cohesive team—so Ben faced off against what I believe to be the very best, and he has proven that he can compete with them and win races. That reflects exceptionally well on him and his team.”
The INEOS Britannia team, having come so far in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, can take pride in a performance unmatched in British yachting history. Their approach, deeply rooted in technology, performance analysis, and a strong philosophy of ‘team’, is a testament to Great Britain and its thriving sailing community. Beyond that, they successfully combined myriad elements of the INEOS Sports Group, integrating technology and excellence in all their endeavors. From the fans’ perspective, they engaged like no others in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, receiving widespread commendation for their dock-out shows and the Inside Tack program hosted by Cyclor Freddie Carr.
With substantial intellectual property and having come so close this time, the INEOS Britannia saga in the America’s Cup is poised to continue, fueled by a resolute British determination to strive for an even greater achievement with another campaign aimed at securing the one trophy missing from the nation’s sailing accolades.
