Sawt Falasteen - America's Cup defender New Zealand awaiting stiff challenge in Barcelona

Emirates Team New Zealand won the final preliminary regatta in Barcelona last week but were run extremely close by Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli before the Louis Vuitton Cup, which starts Thursday.

The competition will determine the challenger to face New Zealand in the America's Cup proper in October, starting with two rounds of matches before a semi-final and final.

New Zealand will be involved in the group stage of racing but not the knock-out rounds and this is their final chance to finesse their approach.

Teams got their AC75 foiling boats on the water in official competition for the first time in the Barcelona regatta.

New Zealand triumphed in Bermuda in 2017 and then again in Auckland three years ago, hoping to become the first nation to lift the trophy in three consecutive finals since the United States in 1987, 1988 and 1992.

"We were expecting it to be tight and we were struggling to get the shifts right, but it's going to be a close regatta," said New Zealand skipper Peter Burling after his team's tight victory over Italy last week.

"It's all about making sure you get the phases right and sailing the boat in the right places.

"I think we were a little frustrated with how we sailed (in the final, but there's) plenty to go back and have a look at afterwards."

Italy were penalised three times in the regatta final race against New Zealand which ultimately cost them.

Luna Rossa, runners-up in the 2021 final, will have the chance to avenge those defeats on Thursday in their Louis Vuitton Cup opener, when they face New Zealand again.

"Hats off to New Zealand, for a great race, but I'm very proud with the team," said port helm Francesco Bruni.

"I think we have a great boat, a great team, a great sailing team and I think it will be a very interesting America's Cup."

- 'Very close' -

The America's Cup began in 1851 when the boat America of the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) beat England's Royal Yacht Squadron, with the trophy named after the vessel.

Record 30-time winners the United States retained the cup until 1983, when Australia triumphed.

NYYC American Magic just missed out on reaching the Barcelona regatta final but their boat is fast enough to challenge New Zealand and they earned a morale-boosting win over the defender on Sunday.

"I think we're still trying to figure out our strengths and weaknesses," said skipper Terry Hutchinson.

"The defender set a pretty hard mark, their boat's very good and I think the Italians are equally as good but what you see is that all the teams are very close to each other and you're not going to be able to spot anybody a lot of distance off the start line and expect to pass them."

Ineos Britannia, Switzerland's Alinghi Red Bull Racing and France's Orient Express have some reasons for optimism despite struggling in the Barcelona regatta.

"We only came out with two wins, but it felt very close to four, so I think there's good momentum within the team and we're just looking to build on that for the round robins," said Britannia sailor Dylan Fletcher.

Four-time Olympic sailing champion Ben Ainslie is the skipper of the British team, which is backed by billionaire Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Group.

France won just once last week, by default after an issue onboard American Magic, but an even battle with Britain gave them hope.

"The key is going to be the manoeuvres and to be strong on the start, so we have to work more in the simulator and on the water with boat-handling too, in order to come back stronger," said Orient Express sailor Kevin Peponnet.

Beyond four-time winners New Zealand and the United States, Switzerland are the only other nation competing who have lifted the trophy, in 2003 and 2007.

Z.Ramadan--SF-PST