The last day of the preparatory races for the America’s Cup came to an end on Sunday off Auckland, the lack of wind forcing the participants to give up from the first duel to compete in the regattas scheduled for the day. The inaugural clash of this Christmas Race pitted Team New Zealand, the latest America’s Cup winner, and the British of Team Ineos UK, led by legend Ben Ainslie. the premature stopping of the race, when the two challenges were almost at a standstill. Even shortened, the regatta once again underlined the delay of the British, five kilometers behind at the time of the interruption and in delicacy with their foils, these large lateral appendages which allow the boat to fly above the water. Before this aborted Christmas Race, the four crews – the Italians of Luna Rossa and the New Yorkers of American Magic, in addition to the New Zealand “defenders” and Team Ineos UK – took part in a first series of preparatory regattas, the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), from Thursday to Saturday. The purely honorary title was won by Team New Zealand. The serious things will begin in January with the Prada Cup which will pit the three challengers. The winner of this competition will face Team New Zealand in March at the America’s Cup, which celebrates its 170th anniversary in 2021.
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