America's Cup: British divorce - with 100 technicians, but without Ainslie
Tatjana Pokorny
· 23.01.2025
The rumours had been circulating since the end of the 37th century. America's Cup through the sailing world. Ever since the Cup final day in Barcelona, at the end of which Ineos Britannia's CEO and skipper Sir Ben Ainslie turned up to official meetings in a white shirt without a team logo, it was clear that things were not going well at the British Cup racing team Ineos Britannia. Team members also reported disputes between Ben Ainslie and racing team owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
America's Cup: Sports divorce with consequences
Nevertheless, there have been attempts to find a common path into the future. Now they have apparently finally failed. The sports divorce officially announced today could now be followed by a war of the roses. This was suggested by two statements by the two parties to the dispute in an official announcement published on the America's Cup website in New Zealand on 24 January.
One half of the unusual double statement reflects the views of Team Ineos Britannia and racing team owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Dated 24 January, it states:
"INEOS will compete in the 38th America's Cup under the team name INEOS Britannia following a parting of the ways with Sir Ben Ainslie. Unfortunately, INEOS Britannia and Sir Ben were unable to agree terms to continue after the conclusion of the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona.
I am enormously proud of what we have achieved in Barcelona." Sir Jim Ratcliffe
INEOS Britannia has appointed Dave Endean as CEO, bringing with him immense experience in sailing and the America's Cup. INEOS will continue to utilise the design and technology expertise of the Mercedes F1 team under the leadership of Technical Director James Allison. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS, said: 'I am enormously proud of what we have achieved in Barcelona, developing a British boat that was truly competitive for the first time in decades.
It has set new standards for British sailing, including winning the Louis Vuitton Cup for the first time and taking races from the defender in the final for the first time in 90 years. We will now build on this for the 38th America's Cup through the INEOS challenge and already have 100 scientists and engineers working on the design of our AC38 yacht.' Further details on the INEOS Britannia challenge will follow in due course."
Sir Ainslie threatens with consequences
Anyone wondering at this point what the future holds for Great Britain's number one Cup driver Sir Ainslie was promptly given the answer - in part two of the announcement under the heading "Statement from Athena Racing & Sir Ben Ainslie":
"The British challenger for the 38th America's Cup, led by Sir Ben Ainslie, has read with astonishment today's statement from INEOS and Mercedes F1 on their planned challenge for the 38th America's Cup. This plan presents them with significant legal and practical hurdles that will emerge in the coming days and weeks. In addition, Sir Ben Ainslie's British America's Cup team will go forward under the name Athena Racing, joining forces with the British Women's and Youth America's Cup team Athena Pathway."
It can be assumed that lawyers from both sides have long been in action. The America's Cup has often been the scene of power struggles. Rarely, however, has there been such a prominent dispute between a financier, sponsor and passionate Cup hunter on the one side and the most successful Olympic sailor in sporting history with four gold medals and also a passionate Cup hunter on the other.
The America's Cup marriage began in 2018
In March 2018, the two leading figures Ratcliffe, 72, and Ainslie, 47, first discussed the America's Cup challenge over a beer. They hit it off straight away and embarked on the mission together. Two Cup campaigns lie behind them. The second was much more successful than the first. But there will never be a third in the same boat.
In view of the open dispute, it initially remained unclear which of the teams wanted - and was allowed - to be the Challenger of Record under the umbrella of the Royal Yacht Squadron in the future. Ineos Team Britannia, which was still united at the time, had submitted the challenge after the last Cup race in Barcelona. And it was accepted.
According to the foundation charter, the official challengers in the America's Cup are generally the clubs with which the teams team up for a challenge or defence. In the case of the British, it was and remains the famous Royal Yacht Squadron.
As the official Challenger of Record, the Royal Yacht Squadron has the sole right to negotiate the terms of the next match with the defender (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron). It is customary for the teams to negotiate with each other and for the clubs to seal the results in agreement with their teams.
Rift could paralyse America's Cup plans
An army of lawyers will probably have a say in how the British trial of strength continues after the divorce has now been made official. As a result, the New Zealand defenders in particular are likely to have a difficult time planning for the 38th America's Cup. After all, who can and may they now negotiate with?
