Holy smoke! The Am Cup billionaires are back in town
THE billionaire co-owner of chemical giant Ineos has emerged from Covid-19 quarantine in Auckland, just as the America’s Cup team it backs became the surprise leader of the Prada Cup challenger series.
Andrew Currie stepped from his superyacht Hampshire after spending 14 days in quarantine moored at Queens Wharf, chuffed over Ineos Team UK’s double win on the opening day on Friday.
‘‘Anything’s possible now,’’ Currie told Sunday News as he stepped ashore from the 66-metre Hampshire’s mooring, close to the Ineos Team UK base in the Viaduct Harbour.
Hours later, around 3pm, firefighters were called to the superyacht after bystanders saw smoke coming from the lower reaches of the boat, and Hampshire’s crew could be seen standing by with fire hoses.
The smoke dispersed quickly, but cup village security cleared onlookers from the area.
Carren Larking, of Fire and Emergency NZ, said the fire was caused by a malfunctioning transformer in the engine room.
Two fire appliances attended, but a Sunday News reporter at the scene said there appeared to be little to do.
On Friday, Currie and his family watched the back-to-back wins by Sir Ben Ainslie’s crew, during the final day of quarantine for the boat and crew, allowed in under Covid-19 exemptions related to the America’s Cup.
Ineos Team UK will not give details of the whereabouts of principal Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who was granted permission in November to enter the country.
Currie said he had been kept abreast of work undergone on the British AC75 since it struggled through the World Series regatta last month, raising questions about whether it could become competitive.
‘‘Obviously the guys have done a huge amount of work, it’s genuinely hard to gauge but as people say, Ben is Ben, he’s a great fighter, and he’s got a great team,’’ Currie told Sunday News.
He was not surprised by the stronger performance by Ineos Team UK, now atop the Prada Cup leader board with three points after three wins after yesterday’s racing. Italian rival Luna Rossa has one point and American Magic is yet to score.
‘‘It [the boat] had obviously shown some encouragement in practice a few days earlier, and he’d tuned it further.’’
Currie, estimated by US business magazine Forbes to be worth nearly NZ$10 billion, said he would be in Auckland for the duration of the cup.
spoke to Currie
before it emerged the team had faced a protest from Luna Rossa, over a new mainsail control system used on the British boat during its wins.
Ineos Team UK had planned to continue using the sail yesterday but the Italians won the protest and the British were fined $5000 and the system prohibited. That fine was donated to the Sir Peter Blake Foundation.
‘‘It got approved under measurement, I don’t know the ins and outs of where it stands this morning, but I know it hasn’t affected our points overnight, so we’re brushing it off, and we go again today,’’ grinder David ‘‘Freddie’’ Carr told