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After an intensive 10-month building programme, Emirates Team New Zealand’s brand new AC75 emerged from their Wynyard Point base today in preparation for its launch and commissioning phase in Auckland this month.
It was wheeled out to have its rig stepped and rigging checked in preparation for its launch and first sail.
“It is always a pretty significant moment for any team. The first time their race boat emerges from the shed and sees the light of day,” said Emirates Team New Zealand COO Kevin Shoebridge.
“These moments are some of the most revealing of any campaign. So much of any America’s Cup campaign goes on behind closed doors and with the utmost secrecy protecting designs and plans, but there always comes a time when you need to show some of your cards. And although what we have revealed today is not all of our cards, it sure gives everyone an indication of our design path.”
The boat had previously been transported under the cover of darkness from the team’s North Shore build facility to the Wynyard Point base where an intensive fit-out programme has been undertaken.
Emirates Team New Zealand have unveiled their new race boat after a 10-month building programme. Photos / Hamish Hooper, ETNZ
“We have had today in the calendar for a long, long time as the date that we would wheel the boat out to step the rig, and it is always critical to be hitting these important milestones, which obviously take a huge amount of dedication, commitment and hard work by the entire team.
"It is a proud day, but we still have a mountain to climb over the next seven months to successfully defend the America’s Cup in October, so plenty more ahead of us which as a team we are looking forward to."
For now, the team continues to commission and prepare the new AC75 for its naming ceremony next week. - ETNZ
