Better by design

Design secrecy is a key part of the the America’s Cup but the Prada Cup offers a glimpse of the yachts in action. Toby Heppell assesses the key developments

- Toby Heppell

Moments after Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line to convincingly win the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda 2017, Circolo della Vela Sicilia, represented by Luna Rossa Pirelli Prada handed over their letter formally challenging the Kiwis for the next cup, so becoming the Challenger of Record. These two actions – the win and the formal challenge – set in motion a chain of events, that would shock the sailing world in 2018 as the new America’s Cup class, the AC75 rule was released.

To understand how we got here, it is worth briefly looking back to the events leading up to that moment.

In 2017, Team New Zealand were the only team not signed up to a deal put forward by Oracle Team USA, which would see the event continue in the same boats and the same format.

Luna Rossa had already withdrawn from the 35th AC in protest after a rule change mid-cycle. Following their withdrawal, Prada put a range of financial, technical and personnel investments behind New Zealand in exchange for the opportunity to be the Challenger of Record should the Kiwis win the cup in 2017. This agreement was rumoured to come with a number of caveats, principally that America’s Cup racing would revert to a monohull - said to be the preferred option for head of the Luna Rossa team Chairman Patrizio Bertelli.