NORTH SAILS CONFIRMED SUPPLIER FOR 36TH AMERICA’S CUP

Majority of Teams to work with the World’s Leading Sailmaker

North Sails is once again leading the way in the America’s Cup as Defender Emirates Team New Zealand and Challengers Luna Rossa and INEOS TEAM UK have confirmed the global leader in sailmaking as the supplier of choice in the next event. Building on 35-plus years of experience and innovation in the historic competition, North Sails is proud to continue a legacy of designing and delivering market-leading products to ensure that the vast majority of teams have the best possible equipment to perform at the very top of the sport.

North Sails are uniquely positioned to create the optimal ‘Engine above Deck’ for the new America’s Cup 75 foiling monohulls. North Sails experts have been involved since the beginning of this cycle of the event, with Burns Fallow and Michael Richelsen helping to develop the new revolutionary softwing and assist in writing the class rule. Key North Sails personnel have now taken up roles within three of the four America’s Cup teams and will, therefore, be at the forefront of solving complex problems associated with the pinnacle event in the sport. The experience and knowledge they bring are second to none as they use unique North owned design software and processes to continue to challenge what is possible in order to make these never-seen-before boats set new standards in speed and performance.

Ken Read, North Sails President, commented:

“We are proud and privileged that our people and products have once again been chosen as the best of the best. We have a huge depth of talent within our company and some very smart people that are world-leading in what they do. The America’s Cup is an event that continues to challenge even the greatest of minds and forces us all to look at things in new ways – the next cycle will be no different and we are really excited that North Sails will be right at the cutting edge. And as has been proven by the development of 3Di products over the last ten years, the trickle-down impact is felt across the sport as a whole, from offshore racing to cruising.”

“We are all really excited and looking forward to sailing and developing the new AC 75 and the aero package that the class will use to power it clear of the water. The aero package will combine many features of the solid wing sails of the past, but with new soft sail technology. Having a tool like Membrane™ at our disposal and being able to work closely with expert sail and rig designers, is giving us vast knowledge and learnings well before we get to sheet on, and sail the boats for the first time next year. Exciting times ahead!”

“The new ‘softwing’ mainsail concept that will be used for the 36th America’s Cup is an exciting technological advance for the sailing industry. It was essential that we partnered with a sailmaker that could deliver these industry-changing advances and we looked no further than North Sails, we look forward to pushing the boundaries with them as our challenge moves forward to Auckland in 2021”

“The America’s Cup is the most technically advanced yacht race in the world, to mount a successful challenge we need to work with the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the industry. Right from the start of the campaign, North Sails were at the forefront of our thinking and we are delighted to have them onboard for the British challenge.”

“North Sails is the best company to work with on this new America’s Cup project. The company employs skilled and highly experienced people and their software and design tools have no equals. Above all, the technology they have developed for sail production is unique.”

“The North Sails tools are essential to help us design the best Aero package possible for the AC75 and allow us to evaluate and rank the different options to pair with the best sail membranes to support the loads that the AC75 will be subjected to when sailing in 40+ knots.”