Emirates Team New Zealand's AC45. Image copyright Chris Cameron/Emirates Team New Zealand.
by Warren Douglas
Emirates Team New Zealand announced today that it was challenging for the 34th America’s Cup to be sailed at San Francisco in 2013.
Managing Director Grant Dalton said the team was now in a position to formally announce its campaign. “We believe that we can mount a credible challenge which will have a very good chance of winning the America’s Cup. That’s our mission and that is the expectation of our sponsors, partners, suppliers and the people of New Zealand. It is an expectation that every member of this team is determined to fulfil.”
“Racing in catamarans will make the 34th America’s Cup very different than the 32nd at Valencia in 2007. In 2013, teams will be racing 72ft catamarans. Design, engineering, logistics, and sailing skills are very different.
“To handle this new challenge we have assembled a very accomplished group of people both on and off the water. The Emirates Team New Zealand design team now numbers more than 30 designers, engineers and people who bring specialist multihull knowledge and skills. They have been working on the 72ft catamaran for some months and we believe we are right on the pace.
“Our sailing team is working to acquire the skills and experience necessary to compete well. Six months ago Dean Barker raced in a multihull regatta for the first time. Last weekend he, James Dagg, Jeremy Lomas and Glenn Ashby were second in an Extreme Sailing Series regatta in China. Results in the A Class catamaran regattas in Australia earlier this year were remarkable,” Dalton said.
“Today, we announce with confidence that we will compete in the 2013 America’s Cup. We thank our loyal sponsors, our partners and our suppliers for backing the team since Valencia in 2007. Emirates Airline, our naming sponsor since 2004, Toyota New Zealand, a sponsor for 20 years, Omega, the prestigious Swiss watchmaker, a sponsor since 1995 and the New Zealand Government.
Dalton said: “Today we welcome Nespresso, a premium Swiss-based international coffee brand, as a team sponsor for the 34th America’s Cup. Nespresso is well-known in sailing circles, a long-time supporter of the sport. Emirates Team New Zealand values its association with premium international brands like Nespresso, where continuous innovation and commitment to success are a core part of the culture.
“Today our long-term sponsors, Emirates Airline, Omega and Toyota New Zealand, who announced their continuing support previously, wished the team well in its quest.”
“We are delighted Emirates Team New Zealand has been able to take the next major step on the America’s Cup journey to San Francisco,” said Richard Vaughan, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations - Worldwide. “When we renewed our commitment to the team last month we were confident in Grant Dalton lodging a successful entry for the challenger series. His resourcefulness and the team’s record of achievement have shone through once again and we very much look forward to watching Emirates Team New Zealand compete at the very highest level of world yachting.”
OMEGA: “OMEGA’s long-term partnership with Team New Zealand started with Sir Peter Blake's America's Cup campaign in 1995. OMEGA is resuming its involvement in the world's most famous yacht race and reaffirming its support of Emirates Team New Zealand as Official Timekeeper once again in its upcoming America's Cup campaign.”
TOYOTA NEW ZEALAND: "Toyota New Zealand is pleased to confirm the continuation of our support for Emirates Team New Zealand to compete in the 34th America's Cup. This will be our sixth successive Cup campaign that spans more than two decades and is one of the longest running sports sponsorship in New Zealand. Behind today's announcement is a remarkable story of courage, commitment and innovation from a dedicated team of professionals at Emirates Team New Zealand; a team that Toyota is very proud to be associated with."
Nespresso and Emirates Team New Zealand: The Quest for the Ultimate Cup
Nespresso announces its sponsorship of Emirates Team New Zealand
Nestlé Nespresso S.A., the worldwide pioneer and reference for highest quality premium portioned coffee, today announced its sponsorship of Emirates Team New Zealand. The sponsorship agreement was confirmed during the official announcement of Emirates Team New Zealand’s participation in the 34th America’s Cup.
“We are pleased to continue our involvement in the world of sailing and extremely proud to be part of Emirates Team New Zealand as they challenge for the 34th America’s Cup in 2013,” commented Richard Girardot, CEO Nestlé Nespresso S.A. “As the longest-standing America’s Cup team, their experience, expertise and innovative mindset, driven by a fighting team spirit is an inspiration for Nespresso and our employees. We wish Grant Dalton and the Team much success in the quest for the ultimate cup.”
Nespresso has a long-standing history of association with ultimate sports and sailing events. The brand was the Official Coffee of the 32nd edition of the America’s Cup as well one the of co-sponsors of Team Alinghi. Furthermore, in 2010 Nespresso launched the first edition of the Nespresso Cup, a unique sailing event, gathering exclusively the Wally class. The second edition of the Nespresso Cup will be taking place in May 2011 in Portofino, Italy.
Nespresso and Emirates Team New Zealand share a common commitment to continuous innovation and both aim to win through a dynamic and passionate team.
Dalton said: “Today we welcome Nespresso, a premium Swiss-based, international coffee brand, as a team sponsor for the 34th America’s Cup. Nespresso is well-known in sailing circles, a long-time supporter of the sport. Emirates Team New Zealand values its association with premium international brands like Nespresso, where continuous innovation and commitment to success are a core part of the culture.
The sponsorship of Emirates Team New Zealand further symbolizes Nespresso’s continuous global expansion into new markets. Building on the success of Australia as one its fastest growing markets, Nespresso will be extending its presence in this dynamic region in 2011. To meet increasing demand of coffee lovers in New Zealand, Nespresso will be establishing its market presence this year, with a boutique opening in Auckland planned for September 2011.
Emirates Team New Zealand's AC45 training off Auckland. Image copyright Chris Cameron/Emirates Team New Zealand.
Statement from Hon David Carter, Acting Minister for Economic Development
Government reconfirms support for Team NZ
Economic Development Minister David Carter today reconfirmed government support for Emirates Team New Zealand’s entry into the 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco.
Under a commitment made in 2007 by the previous government, the National led Government is contracted to contribute up to $36 million to support Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup bid.
“The funding has the potential to generate significant economic benefits for New Zealand, in particular for our world-class marine industry,” says Mr Carter.
“With the eyes of the world on San Francisco in 2013, we will use the America’s Cup to our full advantage by showcasing New Zealand’s technology, products and services, and encouraging tourism.
“In the current economic climate, it is important that maximum benefit is gained from this significant investment of taxpayer money, and the Government’s expectations in this regard are clear.”
An independent economic impact assessment of the 2007 campaign showed a direct economic benefit to New Zealand of $74.4m. The funding also retains up to 100 highly skilled specialists in New Zealand, including yachtsmen, designers and engineers.
“New Zealand is renowned for its skills in building high-quality, innovative
marine equipment. Every time we compete internationally, we are showcasing
the expertise of our marine industry,” says Mr Carter.
Emirates Team New Zealand has welcomed the Government’s reconfirmation of support.
“The Government’s contribution allows us to be competitive on the world stage,” says Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton.
“We are very much the arrowhead of a major New Zealand export industry and we take pride in showcasing the New Zealand brand, skills and expertise across the major yachting regattas of the world. The pinnacle for us will be to bring the America’s Cup home and with New Zealand’s support behind us, we plan to do just that.”
NZ Marine Industry Association
Big gains for economy in ETNZ challenge
The New Zealand marine Industry today welcomed the announcement that Emirates Team New Zealand will be challenging for the next America’s Cup, and receiving Government funding to do so.
NZ Marine executive director Peter Busfield says the challenge will create new jobs in the industry and attract lucrative new contracts from overseas for New Zealand businesses.
“Every time Emirates Team New Zealand sets sail in a high profile regatta it is like the New Zealand marine industry taking a full page colour ad in all of the world’s major boating magazines,” he says.
“It strengthens brand New Zealand, it reminds the world that we are among the very best at what we do and it directly creates new business for our Kiwi companies.”
Peter Busfield says Emirates Team New Zealand is like the marine industry’s equivalent of the All Blacks.
“Internationally, the New Zealand marine industry has enormous respect. We are generally acknowledged as the cleverest, most innovative and the most efficient creators of high tech boats and marine equipment in the world.
“Like the All Blacks, that reputation has been built up over a considerable amount of time and is based on performance after performance at the very highest level.
“Again, just like the All Blacks, if we stop performing on the international stage and stop showcasing our hard-won reputation for excellence, that reputation will quickly diminish and so will the very real value we earn from it.”
Peter Busfield says the decision by America’s Cup holders Oracle to build the AC45 trial horses in Warkworth is a great example of how our international reputation translates into both jobs and financial gains for the economy.
“Oracle could have chosen to build these leading-edge yachts anywhere in the world. Specifically, they could have chosen to build them in California, where they are based.
“Instead, they chose to build them here because they knew just how good our industry is.
“As a result, the world is now again marveling at our technology, our ability to create such incredible machines in such a short timeframe and our ability to do all that on a tight budget.
“That is our reputation and, every time Emirates Team New Zealand appears on a TV screen, in a magazine story or on a website, they help maintain and strengthen that reputation.”
Peter Busfield says the AC45 project alone has been worth an estimated $20 million to the New Zealand economy and created over 150 jobs.
“And that is just the start. In 2007, Emirates Team New Zealand challenged for the America’s Cup and, although they did not quite win, the provided a definite and quantifiable boost to the New Zealand marine industry.
“International media clamoured for more information about our industry and the way we had put together such a credible challenge after the disappointment of 2003.
“On the back of that interest, we saw signifcant increases in the numbers of superyachts being built here, the number of superyachts coming here for multi-million dollar refits and the number of New Zealand-built marine products sold internationally.”
Peter Busfield says that has helped create an industry already worth $1.71 billion to the New Zealand economy and forecast to grow to $2.7 billion by 2015. It is also an industry that employs around 10,000 people and has more than 500 more in training as apprentices by the NZMITO (New Zealand Marine Industry Training Organisation).
And there is potentially an even greater gain, too.
By entering a well-funded, creditable challenge, Emirates Team New Zealand has created the very real possibility that they could win the America’s Cup and bring the event back to Auckland.
Should that happen the benefits for both the industry and the country as a whole will be enormous.
When New Zealand last hosted the America’s Cup, in 2003, independent studies showed that the event generated more than half a billion dollars of additional spending that would not otherwise have occurred.
That income came not just from the syndicates and their supporters but also from visiting superyachts and their guests, international visitors, overseas media and from international sponsors and businesses.
And, while the marine industry received its share of this additional income, so too did many other sectors of the economy.
Supporting the Government’s decision to help support the Emirates Team New Zealand challenge, Peter Busfield says critics need only look to the last ETNZ challenge to see the benefits this funding can create.
In 2003 the then Labour Government invested more than $30 million dollars to help Emirates Team New Zealand mount a credible campaign. In 2008, they commissioned an independent report to see whether that investment had generated a worthwhile return.
The report found that the New Zealand economy had been boosted by $2 for every one the Government had invested. GDP had been boosted by $60-$70 million dollars and up to 900 full-time equivalent jobs had been created throughout the country.
“After a quiet couple of years, the wealthy sectors in both Europe and the United States are again starting to commission high ticket items like superyachts and grand prix sailing yachts,” says Peter Busfield.
“This means New Zealand could well reap even greater benefits from a Emirates Team New Zealand challenge than we did in 2003-07.”
Emirates Team New Zealand
America's Cup
