ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — The New York Yacht Club American Magic sailing team is officially back in the Pensacola Bay.

The team is training for the 37th America’s Cup, an international match in Barcelona, Spain which takes place in 2024.

This year marks the team’s third in Pensacola.

 “Pensacola turned out to be the perfect spot. The bay here or the Gulf of Mexico presents different challenges for the team be it really flat water or a little bit of a sea state, and our boats a foiling monohull so we fly above the water,” said Terry Hutchinson, skipper and president of operations for American Magic. “I don’t think there’s another spot in the country that’s any better to do what we’re doing”

The America’s Cup is one of the most prestigious sailing competitions in the world and operates similar to the Olympics with the Cup taking place every 4 years. But unlike the Olympics, there are no competitions in between the matches.

“It’s one of these competitions that over the course of time is very very difficult to win, and when you do win you write the rules and you get to control the competition a little bit,” said Hutchinson.

The team is constantly testing and developing to make their AC75 yacht go through the water faster.

Many members of the team relocated to the city but roughly ten percent of the team is local Pensacolians that have joined. 

American Magic hopes to make Pensacola its permanent winter training location.

“The Principles of our team have a longer term vision of being a longstanding partner inside the community and really being part of the family down here. 

Hutchinson the Pensacola community has been very welcoming to the sailors.

American Magic will be training in Pensacola until next summer, when they will relocate to Barcelona to prepare for the America’s Cup.