Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

America's Cup: Dalts ticks off the first year since Cup win

by Emirates Team NZ Media 1 Jul 2018 17:30 PDT 2 July 2018
Kevin Shoebridge, Grant Dalton, Matteo di Nora and Glenn Ashby with the America's Cup in Bermuda © Emirates Team New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand CEO, Grant Dalton looks back on a big year for the team since the America's cup win in Bermuda on June 26, 2017.

It was a satisfying day in Bermuda one year ago this week.

A day you can only dream about coming true. But when you do, you don’t actually think about the day after that.

And it’s the next day when you realise having just reached the top of a mountain you are instantly back at the bottom again with a fresh challenge ahead.

Only this time the mountain is twice as high now you must both defend the America’s Cup as well as organise the next event.

The biggest issue we identified from the outset was the distraction the event can have on the defending team.

Emirates Team New Zealand has been very careful to not let this happen but it will be an ongoing challenge.

The good thing is we have really good people who know the America’s Cup and know what is important and what to focus on in their specific areas, shutting out the other noise and distraction.

Designers have been occupied with the class rule, now fully published.

Not an easy process, but we feel it is a strong rule with an exciting class of boat that already the sailing world is anticipating.

Test boats are already beginning to emerge from some teams.

Emirates Team New Zealand has decided to set up its own in-house boat building facility which is a first for the team and no small job. That facility is not far away from being operational so will see a significant jump in activity within the team.

One of the major challenges was locking down Auckland as the host city venue and beginning to get the infrastructure plans in place which have set the foundations for the event venue in 2020 / 21.

Good progress and the team is very excited to be moving into the Viaduct Events Centre in October - but it is important the team stays culturally tight and strong as we head to a more public space.

The Event has already begun the distribution of TV rights, starting with the free to air rights in New Zealand with TVNZ. The overall philosophy is to make the racing accessible to people around the world through free to air TV and open digital viewing access to really increase the overall America’s Cup & sailing fan base.

When you add all that has been achieved in just over 365 days since we won, it seems to me that we are on track right now towards an exciting and inclusive America’s Cup event in 2020 /21. But as always plenty more to do!

- Grant Dalton

Key America’s Cup dates:

September 28, 2017: 36th America’s Cup Protocol released
November 30, 2017: AC75 Class concepts released to key stakeholders
January 1, 2018: Entries for Challengers open
March 31, 2018: AC75 Class Rule published
June 30, 2018: Initial Entries for Challengers period ends

Future key dates and milestones

August 31, 2018: Location of the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed
August 31, 2018: Specific race course area confirmed
November 30, 2018: Late entries deadline
March 31, 2019: Boat 1 can be launched
2nd half of 2019: 2 x America’s Cup World Series Preliminary Events
February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched
During 2020: 3 x America’s Cup World Series Preliminary Events
December 10-20, 2020: America’s Cup Christmas Race
January and February 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
March 2021: The America’s Cup Match Presented by Prada.

Related Articles

America's Cup fillibustered by Challengers
A Cup in turmoil - Protocol is unsigned - with entries due to open on Sunday. Updated story: America's Cup got underway in Rome on Monday, with Round 2 of the official welcoming ceremonies on Wednesday in Naples. However three teams are working in collusion and have again issued statements within minutes of each other. Posted on 29 May
America's Cup enthusiastically received in Naples
The Castel dell'Ovo, was the venue for the arrival of the America's Cup in Napes The Castel dell'Ovo, set on the tuft peninsula of Megaride was the outstanding setting for the Official Host Venue Presentation of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. Posted on 28 May
Italian PM welcomes America's Cup in Rome
Prime Minister Meloni set out a bold vision for the regeneration planned around AC38 The magnificent setting of the Casino del Bel Respiro, commissioned by Pope Innocent X in 1644, in the grounds of Villa Pamphilj, was the outstanding and historic setting for the formal presentation of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. Posted on 26 May
America's Cup: Big changes in crew line-up
Women and Youth crews to sail in AC75 in the next Cup - Final Draft of AC38 Protocol Historic changes are proposed in the Final Draft of the Protocol released by the America's Cup Defender. For the first time a Female and Youth crew members will be part of the six-crew lineup on board the all-electric AC75s. Posted on 23 May
America's Cup: The Blitz of Statements
Various parties associated with the America's Cup released statements calling for more transparency Various parties associated with the America's Cup released statements calling for more transparency in the America's Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand responded by releasing what is tagged as the Final Draft of the Protocol. Posted on 23 May
America's Cup: Emirates Team NZ respond
Emirates Team New Zealand has responded to the statements sent overnight (NZT) Emirates Team New Zealand has responded to the statements sent overnight by two Challenger teams calling for more transparency in the negotiations over the Protocol and venue for the 38th Match. Posted on 22 May
NYYC American Magic team statement
Concerns over transparency and cooperation necessary to secure a fair Protocol Over the past seven years, we've competed with pride, purpose, and perseverance in two editions of the America's Cup. It has been an honor to represent the New York Yacht Club and the United States on the global stage. Posted on 22 May
Athena Racing concerned over 38th AC transparency
Around the recent announcement of a Host City for the Cup in 2027 Athena Racing, representing Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd. as Challenger of Record for the 38th America's Cup, is concerned by the ongoing lack of transparency around the recent announcement of a Host City for the Cup in 2027. Posted on 22 May
America's Cup: Part 2 - No Excuse to Lose
The last race of the (63+254i) America's Cup has begun where tension deepens and strategy sharpens The last race of the (63+254i)th America's Cup has begun. Earth's syndicate, led by the New York Yacht Club, faces off against the Thalassocratic League of Deniau in a final match — winner takes all. Posted on 18 May
Dalton claims Alinghi are still recruiting
Emirates Team NZ CEO claims the Swiss America's Cup team Alinghi are still actively recruiting. In the course of a TV interview following the announcement of the venue for the 38th America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand CEO claimed that the Swiss America's Cup team Alinghi, were still actively recruiting, despite being in an "orderly wind-down". Posted on 17 May
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMZhik 2024 December