Teams sail first race using the new America's Cup public simulator in Barcelona
by America's Cup Media/Sail-World NZ 10 Apr 20:50 NZST
Olympic Gold medalist Ruggero Tita - Luna Rossa - AC Sailing - 37th America's Cup Official Game - April 2024 © ACE
The official simulation videogame of the 2024 America's Cup and upcoming e-sports championship was launched on Tuesday in Barcelona, bringing together the sailing and virtual worlds.
The event hosted the first AC Sailing live race, launching a new era of America's Cup yachting.
On stage, six sailors representing each America's Cup team raced against Spanish Olympic medallist Jordi Xammar and professional e-sports player Lukas Mohr to showcase the new game's potential to revolutionise the future of e-sports in sailing.
A star-studded roster included Olympic Gold medallists Dylan Fletcher (Ineos Britania) and Ruggero Tita (Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli), World Champions Liv Mackay (Emirates Team New Zealand Women's Team) and Erika Reineke (New York Yacht Club American Magic Women's Team), a new generation of America's Cup talents Morgan Lauber (Alinghi Red Bull Racing Youth Team), Alexandre Kowalski (Orient Express - L'Oréal Racing Team), as well as Spanish Olympic medallist Jordi Xammar (Spanish Sailing Olympic Medalist) and professional German e-sailing player Lukas Mohr (Unicorns of Love).
Along with the audience gathered in Barcelona, fans worldwide could watch the event through the official America's Cup channel on Twitch, with the support of streamers from the UK, France, Italy, and Spain. The launch marked the debut of the America's Cup on the platform and provided fans with a sneak peek of what's to come in the upcoming America's Cup E-series championship.
The launch of AC Sailing, an ultra-realistic sailing simulation game built on actual simulation technology used by America's Cup teams, creates a unique opportunity for a new generation of players and sailing enthusiasts to experience the thrill of the America's Cup in foiling monohulls, in an entirely new way.
"With the launch of AC Sailing and America's Cup E-series today, we are confident that sailing is now well positioned to become the next big e-sport," said Emirates Team New Zealand's Chief Technical Officer Dan Bernasconi. "Our team has created an incredibly lifelike simulation game that is both user-friendly and beautiful to play. We're excited to bring the sport of sailing to a wider audience and make it accessible to everyone."
The game's development is the culmination of over ten years of research and development by Emirates Team New Zealand, the current Defender of the America's Cup. It represents an important milestone for the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, contributing to its overall mission of becoming the world's most inclusive competition.
ACCIÓ, the Generalitat de Catalunya's agency for business competitiveness, has supported the initiative and facilitated the participation of a Catalan studio in the creation of the game.
About AC Sailing:
AC Sailing lets players take command of high-tech foiling AC40 yachts and race against others in breath-taking online races. They can also hone their skills in time trials and practice modes. The game features real-world locations such as Barcelona, the host venue of the 37th America's Cup, and authentic liveries from the iconic AC40 America's Cup yachts.
AC Sailing is available for free download on PC running Windows 11 through the Epic Store and Steam platforms. It allows for in-game cosmetic purchases.
For more information about AC Sailing, visit www.acsailing.com