‘Brutal’: Skipper fights back tears

Emotions swirl as New York Yacht Club’s America’s Cup challenge comes to an end. Marc Hinton reports.

A distraught American Magic skipper and executive director Terry Hutchinson had to choke back the tears yesterday afternoon as he reflected on a ‘‘brutal’’ end to their America’s Cup dream on the sparkling waters off Auckland.

The New York Yacht Club’s entry in the Prada Cup challenger series of this 36th America’s Cup met an inglorious end to their semifinal against Luna Rossa when they were swept 4-0 by the rampant Italians, who had little trouble sealing the deal against the stricken Americans in lighter winds on the Hauraki Gulf.

Just 13 days ago, Patriot had nearly sunk when the boat capsized and sprung a hole in the hull during round-robin racing against the same foe. Many presumed that would be the end of the NYYC’s challenge, back in the America’s Cup after an 18-year absence.

But they reckoned without the determination and skill of the American Magic shore team, and also without the generosity of their fellow competitors who all pitched in to do their bit to get Patriot back on the water.

It was a fairytale of sorts that the Americans even made the start line late on Friday afternoon when this semifinal got under way. But there was no magical ending for the NYYC entry as they were battered from pillar to post in a one-sided series.

Luna Rossa won both of Friday’s races decisively, by 2min 43sec and 3:07, edged a tighter first-up race yesterday by 35sec and then ran away with the final contest as American Magic had major issues with their foil arm and effectively limped round the course, finishing nearly 4 minutes back.

‘‘It’s brutal,’’ said Hutchinson at the end of the second race as the tears welled up. ‘‘It’s just brutal. We’ve had a lot of people support us, and so ultimately you feel a responsibility to that. I wear these things on my sleeve, and this stuff is brutal.’’

Hutchinson thanked the New York Yacht Club and principals Doug DeVos, Roger Penske and chief executive Hap Fauth for their ‘‘unwavering’’ support, and also the team’s staunch supporter base, as well as their America’s Cup rivals for their part in the boat’s resurrection.

‘‘You go off the dock and you see the support we get from our families, and really the entire team, and at the end it helps keep it in perspective. We’re racing sailboats, we’re very, very lucky to be here in New Zealand.

‘‘The competitors showed an incredible amount of sportsmanship and really demonstrated what sailing is about to the highest level when they all reacted to Patriot’s near sinking. In that regard, it’s just a heartfelt thank-you.’’

Hutchinson admitted that ultimately American Magic’s challenge had come up short of the mark.

‘‘But I have nothing but pride for what we’ve done over the last three-and-a-half years. Obviously our measure is the result sheet, and without question that is the most disappointing part.

‘‘All we can do is take it on the chin, understand our strengths and weaknesses from here and move the whole game forward.’’

Patriot helmsman and Kiwi America’s Cup veteran Dean Barker admitted it was tough to bow out of the event at effectively the first hurdle. Even if American Magic did have their excuses, after the travails of the last few weeks.

‘‘It’s never a good feeling . . . it’s bloody hard to be honest, after all the effort we’ve put in as a team,’’ said Barker at the post-racing press conference. ‘‘In some ways that’s the most disappointing part of it all – the effort that’s gone in the last two weeks to get the boat back on the water. It was effectively a new boat that went back out there with all the systems and things that went back in, and it would have been fantastic to give the guys a thankyou in some ways for all the hard work.

‘‘It’s never a nice feeling to lose. I’ve been in the game a long time and had some tough moments and it certainly doesn’t get any easier.’’

Barker said it was frustrating to suffer the cant system failure in race two yesterday, but that it did not detract from an outstanding Luna Rossa performance. He also shrugged off questions about his own future, saying now was not the time to make those sort of decisions, but did offer his assessment on the balance of power with just three boats left in the race for the Auld Mug.

‘‘For sure all three teams have got better,’’ he said of the challengers. ‘‘It’s incredible how quickly things can change in these sort of boats. Team NZ were the form team without question in the Christmas Cup – the most consistent across the range. But they’re going to have to keep working hard to stay ahead of whoever ends up coming through the Prada Cup final.’’

‘‘The competitors showed an incredible amount of sportsmanship and really demonstrated what sailing is about.’’ Terry Hutchinson American Magic skipper