Rumours had been swirling for weeks before ARBR staff received internal confirmation via email that the planned second consecutive campaign was off.
In a statement issued to the media, the team cited its inability “to find agreement with the Defender of the America’s Cup for the future of the event” as the reason for its withdrawal.
“We would like to have seen more accountability, greater transparency, and new opportunities to perform—not only individually but as a group,” the statement read. “That way, we might all have delivered a commercially viable event capable of attracting global TV coverage, spectators, and sponsors.”
Alinghi Red Bull Racing represented La Société Nautique de Genève in the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona with an all-Swiss sailing line-up led by dual helmsmen Arnaud Psarofaghis and Maxime Bachelin. Well-funded and well-resourced, the team boasted an impressive headquarters in Barcelona. It was the first team to start training in an AC75—having purchased Emirates Team New Zealand’s previous-generation boat one from AC36—and also the first to launch its AC38 raceboat in April last year.
Despite this head start, the Swiss never looked like serious contenders in the Louis Vuitton Challenger Selection Series. They suffered two dismastings during training and became the second team eliminated—after France’s Orient Express Racing—losing five races to two in a semifinal match against Great Britain's Ineos Britannia.
Soon after their exit, the Swiss team took the AC75 out for a training day—reportedly with Kiwi coaches Phil Robertson and Dean Barker at the helm—when the boat capsized and nearly sank after colliding with an unidentified floating object. The crash caused major foil damage and tore a large hole in the boat. Despite this setback, the team still appeared poised for another campaign, retaining their Barcelona base and infrastructure as the sailing world awaited confirmation of the AC38 venue.
However, persistent rumours suggested Red Bull had been unimpressed with the return on investment from the Swiss campaign and was hesitant to re-engage—particularly with no scope to refresh the sailing roster with outside talent and experience. Likewise, Ernesto Bertarelli was understandably reluctant to shoulder the full cost of another multi-million-dollar challenge alone.
Now the decision is official. Alinghi is stepping back from the America’s Cup once again—how long for, no one knows. It’s a blow across the board: for the sailors and shore crew now out of work, for Swiss sailing which loses a flagship team, and for the America’s Cup itself.
What this means for the rest of the AC38 challengers remains unclear. Britain’s Athena Racing, the official Challenger of Record, is reportedly still trying to secure funding following the split between Sir Ben Ainslie and former backer Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe had initially intended to field a team under the Ineos Britannia banner but has since withdrawn.
Meanwhile, France’s Orient Express Racing Team appears primed to mount what could be the strongest French campaign in decades. The USA’s NYYC American Magic is also expected to return—though possibly wary of a Cup held in Saudi Arabia, one of several venues reportedly under consideration alongside Athens, Greece, and Naples, Italy. Italian syndicate Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is also believed to be committed to another campaign and would benefit from overwhelming home support if Naples is selected.
Very little is known in terms of the potential for new teams, aside from the vaguest and most unsubstantiated rumours of an Australian challenger, along with the possibility of the return of Sweden's Artemis Racing.
Life is not getting easier for Cup holders Emirates Team New Zealand, who are still negotiating the venue and protocol for AC38. In addition to losing two prospective challengers in a month, they’ve parted ways with their three-time winning helmsman Peter Burling. Add to that the Trump presidency’s negative impact on the global economy, and it's easy to see why a final deal remains elusive. While an announcement is expected by the end of June, few would be surprised if that deadline slips further as the Kiwis look to buy more time.
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