VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM AMERICA'S CUP 2027 PRESENTATION CEREMONY / SOUNDBITES FROM THE CEO OF EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND GRANT DALTON AND GB1 TEAM PRINCIPAL BEN AINSLIE RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: NAPLES, ITALY (JANUARY 21, 2026) (AMERICA'S CUP HANDOUT - For editorial use only. No resales. No monetisation.) 1. VARIOUS OF PRESENTATION OF THE LOUIS VUITTON CUP 2. VARIOUS OF PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICA’S CUP 3. TEAM REPRESENTATIVES ON STAGE, EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND CEO, GRANT DALTON; GB1 TEAM PRINCIPAL, BEN AINSLIE; COMMODORE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND YACHT SQUADRON, DAVID BLAKEY; AND COMMODORE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON LTD, BERTIE BICKET 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND CEO, GRANT DALTON, SAYING: “It is the oldest sporting trophy in international sport, and the moves that we make have to be very deliberate. I think the reason it’s come together in its shared purpose is it was its time. And if you stand still, you die. And the Cup must never stand still. And it was its time.” 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GB1 TEAM PRINCIPAL, BEN AINSLIE, SAYING: “It has taken five teams that traditionally are used to trying to beat each other up on and off the water to come together to create this. It’s a big, big undertaking, but it’s much needed. And I think it’s a really exciting time for the future of the America’s Cup. It’s a pivotal moment in the history of the Cup.” 6. VARIOUS OF CULTURAL PRESENTATION 7. VARIOUS OF TEAM REPRESENTATIVES ON STAGE 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND CEO, GRANT DALTON, SAYING: “Well, it’s probably the biggest move that’s ever been made in the Cup in 175 years. But it would be wrong to think it’s the first time there’s ever been a move. The America’s Cup has survived, basically, because it’s evolved. And I think its last big change was 1956. So, it’s a big move, it’s not the only move. But it is a move that was necessary, I believe, for the growth and the continuation of the Cup into the future.” 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GB1 TEAM PRINCIPAL, BEN AINSLIE, SAYING: “Yeah, look, it’s a really exciting day for the America’s Cup. It’s a really pivotal moment. I think the step to go away from ‘stop-start, winner takes all’ scenario to ‘neutral governance’, and to actually begin to plan for the future for the America’s Cup is much needed in this modern era of development of international sport.” 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND CEO, GRANT DALTON, SAYING: “The simple fact – and maybe one of the reasons its survived – is that the defenders basically always had complete control. Now, in the modern era, that’s just not cutting the mustard and it’s stopping further participation and it’s stopping teams planning for the future. So, unless we’d made this move, it could have died. Everything ultimately has a start, beginning and an end. Civilisations do. And I think that was about to happen to the Cup. So, this guarantees its future and maybe they’ll be having a conversation in 175 years about a move that was made today that has created the next stage of the America’s Cup.” 11. AERIAL OF EXTERIOR OF WHERE EVENT WAS HELD 12. VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO VENUE 13. STAIRWAY INTO VENUE STORY: New Zealand will begin their defence of the America's Cup with two races on Saturday, July 10 next year in the Italian city of Naples, and the contest will conclude the following weekend, organisers said on Wednesday (January 21). Emirates Team New Zealand, who have won the last three editions, will take on the winner of an elimination round that will also be held in Naples, in May 2027 as Italy hosts the event for the first time. Four teams -- Britain's GB1, Italy's Luna Rossa, Swiss Tudor Team Alinghi and K-Challenge from France -- have lined up to earn the chance to challenge for the America's Cup in 2027, although more entries could be added before the end of January deadline. The 38th America's Cup, which is sponsored by Louis Vuitton, will see teams returning to race in AC75 foiling monohulls. The teams have joined forces in a new America's Cup Partnership (ACP) that will aim to share revenues and control costs in order to guarantee a viable future for a historic event that dates back to 1851. New Zealand said last year they would no longer seek to host the next competition due to a lack of economic support from the government. Teams will be based in Bagnoli, a neighbourhood in western Naples, and it will be a major opportunity to help relaunch an impoverished, former industrial area in Italy's main southern city. The big question is whether a team from the U.S. will decide to take part. Funding a challenge can cost up to 75 million euros ($87 million). The teams involved will get a first chance to joust in a preliminary regatta contested in smaller AC40 foiling monohulls which is to be held in the Sardinian capital Cagliari this May. Cagliari is the home base of Italy's Luna Rossa, a team that enjoys financial backing from Italian fashion group Prada. (Production: Kurt Michael Hall) (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
