Valencia, Spain. BMW ORACLE Racing dropped the skirts shrouding the underwater secrets of its two new-generation race yachts in Valencia today, revealing a refined rather than revolutionary package of keel, bulb, rudder and winglets.

“Today is a bit of America’s Cup theatre,” said team design co-ordinator, Ian Burns. “It is exciting to see all the skirts come off. For the design teams, it is a bit like taking an exam, but being allowed to look at your friend’s paper. After months of secrecy, suddenly all is revealed and out in the public domain for scrutiny and analysis. While the immediate attention is on the underwater appendages, this is really an opportunity for our 38-member design team to take a bow. We have worked hard to ensure that every aspect of the yacht, from the top of the mast to the bottom of the keel not only represents the state of its particular art, but also that everything works together.

“The whole design has been optimized for a balanced package, tailored to Valencia conditions and to the particular requirements and racing style of our sailing team.

“Of course, this is only the preliminary exam. The real test begins when the America’s Cup fleet goes into battle on the water, first for the Louis Vuitton Act 13 fleet regatta, starting on April 3 and then for the Louis Vuitton Cup, which starts on April 16.”

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