Emirates Team New Zealand won the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda in 2017, defeating Oracle Team USA with a score of 7-134. As the winner, they chose to host the next America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, which took place in 20214. Had they not won the Americas Cup would be more like SailGP because all other participating teams had agreed to change the AC to something like SailGP.

The Bermuda America’s Cup in 2017 played a pivotal role in becoming the nucleus for SailGP, which was launched in 2019. Here’s how the transition occurred:

Technology Transfer

The wingsailed foiling AC50 catamarans used in the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda were repurposed and evolved into the F50 catamarans now used in SailGP2. This technological continuity allowed for a smooth transition from the America’s Cup to the new racing series.

Venue Continuity

Bermuda’s Great Sound, which hosted the 2017 America’s Cup, has become a recurring venue for SailGP events. The island’s familiarity with high-performance sailing events made it an ideal location for SailGP to establish itself1.

Key Personnel

Jeff Causey’s experience in Bermuda during the 35th America’s Cup differed significantly from his first campaign in San Francisco with Oracle Team USA. In San Francisco, the team operated out of a cold, poorly lit warehouse and faced challenging windy conditions daily, creating an intense and gritty atmosphere. By contrast, in Bermuda, the team worked from a modern, clean base in a sunny, relaxed environment. While San Francisco’s tough conditions contributed to their victory, the easier lifestyle in Bermuda may have impacted focus, as the team ultimately did not succeed1.

SailGP was founded by Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts, who were principal figures in the 2013 and 2017 America’s Cup campaigns4. Their experience and vision from the America’s Cup directly influenced the creation and structure of SailGP. All the teams at Bermuda had agreed to turning the Americas Cup competition into something like SailGP with the expectation of team New Zealand who eventually won the cup.

Team and Sailor Transition

Many of the sailors and teams that competed in the Bermuda America’s Cup transitioned to SailGP. For example, Ben Ainslie, who was involved in the America’s Cup, became a key figure in SailGP with the British team3. Larry Ellison purchased all the Bermuda AC boats for conversion into a one design fleet which is the fleet used today for SailGP.

Commercial Viability

SailGP was conceived as a more commercially viable and sustainable alternative to the America’s Cup format. The founders aimed to create a global sailing race series with a larger audience, addressing some of the challenges faced by previous attempts like the Extreme Sailing Series3. By leveraging the technology, venue, personnel, and commercial lessons from the Bermuda America’s Cup, SailGP was able to establish itself as a major player in professional sailing, effectively becoming the spiritual successor to the innovations showcased in Bermuda in 2017.