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The organizers of the America’s Cup challenger series reluctantly agreed to resume racing in Auckland this weekend, but expressed frustration at coronavirus-related crowd restrictions.
The challenger series, also known as the Prada Cup, was temporarily on hold this week as the host city imposed a three-day lockdown to contain a virus outbreak.
With the outbreak under control, stay-at-home orders were lifted on Wednesday evening and the America’s Cup Events (ACE) organizer said the race between Italy’s Luna Rossa and Ineos Team UK would resume on Saturday.
Luna Rossa leads 4-0 in the best-of-13 regatta, which will determine which boat will challenge Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup next month.
In an unusual move, ACE President Tina Symmans said she would have preferred to delay the event further until Auckland lifts Covid-19 restrictions limiting spectators to 100.
But she said Luna Rossa had insisted the teams get back on the water and questioned the sportsmanship of the Italians, saying it was in no one’s best interest to race in front of limited crowds.
“It is clear that they are focusing only on Luna Rossa winning the Prada Cup, rather than on the greater good of the country which has worked so hard to be able to organize this event,” she said.
Luna Rossa spokesperson Francesco Longanesi Cattani ignored Symmans criticism, saying the team just wanted to follow the rules agreed upon by all participants before the event started.
“This is what we do and what we want to implement,” he told reporters.
Ineos Team UK, led by British sailing legend Ben Ainslie, said he would have supported postponing the race for up to a week so that it can take place in front of limitless crowds.
Such a result would also have given the Brits more time to find improvements in their boat, which seemed well outside the pace set by Luna Rossa.
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