Only one winner

There is only one winner, but either way one team will make history at the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup

The stage was set at today’s opening press conference for the 37th America’s Cup – two proud nautical and sporting nations will battle it out from tomorrow for the Auld Mug.

Highlights video. 

For Defender Emirates Team New Zealand it is the quest to be the first team in the modern era to win the America’s Cup three times in a row. For INEOS Britannia the significance is even greater, as the Challenger of Record looks to take the Cup back to it’s spiritual home for the first time, and represents Great Britain in the Cup final for the first time since 1964.

The British team comes into the final battle hardened after a tough challenger series, but has shown a steep and consistent development curve since racing began in Barcelona. For New Zealand tomorrow will be the first time we see the Defender in race trim and head-to-head in almost a month – a huge amount of time for them to have brought their package forward.

Throughout the press conference both teams drove home, in their own ways, their own confidence and that they thought the other had the advantage going into match one. They also emphatically backed their team, both on water and on shore, as the foundation of their package. With both packages seeing significant changes in the last six weeks, they also agreed that development wasn’t over.

“We’ll definitely be quicker, but so will INEOS. The America’s Cup is famously a race to win the last race.”
Peter Burling, Skipper and Helm, Emirates Team New Zealand.

“The development is never finished. Both teams will be significantly faster at the end of the competition to when we started it,” Sir Ben Ainslie, Skipper and Helm, INEOS Britannia. 

The forecast for the opening weekend, which has a scheduled four matches, is for conditions in stark contrast to the end of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand will first enter on port after a coin toss today, with the Puig Women’s America’s Cup final in between the two scheduled matches.

The balance of the set-ups are going to be critical for small gains. How quickly a team can get the boat back on the foils after a splashdown, or not falling off at all will be crucial. For ETNZ helm Nathan Outteridge sail configurations have a huge role in that on the AC75.

“The final 10-15 minutes before the start the weather team work really hard on what you’re going to have for that race,” said Outteridge. 

But as to whether that would be the key to winning, Outteridge downplayed how big a role it would play.

“I think the starts are going to define the race more,” Outteridge said.

One thing clear from both teams was how much this means, and how far beyond their own hunger the teams’ desire goes. 

“I love that pressure of competing on the big stage, obviously it’s such a different beast because you have 100s of people competing for the same trophy,” said Peter Burling, Emirates Team New Zealand.

“This is a really proud moment for us,” stated  Ben Ainslie, INEOS Britannia. As proud Brits we have a very proud maritime and sporting history. The America’s Cup has always been the one thing missing from our trophy cabinet.”

“In a way for us there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. That’s what motivates us on this mission,” Ainslie finished.

We will be covering the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup with live crosses when possible to cover what we have heard on the ground, and outlooks, and can promise that we will conclude each day with our catch ups with sailors from the mixed zone. 

Keep an eye on our AC37 Playlist on YouTube here. 

Sailor Girl.