Last updated 10 December 2018 by Jack Griffin
Emirates Team New Zealand - Defender
ETNZ represents the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. RNZYS is the only club in America's Cup history to have lost the Cup and then won it back. ETNZ dominated Oracle in the 2017 America's Cup Match winning eight races. ETNZ won with better design and better sailing. They were helped by Oracle's self-inflicted errors including being OCS in Races 1 and 5 and a disastrous gybe in Race 2.
Key Team Members
- Dan Bernasconi - Head of Design
- Glenn Ashby - Sailing Team
- Grant Dalton - CEO
- Kevin Shoebridge - COO
- Mateo De Nora - Team Principal
- Sir Stephen Tindall - Director
- Tina Symmans - Director
2017 helmsman Peter Burling raced around the world with Team Brunel in the Volvo Ocean Race, finishing third. Blair Tuke was also in the VOR with Spanish team Mapfre, who finished second. Tuke and Burling dominated the 49er class for four years leading up to their gold medal at Rio. Tuke was the primary operator of the foil controls from his cyclor station in ETNZ's dramatic win over Oracle in Bermuda in 2017.
Luna Rossa Challenge - Challenger of Record
To no one's surprise, the Circolo della Vela Sicilia became the Challenger of Record for the 2021 America's Cup represented by Luna Rossa. Also to no one's surprise they insisted that ETNZ move to monohulls. Having been a victim of America's Cup skullduggery leading to their withdrawal from the 2017 America's Cup, Luna Rossa negotiated a Protocol with ETNZ that reserves extensive powers for themselves as CoR and high visibility event naming rights for PRADA.
Key Team Members
- Patrizio Bertelli - Team President and CEO of PRADA
- Max Sirena - Sailing Team
- Martin Fischer - Head of Design Team
- Francesco Bruni - Sailing Team
- Jimmy Spithill - Sailing Team
New York Yacht Club American Magic
The New York Yacht Club returns to the America's Cup represented by team New York Yacht Club American Magic. They and INEOS Team UK are the only syndicates to have announced their submission of a formal challenge under the Protocol. They will have their primary base in Newport, Rhode Island. Team announcement.
Management
- John J. "Hap" Fauth (USA) - CEO
- Doug DeVos (USA) - Principal
- Roger Penske (USA) - Principal
- Phil Lotz (USA) - Commodore NYYC
Skipper and Executive Director:
- Terry Hutchinson (Annapolis, Maryland, United States)
Helms/Tacticians:
- Dean Barker (Auckland, New Zealand)
- Andrew Campbell (San Diego, California, United States)
- Bora Gulari (Detroit, Michigan, United States)
- Ian Moore (Cowes, Great Britain)
Sail Trimmers:
- Trevor Burd (Marblehead, Massachusetts, United States)
- Maciel Cicchetti (Mar del Plata, Argentina)
- Paul Goodison (Sheffield, Great Britain)
- David Hughes (Miami, Florida, United States)
Specialists:
- Matt Cassidy (San Diego, California, United States)
- Sean Clarkson (Mill Valley, California - Nationality: New Zealand)
- Jim Turner (Auckland, New Zealand)
Grinders:
- Cooper Dressler (Coronado, California, United States)
- Luke Muller (Ft. Pierce, Florida, United States)
- Caleb Paine (San Diego, California, United States)
- Luke Payne (Fremantle, Australia)
- Joe Spooner (Auckland, New Zealand)
Head Coach:
- James Lyne (Granville, Vermont, United States)
INEOS Team UK
Ben Ainslie's team has been relaunched by INEOS, a major chemical and petrochemical company.
Team Members
- Jim Ratcliffe (GBR) - INEOS CEO
- Ben Ainslie (GBR) - Principal & Skipper
- Grant Simmer (AUS) - CEO
- Nick Holroyd (NZL) - Chief Designer
- Giles Scott (GBR) - Tactician
- Jono Macbeth (NZL) - Sailing Team Manager
- Joey Newton (AUS) - Trimmer
- Andrew McLean (GBR/NZL) - Trimmer
- Iain Jensen (AUS) - Mainsail trimmer
- Leigh McMillan (GBR) - Sailor
- Neil Hunter (GBR) - Float
- Nick Hutton (GBR) - Trimmer
- Rob Wilson (GBR) - Sailing Team Coach
Malta Altus Challenge
This late entry was announced on 6 December 2018. Details of the challenge are to be announced in 1Q 2019. Background info on the challenge here.
Rumored / Announced... but not entered
Team USA 21
Not yet confirmed. Team leader Mike Buckley received strong encouragement from an unnamed America's Cup veteran reported to have been working at ACEA in Bermuda. Team USA 21 claims to have received enough backing to hire an unnamed Chief Technical Officer and to acquire systems for simulations. With World Match Racing Champion helming and Buckley as tactician, Team USA 21 defeated American Magic in the prestigious Congressional Cup in April 2018. Dean Barker helmed American Magic with Terry Hutchinson as tactician.
Buckley plans to have an all American sailing a design team, if he can line up the remainder of the funding. He has previously said that they would not take advantage of the late entry deadline of 30 November, with its $1 million late fee.
10 December 2018 - On 7 December 2019 Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron tweeted that they have accepted a fifth challenge. A day later, the New Zealand Herald speculated that Team USA 21 is the fifth challenger, representing the Long Beach Yacht Club of California.
Key Team Members
- Mike Buckley - Team Leader, Tactician
- Taylor Canfield - Helmsman
- TBA - Chief Technical Officer
Adelasia di Torres (ITA) - Sardinia
10 December 2018 - Appears not to be pursuing their challenge. Adelasia di Torres first appeared in the news in December 2017.
- Budget €64 million
- Claims to have significant funding from private backers
- Sponsorship from the Sardinia & Tuscany regions
- Planned team of 170 members
- Boat to be built in Olbia
- Team headquarter in La Maddalena
- Yacht club: Club Nautico Arzachena
Key Team Members
- Syndicate Head: Renato Azara
- Head of Design: Valerio Lombardi
- Head of Sailing Team: Duccio Colombi
Other Teams - Announcements & Rumors
- Team France - Franck Cammas's team would need to find new sponsors; Groupama has said they will not be back.
1 December 2018 - The team announced they will not challenge. - China - reports that New Zealander Craig Monk is trying to organize a team.
10 December 2018 - Latest reports are that Craig's projects in China do not include a challenge.