by Jodie Bakewell-White
The NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand has confirmed that all plans to race in the the inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup are on track.
“This last week after Artemis’ tragedy in San Francisco have been tough on everybody, but we’re still just as motivated to continue working toward flying the flag for New Zealand in September” says team skipper 22 year old Peter Burling.
Burling and his London 2012 Olympic Silver medallist teammate Blair Tuke will lead the team of under 25’s including: Andy Maloney, Jono Spurdle, Guy Endean, Sam Meech and Jason Saunders. Together they will race under the burgee of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, a club with an enormous reputation on the international yachting scene.
The NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand is now turning to the New Zealand public for support to get behind them in enabling a new pathway for the sport.
“It’s going to be awesome to have New Zealanders on board with us” says team tactician, 23 year old Tuke, “they will become part of our team”.
Through a crowdfunding campaign on www.thrillpledge.com, the team is looking to gather pledges that total $50,000NZD. In return, only if the project meets its goal, the team will decorate their boat with the supporters’ names or logos and give other pledge specific rewards such as team t-shirts or autographed thank you cards.
In celebration of the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show this weekend only, individuals can pledge $60, and recieve the usual reward of the $100 pledge option and they also go in the draw for an Air New Zealand Deluxe Mystery Break for two people.
The support of Emirates Team New Zealand has provided this group of young men with an automatic entry to the 2013 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, submitted by Yachting New Zealand, hence the team is known as the NZL Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand.
“We’re tremendously appreciative for the help that ETNZ has provided our young team to date, including time on their AC45, coaching support and training advice” says YNZ’s Chief Executive David Abercrombie. “There’s a degree of public misconception about funding and the reality is that these young sailors cover their own costs for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. Any support the public can contribute will make a huge difference to these young men.”
The regatta itself will take place from 1-4 September 2013 in San Francisco during the break between the end of the Louis Vuitton cup, and start of the 2013 America’s Cup Finals. The young crews will race on the scaled down version of the America’s Cup Boats: the AC 45 catamaran. Every sailor in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will be aged 19-24. Ten teams from eight countries have qualified.
Yachting New Zealand
Red Bull Youth America's Cup
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