Neither the competitive inactivity, nor the exponential improvement of Ineos Britannia (United Kingdom) in recent weeks, nor the lack of wind that delayed the start by several minutes. There is nothing that intimidates Team New Zealand, atrocious defender of the America’s Cup, in the match final against Ineos Britannia (United Kingdom). The kiwis This Saturday, they were a hurricane over the sea of Barcelona, a whirlwind that left the British team behind at the first change and set cruising speed in their mission to achieve an unprecedented consecutive triplet in 173 of the largest sailing competition. With two wins in their bag, the second closest, they need five more (the final is played in the best of 13) to formalize that they are a legendary squad, present in seven of the last eight finals.
The equality announced in the preview by helmsman Peter Burling, helmsman and visible face of the New Zealand team, faded even before the first race began. Without enough wind to compete (the regulations allow racing if the wind force is between 6.5 and 21 knots), Team New Zealand was also flying reliably despite the scant breeze while the British AC75 floated on the water at waiting for an atmospheric improvement and for the organization to specify the final departure time.
Maybe see the kiwis flying with little wind intimidated Ben Ainsle, the English skipper, much more than the haka Maori that the Defenders offered the day before at the presentation of the final. “It hasn’t scared me much, honestly,” the Englishman responded with a smile after the Aboriginal proposal. The Maori spirit also set sail this Saturday in the city: a traditional boat from the indigenous population of New Zealand accompanied the Tahioro (as the New Zealand AC75 is called) leaving its base in an image that will be repeated every day of competition.
The first regatta had no color. Team New Zealand devastated their rival from the start, unable to put pressure on them at any time. Once ahead, the kiwis They took advantage of the lack of wind to mark the British and repeat from a distance the maneuvers that Ainslie’s group proposed. In this way, with an advantage, it prevented Ineos from encountering higher gusts of wind that would put its leadership at risk; and at the same time it threw at its rival what is known as dirty wind, air turbulence that prevents the pursuing boat from optimizing the momentum and aerodynamics of the sails.
But there are few competitors in this America’s Cup more tenacious than Sir Ainslie, Commander of the Order of the British Empire since 2009 for his sporting merits and one of the best sailors in history. After beating the all-powerful Luna Rossa (finalist in 2021) in the Louis Vuitton Cup that gives access to the Ultimate Challenge and unexpectedly taking a British team to the final in Barcelona for the first time in 60 years, Ainslie proposed a more aggressive strategy in the pre-start of the second round. It forced Team New Zealand to initially change route and led the race at several times. But again the stability and speed of the kiwis They were impossible to fight.
After four weeks of waiting, qualified directly for the match final as champion of the previous edition, Team New Zealand revealed its cards. And they are winners. History awaits you.
Luna Rossa (Italy) wins the Puig Women’s America’s Cup
This first women’s edition will be remembered for the great role of Sail Team BCN, the Spanish team of the America’s Cup. Without being able to count on its own boat, the team was third after winning two of the four races played in the semifinals and almost reaching the final.
