1987 – PLASTIC FANTASTIC AND ‘DIRTY DEN’

Thanks to Alan Bond and his bold campaign that won the America’s Cup, New Zealanders found themselves in a better geographical position to launch their first challenge. It was Marcel Falcher, a Belgian businessman, who got the ball rolling. Shortly after registering the challenge, Falcher was forced to leave New Zealand amid allegations of fraud in Australia, allowing merchant banker Michael Fay to take over.

Under the banner of Kiwi Challenge and with Fay's chequebook, the wheels were in motion not just to compete in the Cup, but to win it. Finding sailors worthy of that level was no problem, and the likes of Chris Dickson, Brad Butterworth, Tony Rae, Andrew Taylor, and Jeremy Scantlebury would eventually have long careers in the America’s Cup. Initially, a 12-metre KZ-1 was purchased to get the team up to speed while the legendary Bruce Farr crafted KZ-3 and KZ-5 to compete in the 1986 World Championships. Using those two boats and the regatta for R&D, KZ-7 was created, and she was different, very different. Farr’s innovative design gave birth to a hull that was fibreglass and, in the round robin winning 33 of 34 races, courted suspicion from Dennis Conner, the skipper of USA’s Stars and Stripes. By the time the two boats met in the Louis Vuitton Finals, Conner had unendeared himself to Kiwis by claiming Kiwi Challenge were cheating with their fibreglass hull, mouthing the immortal line of ‘why would you want to build a fibreglass 12-metre unless you wanted to cheat?’ While Kiwis had dubbed her ‘plastic fantastic’, Conner lodged a protest, only for the organisers to pass her fit for the Cup. Unfortunately, KZ-7 lost the final 1-4 to Conner’s quicker windward boat, but the New Zealand public’s fascination and passion for the America’s Cup was born.

1988 – THE SAN DIEGO SHOWDOWN

After Conner beat Bond’s Kookaburra III 4-0 to take the Cup back to the US, Fay wasn’t hesitating to have another shot. Using his high-powered legal team, he uncovered a clause in the deed that would force the defender to accept a challenge in 10 months in any boat that didn’t exceed 90 feet (27m). Rehashing the KZ-1 name, the new behemoth boat was the fastest monohull keelboat in the world and travelled to the Cup’s new home in San Diego. Fay would soon get a taste of his own medicine, and using the wording of the deed, Conner showed up to race in a catamaran that was outrageously quick and swept KZ-1 2-0. The farcical racing situation ended up in court, with Kiwi Challenge winning the Cup, but the decision was rescinded on appeal from Conner’s syndicate. Ultimately, Fay’s appeal to the highest New York court failed, and it was back to the drawing board.

1992 – CONTROVERSY SCUPPERS ‘THIRD TIME LUCKY’

With passion inflamed, Fay funded another America’s Cup cycle and returned with another Farr-designed innovation. The tandem keel was a new feature, as was a bowsprit that would later become the centre of attention for more off-water trouble. Skippered this time by Rod Davis, NZL was quick and light and made easy work of the round robin. Boats from Russia, Sweden, Spain, Japan, France, and Australia were swept aside until the finals, where American Paul Cayard and the Italian syndicate, Il Moro di Venezia, waited. Things looked good for the Kiwis at 4-1 in the final until Cayard launched a protest over the bowsprit, a pole extending from the prow or nose of the boat. Once again, off-water distractions derailed the Kiwi crew, and after the removal of the ‘illegal’ bowsprit and a penalty of a race win, they proceeded to lose to Cayard 3-5. The events left a bitter taste in the mouths of sailors, fans, and Fay, who decided his time in the Cup was done. One of the positives to emerge from the failed campaign was the appearance of Peter Blake, who, although arriving late to the event, had a sample and sought to rectify the situation.

 1995 – THE AMERICA’S CUP IS NOW NEW ZEALAND’S CUP

After the disappointment of 1992, a lack of funding forced Blake to seek out $30 million in sponsorship and even cover the initial $75,000 entry fee himself. Building his team of sailors and designers began earnestly. In 1984, Olympic Gold medallist Russell Coutts became his skipper, while Tom Snackenburg served as his design guru and navigator, helping Bond secure victory in 1983. From the outset, Blake emphasised communication within the team, strengthening their bond. Working with a modest budget ultimately aided decision-making and design innovation, resulting in the team of designers creating two carbon fibre boats known as Black Magic 1 (NZL 32) and 2 (NZL 38).

On the water in San Diego, NZL 38, featuring Brad Butterworth and Craig Monk, was untouchable during the round robin and was defeated only once after 24 races. Retired in favour of the subtle design differences of NZL 32 for the playoff races, NZL 38 was seen as the quicker boat, which raised eyebrows. Losing two races in the semi-finals only strengthened the argument, but NZL 32 soon proved to be the fastest, cruising past John Bertrand and One Australia 5-1. It had been a drama-filled regatta for the Australians, who famously sank in choppy seas during round robin four against NZL 38. As the $4 million boat snapped nearly clean in two, there would have been some quiet sniggers back in New Zealand living rooms – after all, all 16 crew members were rescued. While Black Magic was undoubtedly the flagship Kiwi boat, Chris Dickson found success on the Tag Heuer boat, which had renowned Kiwi sailors Peter Lester and Mike Sanderson onboard. Dickson steered his crew into the semi-finals and showcased the immense sailing talent New Zealand possessed. The events in San Diego were capturing the attention back home, and so were Blake’s bright red socks. Given to him by his wife, Pippa and worn for every race, they became a lucky charm, confirmed when Black Magic lost their first race – Blake was noticeably absent. The Red Sock campaign kicked off, and around $100,000 crucial dollars were raised by the Kiwi public who bought into the superstition and fervour. 

Come finals time, and the script couldn’t have been written better. Awaiting Black Magic was Conner and Stars and Stripes, who had no legal ammunition to throw and were thoroughly beaten 5-0 in what everyone hailed as a win for the best sailors and boat, not the fattest wallet. Conner even made a daring attempt to make amends with the Kiwi public, saying after the whitewash, “With the enthusiasm of the New Zealand people, I think they'll breathe some new fresh air into the America's Cup.” And he was right. If the winning syndicate didn’t get a sense of their support back in New Zealand, they soon found out upon returning with the Auld Mug, when roughly 300,000 packed out Auckland’s CBD for a ticker-tape parade. Schools were let out for the afternoon, and the city paused for what was the biggest civic celebration. Blake was duly knighted, and most Kiwis celebrated beating the world’s best, but not everyone was happy about it. A year later, Maori activist Benjamin Peri Nathan took to the casually secured Mug with a sledgehammer as it sat proudly at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron’s headquarters. The famous trophy was left mangled and had to be flown to London for repairs.

2000 – NZ DEFENDS THE CUP WITH EASE

With the defence a touch over four years off, Auckland’s unattractive and unloved Viaduct Basin began its transformation. Seen as a revitalising boost for the city and country’s economy, construction of syndicate facilities went ahead with new restaurants and bars taking pride of place in the redevelopment. Excitement grew as eleven overseas crews arrived for training and testing, including new entrants from Switzerland and the USA.

Conner was back, as was Cayard, and a 19-year-old prodigy named James Spithill, who was skippering the Young Australia team, was introduced to the New Zealand crowd. The local fans would have to wait and watch for their boat as the Louis Vuitton Cup took several months to finish, with Prada from Italy eventually beating three American crews, Nippon, and French entry Le Defi BTT in the semi-finals. In what was regarded as some of the best racing to grace the Cup, Prada went deep with Cayard’s AmericaOne in the final series, coming from a match point down to win the last two races and claim the Louis Vuitton Cup 5-4. Even with their stellar crew from San Diego still intact, Kiwi fans were anxious about their team’s chances since they could only practise internally and in relative privacy.

Even though the local boat wasn’t competing, the city was abuzz, and the New Zealand Government would later announce that the hosting of the regatta had poured around $640 million into the economy. The exposure for Auckland was priceless, as was the experience for its citizens, who welcomed, for the first time en masse, an armada of multi-million-dollar superyachts coming for a holiday and a spot of yacht racing. The city stopped for race days, and thousands descended onto the Viaduct.

In the finals, Prada was no match for Team New Zealand (as they were now officially called) and was thumped 5-0. Coutts was at the helm for the first four victories, then handed over to rookie Dean Barker for the final race. Barker, who was only 26 at the time, became the youngest skipper to win an America’s Cup race and, unbeknownst to him then, would go on to be a figurehead for the next decade and more.

2003 – NZ LOSES THE PLOT AND THE LOVE

The New Zealand marine industry and community were riding high after a comfortable defence in 2000, but the mood worsened when Coutts and Butterworth signed contracts to sail for the new syndicate Alinghi—owned by Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli—who would challenge in 2003. For years, Team New Zealand’s efforts at the America’s Cup were seen as the ultimate underdog story against wealthy bullies, and the ‘them versus us’ mentality that came with it sparked a strong sense of patriotism. Coutts and Butterworth were branded as greedy outcasts chasing dollars over the perceived purity of Team New Zealand’s determination, and their loyalty as Kiwis was heavily questioned. While Team New Zealand kept many talented crew members, Sir Peter Blake’s murder by pirates on the Amazon River late in 2001 dealt a heavy blow to the syndicate, even though he had stood down after the successful defence. It was a solemn fall from the heights of February 2000. From late in 2002, the attention was on Coutts, and Alinghi navigated their way through the Louis Vuitton Cup, but to reach the finals, they’d have to see off Conner and his renowned Stars and Stripes, 2000 finalist Prada, and new entry BMW Team Oracle. Newly formed by billionaire Larry Ellison, Oracle boasted quality in Cayard and Dickson in their afterguard, and it would arguably be the only time Kiwi fans supported Oracle. Alinghi went on to decisively beat Oracle 5-1 in the final, and the ultimate grudge match to rival 1995 against Conner had the country hooked. However, confidence was low, and musician Dave Dobbyn’s suspiciously pointed song Loyal became a theme of negative energy.

Racing in NZL 82, Barker, in only his second America’s Cup race, battled with his boat from the start and had to withdraw from the first race when the vessel started taking on water. Barker and the boat showed more of what was possible a day later, losing by only seven seconds in a race that saw the lead change hands several times between the two boats. After being two-nil down, the score became three-nil when Alinghi claimed the third race, and the realisation that Coutts was stealing the Cup away from New Zealand stirred strong emotions. Conditions worsened before the next race, giving Barker and his team nine days to regroup. However, during the third leg of Race Four, the mast snapped in a shocking moment that all but confirmed the result. Alinghi won Race Five, and Coutts remained unbeaten in every America’s Cup race he’d ever helmed. The Cup was lost, perceived to be stolen by a fellow Kiwi.

2007 – VALENCIA HOSTS ALINGHI’S DEFENCE

The love affair with sailing that had captivated the country cooled considerably after 2003, leaving a bitter aftertaste, which included reports of death threats to Butterworth and Coutts. Funding became a major point of contention, and public outrage grew over taxpayer money being spent to keep Team New Zealand afloat. To cover costs, Emirates Airlines stepped in as the naming rights sponsor, and another blue water expert, Grant Dalton, took over the top role. Dalton had to become almost a salesman to secure enough sponsorship dollars in a climate where support for the Cup had waned. While skill and ingenuity had initially won the Cup, money had now become the dominant factor, and that didn’t sit well with most of the public.

In Valencia, which hosted the first America’s Cup in Europe since 1851, new teams emerged, and the southern Spain location attracted South African, Chinese, German, and Swedish syndicates. Operating on one of the smallest budgets in the regatta, Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) demonstrated it was a formidable team in the Louis Vuitton Cup and advanced to the semi-finals with a narrow one-point lead over Oracle. In a tight and competitive regatta, Italy’s Luna Rossa (formerly Prada) was only one win shy of the pair and proved too strong for Oracle in the semi-finals, winning 5-1. Meanwhile, ETNZ faced the local Spanish syndicate, Desafío Español, winning 5-2. The New Zealand boat was dominant in the finals series, achieving a clean sweep of the Italians 5-0, boosting their confidence ahead of their revenge match against a Coutts-less Alinghi. Coutts had run afoul of Bertarelli and was in the America’s Cup wilderness, and Butterworth was the new skipper.

Unscathed by the fallout from 2003, it went relatively unnoticed that five other Kiwis were on the Alinghi boat, who would again break ETNZ's hearts with their 5-2 victory. At least this time, it was a proper contest, and all races were competitive at some point, Barker proving he could operate at this level. However, he also faced technical difficulties. Spinnaker issues plagued ETNZ in Races three through five, ultimately costing them the Cup. A month after the failed Oracle campaign, Coutts was appointed as CEO and quickly set about disturbing his former billionaire boss.

2010 – BILLIONAIRES AND THE TWO TEAM CUP

There were two winners in the 2010 America’s Cup: Oracle and the lawyers. Bertarelli and Alinghi’s initial defence of the Cup was scheduled to take place again in Valencia, but the protocols set out were heavily criticised and further challenged by Oracle, with Ellison employing Fay’s 1988 tactics. Lodging their case with the New York Supreme Court, Oracle argued that the Challenger of Record, Spanish syndicate CNEV, was not a valid challenger because they had never held an annual regatta, yet they won. After the dust settled, only Oracle and Alinghi remained, building 90-foot multihulls that dwarfed previous versions.

Alinghi’s 203-foot-tall mast on their catamaran was topped by Oracle’s 223-foot mast on their trimaran. It was dubbed a ‘pissing contest’ for the two billionaires, and sailing fans were left disillusioned, with Kiwi folk seeing it as the end of further participation in the future. After nine months of construction, the American boat couldn’t even fit under the Golden Gate Bridge. With sails so heavy and large, mechanical winches were needed to adjust them, but despite the scale and size of the boats, they weren’t allowed to be overly quick because of the moderate Valencia breezes. After winning 2-0, Oracle would be returning the Cup to America for the first time in 15 years and vowed to make the 2013 edition a battle of more affordable catamarans.

2013 – ETNZ AND THE ULTIMATE CHOKE IN SAN FRANCISCO

Coutts and Ellison’s radical idea for the 34th America’s Cup focused on creating a better TV and spectator spectacle, choosing the boss’s hometown of San Francisco to host the event. Under the towering Golden Gate Bridge, with the shoreline close to the course, 72-foot catamarans would reach speeds of up to 50 knots - roughly doubling the speed of monohulls - and would lift out of the water on their hydrofoils. Leading up to the regatta, the yachts’ safety was questioned after Andrew Simpson from Artemis Racing died when his boat flipped end over end spectacularly. Oracle’s boat capsized during training, and ETNZ nearly faced disaster when their vessel, Aotearoa, almost inverted but miraculously righted itself.

When the competition began, only three syndicates competed for the Louis Vuitton Cup out of the budgeted fourteen, and cynics had reason to feel justified as the challenger series limped along. Sweden’s Artemis forfeited ten of their fifteen round-robin races before losing 0-4 to Luna Rossa in the pointless and academic semi-finals.

ETNZ handed a 7-1 thrashing to the Italian syndicate in the final, and the huge cost of the shortened and uneven campaign was being closely examined. Barker would face Australian skipper James Spithill in the final, and New Zealand would soon have their new ‘Dennis Conner’ to channel their frustration. That would come later, though, as ETNZ looked sharp while building an 8-1 lead. It was only logical that the Cup was heading back to New Zealand… Interest in sailing back home revived, and at 8-2, Barker had Spithill’s number. In light winds, the quirks of America’s Cup racing became clear as the 40-minute time limit was surpassed just as ETNZ seemed secure on the fourth and final leg. Calling off the race was farcical. It was a cruel blow but only a jab compared to the series of punches that followed. Oracle’s speed upwind increased literally overnight, and they painfully chipped away at ETNZ’s lead day by day until at 8-8, the gloom set in.

Most Kiwi fans were resigned to the fact that they've witnessed one of the biggest chokes in sporting history. During the daily torment for ETNZ fans, Spithill’s confidence and certainty in Oracle’s chances became hard to endure, and he became the symbol to direct the anger. The fallout from losing the unbeatable lead resulted in Barker being sacked unceremoniously, and no one was in the mood to celebrate the fact that both boats were mostly built by New Zealanders.

2017 - THE BERMUDA MASTERCLASS

After San Francisco, the ETNZ team members participated in a full review of that campaign, culminating in a set of 20 lessons to apply to the Bermuda campaign.

The odds were stacked against ETNZ succeeding in our challenge for the 35th America's Cup were arguably the highest for any challenger in the 166 years of Cup history. Much has already been reported about the shortage of money, the Bermuda location, the changing rules, the loss of the Auckland qualifier event, the ganging up of the other five syndicates to freeze out ETNZ from future Cups, a doubting media, etc.

It meant that we were always running behind the other teams in terms of money, recruitment, test and development, and time on the water. Oracle, for example, was based in Bermuda for three years before the event, whereas we couldn´t afford to get there until three weeks before racing.

Applying these lessons involved some personnel changes that were not popular with the media, but there is no doubt that the overall strategy developed from these lessons proved to be critical to the ultimate success.

One of the lessons was the need to continuously improve boat speed until the final race, and the huge advances we made in Bermuda during the six weeks of racing left our opposition in shock. Having led the world into large foiling catamarans in San Francisco, ETNZ needed to find some breakthrough ideas to outflank the bigger and better-funded opposition. Cycling was one of the important innovations, giving the sailors an advantage in hydraulic power for race manoeuvres and starting box tactics.

Another innovation was the extensive use of simulators to design a radical foiling board for light wind conditions.

No doubt other syndicates looked at similar scenarios but doubted their ability to successfully execute these innovations. Many of the ETNZ innovations carried some risk, but they were calculated risks, and they made all the difference in the end.

With the benefit of the additional hydraulic power from cycling combined with a great on-board synergy, the sailing team was able to complete race manoeuvres so much more quickly than others. If you save just one second per manoeuvre, that can amount to 15 seconds per race (or approximately 150 metres), and we probably saved more than a second per manoeuvre.

Furthermore, the additional hydraulic power provided the wing trimmer with more flexibility to exploit wind pressure opportunities during the race. In addition, the radical light air boards gave our sailors more lift and control in the start box as well as higher VMG on the race track. While our sailors had more tools in their toolbox, they also had a more complex set of variables to contend with. The fact that the sailing team was able to harness all the moving parts of this machine so well is the reason our sailing performance was so superior.

Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) created history by winning the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda in June 2017, 7 -1, having started the cup races at minus 1

2021 - THE AC75 ERA ARRIVES AS ETNZ DOMINATES ON HOME WATERS

After winning the Cup in Bermuda in 2017, CEO Grant Dalton and Emirates Team New Zealand aimed to develop a new America's Cup class to foster fast, close, and thrilling sailing. With the AC75, they have achieved this and more. They changed the perception of yacht racing forever, as spectators saw nine lead changes in one race, and in the finals, they turned a heart-stopping four-minute deficit into nearly a four-minute victory.

After a delay for the race committee to reposition the marks and account for the 7-10 knot breeze out on Course A, it was Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli that entered the start box first on port. As they did, co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill could be heard emphasising that the right-hand side of the start line looked good. The crew aboard Emirates Team New Zealand clearly knew this, tacking high above the line before coming back in so Pete Burling could position Te Rehutai perfectly with ten seconds remaining. They then out-positioned the Italians at the start and peeled off to the right side of the course. Returning and taking advantage of a right shift, Emirates Team New Zealand led and executed a quick tack on the Challengers. First blood and a small lead for Burling and his crew.

From there, it was close: the Italians came back in to duck below, which allowed Te Rehutai to the left of the course looking for more gains, and they found them, heading through the first top gate with a seven-second lead. It was tight, but we were about to see what Te Rehutai was capable of, as they stretched out to a 250-metre lead and sailed at 41 knots. At the bottom of leg 2, that lead extended to nine seconds after they sailed to the breeze instead of covering their opponents. Heading into the same mark, both boats gybed; Emirates Team New Zealand rounded wide, but Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli struggled behind them, sailing with both foils down for too long, slowing them down, and suddenly Te Rehutai was 250 metres ahead on leg 3.

That opened the door for Emirates Team New Zealand, and when you give sailors of Peter Burling's calibre a sniff at an opportunity like that, he will take it with both hands and shut down every chance you have to get back into the race. Ahead, in clear but shifting conditions, the team moved into better pressure, then looked to extend further.

Clear, calm and unhurried communication between Burling, Tuke, and Ashby allowed them to sail their own race - and with a constant breeze, fans ashore began to sense a victory here. At Gate 4, the lead extended to 37 seconds, and at the final top gate, it was 49 seconds, and a 400 metres lead.

Down the final leg 650 metres out in front, cheered on by their fans at home and around the world, Te Rehutai crossed the line at 38 knots with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli crossing 46 seconds later, but as we know in this, the oldest trophy in international sport, there is no second place. The sensational victory today was brilliantly executed by the entire team. The after guard works seamlessly, and the grinders, heads down, pour power from the handles up to the trimmers, allowing them to throw Te Rehutai around and dominate their opposition.

This was a stunning victory for the team, who were quite open about the lack of boat-on-boat racing experience in this new AC75 class at the beginning of this event. This meant the team had to lift their game and learn fast, taking key lessons out of the regatta as they moved forwards one race each, until Races 7 and 8, when they lifted their game and rolled over the Italians to dominate the event through Races 9 and 10: Winning the regatta 7-3 and retaining the oldest trophy in international sport.

For winning skipper, Peter Burling - he couldn't thank his supporters enough - "We have been getting messages from the Prime Minister to high school kids. It just means the world to us as a team. We have been learning all week, and today we really showed what this boat can do, and so to win on home waters is something our entire team is incredibly proud of."

On board the Challenger, Francesco Bruni thanked the team and supporters of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, saying, "It is not finished - and with all this experience in the team, we will try again. Thank you Italia, grazie Italia."

The celebrations began onboard Emirates Team New Zealand after they crossed the finish line, and will continue throughout the night after the prize-giving. The final word goes to Emirates Team New Zealand flight controller Blair Tuke, "What a beauty! Time to enjoy it! To win the America's Cup on home waters - unbelievable! To know the work that has gone into this. Just huge from the whole team. It has been a massive honour to race in front of five million Kiwis, and to know we have had their support!"

Behind the spectacle, Hydraulink hoses powered the crucial hydraulic systems that controlled the foils, sails, and flight of these incredible boats. On home waters, every second counted, and reliability was everything — Hydraulink delivered.

2024 - SPEED, STRATEGY AND EXECUTION DELIVER ETNZ A THIRD STRAIGHT AMERICA’S CUP

Fittingly, the 37th America's Cup was decided by a final finish-line delta of 37 seconds. In the first-to-seven series, the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ), representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, demonstrated that they had the speed, boat-handling, and strategy and tactics to lift the Auld Mug for a third consecutive time. Impressively, ETNZ's 7-2 win over the Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, who was flying the colours of the Royal Yacht Squadron, marked the first time in 41 years that a Defender has successfully defended (at least) three consecutive America's Cup matches.

As for AC37, ETNZ looked dominant from the first races of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta, where they collected four wins and only a single loss, and in the Louis Vuitton Cup Double Round Robin, where they collected eight more wins and only two losses.

While the NYYC American Magic earned the first win against the Defender in the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta, INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli both notched wins against the Kiwis in the buildup to AC37.

The Brits put paid to the Italians in the Louis Vuitton Cup, setting up a scenario of the Defender meeting the Challenger of Record on the starting line of AC37.

Then, the bloodshed happened quickly, with the Kiwis winning the first four races. Not surprisingly, the rumour mill started pontificating about the odds of an AC shutout for the Challenger of Record, but the Brits bounced back, winning Races 5 and 6.

Suddenly, it felt like we had a proper horse race on our hands, but then the Kiwis—led by drivers Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge—dropped the hammer, winning Races 7 and 8.

Match point.

The final race of AC37 was perhaps one of the most exciting of the entire Cup cycle, and not just for obvious reasons. Despite the fact that the two teams were racing aboard different-looking yachts with different-looking foils, the racing was tight, and while the Kiwis controlled the first half of the contest, come the halfway point, the Brits were back in the game.

Ultimately, however, the right-hand side of the course was paying better dividends than the left, and the Kiwis weren't sharing this half of the sandbox.

"We got a relatively even start, they were quite close, so we just decided to get out to the right that we really liked, but yeah really pleased the way we just continued to improve through the week, the boat was feeling awesome today and it was a real team effort," said Burling of the final race, in an official event communication

"All credit to Ben and INEOS Britannia, I think they put together an incredible challenge; they pushed us the whole way, obviously, we got a good jump on the leaderboard, but every race felt like a real battle, and they were amazing challengers," Burling continued.

While Sir Ben Ainslie, INEOS Britannia's team principal and skipper (and one of their two drivers), was disappointed, he seemed to have plenty of fight for future Cup efforts left in his words.

"Ultimately, to fall short at the final hurdle is always tough, but we know that we've been up against one of the best, if not 'the' best teams in the history of the Cup," Ainslie said in an official communication. "We have to take that on the chin, and I think that the team have done a brilliant job to develop through this campaign, through this series, and as one very plucky Brit said, it's the courage to continue that counts, so that's what we're up for."

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Royal Yacht Squadron was again the first to lodge a challenge for the 38th America's Cup, again earning them the title of Challenger of Record for AC38. INEOS, for their part, has said that it will again support this effort.

This campaign was also a milestone for Hydraulink. Not only did we supply all hydraulic hoses for ETNZ’s campaign boat, but we also provided the hoses for the foil cant systems used by all challengers. Our hoses were also standard across the AC40 fleet used in both the women’s & youth teams racing as well as the hydrogen-powered chase boat fleet, making Hydraulink a trusted supplier across the entire competition.

2027 - NAPLES ANNOUNCED AS HOST OF THE 38TH AMERICA’S CUP

America’s Cup Defender Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton is delighted to announce Naples, Italy, as the Host Venue after a very efficient venue selection process.

"I couldn’t be more excited to announce Naples, Italy, as the Host Venue of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. There is a raw spirit and absolute pride in Italy that seems so appropriate to have the next America’s Cup here.

By bringing the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup to this country, it feels like we are bringing it to the people, in our ambition to continually grow the audience of the America’s Cup and the sport of sailing.

For the first time, the Louis Vuitton Cup and Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Match will be sailed in Italy, a country with one of the most colourful and enthusiastic America’s Cup histories in the spring and summer of 2027.

The world will look to Italy and specifically to Naples, the capital of the Campania region in Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most ancient cities in Europe, as it becomes the Host City for the world’s oldest international sports trophy. 

The fight for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup will take place under the watchful shadow of Mt Vesuvius and just off the waterfront of the vibrant city. With a proud heritage and rich history, Italy and Naples offer the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup an unparalleled experience that one way or another is certain to add to the myth, obsession, rivalry and innovation of the America’s Cup.

Italians are the most passionate and engaged America’s Cup audience, and obviously, it is the home of Luna Rossa, who are such an amazing team and strong competitors. So, from the Defender’s position, it certainly feels like we are entering the lion’s den competitively, but from an event perspective, it feels like the perfect venue to host the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup."

Naples has played host to America’s Cup action in 2012 & 2013 in the lead up to the 34th America’s Cup, hosting two America’s Cup World Series events, which local event officials estimated more than one million people turned up to watch the racing from the Naples waterfront over the week-long event.

The bid for Naples, Italy, showed a clear ambition to leverage the America’s Cup as a means to modernise the city’s infrastructure while honouring its history and providing the spectacle of AC75 America’s Cup racing for the people of Italy.