Sir Ben Ainslie Secures News Sponsors for America’s Cup Challenge

June 10, 2014

Sir Ben Ainslie has secured a number of key partners and sponsors for his newly launched British team attempting to win the America’s Cup for the first time. 

Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) will aim to win the 2017 America’s Cup with the help of 11th Hour Racing Inc who has become their first major partner.

BAR will showcase a sustainable business model, and rethink the way natural resources are used to deliver a winning team. BAR will work with 11th Hour Racing to achieve this, encouraging staff and their supply chain to design out waste and manage resources efficiently, redesign the organisational process, work with universities, research institutions and innovative companies to develop new technologies, and create a template for the wider marine industry.

Announcing their sponsorship of BAR, Jeremy Pochman, Director of 11th Hour Racing, Inc. said: “11th Hour Racing Incorporated promotes better practices in competitive sailing while connecting the team with the means to make our sport more sustainable and promote the health of our oceans. We committed our inaugural sponsorship to Ben Ainslie Racing because of the team’s goal to build and race sustainably for the America’s Cup.”

The team also announced that they have signed Official Partner agreements with KPMG (Business development partner), Linklaters (Legal services), Henri Lloyd (technical clothing), Siemens NX (software supplier) Scorpion Ribs (support boats) and technical supply deals with Princecroft Willis (accountancy services), Esteco SpA (engineering software), SOS Rehydrate (medical drinks) and The Goring (hospitality partner).

The four-time Olympic gold medal winner, Sir Ben, who announced his challenge with Yacht Squadron Racing, said:  “This is the last great historic sporting prize never won by Great Britain. It has always been my ambition to mount a home challenge. The time is right and I am hugely encouraged by the support we are getting, not least from the Duchess of Cambridge. I learned a great deal aboard Oracle in San Francisco and I would not be challenging if I did not believe we have a real chance of winning this time.”