Emirates Team New Zealand has kicked off the season with the first two-boat testing session on the AC40s in Auckland—a key milestone in their preparation for the next America’s Cup. As always, the team is supported by our high-performance rope solutions, engineered to withstand every phase of stress and acceleration.
Auckland, December 3rd, 2025
A new chapter has begun in the preparation of Emirates Team New Zealand, which in recent weeks has resumed on-water activities with renewed intensity ahead of the upcoming America’s Cup campaign. Step by step, the build-up to the major event is taking shape, with consistent progress on both the technical and operational fronts.
Over the past month, the team alternated between tuning sessions, fine-tuning work, and tests in variable conditions. The most significant moment was undoubtedly the first two-boat testing session of the season, with the AC40s finally sailing side by side in a day marked by high expectations and maximum focus.
The operation required an exceptional effort from the shore crew, who prepared both boats with near-surgical precision. Timing, coordination, and logistics were crucial to launching such a complex setup—an achievement the team has repeatedly highlighted in its communications.
For the sailors, the session represented a key step forward:
- improving onboard communication,
- defining roles and responsibilities,
- testing procedures and maneuvers in comparable conditions,
- gathering valuable data for upcoming development phases.
A solid foundation on which to build in the months ahead.
As the Official Supplier of technical ropes, Armare Ropes follows this type of activity with particular attention: parallel testing provides the most meaningful feedback on real-world material performance. High loads, sudden accelerations, fast transitions, and peak-stress conditions allow us to verify the reliability of our solutions and continue refining them.
As the Kiwi team progresses in its preparation for the America’s Cup, we will continue to report on their developments and support them with technologies designed to perform at their best in the most demanding conditions.