Following the victory at the 37th America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand has achieved another significant milestone. STA Group, a UK agency that supports leading sports technology worldwide, has ranked ETNZ in 5th place in its Sports Technology Annual Review 2024. This report, which features 100 of the foremost sports organizations, teams, apparel companies, sports leagues, global broadcasters, and technology firms, annually assesses the impact and influence of technology in sports.
Innovation as the driving force of ETNZ
In the STA Group rankings, Emirates Team New Zealand comes in fifth, behind the NBA (National Basketball Association), which ranks first, followed by the McLaren Formula 1 team, tech giant Apple, and AWS (Amazon Web Services) in fourth place. “It brings the team great pride to be recognized so prominently in the Sports Technology Power List, particularly for the technological and innovative aspects of what the team accomplishes. From one perspective, we are a sailing team, but to succeed in that realm, we are ultimately a technology company. Furthermore, as the current Defender of the America’s Cup and a leader in technology at the pinnacle event of our sport, it is through innovation that we have a considerable impact across sailing and extend to numerous industries like marine, sustainability, broadcasting, and e-sports,” said Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand, who, along with team principal Matteo de Nora, is guiding the team.
Matteo de Nora (left) with Grant Dalton. Photo © Emirates Team New Zealand.
Never anyone like ETNZ
The result in the Sports Technology Annual Review 2024 rewards a series of sporting and design achievements that Emirates Team New Zealand has realized over the past few years, crowned by their third consecutive victory in the America’s Cup, a feat unprecedented in the history of the oldest sports trophy in the world. This victory was accomplished with the AC75 Taihoro, which defeated the English challenger Ineos Britannia with a score of 7 to 2 in the 37th edition that concluded on October 19th in Barcelona.
The AC75 Taihoro of Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo © Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup
The AC40 for the future of women and youth in the Cup
Another factor that led to Emirates Team New Zealand’s fifth-place ranking in the Sports Technology Annual Review 2024 was the design and development of the AC40 class, which won the World Sailing Boat of the Year award and was used for the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona.
A phase of the Puig Women’s America’s Cup regattas. The young people competed in the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup. Photo © Ian Roman / America’s Cup.
Technologies and record for the Kiwi team
Two additional highlights include the hydrogen-powered boats used as chase boats during the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona and the wind-powered world land speed record of 225.58 km/h, set on December 11, 2022, by Glenn Ashby with the unique Horonuku vehicle on Lake Gairner, South Australia.
Glenn Ashby aboard the Horonuku during the land sailing speed record. Photo © Emirates Team New Zealand
The Cup game for everyone
Lastly, the AC75 Sailing e-Sports Game was developed once again for the 37th America’s Cup, of which Emirates Team New Zealand, as Defender, was the organizer.