Rounds 3 and 4 of the challenger qualification were scheduled for the coming weekend. Each of the three teams was to sail twice against each other. This will not take place.
The spectacular capsize of American Magic and the resulting damage forced the team to take at least a ten-day break for repairs. It will not be able to take part in the competition for the time being.
The new race schedule that has now been published stipulates that the two remaining challengers, Ineos Team UK and Luna Rossa, will compete against each other once on Saturday and once on Sunday, starting at 4.00 pm New Zealand time, 4.00 am German time. Following each of these races, there will be two "ghost races" against American Magic, in which Ineos and Luna Rossa only have to start, without opponents, so that the race officer can then stop the race and score it for the team.
Ineos Team UK has already notched up four victories last weekend and only needs one more win against Luna Rossa to go straight into the final of the challengers and thus secure a three-week break from racing and time to make improvements to the boat. Should this victory be secured in the first encounter, both teams are free to sail the remaining race.
The two losing teams in these preliminary rounds, in this scenario Luna Rossa and American Magic, will then contest the semi-finals of the challengers from 29 January to 2 February. The first team to record four wins there will be the second participant in the final.
All races will be broadcast live free of charge and can be viewed on the Cup website , on Youtube and Facebook to track. No extra app is required for mobile devices. Replays will be available on these channels immediately after the end of each race. The free-to-air Austrian TV channel Servus TV broadcasts the races live in the programme and on stream.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
