Team New Zealand Design Team
New Zealand Innovator of the Year
2018
Spark
New Zealand Innovator of the Year
Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau
There are many remarkable elements of Team New Zealand′s stunning win in Bermuda: the unflappable performances of helmsman Peter Burling in his first America′s Cup; their recovery from the dramatic capsize during the challenger semi-finals and the great redemption story after the crushing despair of San Francisco four years ago are just some of these elements.
But perhaps most remarkable of all, is how a team, came to be so far ahead of the development curve.
The Design Team knew that they could not out-spend the bigger teams, and would never catch-up in sailing time. The only chance for success would be a bold, innovative design that drew the very best from this talented team.
Taking a fresh look at where the America′s Cup could be won or lost led to a revolutionary design concept that stepped away from their competitors in many areas. Whilst the most visible innovation was the use of ‘cyclors′ rather than grinders, this was just one piece of the complex design puzzle which all had to work together to make the Kiwi boat fly.
And fly they did – the brilliant success achieved in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds was simply outstanding.
