America's Cup teams already plotting course to victory 10 Sep 2014
'Ben Ainslie, Max Sirena and Franck Cammas - 35th Americas Cup, Skippers presentation press conference, London (UK),' © ACEA /Gilles Martin-Raget |
That's the position the sailors representing the six America's Cup teams were taking on Tuesday during a press conference in London as they assessed how they’ve played the opening gambits in their campaigns for sailing’s oldest prize.
With the entry deadline just one month behind him, Franck Cammas is leading a new team for this America’s Cup, Team France, which hopes to unite the talent and expertise in the country to build a team capable of taking on the best in the world.
'We have the sailors, we have the technology and we have the engineers to do well in the America’s Cup, but we need to join everything together under one flag,' he said. 'We have a good start now to launch the team but we need to keep pushing to find everything we need to be strong as we move towards the future.'
35th Americas Cup, Skippers presentation press conference, London (UK), 09 Sept. 2014. Harvey Schiller (Commercial omissionner) - © ACEA /Gilles Martin-Raget Click Here to view large photo
|
Speaking to a home audience, Ben Ainslie told the media his team would draw on a combination of youth and experience in building a British challenger.
'We’re putting together a predominantly British sailing team, a mix of experience with guys who have been there and won the Cup a few times as well as some younger, homegrown talent that is coming through. If we were going racing tomorrow, I would be steering the boat, but that might not be the same answer in a few years time.'
For Kiwi skipper Dean Barker, this America’s Cup is about finding that final one-percent his team needs to get over the hump, after coming agonizingly close to victory last time.
'Looking back, the thing that we quickly established is that our team has some fantastic attributes and it was only by the smallest amount that we were unable to go the extra step,' he said. 'So having reviewed the team and after bringing in some new faces, some new talent, we’re in a much stronger place to kick off the new challenge.'
35th Americas Cup, Skippers presentation press conference, London (UK), - © ACEA /Gilles Martin-Raget
|
Artemis Racing too will feature a mixture of the new and the old, with Team Manager Iain Percy and helmsman Nathan Outteridge returning. But they’ll be bolstered by some new blood on both the sailing and design side.
'We’re trying to keep the key components of what we had at the end of the last campaign. Plus, we’ve been on a search to get some of the best designers and sailors to come and join us,' Outteridge said. 'This year is about trying to build on top of where we ended up last year. We have the building blocks of a very good team.'
All of which makes the job of the defending champion that much harder.
'There’s no question this is the toughest line up I’ve ever faced going into an America’s Cup,' said Jimmy Spithill, the skipper of Oracle Team USA. 'The talent and technology has spread out among the teams since the end of the last Cup, so it’s going to be a big challenge for us. But we’ve got a great team. It’s about getting the right people and we’ve got an exciting group. We’re really looking forward to facing these guys on the water.'
The first racing of the 35th America’s Cup will take place in 2015, in the America’s Cup World Series events, many of which will be hosted by the competing teams. Racing will be in AC45 wingsailed catamarans and according to Luna Rossa’s Max Sirena, the boats might be converted to foiling AC45s before the first event.
35th Americas Cup, Skippers presentation press conference, London (UK), - © ACEA /Gilles Martin-Raget
|
'We’ve asked ourselves the question over the past few weeks,' Sirena said. 'The six of us here, the teams, are looking at the feasibility of making the AC45s foiling for next year. The intention is to move in that direction and we’re pushing hard to make it happen.'
Helping to make that push will be the new Commercial Commissioner, Harvey Schiller, who sees tremendous potential as the teams work together to build the event.
'We have what we need to make this a great America’s Cup,' he said. 'Last time was transformative. We saw the speed, the athleticism and the groundbreaking television. Now, we are coming to a shared understanding of how the event needs to move forward. I'm looking forward to dirving that process.'
Teams were to have an initial meeting with the Commercial Commissioner later on Tuesday in London.
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more