Hamburg & Schleswig-Holstein: New Zealand dominates the duel for the America’s Cup

Hamburg & Schleswig-Holstein
New Zealand dominated the duel for the America’s Cup

October 13, 2024, 4:34 p.m

The 37th match for the America’s Cup could be over quickly: after just two days, New Zealand’s defenders led 3-0. The British challengers still have no answer to Kiwi dominance.

Barcelona (dpa/lno) – The fight for the America’s Cup remains a one-sided affair. After the second day of racing, New Zealand’s defending champions led 3-0 in their duel with Sir Ben Ainslie’s team Ineos Britannia. Emirates Team New Zealand won the third race on Sunday after a provoked penalty against the British in the pre-start phase. The New Zealand “Taihoro” reached the finish line after a sailing gala with 52 seconds and almost 700 meters ahead of “Britannia”.

The Kiwis once again impressed with flawless maneuvers and stronger positioning in front of thousands of spectators on more than 500 boats around the Cup course. Their high-tech hydrofoil yacht “Taihoro” appears faster in the previously light summer winds of Barcelona. Race 4, which was also scheduled for the second day of the Cup, was canceled due to too weak winds and postponed to Monday (2:10 p.m.).

“The penalty was a tough decision. It was obviously a port/starboard right-of-way situation. I felt like we kept ourselves free. But the referees saw it differently and we were given the award,” said Ben Ainslie about the pre-start penalty against his challenger team.

Instead, the New Zealanders Ainslie and his co-driver Dylan Fletcher, who had recently improved in the important pre-start duel, were able to demonstrate. The 37th edition of the America’s Cup will be won by the team that first achieved seven victories.