Bermuda Parent Bermuda Parent Spring 2015 | Page 50

BY DUNCAN HALL
What’s the
AMERICA’S CUP
All About?
With Bermuda selected to host the 2017 America’s Cup, Bermuda Parent has put together a
primer to help those without a sailing background to navigate their way around the event.
What’s this America’s Cup I keep
hearing about?
It’s the oldest sporting trophy in the
world, and is named after the schooner
America.
How old is the competition?
The America’s Cup had been contested
nine times before the first modern
Olympic Games were held in Athens,
Greece in 1896.
What happened last time?
In 2013, Team Oracle USA, led by
35-year-old skipper Jimmy Spithill
rallied from an 8-1 deficit to win eight
consecutive races and take the Cup by
a score of 9-8. The first team to nine
points wins the Cup.
How do teams qualify for the Ameri-
ca’s Cup?
The defending champion is auto-
matically in the final for the following
America’s Cup. So, we know that Team
Oracle USA will be in the 2017 final.
Other teams apply to challenge for
the Cup. The challenging teams are
Artemis Racing (Sweden), Ben Ainslie
Racing (United Kingdom), Luna Rossa
Challenge (Italy), Emirates Team New
Zealand, and Team France.
What kind of boats do
they compete in?
Until 2007, racing was in monohull
boats, but in 2010 and 2013, multi-hull
boats were used. Catamarans will be
used for the America’s Cup.
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What’s the difference?
Monohulls have just one hull, while a
catamaran has two parallel hulls.
Okay, so they’re racing catamarans.
Are they new?
The 20-foot Tornado catamaran, which
was used in Olympic Games competi-
tion from 1976-2008, was the fastest
production boat in its day. Bermuda
sent three teams to Olympic Games in
Tornados – Alan Burland and Chris
Nash in 1984, Glenn Astwood and Ed-
die Bardgett in 1988, and Reid and Jay
Kempe in 1992.
What’s different about the
America’s Cup catamarans?
Technology has come a long way
since the Tornado catamaran.
The America’s Cup catamarans
are 62 feet long. That’s a reduc-
tion of 10 feet from the AC72s,
as they were known, that were
used at the 2013 America’s
Cup. The new boats are
lighter, less expensive – and
will be crewed by eight sailors
(down from 11 in 2013).
How fast do they go?
Well, at the 2013 Amer-
ica’s Cup, the winning
team had an average
speed of 30.55 knots
(that’s 35 miles per
hour) and hit a top speed of 44.33
knots (51 miles per hour).
Sounds like quite a spectacle. Was it
on television?
The 2013 America’s Cup was broadcast
on television in 190 countries. The
competition was mentioned 15,000
times in broadcast news bulletins
around the world. NBC has just ac-
quired the television rights to the 2017
America’s Cup.
Was there any other press coverage of
the 2013 America’s Cup?
Yes, there were 575 accredited media
members from 32 countries in San
Francisco to cover the event.
Venice, Italy:
the catamarans of Fly
Emirates Team, New
Zeland, and Luna Rossa
Prada Team, Italy
engaged in the race
during the 34th America’s
Cup, World series.