America’s Cup: Inaugural Media Conference
by America’s Cup Media 11 Oct 08:35 PDT
Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, Press Conference. Peter Burling & Nathan Outteridge (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron), Ben Ainslie & Dylan Fletcher (Royal Yacht Squadron) © Ian Roman / America’s Cup
Following a dawn photoshoot at the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, one of the city of Barcelona’s most well-known landmarks, the four helmsmen set to compete in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match addressed the gathered press at the Conference.
Representing the Defender, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, were Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge, while Sir Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher represented the Challenger of Record, Royal Yacht Squadron.
During the Conference, a coin toss determined the starting positions, with Emirates Team New Zealand winning and opting for the port entry.
The Press Conference commenced with Ngati Whatua Orakei introducing the 173-year-old America’s Cup Trophy into the hall, which was followed by an inspiring haka challenging INEOS Britannia for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match.
Emirates Team New Zealand’s skipper Peter Burling expressed the palpable excitement, stating: “It’s an incredible moment and an exciting time for us, and we are eager to get racing tomorrow.”
“I believe the allure of the America’s Cup lies in the uncertainty until the first race starts. We’re very pleased with our setup – and I’m positive the British are satisfied with theirs too. Although the boats look different, they likely have similar speeds, making for a terrific contest.”
Sir Ben Ainslie, skipper of INEOS Britannia, highlighted the significance of reaching the finals – for both the team and British sports overall – saying: “This is a proud moment for us as British representatives. Our nation has a rich sporting and maritime heritage, and the America’s Cup is the one trophy that has eluded us.”
“This is a remarkable chance for our team, yet we are up against formidable Defenders – seeking a third consecutive win – which we know presents the ultimate challenge. In a sense, we have little to lose and everything to gain, so we’re all in and excited for what lies ahead.”
Ainslie continued: “I’ve been fortunate to have previously won the Cup, albeit not representing Britain. But this isn’t about me; it’s about the team. We understand the America’s Cup is the supreme team sport, which is our driving force. We’ve invested ten years in this mission to reach the final, and what a fantastic opportunity – we’re ready to give it our all.”
As the discussion turned to racing, Nathan Outteridge was queried about the importance of pre-start strategy and executing a clean start, remarking: “As everyone witnessed, the Louis Vuitton Cup Final was remarkable, showcasing exciting pre-start battles and racing dynamics.”
“We’ve closely monitored what Ben, Dylan, and their crew have been doing, studying their strategies and preparations, and I’m sure they will be trying to anticipate our moves as we approach tomorrow. The competitive nature of these boats means performance is extremely close, making the start crucial, and both teams will invest significant effort in their starting tactics. I’m excited to see what unfolds tomorrow.”
With the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match on the horizon, many inquiries and scenarios remain unanswered. In past America’s Cup matches, it was said that when the two boats aligned at the starting line, we knew who would lead.
However, in this Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, this outcome seems unlikely, as both teams can adapt their strategies based on conditions and opponent performances, suggesting a contest with no clear frontrunner.
Let’s analyze the strengths and weaknesses of both teams:
Emirates Team New Zealand: The term ‘team’ in Emirates Team New Zealand embodies a commitment to one of global sports’ premier organizations, where each member proudly displays the New Zealand fern and team emblem.
Have we witnessed the yacht Taihoro at its peak performance? This question will be resolved on Saturday. The likely answer is ‘no,’ but they triumphed in the Preliminary Regatta and led the standings after two Round Robins of the Louis Vuitton Cup before their departure.
Finding flaws in the Defender’s performance is challenging, but starting has shown to be a liability, providing the British with opportunities to seize early advantages – supplemented by downwind VMG angles which the fast ‘Britannia’ could exploit.
Conversely, Emirates Team New Zealand has consistently demonstrated an ability to lead when ahead and seal victories with minimal tactical or positional errors. Defeating the Kiwis is a tall order, but the British will hope that their hard-fought series against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the Louis Vuitton Cup has better prepared them. Nevertheless, Emirates Team New Zealand is favored to maintain the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup.
INEOS Britannia: This team has shown significant progress throughout the Louis Vuitton Cup and enters the Match with confidence after winning the final three races against a quick Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.
Their winning approach is as vital as the victories themselves, as the British aim to gain speed advantages throughout the course. Following their Louis Vuitton Cup success, Bleddyn Mon, a mechanical engineer and trimmer on Britannia, mentioned the team has “a few tricks up our sleeve” which they’ll need against the Kiwis in the Match.
With technology at the forefront, INEOS Britannia benefits from the computational backing of the Mercedes F1 Team – a partnership powerful enough to compete with anyone – and their helming team of Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher collectively holds five gold and one silver Olympic medals.
On the downside, earlier rounds revealed their susceptibility to unforced errors, penalties, and late starts – issues that Emirates Team New Zealand would capitalize on – though most sail calls in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final were well-executed, they’ve also made poor sail selection choices at times.
This is the first time in 60 years that Great Britain has reached an America’s Cup Match, and as the team describes it, it’s a “once-in-a-lifetime challenge” to attempt to bring the trophy back to the Royal Yacht Squadron clubhouse in Cowes, yet anything can happen in this unpredictable tournament.
Racing begins tomorrow, Saturday, October 12, with two scheduled races commencing at 1400 CET. The forecast suggests lighter winds over the weekend, which will challenge both teams’ lower-end performance capacities but create an intriguing spectacle on the waters of Barcelona.
For sailing enthusiasts globally, the highlight of the sailing calendar is upon us. The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup promises to be a classic contest, with the ultimate victor lifting the oldest continuously contested trophy in international sports.
The Marquess of Anglesey, renowned war hero of the Battle of Waterloo, purchased the trophy in 1848 and later donated it to the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851. He would surely approve of the evolution of what was once the ‘RYS Challenge Cup’ and what is set to unfold on the sparkling waters of Barcelona, a stunning 173 years later.
Let the ‘Battle in Barcelona’ commence.
