NYYC American Magic and Britain’s INEOS Britannia secured spots in the America’s Cup semi-finals along with the dominant Italian Luna Rossa boat after winning races on Saturday.
Today Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing and France’s Orient Express Racing Team to see which one will also move on and which will go home after the final round-robin regattas on Sunday.
Alinghi is 2-5 and Orient Express 1-6. The French will need to beat the British on Sunday and hope the Swiss lose to the Italians to pull level on points and force a single-race tiebreaker.
Pensacola’s American Magic went 1-1 in its two races yesterday.
FIRST RACE: Our team faced the Luna Rossa team in a southerly breeze ranging from six to 11 winds and a running swell. Both teams started evenly, but Luna Rossa gained an early advantage.
Despite the Italians’ solid upwind performance, American Magic fought back to close the gap at several critical points in the race. A few tactical maneuvers, including a smart starboard advantage, briefly put the American team ahead.
In the end, despite the Americans sailing cleanly and smoothly throughout the race, it was the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli crew that won by a margin of 26 seconds.
SECOND Race: Going up against Orient Express Racing, the American team needed a win to guarantee their advancement, and they delivered. Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison guided the team to a clean start, quickly taking the lead and putting pressure on the French crew.
Though a poor gybe briefly handed Orient Express an opportunity, American Magic recovered swiftly and extended their lead to 14 seconds on the downwind leg.
As the race progressed, the challenging conditions — including waves, debris, and variable winds — made for a tough contest. American Magic’s cyclors provided the necessary power to keep the boat at optimal speed while Slingsby and Goodison maintained composure under pressure. By the final leg, despite a late surge from the French team, American Magic held strong, crossing the line 15 seconds ahead to secure their fourth win in the Challenger Series.
For full results and standings, visit https://www.americascup.com/results
Stay updated with NYYC American Magic’s Youth Team on AmericanMagic.comand on Instagram @AmericanMagicTeam.
Race notes from American Magic Media Center
Photo: © RICARDO PINTO / AMERICA’S CUP