Airline Emirates has renewed its partnership with New Zealand, as the team prepares to defend America's Cup at the America's Cup next year in Naples.

Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Ben Ainslie’s British crew in the America’s Cup Match Final in Barcelona 2024. They now hold on to the oldest trophy of international sport.

Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline said on Wednesday that "Emirates Team New Zealand, by lifting the Auld Mug a third time in a row, has charted a path that no other team in America's Cup -history - has ever achieved."

The New Zealand team, led by Grant Dalton as Chief Executive, has signed the America's Cup Partnership. This framework aims to "provide continuity for sponsors".

Dalton said, "Having Emirates back with us gives the team enormous confidence as we take on the responsibility of defending America's Cup... and our focus remains firmly focused on preparing to do our best."

In the 38th America's Cup sponsored by Louis Vuitton teams will return to race AC75 monohulls. The Louis Vuitton Cup determines which of the challengers will be allowed to race against the defenders at the America's Cup match.

The ACP's five founding teams -?Emirates Team New Zealand?, Britain's GB1, Italy's Luna Rossa?, Switzerland's Tudor Team Alinghi? and?France's K-Challenge? - will announce the dates and the details of the next America's Cup Wednesday.

Ben 'Ainslie’s British team announced earlier that they will compete for the America’s?Cup under the name GB1; Dylan Fletcher was named as the helmsman for their latest attempt to win the coveted 'trophy.

GB1 has not named a second helmsman for Ainslie’s fourth consecutive attempt at "bringing the Cup home", which will be backed by Oakley Capital. This investment firm, which took a majority stake in Ainslie’s America’s Cup team last month, is backing this effort. (Reporting and editing by Andrew Heavens; Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)