With the ETNZ AC75 being readied for shipping to Europe, attention turns to the one realistic challenger from the USA, The New York Yacht Club’s American Magic.
The American Magic sailing team shipped Defiant, their first 75-foot foiling monohull, to Pensacola, Florida, late last year for the winter season training.
Since then they have quietly been going about their training and testing programme, and while they have posted some images, we have not had the constant up-close coverage of the Kiwi boat.
Skipper Terry Hutchinson has already criticized the tardy attitude of ETNZ and Luna Rossa to the deadline for issuing the wind strength conditions . . . which now seem headed to mediation, and if that’s unsuccessful the America’s Cup Arbitration Panel will decide the unresolved issues by 20 March.
The teams also await the actual race conditions for the Prada Cup final and the 36th America’s Cup in March 2021 in Auckland, which will layout in detail just how the Cup racing will be conducted.
The conditions for the challenger selection series are due 30 June.
American Magic have a smaller shipping period than ETNZ, but they will want to get settled in Cagliari and have time to become familiar with conditions well before the racing starts from 23 to 26 April.
INEOS Team UK have already joined Luna Rossa in Cagliari and started training.
After Cagliari, all the boats will be shipped to the UK for the second ACWS regatta, on the Solent based at Portsmouth, from 4 to 7 June.
And then finally to Auckland, New Zealand for the Christmas Regatta over the 17-20 December.
The 36th America’s Cup takes place in Auckland in March 2021.
Related Post:
America’s Cup – Setting the wind limits going to Arbitration Panel
Graphic presentation of the AC75 foiling monohulls
Notes:
Title via The Quiet American, a novel by English author Graham Greene
USS Defiant is a fictional starship in the television series Star Trek
