Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup syndicate appear certain to be going down the “cyclors” route for the next edition, with veteran grinder Freddie Carr confirming he has had to reinvent himself.
Team UK have announced the retention of the colourful Carr for his sixth Cup campaign, and he is up for the challenge in more ways than one after a frustrating campaign at Auckland 2021 ended with defeat in the challengers’ final to Italy’s Luna Rossa.
“After New Zealand, I felt I had a huge amount of unfinished business. To be able to come back as a cyclor and challenge again for Britain means everything to me,” Carr said as his signing was announced on Wednesday.
With crews reduced from 11 to eight on the next edition of the foiling monohulls for Barcelona 2024, the grinding department looked vulnerable, especially with the protocol allowing power output to come from the legs, something Team New Zealand successfully employed in their 2017 Cup win in Bermuda.
That shift put real heat on Carr.
“For the first time ever, my America’s Cup journey was in flux. I didn’t see what my next stop was, I couldn’t see a clear journey,” he said.
“I had to make a conscious decision that for the next four months I had to train as a cyclist to see if my scores could add value to the team, as well as continue to add value as a sailor.”
Clearly he has proved his worth on a bicycle, giving him a chance to stay on the boat.
Carr brings more than just power to the team. He was the life and soul of the syndicate in Auckland where his mix of determination and humour was a key factor in keeping Team UK on an even keel during their rocky ride where they had to overcome a major light-air design issue to reach the challengers’ final.
“The thing that I love the most about the Cup is working with this group of people … the teammates, the culture, the people, the common goal. Everything just flows,” said Carr, who has proven adept behind the microphone in the latest season of SailGP where he has been in the commentary team.
Ainslie is delighted to have Carr, a former world youth match racing champion, on board again.
“Freddie is a hugely passionate sailor who is all about winning the America’s Cup for Britain. He has a huge amount of experience, as now one of our more senior sailors on the team,” Ainslie said.
“His athletic natural capability combined with his work ethic and determination, he is a huge part of the engine room on the AC75, and the whole team.”
It’s expected all the teams will look to use leg power at Barcelona.
Team UK have enviable resources in this department. The INEOS Grenadiers (formerly Team Sky), share the same naming sponsor as Ainslie’s America’s Cup team.
They are expected to have major input into the cycling training of the British sailors.
Team UK will be using Mallorca as a training base, an island that the champion cycling squad has also used for their preparations.
Teams are only allowed to build one new AC75 in this cycle of the America’s Cup, putting heat on the design department where there will be plenty of attention going on maximising the efficiency of the “cyclors”.
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