When Emirates Team New Zealand take to the water for the first racing of the new America’s Cup cycle next week, they will do so with a new look on board.
Taking the opportunity to enter two AC40 crews into the preliminary regatta in Cagliari off the Italian island of Sardinia, the defenders of the Auld Mug will try a new combination in their main America’s Cup crew.
Skipper Nathan Outteridge and Andy Maloney will return as helmsman and trimmer respectively, with newcomers to the team Seb Menzies and Iain Jensen in the other driving and trimming roles.
Veteran Team New Zealand presence Blair Tuke, who has been a part of the last three America’s Cup-winning efforts in an on-board role, will not be sailing. The team said the 36-year-old was instead transitioning into more of an executive and strategic role focused on getting the most out of the team’s AC75 Taihoro.
The second AC40 crew in Cagliari will feature a mix of talent available for the Youth and Women’s America’s Cup teams, with Jake Pye and Erica Dawson as co-helms sailing with Serena Woodall and Josh Armit as the trimmers.
“When looking at the crew make-up we have in place for Cagliari, it is a very exciting time for the team, it is a powerful mix of experience and raw, youthful talent, so to have two boats competing alongside each other for the first time will be really interesting for the team’s development,” Tuke said.
“From a personal perspective, I am really excited by the challenge of transitioning into another phase of my career within a team I have had such success with. The team as a whole is under no illusions as to how tough a fourth straight defence will be, so playing my part and utilising my experience will hopefully continue to contribute to its ongoing success.”
The regatta shapes up as an opportunity for the next generation of Team New Zealand sailors to announce themselves on the global stage after honing their craft on home waters over the coming month.
Menzies, Pye and Armit were part of an initial group of local talent added to the core Team New Zealand crew, along with Jo Aleh. Menzies and Armit both featured in the Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024, and have had success in the 49er and windfoiling respectively, while Pye joined the team with consistent results in the moth class.
Woodall, who has featured on the world women’s match racing circuit, was recently announced to have joined the main Team New Zealand crew after being confirmed in their programme for the Women’s America’s Cup, while Dawson returns after being part of that regatta in 2024.
Team New Zealand said the sailors selected had been impressive in training sessions on home waters, and Dawson said, while a development team, her crew weren’t lining up merely to take part.
“To line up in an eight-boat fleet against the main America’s Cup teams is a massive opportunity for our development,” Dawson said.
“We’ve put in the hours in the simulator and during our internal two-boat testing, but nothing replicates the pressure of a live start line in Sardinia. We aren’t just here to fill a spot on the grid; we are here to challenge the fleet and prove the strength of the New Zealand programme.”
Sailing alongside Menzies in the main crew, Jensen gets his first opportunity to race as a member of Team New Zealand after a decorated career which has included Olympic campaigns - representing Australia in a team with Outteridge in the 49er class - and a SailGP season championship with Great Britain.
British challengers GB1 and France’s La Roche-Posay Racing Team also confirmed their crews for the regatta this morning. Like Team New Zealand, the British will be entering two crews, while the French will only be sailing with their main America’s Cup crew for this regatta.
The French have named a strong, predictable line-up, comprised of skipper Quentin Delapierre on one helm with French-Kiwi Jason Saunders as one of the trimmers – the same roles the pair had during the last campaign – and team newcomers Diego Botin and Florian Trittel as co-helm and trimmer respectively. While new to the Cup scene, Botin and Trittel are proven winners, with Olympic gold, world championships and a SailGP season title to their names.
Great Britain will pair Ben Cornish at the helm alongside Dylan Fletcher, with recent recruit Andrea Tesei joining Bleddyn Mon in the trimming roles.
Their Youth and Women’s crew, racing as Athena Pathway, will be helmed by Hannah Mills and Ellie Aldridge, with Sam Webb and Matt Beck in the trimming roles.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.