Team USA capsizes in America’s Cup challenger series
- by Nick Cohen
- in Industry
- — Jan 18, 2021
The America's Cup challengers were well on their way to victory in the final race of the day against Luna Rossa, before a sharp turn on the final mark in strong winds saw them capsize.
American Magic was the first of two teams to experience that form reversal and Team UK went on to beat Italys Luna Rossa by 28 seconds later in the day. To see our team go from nearly certain victory to nearly losing the boat in a few short moments was heartbreaking.
None of the crew was injured and all were recovered safely.
The 70ft foiling monohulls that are contesting sport's oldest worldwide trophy have been prone to capsizes, with defending champions Team New Zealand tipping over on three occasions during practice. Working together, the group used mobile pumps to empty the hull and stabilize Patriot before towing the boat to its base in Auckland, New Zealand.
Hutchinson was on board the boat when it hit the water at approximately 80km/h and said it was "pretty hairball".
"When you start attaching things to the top of the mast, you know that's not a good situation", he told reporters on the dock. "Swings and roundabouts and it obviously didn't go that well for us", he said. "It's too early to really comment on how long it takes or the extent of it". 'We managed to muscle the boat around and get the win.
While racing doesn't resume until Friday, competing boats are expected to be available to be measured in their race set-up by Wednesday afternoon.
The New York Yacht Club-backed team tweeted "awful end to what was looking like a great race for Patriot".
"I have to say that there is a little bit of mother nature biting us and debriefing it internally. we'll have to make sure that we don't make the same mistake". "Until you're dead, you're not". Without it, I don't think we would've been able to keep PATRIOT afloat.
It's not easy to create an America's Cup syndicate from scratch and be competitive.
The series will determine which of the 23-metre (75-foot) yachts - which fly above the water balanced on hi-tech foil arms - will challenge defending champion Team New Zealand for the America's Cup in March.
"Team New Zealand in particular helped tow us back to the dock for three and a half hours".
