The base camp in Southampton is only temporary, but the feeling of the first flight out with the AC45 catamaran was like an exciting premiere for the British America's Cup team BAR: Ben Ainslie's Cup hunters put their catamaran from the 2012/2013 season into the water for the first time after extensive modifications and put it to the test. The test run went well and foiling worked straight away.
Team boss Ainslie said after his stint at the helm: "Ten months ago we had nothing. The fact that we were out there today and sailing one of these boats on foils after such a short time is the result of a huge effort by the whole team and especially the Shore team and designers."
Speaking about the sailing experience, Ainslie said: "It's a real privilege for us sailors to go out there and sail one of these boats. It was a great first day and a good start. But it's just a start. A lot of work awaits us in the coming months." The first "flight tests" in the Solent also made a good impression from the outside. The catamaran looked stable and fast in action.
Ainslie's team was officially unveiled on 10 June 2014 in the presence of the Duchess of Cambridge. This marked the start of the ambitious Cup attack that four-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie has been dreaming of since childhood. The most successful Olympic sailor in sporting history dreams of bringing the most important trophy in international sailing back to its roots.
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Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
