Peter Burling waits aboard Te Rehutai ahead of the abandoned race 10. Photo / Photosport
Peter Burling waits aboard Te Rehutai ahead of the abandoned race 10. Photo / Photosport
America's Cup regatta director Iain Murray has explained why race 10 was abandoned yesterday - denying Team New Zealand the chance to secure the Auld Mug on Tuesday.
With a lead of 6-3 in the best-of-13 series, Team NZ required just one more victory in the Cup Match against Luna Rossa and had all the momentum after defeating the Italian challenger by 30 seconds in the earlier race.
While fans and some commentators were left puzzled by the decision to abandon the race minutes before the 6pm cut-off time, both teams insisted it was the right decision.
This morning Murray revealed that about 15 minutes into the first race yesterday, the wind went from gusting up and down the course at 12-14 knots to a more unstable breeze of about 8-10kn and going left.
Race 10 between Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa was abandoned late yesterday. Photo / Photosport
That forced the race committee to try to manoeuvre the course to suit the conditions and get a second race in, but ultimately the conditions got the better of them.
"Originally we had set up the same direction for the course but pulled the length down because the breeze had gone down, then four minutes before the 5.45pm start, the breeze had gone 15 degrees left," Murray explained.
"So, we stopped that, re-laid the top marks, re-laid the bottom marks, re-laid the start mark. We got that done and it was set up for a 5.55pm start, but four minutes before that, so at 5.51pm, the breeze went right around to 240 [degrees] on one side but 270 on the other side, so we had about 30 degrees differential of wind direction across the course.
"I wasn't prepared to start a race in something that was unstable as that. For what was potentially the last race of the America's Cup, I didn't think that was appropriate."
With race 10 effectively being moved to today's schedule, Luna Rossa will get the preferred port entry at the start in both races – should two races be required.
They will need to win each of the final four races of the Match to pull off a remarkable comeback.
Though unlikely, it's not impossible - as Kiwi fans will well know after seeing Team New Zealand's 8-1 lead turn into a 9-8 defeat against Jimmy Spithill's Oracle Team USA in San Francisco in 2013.
Spithill, now co-helmsman for Luna Rossa, said he was looking forward to the challenge today: "We enjoy the fight," he said. "We live to see another day, and we're looking forward to getting out there."
Heading into the Cup racing?
• Give yourself plenty of time and think about catching a ferry, train or bus to watch the Cup.
• Make sure your AT HOP card is in your pocket. It's the best way to ride.
• Don't forget to scan QR codes with the NZ COVID Tracer app when on public transport and entering the America's Cup Village.
