America's Cup: Recon Diary - Pretty Epic - Sept 28, 2022

America's Cup Recon Emirates Team New Zealand - AC40 - Day 4 - September 28, 2022 © Adam Mustill/America's Cup

Returning to New Zealand from the European summer circuits, Pete Burling and Blair Tuke wasted no time in re-joining the extensive Kiwi testing programme, stepping aboard Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC40 for a blustery first taste of the most sensational boat of 2022.

Nathan Outteridge who’s been steering one pod during the initial outings alongside Olympic bronze medallist Sam Meech were again onboard for an intense afternoon session having craned in at 11.30am and docked-out just an hour later with the rig set for the tow to the sailing area.

After a positive first few days of sailing and testing by the extended team, it was interesting to note how the returning team members, on their first full day on the AC40, were able to quickly go from tentative to full-on pushing as the commissioning process for the AC40 continues apace.

After some getting-to-know-the boat-runs in sheltered waters, pretty soon the team were looking for more testing conditions: “We were tucked in behind Waiheke Island for a bit, so we went out to find more waves in Shark Alley,” commented Tuke, “And then we lined up right on the waves of the Waiheke ferry which is pretty similar swell to what we’ve been sailing in Cadiz recently.”

For Magnus Wheatley's full report click here