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The shock of being the first team eliminated from the last Copa América has been motivating for the American Magic of the New York Yacht Club.
American Magic was the second challenger to begin training in Barcelona for the 37th America’s Cup; bought two AC40s, the mid-size version of the foiling monohulls that will compete next fall for sailing’s most important prize; and hired helmsman Tom Slingsby, an Australian who is one of the most competitive and decorated sailors in the world.
The American-flagged crew will find out how they stack up against two-time defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand and four other challengers when the first of three preliminary races sail this weekend in Vilanova i La Geltrú, Spain, just offshore. from Barcelona. Practice racing is scheduled for Thursday, and a total of eight fleet races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will determine the top two teams that will face off in the racing final.
American Magic’s exit from the 36th America’s Cup in 2021 was accelerated when its yacht, Patriot, capsized and nearly sank during a race against Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team in the Challenger round robins. The team left New Zealand without having won a regatta, a disappointing result for the New York Yacht Club, which once enjoyed a 132-year winning streak in the competition for the oldest trophy in international sports.
“I think there are many lessons learned. We worked hard to address those lessons,” Terry Hutchinson, American Magic’s president of sailing operations and skipper, said recently. “Our racing skills weren’t what they needed to be, so we bought two AC40s. Firstly, we need to improve our running skills and we identified that as a weakness. “That’s a good step forward.”
American Magic has been testing two ships since July 1. “The learning curve is completely vertical,” Hutchinson said. “The things we thought we knew with one boat, we completely threw out once we had two boats side by side. “That’s a big victory.”
The AC40s sail with a crew of just four people, including two helmsmen and two trimmers.
All three 2021 challengers are back: American Magic, INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, who lost to Emirates Team New Zealand in the match. Switzerland’s Alinghi returns after a decade-long absence, this time as Alinghi Red Bull Racing, with backing from Formula One powerhouse Red Bull Racing. The France Orient Express Racing team will make its debut.
“It’s been a busy couple of months for the team here in Barcelona, but when you stop to think about the milestone of finally competing again, it’s quite a significant occasion.” Emirates Team New Zealand captain Peter Burling said.
Australian Nathan Outteridge, who has extensive America’s Cup experience as well as Olympic gold and silver medals, makes his competitive debut as a coxswain for the Kiwis.
“If you look at the fleet, I think it has to be the strongest lineup of sailors we’ve seen in a long time,” Burling said. “We have very limited time to compete against each other, which makes each regatta essential for the development of the sailing team. And the effort that each team has made to be ready for this event has shown it.”
Alinghi has also been training on two AC40s.
“Like every time we compete, the goal is to win,” said trimmer Bryan Mettraux. “But for the first regatta of this America’s Cup cycle, the goal is also to gain experience. My personal goal is to feel comfortable keeping my head out of the boat as much as possible and being good at communicating. This is what will make the difference.”
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