Briton Ben Ainslie yesterday had a disastrous start to his America’s Cup challenge when the sailing legend’s big-budget “flying” yacht broke down during a warm-up event in Auckland.
Defending champion Team New Zealand produced a strong opening performance in perfect conditions, while American Magic and Italy’s Luna Rossa showed they would be competitive.
It was Ainslie’s Ineos Team UK that provided the main talking point after failing to finish either of its two heats.
Photo: AFP
One of the high-tech foil arms that lift the 23m yachts above the surface of the water became stuck during its first race against the Americans, leaving it floundering in the water.
The foil appeared to seize completely in the next race against Luna Rossa, forcing Ainslie’s yacht to retire from the heat and call for a tow back to the boatshed.
Ineos Team UK is believed to have one of the largest budgets of the four America’s Cup syndicates, reportedly bankrolled by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe to the tune of ￡110 million (US$150 million).
Yet the syndicate has been dogged by problems, despite recruiting an elite crew led by Ainslie, who has won four Olympic gold sailing medals and was part of the victorious Oracle Team USA America’s Cup campaign in 2013.
Ainslie admitted this week “we have some catching up to do” to challenge for the prestigious Auld Mug.
Elsewhere, it was fun on the water as the three other teams trialed new technology and techniques in the warm-up races, which have no bearing on the America’s Cup proper.
As thousands of people watched in sunny conditions from spectator craft and the Auckland shore, Team New Zealand blitzed Luna Rossa in the first competitive race staged between two AC76-class yachts.
The New Zealanders won by 3 minutes 13 seconds, with helmsman Peter Burling saying it was rewarding to see Auckland embrace the vision he had for the event when Team New Zealand earned the right to host it by winning in Bermuda in 2017.
“It’s great the amount of Kiwis that have come out,” he said, adding that it was like “when we pictured this race course all those years ago and imagined what it could be like with all the boats around; it’s amazing to see it as a reality.”
Luna Rossa looked significantly faster in its walkover against Ainslie’s yacht and American Magic beat Team New Zealand by 12 seconds in the final race of the day.
There were to be two more days of racing heats before a knockout event called the Christmas Race on Sunday.
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah on Saturday secured his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Saudi Arabia with Luciano Benavides scraping home by two seconds to claim the motorbike title. “We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there, deep down. We are so happy to win,” al-Attiyah said at the finish. Al-Attiyah, at the wheel of a Dacia, only had to avoid a final day slip-up to top the podium after bringing his career tally of stage wins to 50 on Friday. The 55-year-old, who took clay pigeon shooting bronze at the
Tobias Harris on Monday scored 25 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics to score a 104-103 victory in their top-of-the-table Eastern Conference showdown. Harris was one of four Detroit players to finish in double figures, with Jalen Duren adding 18 points and point guard Cade Cunningham scoring 16 points with 14 assists. The win sees Detroit extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to 31-10, 5.5 games ahead of second-placed Boston, who fell to 26-16 with the defeat. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 32 points and almost snatched victory in the
RSS