American Magic: South for the winter

New York Yacht Club American Magic, USA Challenger for the 36th America’s Cup, has moved its training base for the winter months to Pensacola, Florida. This is team’s second consecutive winter season in the state’s panhandle after becoming the first America’s Cup team in 2018 to train on the Gulf Coast of Florida since 1970.

During their first season from December 2018 to May 2019, the team sailed their 38-foot test boat, nicknamed the Mule, on Pensacola Bay before returning to Rhode Island for the warmer months. The Mule returned to the Port of Pensacola in November, and have now been joined by the team’s new AC75 racing boat, Defiant.

The AC75 was launched in September 2019 and did all its initial testing in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. While the team plans to build a second AC75 prior to the America’s Cup Challenger finals in 2021, training and racing onboard Defiant will be a crucial stage of the team’s campaign to win the 36th America’s Cup.

“Returning to Pensacola for a second winter was an easy decision for us because of the fantastic bay, our familiarity with the area, and the hospitality of the community here,” said Terry Hutchinson, Skipper and Executive Director of American Magic.

“The testing we have planned for Defiant this winter will be helped by the natural foiling venue we have here. The bay is wide, flat and windy, and the Port of Pensacola has helped us establish an ideal base for over 100 team personnel and their families. Pensacola will be a big part of our future success.”

American Magic will remain in Pensacola until March, when the team will head to Italy for the first America’s Cup World Series event in Cagliari.

Defiant arrives at the Port of Pensacola after a journey from Rhode Island of over 1,300 miles. © American Magic / Dylan Clarke.

Source: American Magic

In addition to Challenges from Italy, USA, and Great Britain that were accepted during the initial entry period (January 1 to June 30, 2018), eight additional Notices of Challenge were received by the late entry deadline on November 30, 2018. Of those eight submittals, entries from Malta, USA, and the Netherlands were also accepted. Here’s the list:

Defender:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)

Challengers:
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger of Record
• American Magic (USA)
• INEOS Team UK (GBR)
• Malta Altus Challenge (MLT) – WITHDRAW
• Stars + Stripes Team USA (USA)
• DutchSail (NED) – WITHDRAW

Of the three late entries, only Stars+Stripes USA remains committed, but they still must complete the entry fee payment process before they will be eligible to race. They have already paid their initial payment but as a late entry challenger under the Protocol they also have a liability to pay a US$1million late entry fee due in installments by October 1, 2019. This deadline coincided with the venue schedule which has the construction of their team base beginning in late 2019, which we assume was done in the event the team is unable to fulfill their payment deadline. However, it is not yet confirmed if they have paid the fee.

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: Entries for Challengers close
✔ 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 (DELAYED)
✔ 2nd half of 2019: 2 x America’s Cup World Series events (CANCELLED)
October 1, 2019: US$1million late entry fee deadline (NOT KNOWN)
February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched
April 23-26, 2020: First America’s Cup World Series event in Cagliari, Sardinia.
During 2020: 3 x America’s Cup World Series 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

AC75 launch dates:
September 6 – Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Boat 1
September 10 – American Magic (USA), Boat 1; actual launch date earlier but not released
October 2 – Luna Rossa (ITA), Boat 1
October 4 – INEOS Team UK (GBR), Boat 1

Details: www.americascup.com