In Barcelona, American Magic faced a setback on the first day of the 37th America’s Cup. During the race against INEOS Britannia, representing the New York Yacht Club, the American boat fell off its foils in low-wind conditions before the race officially began. This mistake allowed the British team to cross the start line and build a significant lead of 700 meters. INEOS Britannia ultimately earned the winning point, with skipper Ben Ainslie acknowledging that the Americans managed to close the gap significantly despite the initial error.
American Magic helmsman Tom Slingsby expressed frustration over the mistake but credited his team for their efforts to recover from the early setback.
In other races, French team Orient Racing Express overtook Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing to secure a victory. Two-time defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand narrowly defeated Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, although the point did not count towards their score as they are guaranteed a spot in the finals as the cup defender.
The Italians rebounded by defeating Orient Express by a significant margin. The America’s Cup competition will proceed with a double round-robin phase aimed at eliminating the weakest of the five challengers by September 8. All teams will compete in one-on-one races twice before New Zealand, as the defending champion, moves on to the finals in October.
New Zealand aims for a third consecutive cup win and brought the trophy to Barcelona to secure financial stability for the team and attract sponsors. The official sponsorship of the race by Louis Vuitton has been retained, with the trophy traveling in a custom Louis Vuitton case.
The America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sports trophy, has only been won by four countries: the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland. Spain’s King Felipe VI, a former Olympic sailor, attended the events on the first day of the competition.
