Yachting: 'Acts' make Cup competitive

Photos: Best of the America's Cup

Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth believes the pre-America's Cup "Acts" over the past three years are a key reason the showdown with Team New Zealand off Valencia has been so competitive.

For the first time in the cup's 156- year history, the present regatta was preceded by 13 events in which all 11 challengers tuned up against one another as well as the defenders.

Traditionally, the challengers' fleet and the defenders have kept their distance before the cup match.

Butterworth sees the introduction of the Acts as one explanation for Emirates Team NZ producing such a tight contest in Valencia.

The hard racing the challengers got in their Louis Vuitton Cup elimination series was another reason, as was having all syndicates reveal their boat's underwater appendages before competition began in April.

Previously, only the top two challengers and the defenders had to take the skirts off their yachts.

"You can see how hard the races are to win," he said of the showdown with Team New Zealand.

- NZPA

Full coverage of the America's Cup from nzherald.co.nz/americascup and desktoptv.co.nz