INEOS Britannia is to set up a winter training base in Palma, Mallorca, as part of their preparations for 37th America’s Cup. This will mark the team's return to the water following the AC36 Challenger Series in Auckland in March 2021.
The British team is currently building their temporary base operation out of the Palma Ribera de San Carlos Quay just next to the Portopi lighthouse, in a partnership with the Ports de Balears. On-water testing will begin towards the end of the summer and continue until the team relocates full time to the 37th America’s Cup venue in Barcelona for their final push in their challenge for the Auld Mug.
“We looked at a number of venues around Europe and Palma was the clear winner,” said Dave Endean, INEOS Britannia Chief Operating Officer. “We had to select the location for our winter training a long time ago and before we had clarity on the final venue selection for the America’s Cup. Palma ticked all boxes with great facilities, short travel time from the UK and weather data that gave predictable year-round weather conditions, all of which will enable us to have significant hours on the water.
He continued; “The team at Ports de Balears also played a huge part in the decision to choose Palma, they have pulled out all the stops to enable our smooth transition and we look forward to showcasing Palma’s word class sailing facilities during our stay”.
The team's winter HQ will be located in the Porto Pi area of the Palma marina district allowing easy access to the renowned Bay of Palma, which is already used for world class sailing regattas including the renowned Trofeo Princesa Sofía which annually hosts 1,000 Olympic class sailors from 62 nations.
Francesc Antich Oliver, President of the of the Balearic Islands Port Authority added; “One of the primary strategies of Ports de Balears (Port Authority of the Balearics) is to support and improve the local economy, in which the nautical sector plays a key role. Thanks to the tourism value as well as the close and well-established relationships with their respective towns and cities, our ports are able to welcome and accommodate the highest level of nautical and maritime activity and job creation, and in so doing, invest in the future of our ports. In the same way, we are able to support the INEOS Britannia team and we wish them all the luck they may need.”
Back in the UK, the INEOS Britannia’s design team will predominately remain at HQ in Brackley, home of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, as part of the high-performance group that brings together the British America’s Cup team and Mercedes-AMG F1 Applied Science.
Photo Credit by Port Authority of the Balearics.