Hall of Famers honoured
The 2024 inductees of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame were honoured at the Induction Gala dinner in Barcelona’s Maritime Museum, 15 October.
Photography by Daniel Forster/ America’s Cup Hall of Fame
23 October 2024
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At this year’s Hall of Fame awards ceremony, Herreshoff Marine Museum’s President and Executive Director, Bill Lynn, along with Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair Steven Tsuchiya, and emcee Gary Jobson, presented the new class: sailors Josh Belsky, of the United States, Juan Vila, of Spain, Kevin Shoebridge, of New Zealand, and the late yachting journalist Bob Fisher, of the United Kingdom.
The Hall of Fame also recognised the contributions of Louis Vuitton and Italian sailor and team principal Vinceno Ricci, of Italy. Both were presented with Sir Richard Francis Sutton medals, created in 2018 to recognize individuals and entities that “exemplify the spirit of the America’s Cup.”
Ricci, the skipper and project manager of the first-ever Italian America’s Cup challenge in 1983, the campaign of Azzura, which finished third in the Louis Vuitton Cup during the famous Cup summer of Australia II’s historic win.
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Now 90 and unable to attend the ceremony, Ricci is said to have inspired Italians to pursue a Cup victory over a span of 40 years.
Emirates Team New Zealand COO Kevin Shoebridge, fondly known as ‘Shoeb’ was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame alongside Juan Villa, Josh Belsky, and the late Bob Fisher.
As described in his Hall of Fame induction description: Shoebridge is a four-time winner of the America’s Cup. Vastly experienced, he is known for his quiet demeanour, clear communication, collaborative management style, and ability to get things done.
In his acceptance speech, Shoebridge described his first encounter with the America’s Cup as a 20-year-old in 1983, when he stopped off in Newport for 5 days, slept on a sail loft floor, and said it ‘opened his eyes to what the America’s Cup really was.’
This encounter was a trigger of inspiration to someday be involved in the America’s Cup, though he had no sense of the significant influence he would have throughout his unprecedented career.
It didn’t take long for Shoebridge to get into the America’s Cup, as it was only a few years later, he was sailing as part of the first New Zealand America’s Cup Challenge in Fremantle in 1987.
It was the first of his 10 America’s Cup campaigns so far, in a decorated career transitioning from sailor to a management role, becoming one of the most experienced and respected personalities in the America’s Cup, and serving as a cornerstone of the success of Emirates Team New Zealand throughout its history.
Shoebridge, who has been one of the key Emirates Team New Zealand leaders over the years has defined the true essence and power of ‘team’ across the entire organisation.
“It’s a unique team,” Shoebridge explained in his speech.
“And although the make-up changes from cycle to cycle, it always remains true to its values. It’s always looking for innovation, it’s always pushing the limits while we’re having fun along the way. The America’s Cup is won by people. The team is everything. And I’m lucky enough to have worked with some of the best in the world.”
Kevin Shoebridge has seen and led a huge amount of change across the boats and the event itself and reflected on the excitement of the past developments as well as what must continue in the future.
“So much has happened in the America’s Cup over the past decade. The introduction of these amazing foiling craft, the big cats in San Francisco, the AC50s in Bermuda, and now the incomparable AC75 foiling monohull.
“Now, the addition of the Puig Women’s America’s Cup is a highlight for all of us at AC37 and it’s something that we have to continue developing.
“It is such a great era to be involved in a high-tech, skilled endeavours. Never, in my mind, has the Cup been such a complete team sport. More than ever, I would argue sailors, designers, engineers, builders, shore support teams all equally important to a victory.
“I think it’s a great time to the America’s Cup. And long may it continue to evolve.”
Emirates Team New Zealand and the America’s Cup have a lot to credit the successful evolution to Kevin Shoebridge, so his induction into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame is universally well recognised across competitors and teammates, past and present.
In a break from tradition, The Hall of Fame recognised fashion house, Louis Vuitton, title sponsor of the 37th America’s Cup and challenger series for its contribution to the sport. Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with the Cup since 1983, a relationship that started with a $75,000 sponsorship and the now iconic Louis Vuitton Cup Trophy.
The Maison has sponsored every challenger series since then, with the exception of the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland 2021.
Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, shared his gratitude in a pre-recorded video message to induction attendees, saying, “I am very honoured, humbled and proud to receive the Sutton Medal in the name of Louis Vuitton and personally. We are proud to have accompanied the history of this legendary trophy, sharing the same values as the America’s Cup: the ambition to surpass oneself and the continuous quest for innovation.”
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