While we are all on tenterhooks for the final late AC38 entry to officially reveal themselves, the America’s Cup defender ETNZ wrapped-up their 15th day of AC75 Taihoro testing.
The New Zealand America’s Cup team launched their reworked AC75 two months ago, since then they have completed 15 days of sailing under RECON surveillance as required by the AC38 Protocol.
This first mover advantage with their already dominant AC75 gives them an extended window to test and adjust the new design rule changes. Only the Kiwis have managed any on water AC75 action to date, getting in the hours with an impressive display of efficient foil and sail testing, not to mention some slick handling with the new deck and control layouts.
Although the number of sailing days are limited for all, starting early gives the Kiwis an enormous advantage over the other teams, who will have a much shorter overall period to test, and crucially make adjustments to the completely new control functions they have incorporated before the first AC75 racing.
The advantage for ETNZ is so obvious that they have kept a relatively low media profile while making hay in the New Zealand sunshine.
There also seems to be something of a effort to play down any advantage accrued because of its perceived effect on the spectacle of the actual Cup Match competition. And the general day-in-the-life press releases are relentlessly bland . . . ‘oh, we had a great sail’.
The lack of obvious major progress by the established challengers is allowing an atmosphere of same-old, same-old to grow, and with little to demonstrate otherwise, the superiority, real or assumed of the Kiwi team is taking hold.
The first preliminary regatta, in AC40s, is really not exciting anyone outside the teams and without the suspense of new AC75 design reveals it just all feels a bit flat.
The teams start to arrive in Cagliari from the 5 May to set-up their team bases at the Military Port of Cagliari, with the first AC40s on the water from Saturday 16 May through to Wednesday 20 May which is the unofficial practice period.
Still no mention of the other 2026 Preliminary events, the 2027 Final Preliminary event (sailed in AC75s) or the Louis Vuitton Challenger’s Selection Series (CSS) for the Louis Vuitton Cup) that precedes the actual America’s Cup.
The 2027 Preliminary Regatta(s) have considerable importance . . . Points scored during the 2027 Preliminary Regatta(s) will be carried forward to the CSS in a manner to be determined by the ACP and specified in the relevant Race Conditions.
