America's Cup Rialto: Kiwi AC75 launch. Czech challenger? More America's Cup Legal. ACP moves
by Richard Gladwell Sail-World NZ 7 Mar 09:26 GMT
All quiet outside the Emirates Team New Zealand base - Auckland - March 6, 2026 © Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz
Emirates Team New Zealand are expected to launch their re-purposed AC75 and start working up in the Hauraki Gulf next week.
The America's Cup Defender will be the first of the five entered teams to sail their AC75 in the 38th America's Cup. Teams were allowed to commence AC75 sailing on January 15 this year, but to date, all have remained in the shed.
Several changes are expected to be made to the existing AC75s, of which the hulls are being reused from the 2024 America's Cup in Barcelona.
The major change is converting the boat from being manually powered to electric power only. It is not clear whether the electric power will be used to power up the old hydraulic systems, or they will be replaced by electromechanical devices.
One of the main challenges facing design teams will be the use of linked controls (PLCs), where a single control movement will automatically adjust several others to optimal settings.
The other area for development will be in the wing foils. The AC75s have been reduced in overall weight, which will make foiling lift off easier, and the focus is likely to be on resolving the triangular issues of lift in light airs, reduced drag at the top end of the speed range, and pushing out the onset of cavitation to the top end of the speed range (around 55kts).
Teams are restricted in the amount of new equipment they can introduce, with rules in place to limit the AC75 arms race. If a team launched two new spars in the 2024 America's Cup, then under legacy equipment restrictions, they are not permitted to launch new spars for the 2027 America's Cup, and must reuse the 2024 versions.
Restrictions are also in place for the design and construction of new wing foils, except that 2024 models can be modified to a regulated extent. Teams are allowed to build three new foil wings and five new foil flaps, but they must reuse the standard one-design foil arms from previous cycles.
Any team sailing an AC75 in practice/workup will be accompanied by an independent reporter and photographer, who will report to other teams and media, as happened in the 2024 America's Cup cycle, except the reconnaissance will continue through to the end of the 38th America's Cup, instead of terminating three months ahead of the event, as happened in the last cycle.
The most visible changes are expected to be in the deck layout to accommodate five sailing crew and one guest racer.
New Late Challenger?
The only live sailing show Sailing Illustrated, pulled a rabbit out of the Challengers' Hat with the announcement that a new America's Cup challenge was being formulated out of the Czech Republic. The team is said to be backed by Karel Komárek, a prominent Czech billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist, who currently resides in Verbier, Switzerland. The sailing operations of the new team are said to be headed by America's Cup and Round the World racer Ken Read (USA).
So far, five teams have confirmed their entry, all announced by the Defender just before Christmas 2025. The Late Entry deadline has been extended to the end of March, less than four weeks away. According to Italian media, three other teams are in the Late Entry line-up: Australia, USA and a second Italian team. Only Riptide Racing (USA), through the Seawanaka Corinthian Yacht Club, led by top match-racer Chris Poole, has confirmed its intention to enter, conditional on raising a minimum of $50 million in funding.
While the rumours about potential teams continue to circulate, it is all a little academic unless they have an AC75, that sailed in the 2024 America's Cup cycle. In that edition teams were only allowed to build one new AC75. Those who had boats from the first event, in 2021, redeveloped them as test boats, before commissioning their race boat, several months before the start of the Challenger Selection Trials for the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The race fleet of six boats used in the 2024 America's Cup, is already spoken for. The only team with a boat available, is American Magic. But they say they are not selling - with a view to building up a team on the SailGP circuit, and then going again in the 2029 America's Cup.
New teams are permitted to build a new AC75, however it must be to a 2024 era design - and build times are around 60,000 hours. It would seem that time is against a new boat build.
The teams will face off in the first and only announced Preliminary Regatta in Cagliari, Sardinia, in May, sailing AC40 one-designs. Other dates are yet to be announced, save for the start of the America's Cup Match in Naples on July 10, 2027.
ACP doing business
The 38th America's Cup will be sailed under the new America's Cup Partnership, where the America's Cup competition is controlled by a Board comprising a single representative from each entered team. The ACP is yet to announce a CEO, but has signed a TV rights contract, in its name, with Italian broadcaster Rai.
Despite being in operation since November 1, 2025, no CEO appointment has yet been announced for the new Cup governing body. Instead it fell to Grant Dalton, as Chairman of ACE Italy S.r.L, to make the welcoming words on the announcement of the ACP/Rai TV rights deal for Italy.
However Richard Moore has been appointed by ACP as its Head of Marketing, Media and Communications, and has been in the role since January 2026. He is a co-founder of Arabia Marine Services, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He had a concurrent role as CEO of Alter Agency which specialises in full-service creative communications and brand experiences. Under Moore's leadership, the agency has orchestrated major campaigns for global brands such as JD Sports, Puma, Beats By Dre, and TCL.
Moore led the marketing strategy for the inaugural America's Cup Preliminary Regatta held in Jeddah in 2023. Following that project, his Alter Agency also helped promote the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona in 2024, launching targeted digital and social media campaigns on platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts
America's Cup Legal
There has been a development in the complaint lodged with the New York Supreme Court, by John Sweeney (USA).
In his social media pages, Sweeney wrote "Today I can confirm the New York AG has contacted Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for comments. So far no response but when I hear more news I’ll update on my America’s Cup Deed of Gift complaint…."
This is the second tilt at the America's Cup Partnership, by San Francisco based former America's Cup sailor and team organiser.
The first was via social media only and took the line that as the AC75s were foiling, that they no longer complied with the Load Water Line length restrictions of between 44-90ft LWL stipulated in the Deed of Gift. His latest approach, done by manual rather than electronic filing, takes the line that the two signatories to the Protocol governing the conduct of the 38th America's Cup Match, are both limited liability companies, while Sweeney claims that the Deed of Gift permits only Yacht Clubs to Challenge and Defend, the America's Cup.
While that claim may not succeed, the New York Attorney General, depending on their curiosity level the NYAG, may find shortcomings in the still secret America's Cup Partnership agreement, and other matters concerning entry acceptance into the next America's Cup which may warrant the further attention.