EXCLUSIVE: GILES SCOTT TALKS TRAINING AND MORE AHEAD OF NAPLES PR2

Reflecting on the first two-boat AC40 training sessions in Pensacola, Giles was super-upbeat saying: “The camps have been really positive and have given us a great opportunity to start shaping what the team will look like. One of our key focuses is building a team with a strong American identity with one eye firmly on the future. We’re taking a long-term view of this campaign and the programme as a whole. We’re not simply trying to build a team for one event; we’re building something that we hope will be successful and sustainable over a longer period of time. That means looking for talented individuals across every area of the team but also identifying sailors with the potential to grow and develop within the programme. There’s definitely a youthful American element to what we’re building, and that’s something we’re excited about as we look ahead to the future.”

‘Operational efficiency’ is the gold standard by which all America’s Cup teams are judged, and Giles has been impressed with how the team has got up to speed, saying: “We were able to get operational very quickly, which has been one of the major advantages of acquiring the American Magic assets and infrastructure. That has allowed us to hit the ground running and begin meaningful sailing and evaluation much earlier than would otherwise have been possible. We’ve also been fortunate to get two AC40s on the water quickly, which has enabled us to start two-boat testing and racing almost immediately. That’s hugely valuable at this stage of the campaign.”

To date, American Racing Challenger Team USA have completed two initial training camps, and in summary Giles broke them down, saying: “The first camp brought together Senior, Women’s and Youth invitees, giving us the opportunity to evaluate a broad group of sailors. We had a lot of people and limited boat time which was a challenge from a logistics perspective, but it allowed us to see sailors in a variety of positions and environments.”

“The second camp was a smaller group with a more focused schedule. We separated the groups more on the water and focused on understanding how sailors operated within their respective teams. What stood out most was how competitive the racing was from the outset. There was a huge amount of talent on display, and it was encouraging to see how quickly people adapted.”

“Across both camps we’ve continued rotating sailors through different positions, and over the coming months we’ll begin to define roles more clearly. Overall, the quality of the sailing and the competitiveness we’ve seen so early in the process has been extremely encouraging.”

Now with Naples, and the second Preliminary Regatta firmly in view, Giles is clear on the focus, saying: “The next few months are going to be incredibly busy as we continue building momentum towards Naples and beyond. On the AC75, we’re looking to have the core of the sailing team defined in the coming weeks. We’ve still got more evaluation and training to do, but we’re reaching the point where the shape of the team is starting to come together.”

“We have two further camps planned before the AC40 regatta in Naples. The first will take place in Pensacola and will focus primarily on Senior and Youth sailors. The second will be in Naples itself, giving the team valuable time on the racecourse and an opportunity to begin understanding the venue in greater detail. The Naples regatta will be a chance for the AC75 team to measure themselves against rivals and will be an important milestone as we continue to build experience together ahead of the next phase of the campaign.”

“Beyond that, the programme will continue to accelerate as we transition towards big-boat sailing and the next stages of America’s Cup development. For the Women’s and Youth programmes, activity will continue, although much of the focus will shift towards preparing for the team’s move to Naples and the opportunities that follow.”

Looking ahead to what’s in-store when the team arrive permanently in Naples ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series), Giles is very much up for the challenge, saying: “We’re hugely excited about Naples. It feels like the start of a new chapter, not only for our team but for the America’s Cup as a whole. It’s a fantastic venue and everything we’ve seen so far suggests it will produce exceptional racing conditions for both the AC40 and the AC75.”

“From a sailing perspective, it’s going to be incredibly valuable. This will be the first opportunity for this group to compete together in a major event environment. While many of the sailors know each other well and have raced together previously, this will be a new team operating in a new configuration.”

For now, the focus is September and as Giles says: “The Naples regatta is a really important building block for us. We want to continue developing the way we work together, continue learning and continue improving. Everybody involved is more than capable, but we’re still at the beginning of the journey as a group.”

“Of course, we’ll be aiming to perform strongly, but the real value will come from the experience we gain and the foundations we put in place for the months ahead. Hopefully we’ll come away having taken another step forward as a team and with a clear platform to build on as we move towards full AC75 operations.”

Exciting times ahead for American Racing Challenger Team USA.