Ben Ainslie Racing's (BAR) push to win the 35th America’s Cup in 2017 just became more "formidable" as news arrives that naval architects and marine engineering design consultants BMT Nigel Gee have signed on as team technical partners.
In addition, BMT Nigel Gee are the founding members of the Ben Ainslie Racing Technical Innovation Group.
The British America’s Cup Challenger, led by Sir Ben Ainslie, has made their goal of bringing the Cup back to the UK extremely clear and the hope is that adding the skills of BMT Nigel Gee will give them an edge over the competition.
BMT Nigel Gee will assist BAR’s existing design team in creating its high-performance, hydro-foiling multihull yachts for the America’s Cup. A recent dramatic rule change, which could mean many more teams for the America's Cup 2017, will see the teams racing in smaller yachts than the previously prescribed AC62s.
“The America's Cup — like Formula One — has to be a design race, as well as a race on the water,” said Ben Ainslie. “That has always been part of the Cup’s appeal and that is what attracts some of the world’s best engineers, who have shown a real passion for the design challenge of the America’s Cup.”
John Bonafoux, BMT Nigel Gee’s managing director, said, “BMT is delighted to be a part of what promises to be a very challenging and exciting journey. Sir Ben Ainslie’s desire to win is well known and he has assembled an impressive team that will mount a formidable challenge to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain for the first time in 166 years.”
Ben Ainslie Racing has been the first America's Cup team to practice in Bermuda, host of the 35th America's Cup.