Decision not to reschedule racing blow for Team NZ, officials
AUCKLAND: Team New Zealand’s chances of further racing before the America’s Cup in March have been quashed.
There had been talk of a rescheduled Prada Christmas Race, after the oneday event on December 20 was abandoned due to lack of wind.
There was also speculation 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 those ideas are now firmly off the table, meaning TNZ will not be able to test itself 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 official races, requires significant organisation and there simply is not 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 extra races, pointing out that it was not 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 this year due to the Covid19 pandemic.
‘‘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.
‘‘Certainly my perspective is that I would like to be out there on some more days.
‘‘There’s a lot of agreement needed on all of that, whether we can get out there and whether we’re out there as race officials practising our stuff and putting courses down.
‘‘Obviously there’s requirements from the maritime and the harbour and all of those things need to be resolved but my vote would be to get out there so when the competition starts, we’re more polished than we are now.’’
Twoday sessions on January 78 or January 1112 had been suggested by Murray.
But that is off the table.
The logistics were difficult — given the short timeframes until the Prada Cup (it starts on January 15) and the requirements final boat configurations, including foil options, need to be submitted 120 hours before the first day’s racing.
It is believed that with so much going on, the idea of practice races was not something the three 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 do not want to commit to anything that obliges them to follow a certain programme. They would prefer to test things in a different way.
For Team New Zealand it is unfortunate but far from a game changer.
While some extra racing would have been a welcome bonus, it does not change much for the defenders, as it was never in their schedule.
Helmsman Peter Burling was positive when the subject was first raised 10 days ago, but also surprised that the possibility had been floated.
‘‘I haven’t talked to the team, but I am sure we would be happy to race again,’’ he said.
‘‘But even if we don’t, we have a pretty good plan going through and feel like we are in good shape.’’
After the same press conference, Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena hedged his bets, admitting it was not a straightforward decision.
Sirena said that while there were some advantages, any proposed schedule would need to correspond ‘‘with [everyone’s] own plan and programme’’.