The gears shift quickly at Emirates Team New Zealand.
After an intense few weeks launching, commissioning and training onboard Taihoro in Auckland, sailing 14 out of 18 days in late April and early May, there was no time to slow down.
The moment Taihoro hit the dock and was rolled back into the shed the focus quickly shifted gear into full pack up mode.
The chase boats and Taihoro are already shipping north. The migration of the team and all its assets to Barcelona happens with military precision.
The arrival of containers and equipment is paramount when looking ahead to the construction of the workshops and wider working space within the Emirates Team New Zealand Barcelona base, all with the ultimate objective of being ready to receive Taihoro and prepare the yacht and the team to get back out on the water in Barcelona as soon as possible.
As if that is not enough to keep the team busy, a dual operation has been running in parallel with the two boat AC40 match race training schedule for the sailing team, along with training of the Emirates Team New Zealand Women & Youth crews.
Ray Davies, Emirates Team New Zealand Coach has been impressed with what he has been seeing. “Our women & youth sailors have been putting in some really long days out on the water maximising every minute onboard the AC40 they can and working through the different combinations of positions on the boat.”
The AC40 simulators have been a highly effective tool for the women and youth sailors, but time onboard the AC40’s is the vital progression the crews before the AC40’s are packed for shipping themselves and several of the sailors head to France for the Olympic games.
ETNZ team members competing in the Paris Games will be Jo Aleh and Molly Meech in the 49erFX, Erica Dawson in the Nacra, and Veerle Ten Have and Josh Armit in the IQ Foil windsurfing events.
The packing, shipping and migration north will continue for the next month with the massive task of booking over 300 Emirates flights and securing multiple Barcelona apartments for team members and their families by Steph Stubbs.
All ready before the team arrive to reassemble at the Barcelona base in preparation for Taihoro’s first sail in just over 1 one month’s time.
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Taihoro begins her journey up to Barcelona to defend the America’s Cup
