World-class bikers are recruited to provide power to these boats. I guess they used to have people use their arms and this is the next logical step. It’s both weird and ingenious. I couldn’t do it bc I’ve never really ridden a bike, get seasick and am not in excellent shape.
Traditionally everything above the waterline on the 75ft-long boats - the sails, mast and winches - was powered by grinders, sailors who used their arms to turn cranks.
I can understand winches needing power, but how would the sails and mast need power?
Maybe to adjust and raise/lower them?
I found a page that describes (including a video) the class of boats that will be used in the upcoming Cup.
The mainsail is not the traditional triangle of fabric. It’s more like an airplane wing, with two curved surfaces. Unlike a plane wing, though, sometimes you need the lift going one way, and sometimes the other; so there must be some means of adjusting the curvature. If I had to guess, that would be the part that needs power.
So it may be a bit of a misnomer to say that the mast needs power.
ETA: I also found this in the wikipedia entry for “wingsail”.