Three months before the 36th edition (6-21 March) of the America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand will host the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) from Thursday to Sunday, then the Christmas Cup, the first preparatory regattas on board. AC-75s, these brand new 75-foot (23-meter) monohulls equipped with foils capable of flying over the waves at 50 knots (93 km / h).
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Team New Zealand still favorite
These four days of racing, which will have no sporting impact on the America’s Cup, will see the defender Team New Zealand (winner in Bermuda against Oracle in 2017) and its three challengers compete in match-racing (duels). , the Italian Luna Rossa, the Briton INEOS Team UK and American Magic. For the four teams, it is the opportunity to test the machines in real conditions, and to gauge the competition.
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Team New Zealand has the favors of forecasts to keep the silver ewer in March, during regattas that will oppose the winner of the Prada Cup, scheduled from January 15 to February 22 between the three challengers.
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But Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena promises that his team will compete with the New Zealanders, at least in terms of “fighting spirit”. Especially since the Italian challenge will be coxed by the Australian Jimmy Spithill, double winner of the event with Oracle Team USA.
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For the inhabitants of Auckland, this first confrontation will be the opportunity to see up close, in the bay, the great ballet show of these cars looking like water spiders (11 sailors on board), with their large paws. which, depending on the edge, rise or fall.
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