Simon van Velthooven's retirement from professional sport, announced today, brings to a close one of the most distinctive and decorated careers New Zealand sport has seen. The Emirates Team New Zealand cyclor and Olympic medallist leaves behind a legacy stretching from the velodrome to the open ocean, having helped transform both track cycling and the way an America's Cup yacht generates power.
His route into sailing was far from straightforward. Van Velthooven had already established himself on the world track cycling circuit before Emirates Team New Zealand came looking ahead of the 2017 America's Cup campaign in Bermuda. The team was quietly developing something the sailing world had never encountered: a grinding system driven by pedal power rather than arm winches. As one of the original cyclors, van Velthooven applied his explosive sprinting ability to the AC50 catamaran, helping develop and test the innovation in secret before it was revealed to a startled sailing community. That breakthrough proved central to the outcome, and Team New Zealand won the 35th America's Cup.
A decade of sustained success followed. Van Velthooven raced in three consecutive Cup-winning campaigns, the 2017 victory in Bermuda, the 2021 defence, and the 2024 triumph in Barcelona, reinforcing Emirates Team New Zealand's standing as the dominant force in the sport and securing his own place in the team's history.
Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton paid tribute to van Velthooven's contribution both on and off the water. "Simon has been such a central part of the culture of Emirates Team New Zealand for almost 10 years," Dalton said. "He helped us to secretly develop our America's Cup winning cyclor innovation to win the 35th America's Cup in 2017, and since then has added his professionalism, positivity and sense of humour to the team culture winning again in 2021 & 2024 in Barcelona. He should be very proud of his outstanding and unique sporting career and the part he has played in the success of Emirates Team New Zealand."
Before the America's Cup opened a second chapter, van Velthooven had already written a compelling first. He represented New Zealand at the 2012 London Olympics, taking bronze in the men's keirin at 23 years of age, a result that stood as New Zealand's first sprint cycling Olympic medal. That achievement sat alongside multiple World Championship and Commonwealth Games medals. He also became the first New Zealander to compete in Japan's prestigious professional Keirin competition, one of the most demanding circuits in track cycling. His combination of raw power and precise technique established him as one of the most formidable sprinters the country had produced.
Van Velthooven reflected on what he had experienced across both careers. "I've been incredibly fortunate to live out two sporting dreams; representing New Zealand on the Olympic stage and winning a medal in London 2012 at age 23, and then contributing to three history-making America's Cup campaigns," he said. "Both experiences pushed me beyond what I thought possible and I'm grateful for every challenge, lesson, and teammate along the way. It now feels like the right time to close this chapter and explore what comes next."
With his competitive career now behind him, van Velthooven says his focus turns to family and new challenges outside professional sport, while he remains a lifelong supporter of the black boat.
