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At a nondescript warehouse on Auckland’s North Shore, the latest AC45 development is taking shape – a 4 meter tall extension to the wingsail that will add over 8 square meters of surface area to the wing. Adding more power to a boat that already challenges the best sailors in the world may seem like overkill, but Regatta Director Iain Murray says the bigger wing will promote more exciting racing in light conditions. Read more on americascup.com

Luna Rossa launches in Auckland

The Italian team Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 launched and sailed its AC45 for the first time in Auckland on Monday. Luna Rossa has a long, proud history in the modern era of the America’s Cup, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup in its first challenge in 2000, and reaching the semi finals in 2003 and the finals in 2007. In both New Zealand editions of the Cup, the Italian team was very popular with locals, bringing its particular brand of style and flair to the Louis Vuitton Cup, with great success. Read more on americascup.com

Ainslie Launches America’s Cup Campaign

Three time Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie has announced the launch of a new team that will initially compete in the next edition of the America’s Cup World Series along with plans to join ORACLE Racing for the defence of the 34th America’s Cup. Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) will compete in the 2012/13 America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), following the completion of Ainslie’s London 2012 Olympic campaign in the Men’s Singlehanded Heavy Dinghy (Finn class) event. Read more on americascup.com/BAR

Nice guys finish first

Who says nice guys finish last? (The aphorism is generally attributed to baseball manager Leo Durocher – Ed)
This past week, two of the nicest guys I’ve met in the America’s Cup both won significant races, offering evidence that counters the old maxim.
First, on Thursday, Emirates Team New Zealand wing guru and multihull specialist Glenn Ashby won the Australian A-Class catamaran championships with a race to spare. Then on Friday night, Energy Team skipper Loïck Peyron brought his maxi trimaran Banque Populaire across the finish line of the Jules Verne Trophy, setting a new standard for fastest circumnavigation. Read more on americascup.com

Energy Team’s Peyron fastest around the world

Loïck Peyron, the skipper of the French Energy Team, has led his crew on the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire on a record-setting lap of the planet. Peyron and his team have shaved nearly three days off the existing record to claim the Jules Verne Trophy in a time of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes, 53 seconds. Incredibly, the team covered 29002 miles at an average speed of 26.5 knots. See footage from the last day of the record run here
Read more on americascup.com

ETNZ’s Ashby wins A-Class Championship with a day to spare

Emirates Team New Zealand’s Glenn Ashby showed why he’s still considered the man to beat in multihulls, winning the Australian A-Class National Championships with a day to spare.
With five wins in eight starts, and his worst finish a fourth place he discarded, Ashby has dominated the field on Lake Macquarie, in New South Wales, Australia. Read more on americascup.com

Coming home

Energy Team skipper Loïck Peyron is set to add to his staggering list of accomplishments over the next couple of days as his maxi trimaran Banque Populaire makes for the finish line of the Jules Verne Trophy.
See the Banque Populaire website here (French)
The trophy is awarded for fastest non-stop circumnavigation and Peyron and crew are in good position to knock at least two or three days off of the existing mark.Read more on americascup.com