America’s Cup rivals unite with one aim… topple Team USA

Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena admits it was no easy task to convince his team to get back on the water this week and lend Emirates Team New Zealand a hand with their America’s Cup preparations.

Ousted 7-1 in the Louis Vuitton finals, the Italian team were looking forward to packing up and going home, having barely had a day off over the past six months. But Team NZ were keen to get in some more practice racing ahead of the Cup showdown against Oracle Team USA, beginning one week today.

Sirena generously agreed. His crew and shore team took a bit longer to come around.

“I can tell you it was not easy to convince 80 people to keep going, especially to help the team that just beat you in the final,” said Sirena. “But I think in the end everyone understood why we are doing it. The reality is we all need New Zealand to win the Cup and we must do what we can to help them.

“Without wanting to take anything away from the defender, we need to be honest, the reputation of this America’s Cup has been very bad and we need to take some steps to go back to what made the Cup great like in Auckland and Valencia in 2007.”

Should Team NZ get their clutches on the Auld Mug, Luna Rossa will play a large role in shaping the next event, with Sirena confirming his team will be challenger of record. – NZ Herald, read on