INEOS Britannia, the British Challenger of Record competing for the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, is ready to take on the All Blacks on water, Emirates Team New Zealand, in its bid to win the America’s Cup.
Fresh from the team’s historic victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup, INEOS Britannia will battle one of the most successful America’s Cup teams of all-time, who are attempting to complete a three-peat win of the world’s oldest international sporting trophy.
Sir Ben Ainslie’s British team enters the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match battle-hardened after an intense seven weeks of racing against four other challenging teams, culminating in a 7-4 victory against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. This win saw Ainslie and his team claim the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series), becoming the first British Challenger in 60 years to make the America’s Cup Match. The match begins on Saturday, with the first team to win seven races claiming the Auld Mug and all the glory that comes with it.
While INEOS Britannia fought for a place in the match, Emirates Team New Zealand, the world-renowned Kiwi sailing team and four-time winners of the America’s Cup, was waiting in the background with its place in the match guaranteed. As the current Defender of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand enjoys a range of strategic advantages that solidify their position as the team to beat, including the luxury of bypassing the challenger selection process to focus on developing their race boat and fine-tuning their performance.
INEOS Britannia CEO and Skipper Ben Ainslie said: “It is going to be a seriously hard battle against Emirates Team New Zealand, they’re the All Blacks of sailing but we are ready for the challenge. While the Kiwis have had more time to prepare, we are definitely battle-hardened following the Challenger Selection Series. We are the underdogs and New Zealand are the favourites, but I definitely think they are beatable.”
The upcoming showdown promises to be a thrilling battle as Britain looks to claim sailing’s greatest prize for the first time. The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, with a history that dates back to 1851 when the New York Yacht Club won a race around the Isle of Wight, after receiving an invitation from the Royal Yacht Squadron to take on their fleet of yachts. 173 years and 22 challenges later, Britain has not been able to claim the trophy they helped create.
Ainslie said: “The America’s Cup is steeped in history and is the one sporting trophy Britain has never won. We are aiming to change that and end 173 years of hurt. It will undoubtedly be one hell of a challenge, but we are up for a fight. We are hugely appreciative of all the support we’ve had so far, from everyone at home and in Barcelona cheering us on.”
The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match begins on Saturday 12 October at 13:00 BST (14:00 CEST) and UK viewers can follow all the action live on TNT Sports.
