Emirates Team New Zealand has become the first team to win the America’s Cup three times in a row, with a 7-2 victory in the Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup in Barcelona this October.

“In challenging conditions, this year’s America’s Cup had electrifying races, with Emirates Team New Zealand being pushed to the limit by INEOS Britannia, and ultimately prevailing in a feat that makes history,” said Hydraulink joint Director, Lee Short, whose hydraulic hose and fitting company has been a supporter of the event since the first NZ win in 1995, when NZL32 Black Magic defeated Dennis Connor’s US yacht.

Emirates Team New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, concluded its latest historic chapter, winning the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup after an epic final Cup Defence showdown in Barcelona against the Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, in a final race that ebbed and flowed from the outset but ultimately saw the Kiwis secure victory by 37 seconds.

Hydraulink supplied hi-tech hose assemblies to Emirates Team New Zealand for the boat control systems of ‘Taihoro’, Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC75 boat for the defence of the cup. Additionally, Hydraulink provided specialist hose kits for the Foil Cant Systems to the entire fleet of AC75 yachts in the 37^th America’s Cup regatta as well as all of the hose assemblies for the entire fleet of AC40’s and Hydrogen Chase boats.

All syndicates used pedal-powered Cyclor pumps to provide the hydraulic power for the AC75 boat control systems – including control of the twin-skinned mainsail, foils, and rudder functions as the AC75’s skim over the water at speeds that can reach? 50 knots in the right weather conditions.

“Emirates Team New Zealand’s defence of the America's Cup resulted from meticulous planning. They clearly designed their yacht to suit the prevailing conditions in Barcelona in October. Wind strengths averaged between 7 and 12 knots, and relatively flat sea conditions resulted in a performance that was had a slight edge INEOS Britannia’,” said Lee Short.

“This, coupled with exceptional team members across the board and absolute reliability, won the competition. Hydraulink is very proud to have provided hydraulic assemblies to Emirates Team New Zealand, all challengers, the AC40 yachts, and Hydrogen chase boats without any issues. We were at our Best under Pressure throughout this campaign. We are looking forward to being involved in the next chapter, AC38, when and wherever it is held.”

Race to the finish line

The final races were tense, with challenger INEOS Britannia pushing Emirates Team New Zealand at every turn. In patchy and shifting breeze conditions, Emirates Team New Zealand took an early 12 second lead in race 7. Hitting speeds of 49 knots, Emirates Team New Zealand continued to build on this lead, and finished with a win of 1 minute 13 seconds, taking the overall score to 5-2 in its favour.

Race 8 saw an 11 knot breeze with gusts up to 17 knots, and once again Emirates Team New Zealand raced out to an early lead of 15 seconds at the starboard marker. INEOS Britannia made up some ground during the race, but Emirates Team New Zealand finished strong, with an overall win of 55 seconds, taking the score to 6-2, and match point Emirates Team New Zealand.

With history on the line, race 9, was a thrilling final showdown, with an early lead to Emirates Team New Zealand that was quickly brought back to 0.0 seconds, with INEOS Britannia showing that the race was far from over.

Emirates Team New Zealand then show why they are back-to-back champions, bearing away at the port marker at 43 knots with a lead of 17 seconds going into the home stretch. Both boats give it everything, with Emirates Team New Zealand prevailing with a final victory of 37 seconds and a historic treble.

“A scoreline of 7-2 might sound one-sided, but watching these races, the competition was anything but. Each race was exciting, and different to each other. It’s amazing what can be achieved when precision engineering meets human mastery,” said Lee Short.

Best Under Pressure

The America’s Cup hydraulic systems for which Hydraulink provided hoses, hose kits and fittings are highly complex, in a sport where advanced technology is involved and reliability is critical – as it is in the construction, civil engineering, mining machinery and primary production machinery we work on throughout Australia and New Zealand on a daily basis.”

In addition to the main racing vessels, Hydraulink also supplied hydraulic hoses to the America’s Cup’s fleet of Hydrogen-powered chase boats, which can attain speeds of 50 knots.

Hydrogen-powered chase boats were used in the 37^th Americas Cup. The only emission of these clean, green vessels is pure water. Photo credit: Emirates Team New Zealand.

Each chase boat employs 24 Hydraulink hoses to deliver the required performance. Foiling for these powered vessels – like in sailing – reduces drag and helps extend range to around 180km on one fill of hydrogen.

Lee Short says Hydraulink’s involvement in the America’s Cup reinforces its commitment to safety and reliability for industrial users across New Zealand and Australia.

“In the same way those hydraulic hoses need to perform for the racing vessels in the America’s Cup, they need to perform for a huge range of equipment vital to keeping industry moving and maximising uptime,” he said.

“Our company ethos of ‘Best Under Pressure’ is exhibited every day, as Hydraulink experts head out to sites, solve problems, and deliver to our customers. And we saw the same attitude in every race of the America’s Cup this year, with the teams giving their all under intense conditions.”

“A huge congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand for their historic win. Everyone involved in the organising, running, and racing of the America’s Cup did an outstanding job. The bar has been set high for the 38^th challenge, for which INEOS Britannia has already been declared Challenger of Record.