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RECON: THE SPY GAME
The Joint Reconnaissance Programme (Recon) will return for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in Naples, and audiences will get even more insights and behind-the-scenes experiences than ever before. Introduced for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, Recon was aimed at both cost reduction for the teams and to provide daily commentary and analysis to spectators before the lead-up to the regatta in Barcelona. This was largely in response to the 36th America’s Cup, where the situation on the water was, at times, bordering on unworkable with multiple team spy vessels following and tracking individual AC75s as they went about their training schedule.
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WHAT IS RECON ALL ABOUT?
RECON CHANNEL LIVE STREAMS AND UPDATES WEEKLY PODCAST THE BEHIND-THE-SCENE VIEW ON ALL TEAMS’ DEVELOPMENTSThe America’s Cup Joint Reconnaissance Programme is your all-access pass into the most secretive, high-tech arms race in sport. Created to give every team equal, fair, and transparent insight (and to eliminate the dangerous and costly espionage battles of the past) it places dedicated observers trackside (and dockside) with every syndicate. You’ll witness raw, unfiltered development in real time as teams grind through endless tests to unlock the fastest possible AC75.
With exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews from sailors, designers, and performance analysts, Recon gives a rare glimpse into how champions are built. And if you want to dig even deeper into the tech, speculation, and subtleties the sailors won’t fully reveal, tune into the weekly Recon podcast. Reading between the lines will be required, and speculations highly encouraged! The big question is: can you spot what each team is really working on?
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A STORY AS OLD AS THE CUP RECON:
THE SPY GAMEEspionage in the America’s Cup is almost as old as the trophy itself. For more than 175 years, teams have gone to extraordinary lengths to protect their innovations, and to uncover their rivals’ possible advantages. From shrouding revolutionary keels under veils to sneaking mystery “team members” into boat sheds and training facilities, the Cup has seen every trick in the book.
At the pinnacle of sailing, where technological breakthroughs decide victory, having an edge has always been essential. This long, colourful history of cloak-and-dagger tactics is exactly why today’s Joint Recon Programme exists: bringing fairness, transparency, and a safer way to satisfy the Cup’s timeless appetite for innovation. -
WHAT DO THE TEAMS SEE?
RECON RULESUnder the Joint Recon Programme, every America’s Cup team is shadowed by an independent recon unit, made up of a skilled photographer/content creator and a RIB driver capable of keeping pace with AC75s flying at 50+ knots. Teams must declare their sailing days in advance, and recon crews rotate between syndicates throughout the cycle to guarantee neutrality and consistent, unbiased reporting.
Each sailing team receives a private feed of RAW photos, video, and structured technical observations captured during the respective training sessions. Meanwhile, fans gain access to an unfiltered, authentic, behind-the-scenes window into development: daily videos, interviews with sailors and designers, and insights from the experts. For those who want to go even deeper, the weekly recon podcast offers analysis, speculation, and audience questions – challenging listeners to read between the lines of what the teams might really be working on.
