Emirates Team New Zealand’s new AC75 race boat revealed

After an intensive ten-month building programme, Emirates Team New Zealand’s new AC75 has emerged from their Wynyard Point base in preparation for its launch and commissioning phase in Auckland this month.

It was wheeled out to have its rig stepped and rigging checked in preparation for its launch and first sail.

“It is always a pretty significant moment for any team. The first time their race boat emerges from the shed and sees the light of day,” says Emirates Team New Zealand COO Kevin Shoebridge.

“These moments are some of the most revealing of any campaign. So much of any America’s Cup campaign goes on behind closed doors and with the utmost secrecy protecting designs and plans, but there always comes a time when you need to show some of your cards. And although what we have revealed today is not all of our cards, it sure gives everyone an indication of our design path.”

The Emirates Team New Zealand AC75 had previously been transported under the cover of darkness from the team’s North Shore build facility to the Wynyard Point base, where an intensive fit-out programme had been undertaken.

Earlier this month, INEOS Britannia’s AC75 arrived in Barcelona ahead of the America’s Cup, which takes place between August and October 2024 in Barcelona.

Shoebridge says: “We have had this day in the calendar for a long, long time as the date that we would wheel the boat out to step the rig. It is always critical to be hitting these important milestones, which obviously take a huge amount of dedication, committment and hard work by the entire team.

“So it is a proud day, but we still have a mountain to climb over the next seven months to successfully defend the America’s Cup in October. There are plenty more ahead of us, which, as a team, we are looking forward to.”

For now, Emirates Team New Zealand continues to commission and prepare the new AC75. The team plans to host the vessel’s naming ceremony this week.

The Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing team also launched their new AC75 during a ceremony held at the team’s base in Port Vell this week.