Please select your home edition
Edition
Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025

Emirates Team NZ reflect on their 35 year involvement in the America's Cup

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 7 Oct 2020 04:21 PDT 8 October 2020
Emirates Team New Zealand - Challenger Final, Day 2 - 35th America's Cup - Day 15 - Bermuda June 11, 2017 © Richard Gladwell

At 2.33pm on the afternoon of June 26, 2017, Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line in Bermuda's Great Sound to win the premier trophy in sailing. The 8-1 win in Bermuda was the third for the most successful professional sailing team in history.

New Zealand's America's Cup legacy was born in late March 1984, when Marcel Fachler, a Sydney based, Belgian born business man lodged a Challenge with the Royal Perth Yacht Club, on behalf of a New Zealand club - the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

The Squadron was unaware of Fachler's move but took up his offer of funding a feasibility study and establish an organisational framework for a Challenge for the then 133-year-old trophy.

That started a 35-year involvement by New Zealand, which has spanned three iterations of the team.

The first was New Zealand Challenge, headed by Sir Michael Fay from 1987 to 1992, which also covered the "Big Boat" Challenge of 1988. New Zealand fell in love with the America's Cup in Fremantle and all its drama.

That love affair continued with the 1995-2000 Team New Zealand led by Sir Peter Blake and Alan Sefton, who twice won yachting's premier trophy. Emirates Team New Zealand is the current team and since March 2003 has been led by Grant Dalton and Kevin Shoebridge, winning for the third time in June 2017.

Although New Zealand is the smallest country to have been contested the America's Cup, the Kiwis have been the most innovative. First the fibreglass yacht in 1987, the 120ft Big Boat in 1988, the tandem keel in 1992, and the foiling AC72 in 2013.

NZL-32, the winner in 1995, was simply a very well designed yacht which took her synergy from a lot of small design and engineering nuances, along with an outstanding crew, and a superbly led team to produce New Zealand's first win.

The same formula was repeated for the second win in 2000. Key design innovations included the "Ice Breaker" bow to get more speed from a longer effective sailing length plus the Millennium rig from Southern Spars together with a top sailing crew and a well-led team.

New Zealand bought foiling to the 2013 America's Cup and changed the sport. 2017 saw a repeat of the 1995 and 2000 formula - design and engineering innovation, a top sailing crew and a well-led team.

The America's Cup does have its dark side. Learning to cope, innovate and succeed in the face of adversity is another of the vital lessons of success in the America's Cup - and none more so for the win in Bermuda on June 26, 2017.

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
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERDoyle_SailWorld_728X90px_SY BOTTOMVaikobi 2024 December