The America’s Cup organisers have postponed the first weekend of racing for the America’s Cup Match due to the latest COVID-19 lockdown in Auckland.
The first racing will not now start before at least Wednesday 10 March, as Monday and Tuesday (8 & 9 Mar) are already scheduled as non-race days.
America’s Cup Event Ltd (ACE) issued the following statement Sunday 28 February 2021 . . . .
In light of the latest Auckland COVID-19 Level 3 lockdown put in place by the Government from 6am this morning for the next 7 days, America’s Cup Event Ltd has postponed the first weekend of racing on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of March.
The purpose of this early decision is to provide at least some certainty in planning for all event stakeholders with regard to next weekend initially.
America’s Cup Event Ltd Chair, Tina Symmans said, “ACE has always said that it wishes to hold as much of the racing under Level 1 restrictions as possible. But to be prudent, ACE will apply for an exemption to race under Level 3 restrictions so as to keep as many options open as possible. However, racing will not occur before at least Wednesday 10th March.”
In the meantime, ACE will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities over the next few days as this latest COVID situation unfolds.
“We need to understand all likely scenarios so that an updated racing schedule can be put in place whilst also ensuring the regulatory requirements are met,” concluded Symmans.
The earliest Auckland will come out of the new Level 3 Lockdown is Sunday 7 March, possibly at Level 2.
The 36th America’s Cup, between Italy’s Luna Rossa and and Emirates team New Zealand, was due to start on the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland on the 6 March and continue to 15 March.
However, racing will not now occur before at least Wednesday 10 March, as Monday and Tuesday (8 & 9 Mar) are already scheduled as non-race days.
The Match Conditions allow for racing to be continued, if not completed by Monday 15 March, every day ubtil completion on Sunday 21 march.
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