Representing the New York Yacht Club in the America’s Cup comes with a huge amount of responsibility and a serious weight of expectation. The most famous yacht club in the world, the architects of ‘America’s Cup,’ is an elite organisation built on excellence and a reputation that is peerless. Standing on the shoulders of the giants of the sport, the club’s glittering Cup roster includes names that both inspire and enthral for legendary endeavour.
The America’s Cup is a richer place with the New York Yacht Club’s involvement so when the members of the famous West 44th Street Clubhouse rounded their support behind American Magic ahead of the 2021 campaign, it was a welcome inclusion.
Going one step further in 2024 with the renamed ‘NYYC American Magic’ confirmed the club’s seat firmly at the top table with an outstanding organisation from top to bottom and a very real prospect of success.
Sadly, that prospect was extinguished on September 19 after a thrilling semi-final against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the white-hot cauldron of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Such was the level in 2024 that even the most well-funded and supported, fell by the wayside.
This had been a continuity challenge. One that never stopped since the heart-breaking capsize and near-sinking in 2021 that ended what was deemed to be a potent challenge for the Cup with a very fast boat. Undeterred and with outstanding leadership shown by Terry Hutchinson, along with the superb backing and vision of Doug de Vos and Hap Fauth, NYYC American Magic were quick to appoint, in August 2021, Scott Ferguson as Design Co-Ordinator.
Immediately the complex design work started as the team started to pull apart the details of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Protocol. In January 2022, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron confirmed the American syndicate’s challenge as the third formally accepted for the event.
With the design, shore, technical, and administrative teams coming together quickly – many returning from the Auckland campaign in 2021 – Hutchinson set about assembling the sailing team and picked a mix of emerging talent and experience. Paul Goodison, gold medallist and three-time International Moth World Champion was a key signing alongside Olympic bronze medallist Lucas Calabrese, Andrew Campbell, Michael Menninger, Riley Gibbs and Dan Morris
