British AC75 arrives in Barcelona

INEOS Britannia’s race boat for the 37th America’s Cup has made the 1,000 mile journey from its UK base in Northamptonshire to Barcelona, Spain. The British Challenger’s AC75 left Turweston Airfield on April 2 and traveled by road to Portsmouth, where it began its sea crossing on a ferry to Bilbao, Spain.

The race boat, known as RB3, was then transported by road to INEOS Britannia’s Barcelona base, arriving on April 6. INEOS Britannia Team Principal and Skipper Sir Ben Ainslie said it was “a relief” to have RB3 arrive in Barcelona.

“It’s been a tense few days tracking the route of RB3 from a small Northamptonshire village to the busy city of Barcelona,” said Ainslie. “The entire INEOS Britannia team and our partners have worked tirelessly to get us to this point, and so it’s great to have RB3 arrive at its new home.

“Although it’s a relief to have the race boat in Barcelona, the work doesn’t stop. Our focus will now be on launching the boat and getting some good sailing hours in ahead of the preliminary regatta in August.”

RB3 began its lifecycle with INEOS Britannia’s design and engineering team, which is based at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team site in Brackley, Northamptonshire. INEOS Britannia partnered with the F1 Team’s Applied Science division to bring together some of the best talent from the high-performance marine and automotive industries for its America’s Cup Campaign.

The team of 100 designers and engineers painstakingly researched and tested concepts for the AC75, before the final design was sent to build. In total, there were two-and-a-half years of design, build, and fit-out in the UK.

The initial build took place at Carrington Boats in Hythe, Hampshire, which is where the team’s boat for the 36th America’s Cup was also built. The hull and deck were built separately at Carrington Boats before being joined together. Structural work then took place before an army of painters descended to brand the boat. RB3 then traveled to Turweston Airfield in Northamptonshire, where it underwent structural and load testing.

“It’s now time for the next phase in our campaign and we are looking forward to getting RB3 out on the water in Barcelona,” notes Dave Endean, Chief Operating Officer for INEOS Britannia.

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 begins October 12, 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)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-21: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For more schedule details, click here.
Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

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

Source: ACE