America's Cup: Revealed: The Cup will be contested on these bullets in 2021

The two AC75 projectiles look spectacular in the animation, rushing across the water off Auckland like a mixture of spaceship and speeding octopus with pointed noses. The moving images are still the result of intensive design, construction and animation work. However, these boats will soon be the latest generation of "flying" monohulls to enter the battle for sailing's most famous jug. With their clip and the first presentation of the new AC75 yachts, the New Zealanders have impressed the sailing world today. The comments on social media range from "Wow!" to "Ducks! With their foiling centreboards, the boats look like ducks" and "Fusion between a boat and an edge cutter" to "I thought it was a shame to lose the catamarans. Not any more."

On Tuesday evening, New Zealand's Cup defenders unveiled the new boats that will be sailing for sailing's most important silver jug in 2021 in this rather spectacular clip

In their almost three-minute video, the Kiwis give a foretaste of what sailors and fans can expect. The futuristic-looking clip first shows the new boat and then animated racing scenes between the defenders and their Challenger of Record, the Italian Prada Challenge. They are almost 23 metre long monohulls that are now replacing the catamarans of the past three editions. But they are not conventional monohulls. The AC75 yachts of the future will have tilting foils on both sides, including ballast, and will be self-righting. One fan called them "stone bearings on stilts" in memory of one of New Zealand's most successful sailing yachts. British journalist James Boyd wrote: "They look like they could crawl up the beach and lay eggs."

Exciting discussions immediately broke out among the sailing experts. For example, the question: "What happens if the windward boat gets caught in the upturned windward foil of the leeward boat?" The answer is something you'd rather not experience in reality. The America's Cup is unlikely to become any less dangerous with these boats. However, it will probably remain spectacular despite the "step back" to monohulls.

The Kiwis have also allowed themselves a little insider gag with the release of their clip. At around minute 1:40, the skipper's command can be heard - it's the voice of Jimmy Spithill. The man who, after leading 8:1, caused the New Zealanders a traumatic 8:9 defeat with Oracle Team USA off San Francisco in 2013, but ultimately lost the America's Cup to Emirates Team New Zealand and helmsman Peter Burling off Bermuda this summer.