New Zealanders have already won the America’s Cup. On the computer

America’s Cup e-series

Coming to play for the America’s Cup e-Series final here in Barcelona were the world’s best players, those who finished first in races held around the world:
Peterzon, Hungary;
Bengbengfra, France;
eSailingCentral, NZ;
Rockibda, Bermuda; Ruish, Italy; Booshfy, NZ; Marremeister, Sweden; Raix, Estonia.
A prize of €50,000 was up for grabs, of which €25,000 went to the winner and declining amounts to the others.
Lined up on the America’s Cup Race Village stage were the eight competitors, each behind his or her station, while the event was broadcast live on YouTube.
Awarding the young Kiwi was ETNZ starboard helmsman Peter Burling, and scoring the contest was Jesse Tuke, who commentates live and brilliantly for the organization’s TV on these America’s Cup races.

The idea of an America’s Cup for gamers.

The race was the brainchild of Grant Dalton to take their simulator (the one the crew trained with) and turn it into a game so that a whole new generation of young people could enter the world of America’s Cup racing.
Grant notes that “the success of this first season has been remarkable, with over 100,000 downloads of the game.”
Thus was born a competition that has spread around the world, generating a vibrant community of players.
But besides the prize money and the opportunity to be in Barcelona, the most exciting gift for those who participated was the chance to turn the game into reality.
In fact, the delivery of the Cup would be followed by sea trials.
In fact, once the competition at the consoles is over, we move on to the second moment of this initiative.

From simulator to AC40s

It is called “Gamer to Sailor” and sees the top two finishers undergo three days of intensive training on the simulator and at sea that will end with a race on an AC40 against a UniCredit Youth America’s Cup team.
The “Gamer to Sailor” competition will take place in Barcelona on Thursday, Oct. 2.
This final part of the initiative aims to demonstrate the possibility of transferring skills learned in virtual sailing to real sailing. Ida Castiglioni