America’s Cup preliminary regatta: Team New Zealand finish second as American Magic take out title in Vilanova i la Geltru

Team New Zealand finished second in the first preliminary regatta of the America's Cup cycle. Photo / America's Cup

American Magic have made the first statement of the America’s Cup cycle, taking out the first preliminary regatta of the campaign in Vilanova i la Geltru.

An event that was heavily impacted by the weather from the outset, it proved to be a theme of the weekend as the final match race was scrapped due to a lack of wind. American Magic claimed the regatta title as the top team after five fleet races.

Initially, the regatta was supposed to feature eight fleet races over three days, before the one-on-one final. However, heavy rain and thunderstorms saw the first day of racing cancelled, and a lack of wind meant only two races could be completed on the second day.

Things got off to a far better start on Monday morning (NZ time); a good breeze providing a glimpse at what the regatta could have been with the six teams contesting action-packed foiling fleet races on their one-design AC40s.

Team New Zealand picked up from where they left off the day before and claimed the opening race of the day, but with American Magic winning the next two, they went into the final match race at the top of the leaderboard and got to choose what side of the course they started on.

But by that stage of the day, the wind had fallen away and neither boat was able to get up on its foils.

As former Team New Zealand skipper and commentator Glenn Ashby put it: “I’m seeing some pretty painful yachting at the moment”, as the two crews struggled in displacement mode before the first attempt at the match race was called off due to exceeding the tie limit.

While the hope was that they would be able to try again, the wind never returned and the race was abandoned, American Magic taking the spoils as they lead Team New Zealand by just one point on the leaderboard following the fleet races.

Cup newcomers Orient Express Racing Team (France) impressed in their debut after only getting their hands on their AC40 about three weeks ago to finish third, ahead of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Ineos Britannia.