EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND WRAPS UP HIGH-OCTANE MID-WINTER AC75 AUCKLAND TESTING BLOCK
Emirates Team New Zealand has officially concluded another intensive mid-winter sailing block aboard its AC75, Taihoro, on the home waters of the Hauraki Gulf.
The chilly winter session delivered a complete spectrum of testing conditions spanning from a light 6 knots up to a top-end 22 knots. Pushing the boundaries of the latest-generation AC75 design, the team comfortably clocked boat speeds in excess of 50 knots while rotating sailing crew combinations through varied roles and wind ranges.
Having now sailed Taihoro for more than five months, the team is strategically working through the maximum 45 days testing allowed with the AC75. This latest Auckland testing window represents a continued evolution of hundreds of design iterations, hardware and software refinements, and onboard control system optimisations. Each day has delivered millions of real-time data points back to the design and engineering office and boat shed, which will eventually translate into race time optimisation and tangible performance gains on the water.
Reflecting on the productive return to home waters in cold winter conditions, the sailors highlighted how vital the session was for validating recent upgrades:
"It’s awesome to be back out on Taihoro... perfect conditions really to just check in on all the changes that have been made to the boat over the previous break and the time it's been in the shed during our last block in Naples in July, and to see all the progression is really cool," said Andy Maloney.
“Every day we are out on Taihoro is vital, and we learn so much. This really is a critical time of a campaign. To be sailing and gaining as much data as possible to allow the guys in the design room to crunch the numbers that will go into the next iteration of equipment development for once we start racing in May next year.”
When the heavy breeze kicked in across the outer gulf, the team seized the opportunity to test Taihoro right at the upper edge of the wind range envelope.
"It's been a while since we've been out in some good breeze, and to be ripping around doing well over 50 knots in the back paddock was a really cool day. We are not sure if we will see the top-end conditions in Naples, but we need to be prepared for everything come race time, so it is all important to be optimised in whatever the conditions are."
"Every time the AC75 goes in the shed and gets some upgrades, it comes out as an improved boat, which is fantastic to see. We always thought there was going to be just small gains here and there, but the team's been doing a fantastic job to find some real meters on the table. The boat is going faster and it's getting easier for us to sail," said skipper Nathan Outteridge.
With the winter AC75 testing block successfully completed in Auckland and Taihoro back in the boat shed undergoing another round of upgrades, the team's focus once again shifts back to the Northern hemisphere in Italy and the AC40s as preparations ramp up for the second America's Cup Preliminary Regatta in Naples, scheduled to begin on 24 to 27 September 2026.
Emirates Team New Zealand will once again field a two-boat line-up. The equalised one-design AC40 yachts will be sailed by the same crew configurations that contested the opening Preliminary Regatta in Cagliari earlier this year in May 2026.
The Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup will take place in Naples, Italy, from May to July 2027, with the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series) and America’s Cup Match getting underway from 22 May. Find everything you need to know about the event, race format, teams, schedule and how to watch on our website.
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