35th America's Cup Opening Day Preview
Bermuda 27 May 2017
Bermuda 27 May 2017
The long wait is finally over.
After all of the preparation, all of the practice racing, all of the talk and all of the anticipation from sports fans around the world, the 35th America’s Cup is now upon us.
Following yesterday’s (Friday 26th May) postponed opening day, today will see a bumper schedule of racing as the first battles for the oldest trophy in international sport begin on Bermuda’s Great Sound with the start of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers Round Robin 1.
The opening contest will see Defenders of the ‘Auld Mug’, ORACLE TEAM USA, take on Groupama Team France, with the American team’s skipper and two-time America’s Cup winner Jimmy Spithill expecting a close contest against a rival skipper he admires greatly in Franck Cammas.
“I have a lot of respect for Franck (Cammas). He and I actually worked together in the 2010 America’s Cup campaign,” said Spithill whose ORACLE TEAM USA also face Emirates Team New Zealand in race 5.
“He’s a very tough competitor and a very successful campaigner. He’s gone out there, built teams and won, so he has our respect. It will be a great race when it comes to it.”
Meanwhile, despite being regarded as the one of underdogs in the competition, Cammas himself is not ruling out shocking the more established and favoured teams.
“Everything is possible. Nothing has started yet,” said Cammas, whose Groupama Team France also later face Emirates Team New Zealand in race 3.
“We like the fight and all of our energy will be on the fight. We are proud to race against everyone else. Our boat is fast and so I’m very excited to start the races.”
Meanwhile, Race 2 of the afternoon will see Artemis Racing face off against SoftBank Team Japan, with the Swedish team’s helmsman Nathan Outteridge believing that a strong familiarity with the Bermuda waters will pay dividends when racing starts.
“Having had the whole team based here for a year and a half has meant that everyone is settled in. We feel that going into racing it keeps everyone relaxed and so having a familiar environment on and off the water makes everyone comfortable,” said Outteridge, whose Artemis Racing team also face Land Rover BAR in race 4.
“We’ve experienced all the weather conditions Bermuda can offer. It is very variable out here and so we feel ready for whatever Bermuda can throw at us.”
Meanwhile, SoftBank Team Japan helmsman Dean Barker, whose team also face Land Rover BAR in race 6, is confident that there will be some very close racing in the weeks to come.
“There are going to be some good races for sure,” he said. “There are plenty of good teams here and there's some interesting matchups.
“Every team has seemed to have their moments in practice racing so it is going to be interesting as we go through the qualifying series.”
Today will give most people their first opportunity to see Emirates Team New Zealand’s radical pedal-power grinding system, as they prepare to follow their battle with Groupama Team France with an interesting duel with ORACLE TEAM USA in race 5.
“I think whoever goes out and sails the best race will probably win,” said Emirates Team NEw Zealand helmsman Peter Burling on his expectations ahead of today’s racing.
“For us it’s just about going out there and showing that. We are really excited about the challenge and our shore team has put us in a really good spot to give it hell.”
Meanwhile, for Land Rover BAR, who take on Artemis Racing in race 4 and finish the day’s proceedings against SoftBank Team Japan in race 6, Sir Ben Ainslie believes his team can overcome a difficult practice racing period and make the most of their two point advantage heading into the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers.
“We saw in the last America’s Cup just how quickly the competition can change and for all of the teams I know they are developing as hard as they can, and that is the same for us, we’re pushing incredibly hard to be super-fast,” said the British team’s skipper.
“These boats, this racecourse, these crews - it is all on out there and it’s going to make for an incredible spectacle, so bring it on!”
Find out how to watch the racing in your country here.
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