Wave riders

The team On board is an eight-member sailing crew. All of them equipped with helmets, life vests, emergency knives, and breathing equipment. During the preparatory stage, they’re assisted by a more than 100-member on-shore crew of ship designers, engineers, sailmakers, and even meteorologists. During the regattas, on-shore assistance is not available.

The mission Winning the world’s oldest sports trophy. Currently, in preliminary competitions starting on August 29, five teams from France, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States are preparing to determine who’s going to challenge title defender New Zealand. The grand finale of the 37th America’s Cup starts on October 12. Because New Zealand renounced its right to hold the event Barcelona will be the venue of the races for the first time in the 173-year history of the America’s Cup.

The playing field The 75-foot (23-meter) singlehull boats of the current AC75 class are high tech all the way. Experts estimate the total costs of an America’s Cup mission to be in the range of 100 million U.S. dollars. The hull optimized in a flow channel and the 26.5-meter (87-foot) mast are made of carbon. In ready-to-race condition, the yachts weigh only 7.6 metric tons (8.4 short tons). Instead of a keel the boats have a foil on each side. They can be hydraulically adjusted and lift the hull out of the water when there’s just a slight breeze (wind speed of about 6.5 knots). The wave riders achieve a top speed far above 40 knots (46 mph).

The benefit So-called grinders used to trim the 145-square-meter (1,560-square-foot) main sail. Weighing 120 kilograms (260 pounds), these men with arms as thick as thighs would whirl around the cranks to keep the high-tech foils optimally in the wind. The manual cranks have since been replaced by pedals, so the grinders have become cyclors. The pedalers push wattages in the range of pros at the Tour de France.