INEOS Britannia's challenge for the 37th America's Cup ends in Barcelona
by INEOS Britannia 20 Oct 2024 08:11 NZDT
19 October 2024
Ben Ainslie chats with Peter Burling after the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Barcelona © Ricardo Pinto / America's Cup
INEOS Britannia, the British Challenger of Record racing for the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, saw its campaign to win the 37th America's Cup come to an end after a 7-2 defeat to the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand.
The defeat concluded a historic campaign for Britain, which saw INEOS Britannia become the first-ever British team to win an America's Cup Challenger Series, the first British team to race in the America's Cup Match in 60 years, and the first British boat to score points in the Match in 90 years. These achievements combined set a new standard for British sailing in the America's Cup.
The ninth race of the Match began with INEOS Britannia dominating the start. Emirates Team New Zealand had to tack away but they managed to find a shift and then creep up to steal the lead. The Kiwis didn't put a foot wrong in the second leg, and their lead extended to 360m. On the third leg, INEOS Britannia closed in fast to the Defenders, and the gap reduced to just 1m, but Ainslie and his crew were unable to get ahead before the third mark. The Brits managed to stay close to the Defenders until the Kiwis gained on the penultimate leg. From there, they were uncatchable, and Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line first to secure the three-peat and end the America's Cup dream for INEOS Britannia.
Speaking after the day's action, Team Principal and Skipper Ben Ainslie said:
"Firstly, we want to pass our congratulations on to Emirates Team New Zealand. They raced a great series and continue to dominate the event with their three-peat, making them the greatest America's Cup team of all time.
It goes without saying that I could not be prouder of our team's efforts, the hard work and determination over this three-year campaign has never wavered. The team has been going for 10 years now, and this has by far been the campaign that has shown the most improvement. When you compare us to outfits like Emirates Team New Zealand, who have 35 years in this competition, it shows that continuity in learning and development is the key to success.
The team's mission has always been to win and defend the America's Cup for Britain, and nothing has changed. Our plan is to remain in Barcelona with our Athena Pathway Youth and Women's teams to continue developing our sailing talent and double down on our commitment to Britain's future in the America's Cup.
Jim, John, and Andy, along with the entire INEOS group, have been great backers over two campaigns. Their strategy to partner with Mercedes F1 has been a huge benefit and a technical development gain for AC37.
My focus is on driving this team forward and keeping the momentum going. We stepped up again, but so did the rest of the competition. We have all been chasing Emirates Team New Zealand, and each time we are getting closer. The journey to bring the Cup home continues."
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS, said: "Reflecting on the past eight weeks, we're all very proud of what Sir Ben Ainslie and the team have achieved. There can be no denying that there have been ups and downs along the way; which is never good for the blood pressure! But that's sport, and that's why we love it. We have seen how Ben and the team have interrogated the data, optimised the technology and refined their sailing strategies to unlock more performance from the boat and the sailing team race by race. This progress is testament to the unquestioning commitment from everyone in the team both in Barcelona and Brackley; a huge effort that everyone should be very proud of."