Team NZ launch new boat Taihoro

Countdown to the America’s Cup in Barcelona gathers pace with naming

Team New Zealand’s new America’s Cup era has officially begun. After rolling their new AC75 out of the shed last week and putting the vessel through its paces in the days since, Team New Zealand made a bit more of a spectacle when officially launching the boat at a ceremony in Auckland yesterday.

The new AC75 has been gifted and blessed with the name Taihoro by Ngāti Whātua O¯rākei, with the name inspired by Taihoro Nukurangi, and translates to “to move swiftly as the sea between both sky and earth”.

“Taihoro Nukurangi captures the dynamic essence of the sea [tai], the concept of speed [horo], the Earth’s movement [nuku], and the expanse of the sky [Rangi],” Ngāti Whātua O¯rākei Trust chair Marama Royal said.

“Taihoro symbolises the boat’s evolutionary journey. It represents a transcendence of traditional boundaries, creating a connection between the sea and sky. This vessel is more than a mere craft; it harnesses the power of nature, seamlessly transitioning between realms. Taihoro is not just traversing the ocean; it bridges the gap between sea and sky in its quest for victory,” Royal said.

With each team allowed to build only one new AC75 for the America’s Cup in Barcelona later this year, there has been plenty of planning and development.

For Team New Zealand, the build began more than 10 months ago with 45 boat builders working on the project. It was completed a few weeks ago and transported to the Team New Zealand base at Wynyard Point, where it has been fitted out with the required technical, hydraulic, mechatronic and electronic components, before being wheeled out out the shed last week. While competing teams have been able to see plenty of what the others are up to throughout the campaign thanks to the joint recon team, the actual AC75s have been shrouded in secrecy; a veil which is now slowly being lifted. Team New Zealand were the second to show their hand by putting their AC75 in the public eye, after Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have since revealed their vessel, while Ineos Britannia have been teasing theirs on social media. American Magic and Orient Express Racing Team have also had the

AC75s shipped to their respective bases in Barcelona and are expected to launch them in the coming weeks.

“These moments are always especially proud occasions for everyone in the team,” Team New Zealand chief executive Grant Dalton said yesterday.

“So much of what the team does has to be kept secret from friends and family for obvious reasons and the work involves a huge amount of dedication, commitment and time, so it is always special to share the result of that effort with them at our home base naming and presenting Taihoro in partnership with Ngāti Whātua O¯rākei, who again have given our boat a really special and meaningful identity,” Dalton said at the ceremony.

“This is the boat which we will take to Barcelona to defend the America’s Cup for New Zealand later this year and the name Taihoro helps us to carry our identity to Barcelona and to share our country’s innovation and culture on the world stage.”