Once again Emirates Team New Zealand has entered the history books and won the America’s Cup for New Zealand for the fourth time. After four years of planning and development, 170 years of Cup history, the last races of this 36th edition for the world’s oldest trophy in international sport, seemed to come straight from the “brochure”, with brilliant starts, multiple lead changes, aggressive defense, and unexpected drama. Today, on day 7, the Kiwis scored the 7th point they needed to raise the Auld Mug, on home waters and in front of 5 million New Zealand fans!

Emirates Team New Zealand have a long and proud America's Cup history, having won it on three previous occasions in 1995, 2000, and the previous edition in 2017. They are also acknowledged as a leading field in understanding hydrofoiling, having introduced the concept in their failed attempt to win the AC in 2013. NUMECA’s FINE™/Marine was with them all the way!

The importance of CFD in the America's Cup

Racing is pushing boundaries and the America’s Cup is essentially a design race.  If there is one thing that will determine the outcome of the 36th America’s Cup it will be simulation.“  Dan Bernasconi

The rules of the 36th Cup, banned all the traditional means of design evaluation and optimization. For the first time, the protocol banned full-scale testing with two boats, but also tow-tank and wind-tunnel ­testing. The reason behind this decision was to contain costs, while ensuring the America’s Cup continuance to be the driving force of innovation and technology in sailing. 

ETNZ’s simulator, based on FINE™/Marine CFD software for the ­computational fluid-dynamic modeling, proved to be a priceless asset in the first part of the America’s Cup race: the design race. The AC75 was a completely new class of boat 4 years ago, little to nothing was known about the revolutionary new concept: 75ft long monohull structures, flying above the water balanced on a main hydrofoil and a T-foil Rudder. Even less was known about how to optimally control all this in changing conditions and through maneuvers. Thanks to the unprecedented accuracy and realism of their simulators, built on decades of experience with tools like FINE™/Marine, ETNZ was able to test new ideas and concepts accurately long before the first boat ever touched the water. 

“That’s how we win races, through the perfect design” Nick Hutchins

Congratulations Emirates Team New Zealand!