Rita (named by Ainslie’s mum after St Rita) sails back past Gunwharf Quays marina.
This weekend we went to Portsmouth to view the sailing boats for The Luis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. With daggerboards to lift the catamarans clear of the water for speed, and wings instead of sails, the America’s Cup Class boat has been described as ‘a fighter jet on water’. The Duke of Edinburgh and later Prince William and Kate arrived meet up with Sir Ben Ainslie whose team was the overall winner this weekend. Ainslie skippered for Oracle Team USA in 2013 but since then has had his own team Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) and since 2015 has partnered with Land Rover. Some of the best sailors in the world were at this event.
Fly Emirates Team New Zealand in Portsmouth Harbour. They have an impressive record of winning the Cup in the past, plus developed and brought foiling into mainstream sailing.Tall structures. Solent landmark, the Spinnaker Tower (170 m / 560 ft) high) meets it fellow sponsor the Fly Emirates Team NZ catamaran (23.9m 78.6 ft). The residential building known as The Lipstick due to its shape is 101 m / 331 ft high.Emirates Team New Zealand crew disembark onto Solent raft after competing in the America’s Cup World Series – PortsmouthPortsmouth was crowded viewing all the America’s Cup Class catamarans foils. Overall standings: Emirates Team NZ. Land Rover BAR. Oracle Team USA. Artemis Racing. SoftBank Team Japan. Groupama Team France.Transporter trucks with charge to “Bring The Cup Home” to Britain. The America’s Cup trophy, known affectionately as ‘the Auld Mug’, has never been won by a British team before, despite the race originating on the Solent in 1851.
Lymington, Hampshire, home of Sir Ben Ainslie, The most successful Olympic sailor ever. (Olympic winners get their town’s post boxes painted gold). He led the Oracle Team USA to victory in the 34th America’s Cup in 2013. But Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) with the assistance of Land Rover, hope to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain.
The Race Village at Southsea sold out of all parking spaces. To get there we took the Gosport Ferry to Gunwharf Quays and walked following these signs.
The Louis Vouitton America’s Cup World Series feature many of the world’s best sailors. These posts, at the Village in Southsea, pay tribute to them. The World Series events gather the teams for the Cup Qualifiers which will take place in Bermuda in 2017.
Fun with Land Rover sponsors at Gunwharf Quays
Up and Coming America’s Cup World Series dates:
10-11 Sept 2016 Toulon, France
18-20 Nov 2016 Fukuoka, Japan
Another World Series TBA for the first quarter of 2017
26 May – 5 June 2017 America’s Cup Qualifiers Bermuda
7-12 June 2017 Cup Challenger play-offs – Bermuda
17-29 June 2017 America’s Cup Match – Bermuda (Top Challengers advances to the America’s Cup Match against the last winners: Oracle Team USA)
11 thoughts on “America’s Cup World Series – Portsmouth”
Wow! Super hi-tech!. Saw some like craft on the SF Bay–they could move.Why have teh British never won? No I mean seriously? Money? Love the lipstick building–so true.
Because our best sailors were always taken for other teams. Ben Ainslie used to skipper and win races for Oracle Team USA. Until the 2012 Olympics Britain hasn’t taken sailing seriously as a sport. The cup has been held mostly by the USA and New Zealand (because they have come up with the most innovative designs using the latest technology). We tend to win on endurance traditionally rather than speed. First round-the-world single-handed etc. Since 2012 we have been taking sailing as sport a bit more seriously. I do prefer the traditional big white sails though – I am quite old fashioned in that way.
I’m with you. The old J-Class boats still are my favorites. Even on local circuits, everything today is kevlar and carbon fiber. Boats are stripped down to nearly-unsafe shadows of a real boat, and so on and so forth. Truth to tell, I take more pleasure in watching the kids’ sailing competition in their Optimist dinghies than these foils. But that’s just me, I suppose. Well, and you, maybe. 🙂
It’s a shame that this sport requires sponsorship. When I was a schoolgirl in Southampton we had the opportunity to learn to sail and it was great fun, but this seems very remote from sailing into the Solent and practising capsising in the river. This seems more like business than sailing.
You lucky duck. Been sailing most of me 70 + years in dogs. When I see these supper fast cats sailing… well, it just about gives me a hard-on; what else can I say… Exciting. Thanks for sharing . Have a look at my page; Building in the past, building now and building in the future…
SNIPS & SNAPS 
Wow! Super hi-tech!. Saw some like craft on the SF Bay–they could move.Why have teh British never won? No I mean seriously? Money? Love the lipstick building–so true.
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Because our best sailors were always taken for other teams. Ben Ainslie used to skipper and win races for Oracle Team USA. Until the 2012 Olympics Britain hasn’t taken sailing seriously as a sport. The cup has been held mostly by the USA and New Zealand (because they have come up with the most innovative designs using the latest technology). We tend to win on endurance traditionally rather than speed. First round-the-world single-handed etc. Since 2012 we have been taking sailing as sport a bit more seriously. I do prefer the traditional big white sails though – I am quite old fashioned in that way.
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They are way prettier and remind of birds coasting in the wind.
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I’m with you. The old J-Class boats still are my favorites. Even on local circuits, everything today is kevlar and carbon fiber. Boats are stripped down to nearly-unsafe shadows of a real boat, and so on and so forth. Truth to tell, I take more pleasure in watching the kids’ sailing competition in their Optimist dinghies than these foils. But that’s just me, I suppose. Well, and you, maybe. 🙂
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Yep. If you learn in a small dinghy – that is real sailing.
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It’s a shame that this sport requires sponsorship. When I was a schoolgirl in Southampton we had the opportunity to learn to sail and it was great fun, but this seems very remote from sailing into the Solent and practising capsising in the river. This seems more like business than sailing.
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Yeah I loved those dinghy-capsizing days. This is more like serious flying. Big name sponsors -means big business – doesn’t it?
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You lucky duck. Been sailing most of me 70 + years in dogs. When I see these supper fast cats sailing… well, it just about gives me a hard-on; what else can I say… Exciting. Thanks for sharing . Have a look at my page; Building in the past, building now and building in the future…
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I will stop by – love boats. And I must update – because Ben when and won it for us!
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Couldn’t find any boats on your blog, but love those sunsets and the poems and those beautiful aboriginal drawings… Sol
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Thanks… my boats are under; at the top of first page… ‘building in the past building now & building in the future
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