Team New Zealand made a successful return to racing this morning, albeit short-lived.
Having to fix their AC75 Taihoro when it was damaged after a crane failure following the opening day of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series, the defender managed to assess the damage, complete the repair and get the boat back on the water all within 48 hours.
There were no signs of lingering issues, however, they didn’t get a chance to test the vessel in a proper race. French challenger Orient Express Racing Team retired from their match before the start, and their second race of the day, against Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing, was postponed due to the light conditions.
Light conditions have dictated the challenger series so far, with only two of four scheduled races being completed on day two. That, coupled with the return of Team NZ, saw management schedule six races rather than the usual four for day three - ultimately getting through five.
Starting with port entry against Orient Express, Team NZ were allowed into the starting box 10 seconds before the French, who were scheduled to enter from starboard. However, the challenger was nowhere to be seen. Instead, they were parked up with an issue on board and did not look like racing. They retired from the contest moments after they were due in the starting box.
