RICKY WILSON/STUFF
Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS Team UK struggled on their hulls as winds dipped below the 6.5 knots limit.
The prospect of more official America’s Cup racing or practice before the challenger series starts mid-January has been raised, after light winds forced Sunday’s Christmas Cup to be abandoned.
Team New Zealand and INEOS Team UK failed to finish the opening race inside the 45-minute time limit as they struggled off their foils with winds dipping well below the 6.5 knots required on Course A off the East Coast Bays. It was a frustrating finish to a superb opening regatta that marked the first time the radical AC75s had been raced after world series events in Italy and England were cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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5:47pm - Racing has been abandoned for the day.
Not much to be taken from today s events and not the final workout Team NZ would have hoped for.
Now the challengers have three weeks until the Prada Cup series begins, while the Kiwis will wait and watch from the sidelines, racing among themselves presumably.
Still, this week has whetted the public appetite for these AC75 boats, which are obviously capable of high speeds and perhaps less capable of really low speeds.
Join us for live updates of the challenger series, starting January 15.
5:43pm - Team NZ are packing up their boat, so their day is done. Still awaiting official announcement on abandonment.
America s Cup/Christmas Cup: Racing abandoned in light winds - As it happened Newshub 19/12/2020 Grant Chapman
App users click here for latest updates
5:47pm - Racing has been abandoned for the day.
Not much to be taken from today s events and not the final workout Team NZ would have hoped for.
Now the challengers have three weeks until the Prada Cup series begins, while the Kiwis will wait and watch from the sidelines, racing among themselves presumably.
Still, this week has whetted the public appetite for these AC75 boats, which are obviously capable of high speeds and perhaps less capable of really low speeds.
American Magic beats Team NZ at the start and the finish of race four.
Land-based America’s Cup fans have again been handed the prime course for viewing for Friday s second day of action in Auckland. Regatta director Iain Murray confirmed Course C would be back in action but Thursday s sweet south-westerly wind has been replaced by a much lighter breeze out of the north-east. That will see the course reversed with the boats starting and finishing in the zone between North Head and Bastion Point.
RICKY WILSON/Stuff
Team NZ were well beaten by Dean Barker s American Magic outfit on day one of the world series regatta in Auckland.
Dean Barker sails American Magic to win over Team NZ, and the Brits finally sail to get their campaign back on track mysailing.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mysailing.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.