Emirates Team New Zealand are back on the Waitematā with Taihoro, putting the AC75 through a series of upgrades that could shape their design direction over the next 18 months. Regatta Director Iain Murray has now released the official racing conditions for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, giving the defender its clearest picture yet of what awaits in Naples in 2027.
Fresh from an intensive training block in Italy, the team knows exactly what the new format will demand. For the first time, all seven AC75s will contest six fleet races across the opening weekend of the Louis Vuitton Cup in May 2027, before the Challenger Selection Series determines who earns the right to face the defender in the Match.
Flight controller Andy Maloney welcomed the return to home waters. "It was a really nice winter's day, 8 to 12 knots of breeze. Perfect conditions to check in on all the changes that have been made to the boat over the break and the time it's been in the shed. To see all the progression is really cool."
The contrast with Naples was hard to ignore. The team had been training in conditions approaching 40°C before pulling on dry suits and winter clothing on the Hauraki Gulf. "It's quite a stark difference in temperature," Maloney said. "But it's pretty awesome to be out here on a nice bluebird winter day and have classic Auckland in the background with Rangitoto. It's a pretty special place for us to sail this boat."
Port helmsman Chris Draper, back aboard Taihoro after time in the team's AC40s, felt the step up straight away. "The boat has had some good work done on it while we've been away, so it's been really nice to get back out," he said. "Sailing the AC40s feels like go-karts, so it's nice to get back in the real gear."
Olympic gold medallist Jo Aleh was equally glad to be back, despite the temperature shock. "It's a 30°C temperature difference from up in Naples," she said. "I'm well acclimatised to the cold now. It's been a while since I've been on a boat, so I'm pretty happy out here."
The Auckland programme is only two weeks long, but Maloney is confident the team will get plenty from it. "It's only a two-week stint, but it's amazing how much you can tick off and achieve over four or five days on the water. It's a super valuable block to continue the progression over the next couple of months."
The data gathered feeds directly into the ongoing design programme. As defending champion, Emirates Team New Zealand qualifies automatically for the America's Cup Match but will race through the fleet races and the three-round-robin phase of the Louis Vuitton Cup, with results not counting towards the challengers' standings. The six challengers then continue through the Louis Vuitton Cup, with the winner facing Emirates Team New Zealand in a best-of-13 Match beginning on July 10, 2027.
