It’s not an easy task to get the state of the art boat on the water, especially when great parts arrive off the ship in sections- namely the huge 40 metre wing sail.

The man in charge of putting it all back together is John Douglas, or otherwise known simply as JD.

When asked how many pieces make up the sail he gives a sigh, a small smile and simply says, “tens of thousands.”

Progress is made in front of your eyes in the wing tent as they work towards hoisting it high and onto the AC72 for the first time again in just a matter of days.

Regatta director Iain Murray and Tom Ehman, representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club, made the announcement after a meeting of the four teams this morning.

Today’s meeting followed the incident last week in which the Artemis AC72 capsized and broke up, killing crewman Andrew Simpson.

Organisers also announced an expert panel will be formed, chaired by Iain Murray, charged with reviewing the incident last week and the training and racing of AC72 yachts in the 2013 America’s Cup.

Chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge represented Emirates Team New Zealand at the meeting, which lasted for 90 minutes.

Artemis was represented by Paul Cayard, Oracle Team USA’s representation included Russell Coutts and James Spithill and Luna Rossa by Max Serena and  Luis Sainz.

Kevin Shoebridge said: “This is just the start of the process. It is the intention of the review panel to look at every aspect of the regatta and particularly the safety aspects. 

The panel will make recommendations after a thorough process has been completed, including discussions with all competing teams and organisers.

Members of the committee have backgrounds in the sailing at its highest levels as well as involvement in reviews where an incident at sea has claimed the life of a competitor.

Other members are: Sally Lindsay Honey (USA, deputy chair), John Craig (USA),
Chuck Hawley (USA), Vincent Lauriot-Prévost (FRA), Jim Farmer QC (NZL).

Jim Farmer has resigned as a director and trustee of Emirates Team New Zealand for the duration of the review. He will be reappointed when the review is completed.

Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton says it is important from the review to be seen as totally independent. 

Ehman said: “The Committee brings immense experience and expertise to this Review. At a meeting in San Francisco this morning, the teams expressed unanimous support for this Committee and this process.”

The Review Committee will report as soon as possible, given that racing starts in seven weeks. The results are expected within two weeks.

Racing starts at San Francisco in early July when the challengers compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup. The winner of the LV Cup goes forward to race Oracle for the America’s Cup in September.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce says major eventslike the America’s Cup provide an opportunity for NewZealand companies to showcase their expertise on the international stage.

“New Zealand has a strong marine and digital technology association with the America’s Cup, and this programme is about leveraging off and growing that strong relationship,” Mr Joyce says.

The programme is being developed alongside the sailing event. As part of an agreement signed between the Government and Emirates Team New Zealand, New Zealand businesses will have exclusive access to the America’s Cup racing and ETNZ’s base in San Francisco.

The home base for the events organised by ETNZ, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, will be Waka Maori, a 70-metre venue fashioned in the form of a traditional waka, built by Ngati Whatua o Orakei and used on the Auckland waterfront for Rugby World Cup 2011.

“New Zealand is a dominant player in the America’s Cup and we are taking full advantage of that position to promote New Zealand’s other stories and capabilities,” Mr  Joyce says. “The United States is our third biggest trading partner and our goods and services exports continue to grow there. California alone is a market of 38 million people and remains at the
heart of global innovation.

“Waka Maori creates a New Zealand landmark that will be seen from the surrounding high rises and Bay Bridge during the America’s Cup.”

New Zealand innovation will be evident during the Cup, with componentry for three of the four racing yachts designed and built in New Zealand; Kiwi-made super-yachts berthed at the marina, an official America’s Cup smartphone app made  by Dunedin’s Animation Research Ltd, and New Zealand food and wine featuring on the menus of San Francisco restaurants.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia chief executive officer Tupara Morrison said it’s an honour to have Waka Māori make the journey to San Francisco alongside Emirates Team New Zealand.“Waka Māori was originally commissioned by the hapū to showcase Māoritanga and welcome visitors to Aotearoa and we are pleased that this arrangement with Emirates Team New Zealand again puts Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei on the world stage.

“Waka Māori will provide a unique glimpse of New Zealand, the home of the world’s greatest sailors, on foreign shores and that is great,” said Mr Morrison.

“It will also be a special place for Kiwi businesses to meet and greet their international colleagues and guests,” said Mr Morrison.

Waka Māori will be used by Emirates Team New Zealand’s major sponsors including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, which will showcase Kiwi businesses and promote Auckland and New Zealand as a tourism destination.

Emirates Team New Zealand chief executive officer Grant Dalton says the team is proud to have Waka Maori as a key part of its base.

“The waka will be a prominent part of the downtown San Francisco waterfront for four months and will be a great showcase for New Zealand. “We look forward to representing New Zealand, our sponsors and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei over the coming months.”

Despite Auckland seeing more Americas Cup action over the summer than where the event is going to be held, it is now apparent that the mass migration north is well and truly underway.
The massive tents have gone, the dozens of containers have vanished, the fleet of chase boats hs departed and of course the AC72 is somewhere in the Pacific Ocean heading towards the northeast.
Only a handful of stragglers remain in the shell of the big red and black Emirates Team New Zealand shed tying up loose ends and getting ready to join the growing contingent on Pier 30/32 under the bay bridge in San Francisco.

Remarkably it is now only a matter of weeks until the entire team will be fully functional and back flying around in the AC72 on a very crowded San Francisco bay- there isn’t a lot of water for four AC72’s and all of their entourages.

Things move quickly in this game, so this calm before the storm is time to take a breath and get ready for a dramatic five months ahead.

Pictures from the last day at Naples are here.

America’s Cup World Series Naples Standings

1. Luna Rossa Swordfish (Francesco Bruni) – 80 points
2. ORACLE TEAM USA (Tom Slingsby) – 80
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (Dean Barker) – 71
4. Luna Rossa Piranha (Chris Draper) – 70
5. J.P. Morgan BAR (Ben Ainslie) – 65
6. Energy Team (Yann Guichard) – 58
7. Artemis Racing White (Charlie Ekberg) – 40
8. HS Racing (R. Hagara/H.S. Steinacher) – 36
9. China Team (Mitch Booth) – 30

Today the sport lost one of its greatest. Today I lost a very good friend and so did many others of us at Emirates Team New Zealand. Magnus Olsson, the kindest guy I ever knew. The biggest smile I ever saw, the loudest laugh I ever heard.

When people think of personalities of the Whitbread and the Volvo Ocean Race they think of Conny and Peter but for me Magnus was the Whitbread Race. I sailed against him five times; we became good friends.

But that wasn’t at all unique  Every one was his friend. You will not hear, in the days that follow, one single word about Magnus or sentence written that is not filled with admiration for this happy, smart, resilient and determined guy. He was EF Language, Ericison, Intrum – he was the round the world race as I know it.

To  Magnus’s family, we at Emirates Team New Zealand send all our love and sympathy, sailing is a sadder place today and in the future. We have been blessed to know him, and I personally will mourn his loss for a long time. Rest in peace my old mate.

The breeze was in blowing 12-13 knots with a challenging sea state which made for a demanding day on the water, “It was really lumpy out there today, which made for some really physical, tough sailing” said tactician Ray Davies.

Skipper Dean Barker noted yesterday if they could get their stuff together then they would be very dangerous. Today his words proved prophetic.

He got the boat off to two strong starts, putting the bad starts of yesterday behind him in resounding fashion.

“The key for us today was not only getting strong starts in both races but sailing the first upwind and down wind legs well to get your nose in front of the fleet,” Davies said. In race one the New Zealand boat led throughout the race slowly building its lead and finishing 100 metres ahead of Oracle and third placed Luna Rossa Piranha.

 In the second race Barker was in a close third spot by the first mark, they gybed early on to a perfect lay line to round the second mark in second place and by the time the fleet reached the bottom mark the next time Emirates Team New Zealand had edged out in front again.

It was a complete and satisfying day on the water for the whole team, including the shore crew who had worked most of the night to repair the damaged boat from a collision yesterday.

The team hit their straps and have put themselves five points clear on top of the leaderboard going into what will be the winner takes all race tomorrow.

Derek Saward : “The moral of the story for us is if we can get a decent start we are away. From the five fleet races so far, the three we have been on the right side of the start line we have got the gun at the end of it, so the package is pretty simple.”

Pictures from Naples Day 3 are here.

merica’s Cup World Series Naples Standings


(Provisional, after 6 of 7 scheduled races)


1. Emirates Team New Zealand (Dean Barker) – 60

2. ORACLE TEAM USA (Tom Slingsby) – 55 points



3. J.P. Morgan BAR (Ben Ainslie) – 52


4. Luna Rossa Piranha (Chris Draper) – 50

5. Energy Team (Yann Guichard) – 42

6. Luna Rossa Swordfish (Francesco Bruni) – 40


7. Artemis Racing White (Charlie Ekberg) – 31


8. HS Racing (R. Hagara/H.S. Steinacher) – 26


9. China Team (Mitch Booth) – 22