Britannia on the cusp of history in grand plan to take the America's Cup back to ‘where it all started’
Friday, 4 October 2024
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Featuring prominently around Barcelona’s America’s Cup village is a promotional clip of Sir Ben Ainslie discussing what the giant trophy means for his Britannia team.
“The America’s Cup has always been an ambition, to win the Cup for Britain, where it all started,” he says.
“That’s the motivation, to push and get that Cup back to Britain for the first time.”
Tongue in cheek, Ainslie also says America stole the Cup that bears the nation’s name – the trophy was made in London – after the famed New York Yacht Club won the first edition in 1851 by the Isle of Wight, off the English south coast.
Great Britain has had more challenges than any other nation since, although none have been successful since the defending British Royal Yacht Squadron lost the Auld Mug in the inaugural match race 173 years ago.
In fact, no British boat has raced in the Cup’s decider in 60 years, but Ainslie’s Britannia crew are on the verge of history in Barcelona.
They need only one more win in an intense challenger series final against Luna Rossa to face Team New Zealand in the match race, starting next Sunday (NZ time).
Ainslie is Britannia’s team principal and co-helmsman in the Cup’s modernised regatta, where teams are whizzing around in the slick AC75 foiling monohulls at top speeds approaching 100kph, far different to the schooner yachts sailed in the 19th century.
The 47-year-old was with Oracle Team USA for their famous comeback win over Team NZ in San Francisco’s Cup final in 2013.
Still, the competitive Brit says they’re a nation with a proud maritime history and the Auld Mug, recognised as the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, was missing from the cabinet.
The last British challenge in the Cup’s match race was in 1964 when the Sovereign team lost to American syndicate Constellation in Newport, Rhode Island.
After a rest day, Britannia still need to beat Luna Rossa in the Louis Vuitton Cup final when the first-to-seven contest resumes on Saturday (NZ time), the score 6-4. Nevertheless, after gaining the first two-point lead of a decider which has been on a knife-edge, the British team are on the cusp of ending a 60-year drought.
That’s a long wait. In 1964, there was no Taylor Swift mania, there were the Beatles, who toured New Zealand that June. Donald Trump became a grown man, turning 18. Nelson Mandela went to prison on Robben Island. A Kiwi runner called Peter Snell won his iconic golden double (the 800m and 1500m) at the Tokyo Olympics.
As the challenger of record to Team NZ, Britannia’s grand plan to win the Cup looks as strong as ever, financially speaking, too.
Representing the Royal Yacht Squadron and formed with Ainslie at the helm in 2014, they were incorporated into INEOS’ sporting stable in 2018, owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
His chemical company is one of the world’s largest and invests seemingly endless resources into its teams, which include English football giants Manchester United and the Mercedes Formula One team. INEOS also sponsors the All Blacks and the Black Ferns.
Ratcliffe and Ainslie, the most successful sailor in Olympic history, expect success.
Their crew also features Dylan Fletcher, a 49er gold medallist from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the British pair which beat the distinguished Kiwi duo of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and has world-class sailors such as Bleddyn Mon and Leigh McMillan.
Ainslie is also instantly recognisable in a crowded, feverish British sporting market where sailing is barely acknowledged. A place in the Cup’s match race might give the sport unprecedented exposure in the UK.
“You certainly feel the expectation,” said Fletcher, Ainslie’s co-helmsman, after going 6-4 ahead of Luna Rossa.
“Not just from the sailors, but the whole team. We're proud of what we've been able to achieve at the moment.
“We're not resting on anything though and know we need to keep our foot down on that gas pedal.”
Louis Vuitton Cup final, Saturday schedule (NZ time)
– Britannia 6-4 Luna Rossa
1:10am: Race 11
2:15am: Race 12 TBC