America's Cup - Emirates Team NZ hooks up in Bermuda with Brits +Video

by Sail-World.com on 25 Apr 2017 Emirates Team New Zealand were training again on the Great Sound in Bermuda, in fresh winds of over 25kts from the ESE.

These conditions are fresher than is normally permitted for Cup racing. Interestingly according to the real-time observations available through Predictwind.com the average wind-strength and gust wind strength were very close. The video team filming the race and training put the wind strength lower at 15-20kts.

MyislandhomeBDA caught the America's Cup Challenger as they had their first real hook-up with another team - lining up against Britain's Land Rover BAR.

Emirates Team New Zealand returned to their base after the first session, coming back out later in the afternoon for more practice. Their first real race is expected to come on Friday in the final round of the Practice Racing currently scheduled from April 24-28.

Artemis Racing appeared to be the form boat in the fresh conditions.

The Kiwi team are believed to be still sailing with their old rudders and daggerboards.

The British have been one of the easy-beats of the Practice racing to date, but appeared to be sailing very well today, without any of the hallmark issues that have underscored their campaign to date. While the line-up wasn't a real race, it did show that the Kiwi's didn't have a marked speed advantage, in fact in some footage the British were faster through the water and in the conditions the British didn't appear to give away too much to the Kiwis in the foiling tack department either.

The pointers are that the America's Cup racing will be closer than some New Zealand fans would have liked, and that the winning will be in small differences, rather than one boat being significantly faster through the water than the other five.

April 25 - America's Cup Practice Racing - Part 1:



April 25 - America's Cup Practice Racing - Part 2:



April 25 - America's Cup Practice Racing - Part 3:



April 25 - America's Cup Practice Racing - Part 4:



April 25 - America's Cup Practice Racing - Part 5:



April 25 - America's Cup Practice Racing - Part 6: