INEOS Team UK names Harken Official Supplier of Winch Systems and Deck
Hardware for the 36th America’s Cup
As Official Supplier to INEOS Team UK, Harken is already at work designing, testing, and manufacturing
componentry integral to the performance of the team’s test boat (T5) and its two AC75s. Harken will
supply deck hardware, winches and pedestals, gearboxes, blocks and hydraulic componentry produced in its Pewaukee, Wisconsin USA and Limido Comasco, Italy factories.
“Harken is pleased to be extending our more than 40 year history of developing technology for the America’s Cup,” said Harken Chairman, Peter Harken. “This work we’re doing with INEOS Team UK represents some of the toughest challenges we’ll ever confront. It’s not going too far to say we built our whole company to be
ready for what we’re doing here.”
Mark Wiss, Harken Director of Custom and Grand Prix Sales explained, “Right now, INEOS Team UK
components are traveling discretely through our factories. They’re moving from Engineering to Production to Testing, to the team. As we are called to do, we’re documenting precisely that they perform as designed.
Harken is very proud that soon, they’ll be on the water. At The Front. It’s Game On!”
“Each Cup cycle is unique. We well may look back on this one and remember it for these never-before imagined AC75 foiling monohulls. With so much to learn and so much to create for the first time, we must
limit risk wherever we can. Selecting Harken was a natural choice—as much for the confidence they’ll deliver, as for the quality of what they’ll build for our team,” said INEOS Team UK CEO Grant Simmer.
The Harken-INEOS Team UK partnership will be active throughout the 36th America’s Cup cycle from this development and testing period through the launches of both of the team’s in-build AC75s and through to Auckland where Harken will continue its history of ‘in-competition’ technical and mechanical support.
About: Harken’s network includes distribution in 48 countries, with group offices located in Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
INEOS TEAM UK was formed in 2018 to bring the America’s Cup home to Britain. The team is based in OldPortsmouth, England and led and backed by INEOS Founder and Chairman, Jim Ratcliffe. Sir Ben Ainslie, a previous America’s Cup winner (AC34) and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time is Team Principal and Skipper. Fourtime America’s Cup winner, Grant Simmer is team CEO. Combined, the team has 16 Cup wins and eight Olympic
medals.
The 36th America’s Cup match presented by Prada will take place March 6th to 21st, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Previous to that, the Prada Cup round robin challenger races will take place in January and February 2021 also in
Auckland. Seedings for the Prada Cup will be determined by the America’s Cup World Series which will take place in
venues across the globe beginning spring 2020.