Spray of champagne welcomes Britannia to America’s Cup fold
Sir Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Team UK christened its new America’s Cup boat, Britannia, with a spray of champagne Friday in Portsmouth.
Julia Ratcliffe, the daughter of team owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, sprayed champagne onto the bow rather than smashing the bottle on the fantastical-looking, 75-foot foiling monohull.
Each team can build two boats for the 36th America’s Cup cycle, which will conclude in 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. Britannia is the fourth boat to be launched in recent weeks.
Ainslie represents the best chance yet for Britain to win back the silver trophy it lost to the schooner America in 1851.
The most-decorated sailor in Olympic history, Ainslie helped Oracle Team USA successfully defend the America’s Cup in 2013. He then launched his own syndicate for the 2017 America’s Cup.
