Racing off in a blow for Team NZ
Rescheduling of any races quashed due to lack time, people
Team New Zealand’s chance of some further racing ahead of the America’s Cup in March has been quashed. There had been talk of a rescheduled Christmas Race, after the one-day event on December 20 was abandoned due to lack of wind.
There was also speculation that some more official practice races could be staged, similar to the sequence that took place in the seven days leading up to the America’s Cup World Series.
The Herald understands both ideas are now off the table, meaning Team New Zealand won’t be able to test themselves again against any of the opposition boats until March 6, the date slated as the first day of the America’s Cup match.
Staging the Christmas Race in early January was always a long shot, even if the suggestion was made with sincere intentions. Such an event, which would encompass four races, requires significant organisation and there simply isn’t the people available — from the paid staff to the army of volunteers needed — to run such a programme at short notice during New Zealand’s holiday period.
Official practice sessions in the second week of January would have been more viable, given the lesser manpower commitment.
Regatta director Iain Murray was pushing for some extra races, pointing out it wasn’t just the crews that needed time on the water, after the America’s Cup World Series events in Cagliari and Portsmouth were unable to be staged earlier in 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Not only [do] the race boats need practice, so do the race officials and everyone else,” Murray said after the America’s Cup World Series. “My perspective is that I would like to be out there on some more days.”
Two-day sessions on January 7 and 8 or January 11 and 12 had been suggested by Murray.
That is off the table. The logistics were difficult — given the short time frames until the Prada Cup (it starts on January 15) and the requirements that final boat configurations (including foil options) need to be submitted 120 hours ahead of the first day’s racing.
It’s believed that with so much going on, the idea of practice races wasn’t something the challengers were pursuing with any urgency.
The decision also reflects a desire of American Magic, Luna Rossa and Ineos Team UK to follow their own path in the next two weeks.
Their priority is to be prepared for the Prada Cup and they don’t want to commit to anything that obliges them to follow a certain programme.
For Team New Zealand, it’s unfortunate but far from a game changer. Although some extra racing would have been a welcome bonus, it doesn’t change much for the defenders, as it was never in their schedule.
The fleet may cross paths over the next fortnight and could even engage in some impromptu drag racing on the Hauraki Gulf, as we saw occasionally in the month leading up to the America’s Cup World Series.
That won’t circumvent any rules, as long as there is no sailing or practising in a “co-ordinated manner” with the other teams.
Most of Team New Zealand took a break over Christmas. They are expected to return to work early in the new year as the countdown continues to the 36th America’s Cup.