Sitting down with 37th America’s Cup

Shirley Robertson

In this edition of Shirley Robertson’s Sailing Podcast, the double Olympic gold medalist previews the 37th America’s Cup as the five Challengers are set to battle it out on the fastest foiling monohulls ever built, as they go head to head in the Louis Vuitton Cup, in a fight to take on the Defender, the current holder of the trophy, Emirates Team New Zealand.

In this two-part series, Robertson talks to representatives from all six of the Cup teams, chatting to team members with a wide range of roles, to get a real insight from across the fleet into what to expect come race day.

Robertson kicks off with Emirates Team New Zealand naval architect, Dan Bernasconi, the brains behind the AC75, the foiling mono-hull that all six teams have built for this edition. With all six AC75s now blasting around the waters off Barcelona at speeds of up to fifty knots, Bernasconi discusses some of the differences between the race boats, as well as discussing changes to the rules for this edition, and the issues that the lumpier sea state off Barcelona may bring.

Robertson also then talks to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s port-side helm, Francesco Bruni, helming partner to Jimmy Spithill in the last Cup, the pair that pioneered the dual-helm setup now favored by all of the America’s Cup teams. While at Luna Rossa, Robertson also caught up with match racing guru Philippe Presti, to take a look at how the increased maneuverability of the version two AC75s may lead to more engagement and closer racing as the Challenger Series kicks off.

Robertson then heads to AC37 HQ, to catch up with Abby Ehler, the offshore sailing legend and sailing logistics supremo now tasked with delivering the Youth and Women’s editions of the America’s Cup. Twelve teams will compete in the AC40 race boats for both the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup and the Puig Women’s America’s Cup.

The youth event makes a return to the regatta after a break in AC36 due to COVID travel restrictions, while this is the very first time a women’s regatta will take place at the America’s Cup, a first that is heralded as a landmark event in sailing’s long road to gender equality.

In the second episode, Robertson kicks things off talking to INEOS Britannia’s Design Lead, Martin Fischer. Based at Brackley in the UK, Fischer and his Cup design team share an office with the might of the designers behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team, so an obvious discussion point is the influence on F1 design on the increasingly important area of aerodynamics.

Fischer was lead design at Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli for the last edition of the Cup, and is an expert voice on the evolution of the AC75 design rule, as well as some ideas on how the other teams’ boats are shaping up.

Robertson then heads to Orient Express Racing Team, to talk to team CEO Bruno Dubois. Leading a French team that’s based heavily on the talented French Sail GP team, Dubois discusses the talented line up in his team of Quentin Delapierre and Kevin Peponnet, he talks about the design package deal between the team and the Defender, and discusses the fact the team were the last to launch their AC75 in Barcelona.

From France, Robertson heads across the Barcelona yacht basin, to the home of American Magic, to sit down with podcast regular and all around sailing super-helm, Tom Slingsby. Part of the American dual-helm set-up with Paul Goodison, Slingsby is a previous Cup winner, but missed the previous Cup in Auckland, The pair discuss much about sailing the AC75, compare it to the F50 of Sail GP, but also discuss the adoption of recumbent cyclors by the American Team, the only team in the Cup to do so.

Robertson’s final chat is with Swiss Olympic rowing star Barnabe Delarze, one of several rowers in the cyclor team at Alinghi Red Bull Racing. A two-time Olympian with a win in the famous University Boat Race on his CV, Delarze discusses life as an AC37 cyclor, how pivotal the role is, why so many of the teams are packed with Olympic rowers, and what winning the Cup for two time winners Alinghi would mean to the team.

Part One:

Part Two:

Shirley Robertson OBE made history by becoming the first British woman to win Olympic Gold Medals at two consecutive Olympic Games. Shirley Robertson’s Sailing Podcast, produced and edited by Tim Butt of Vertigo Films, is available to listen on her website or via most popular podcast outlets, including iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcast, and aCast.

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 was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming 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)

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

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