After leaving the INEOS Team UK, Portsmouth HQ on Friday 25 September, Britannia II, the second AC75 boat, was transported by road to Stansted Airport, bound for New Zealand.
The well wrapped hull – both for protection and to foil any early view of the new hull shape – will now take a four-day, 11,000 mile, two stopover journey on the 1987 Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane.
Once the race boat arrives at the newly constructed INEOS Team UK base in the Viaduct, Auckland, the final fit out will be completed ready for her launch and maiden sail in October.
Team Principal and Skipper Sir Ben Ainslie is currently in two-week mandatory quarantine, with his family, in Auckland, New Zealand and counting down the days until sailing operations begin.
“As a Challenger you’re always playing catch up on the race boat design from the Defender who gets to define the rules.”
“That’s the game we chose to compete in, so we had to give ourselves maximum design and build time in the UK, which meant the Antonov was the only transport option.”
“It’s testament to the huge effort by the whole team to get RB2 (Britannia II) built and delivered to New Zealand on schedule. We can’t wait to get her out sailing!”
The first Ineos AC75, Britannia I, is already on her way to Auckland on a ship.
Once the the new AC75, Britannia II has been assembled the team will have a two-month period of productive sailing before the Christmas regatta, which will be the first time all these teams have lined up together in a race environment.
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