Goodbye Pensacola, Hello Barcelona

America’s Cup challenger NYYC American Magic concluded winter training in Florida on May 10, 2023. Their final day on Pensacola Bay lasted over five hours and saw their AC40 America cover in excess of 70 nautical miles with Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison on the helms with Andrew Campbell and Michael Menninger providing Flight Control and trim throughout.

“Pensacola has been a phenomenal partner,” noted team boss Terry Hutchinson. “They’ve embraced NYYC American Magic and they brought us into their community here and we’re so fortunate to have the very genuine support not only of the local government but the local community, the folks at the grocery store, everybody out of the Portofino, everybody at the Andrews Institute, Doctor Hackle and everything that he does for us.

“It’s definitely bittersweet to be packing up and heading to Barcelona and to get into really the final phase of the development of our program as we move into AC37, but you really truly cannot thank the community enough for everything they’ve done for us. It’s a very humbling experience to be embraced in the minute they’ve embraced us.”

NYYC American Magic have had a productive winter testing session, arguably the best of all the challenger syndicates in this cycle but Hutchinson is well aware that there’s still a long road ahead of the team in the run up to the Challenger Selection series that starts in Barcelona in September 2024.

“I think when we reflect back here and you consider that this time last year we were offloading Patriot and the gear into Shed 5 it’s amazing how much has happened in the last 12 months,” noted Hutchinson.

“I know we’ll evaluate pretty hard the session and will make sure that we look at it critically, but standing here today everybody’s probably pretty happy with what we’ve done and where we are and we also know that we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

By the time the team came off the water, the shore team had largely dismantled the base on the dockside and NYYC American Magic will be leaving American shores in the coming weeks to resume training at the venue for the 37th America’s Cup – Barcelona, Spain.

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period opened December 1, 2021 and runs until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup may be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the venue reveal, confirming it would be Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup will be held in September/October 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• K-Challenge Racing (FRA)

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Additional details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: ACE