Ainslie hires Team NZ design guru

Britain’s America’s Cup syndicate has hired former Team New Zealand designer Nick Holroyd, the genius who brought foiling to the Cup.

Ben Ainslie Racing confirmed the signing on their website, as the race for the 2021 America’s Cup in Auckland heats up.

Holroyd was a key man in Emirates Team New Zealand’s 2013 San Francisco campaign that came up just short, managing to find a way to lift the 72-foot monster catamarans out of the water on foils, a move that took their opposition by surprise.

He followed former Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker to Softbank Team Japan for last year’s America’s Cup in Bermuda and has now shifted on to the UK’s well-funded campaign.

Sir Ben Ainslie said Holroyd’s arrival ‘‘further strengthened their challenge’’ given his expertise, especially with the Cup again charting new waters in terms of design with a return to monohulls.

There is a belief the 75-foot monsters will foil faster than the catamarans of the last two editions of the Cup that edged close to 50 knots.

‘‘I’m really excited to be working with Nick again. It’s fantastic he’s agreed to join the team. Adding his skill set and experience to our technical lineup has greatly strengthened our challenge to win the 36th Americas Cup,’’Ainslie said on the team’s website.

Holroyd spent 18 years at Team New Zealand and was part of their successful Cup defence in Auckland in 2000.

His arrival follows BAR’s signing of Australian Cup veteran Grant Simmer from Oracle Team USA as their new general manger.

‘‘Having previously worked with both Ben and Grant I’m delighted to be joining Land Rover BAR for the 36th America’s Cup challenge.

‘‘I look forward to meeting the rest of the team in Portsmouth and building on their technical strengths.,’’ Holroyd said.

Entries for the 2021 America’s Cup are open but none have been confirmed.

Design details for the new monohull will be revealed at the end of March.