America’s Cup: Auckland duo top podium in e-Series for big paydays and chance at sailing AC40 in Barcelona

In the debut of the America’s Cup e-Series, two Kiwis have collected a big payday and earn the opportunity to get behind the wheel of an AC40 on the water in Barcelona.

Auckland Liam Dimock, 14, took out the $44,000 grand prize in the final, held at the America’s Cup race village in Barcelona this morning, ahead of Robbie Wooldridge, 19, also of Auckland, who collects $17,600 for second place.

The series was a new initiative added to the regatta for the 37th America’s Cup, with Team New Zealand developing the game based on the simulation tools they use to get their sailors up to speed when they cannot be on the water.

The pair will now take part in an intense three-day on-water training period, before getting the opportunity to drive an AC40 on the water in Barcelona in a race against one of the Youth America’s Cup teams.

“The whole experience has been crazy,” Dimock said.

“The grand final has been exciting, with a lot of ups and downs and everyone could win until the last race. I am proud of myself and the rest of the competitors for what we have achieved here today and I can’t wait for October 2nd to complete this wonderful experience and take the memory of sailing an AC40 with me forever.”

The final featured eight qualifying virtual sailors from around the world, with Bermuda, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Estonia and France also competing.

Auckland teenager Liam Dimock - aka eSailingCentral - won the America's Cup e-Series grand final. Photo / America's Cup

The final was comprised of five races, with the available points stepping up in a big way with each race. Dimock - competing under the handle eSailingCentral – got off to a bad start as he was penalised in the starting box for not keeping clear of Wooldridge. It didn’t prove too costly as he settled in fourth place while Wooldridge – competing under the handle Booshify – led the way.

By the second leg, Dimock had sailed into the lead, but fell back down the fleet as he failed to give way to the Italian competitor and the two collided. Dimock was again hit with a penalty.

Dimock ultimately ended race one in fifth, with Wooldridge in fourth.

After three races, Dimock and Wooldridge had work to do as they sat fourth and fifth on the leaderboard respectively.

But in the two races with the most points on offer, the pair made their move. Dimock won race four, with Wooldridge in third. A second place in race five was enough for Dimock to clinch the title.

Dimock ended up with a nine-point lead at the top, while third place in the last race clinched second for Wooldridge by just two points.

“From the outset, our vision for the e-Series was to take our cutting-edge simulator, turn it into a game, and open up the world of America’s Cup racing to a new generation,” America’s Cup Event and Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said.

“The success of this first season has been remarkable. In just a few months, we’ve achieved over 100,000 game downloads, launched a world-class e-sports competition, and built a vibrant community of players. We’re incredibly excited to see what the future holds for this initiative.”