«The ACC catamaran, on which Ben Ainslie's team will compete for the America's Cup» in the 35th edition of the regatta, has been launched in Bermuda. A team of 120 people worked on the boat for three years.
The launch of the final R1 version was preceded by the launch of four test boats.
The Land Rover BAR R1, or as British team skipper Ben Ainslie has traditionally called her, the Rita, weighs 2,400 kilograms. Her winged sail area is 103 square meters and its height is 23.5 meters.
Maximum speed is rated at 60mph (three times the wind speed). The boat is designed for a crew of six. She is equipped with high tech hydrofoils.
We're 107 days away from racing in the «America's Cup», so we'll be seeing «Rita» in action very soon. The British team is competing in the oldest international regatta for the 21st time in its 166-year history. Never before have the Brits managed to capture the prestigious trophy.