America’s Cup: USA favored to face Kiwis

With the three America’s Cup challenger teams preparing to begin their Selection Series on January 15 at 3:00pm NZT (Jan. 14 at 9pm EST), Kiwi news service Stuff reports how the betting services view the upcoming racing:

The bookmakers have Team New Zealand a heavy favorite to retain the America’s Cup with American Magic the favoured challenger and Britain a distant last as an old concern resurfaced.

The New Zealand TAB has Emirates Team New Zealand at $1.37 to retain the Auld Mug. American Magic are at $4.25, followed by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli at $6, and INEOS Team UK a distant $21.

It’s a similar recipe for the Prada Cup as American Magic are the favored challenger at $1.75, Luna Rossa are at $2.35, and INEOS Team UK at $8.

While Team New Zealand has demonstrated some serious speed against the challengers during the December races and practice scrimmages in January, INEOS Team UK has been less of a known quantity during that span.

There have been signs of steady improvement from the British since their disastrous world series regatta in December when they couldn’t win a race and hardly finished any as breakdowns and lower-wind performance deficiencies plagued them.

But that lower wind zone continues to haunt them. While looking comfortable in steady foiling breeze, whenever the wind dipped, it still appears their sail and foil package isn’t broad enough to cross the spectrum.

Alarm bells could be ringing for the opening day of the Prada Cup where Sir Ben Ainslie’s team face both American Magic and Luna Rossa. The forecast looks to be threatening the lower limit of 6.5 knots with the winds swinging around the compass.

The three challengers must declare their boat configuration on January 13, taking a gamble on conditions for the first three days of racing where they will be unable to change those key ingredients for a block of racing that covers the first two round-robins.

Another declaration on January 20 is for the second block of round-robin racing to be held January 22-24.

For details on the racing, and how to watch it, click here.

Details: www.americascup.com

36th America’s Cup
In addition to Challenges from Italy, USA, and Great Britain that were accepted during the initial entry period (January 1 to June 30, 2018), eight additional Notices of Challenge were received by the late entry deadline on November 30, 2018. Of those eight submittals, entries from Malta, USA, and the Netherlands were also accepted. Here’s the list:

Defender:
• Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)

Challengers:
• Luna Rossa (ITA) – Challenger of Record
• American Magic (USA)
• INEOS Team UK (GBR)
• Malta Altus Challenge (MLT) – WITHDRAWN
• Stars + Stripes Team USA (USA) – WITHDRAWN
• DutchSail (NED) – WITHDRAWN

Key America’s Cup dates:
✔ September 28, 2017: 36th America’s Cup Protocol released
✔ November 30, 2017: AC75 Class concepts released to key stakeholders
✔ January 1, 2018: Entries for Challengers open
✔ March 31, 2018: AC75 Class Rule published
✔ June 30, 2018: Entries for Challengers close
✔ August 31, 2018: Location of the America’s Cup Match and The PRADA Cup confirmed
✔ August 31, 2018: Specific race course area confirmed
✔ November 30, 2018: Late entries deadline
✔ March 31, 2019: Boat 1 can be launched (DELAYED)
✔ 2nd half of 2019: 2 x America’s Cup World Series events (CANCELLED)
✔ October 1, 2019: US$1million late entry fee deadline (NOT KNOWN)
✔ February 1, 2020: Boat 2 can be launched (DELAYED)
✔ April 23-26, 2020: First (1/3) America’s Cup World Series event in Cagliari, Sardinia (CANCELLED)
✔ June 4-7, 2020: Second (2/3) America’s Cup World Series event in Portsmouth, England (CANCELLED)
✔ December 17-20, 2020: Third (3/3) America’s Cup World Series event in Auckland, New Zealand
• January 15-February 22, 2021: The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series
• March 6-15, 2021: The America’s Cup Match

Youth America’s Cup Competition (CANCELLED)
• February 18-23, 2021
• March 1-5, 2021
• March 8-12, 2021

AC75 launch dates:
September 6, 2019 – Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Boat 1
September 10, 2019 – American Magic (USA), Boat 1; actual launch date earlier but not released
October 2, 2019 – Luna Rossa (ITA), Boat 1
October 4, 2019 – INEOS Team UK (GBR), Boat 1
October 16, 2020 – American Magic (USA), Boat 2
October 17, 2020 – INEOS Team UK (GBR), Boat 2
October 20, 2020 – Luna Rossa (ITA), Boat 2
November 19, 2020 – Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Boat 2

Details: www.americascup.com