LISTEN: This week’s Extra Time podcast talks America’s Cup – the speed, the safety and the sandbagging.
After months of battles off the water, the four teams taking part in the looming America’s Cup have finally begun their on water duels.
This week, Cup holders Emirates Team New Zealand, Italian Challengers of Record Luna Rossa and American Magic all got their first chances to test themselves against one another in three days of official practice. But the third challenger Ineos Team UK was dealing with technical issues all week.
In fact, by the third day on Friday, Te Rehutai, Team NZ’s race boat, was the last boat standing.
The practice racing comes ahead of four days racing later next week – the first three in a World Series event, followed by a final day “Christmas Cup” regatta. That’s followed by the month-long Prada Cup from January 15, with the winner earning the right to challenge Team New Zealand for the Auld Mug across two weeks in March.
So, with practice underway, and real racing less than a week away, who’s flying highest on their foils in the fight for international sport’s oldest trophy?
Joining Clay Wilson to discuss are Sail-World.com New Zealand editor Richard Gladwell, longtime America’s Cup journalist Suzanne McFadden of LockerRoom, and RNZ America’s Cup reporter, Felicity Reid.
* Extra Time is brought to you by RNZ, LockerRoom and Stuff
