The Duchess of Cambridge has sent an inspirational good luck message to Sir Ben Ainslie and the British America’s Cup team ahead of the preliminary regatta starting Thursday 17 December.
With just one month to go to the start of the team’s America’s Cup challenge, Ineos Team UK, led by Sir Ben, received an inspiring good luck wishes from Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge in her capacity as Royal Patron of the team’s official charity, the 1851 Trust.
Preliminary racing in the 36th America’s Cup, the world’s oldest sporting trophy, begins with the America’s Cup World Series & Christmas Cup from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 December in Auckland, New Zealand.
The America’s Cup World Series and Christmas Race is a preliminary regatta ahead of the America’s Cup.
This event will see all four teams representing UK, USA, Italy and New Zealand, race against each other for the first time in their respective AC75 boats.
It is the first and only opportunity for the teams to race before the challenge for the America’s Cup starts in earnest in the Prada Cup, the Challenger Selection Series, on Friday 15 January 2021.
INEOS TEAM UK will race twice each day of the AWCS and will open their campaign against American Magic at 15:50 NZDT (02:50 GMT) on Thursday 17 December.
This will be followed immediately by a race against the Italian Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team at 16:40 NZDT (03:40 GMT).
The full ACWS race schedule is available here . . .
The America’s Cup is sports oldest international trophy and Royal support for Britain’s challenge to the win the ‘Auld Mug’ first dates to the original race in 1851 around the Isle of Wight.
When Queen Victoria saw America in first place and asked who was second, the reply came; “Ah, Your Majesty, there is no second.”
Despite starting in England 170 years ago, a British team has never won the America’s Cup.
The Duchess of Cambridge is the Royal Patron of the 1851 Trust, the official charity set up by Sir Ben Ainslie six years ago.
The Trust has developed a world class digital education platform using the power of the sport to engage young people in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.
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