America's Cup World Series: Xmas Cup Course and Forecast

Start - race 1 - INEOS Team UK and Luna Rossa - America's Cup World Series - Day 3 - Waitemata Harbour - December 19, 2020 - 36th Americas Cup presented by Prada © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com

Regatta Director Iain Murray has advised that the course today, for the one day Xmas Cup is likely to be Course A, and the northern of the two locations for Course A

That means that the start will be laid off Castor Bay reef and the course will extend towards Tiritiri Matangi.

Spectator fleet is asked to stay well back - marshals will be into the course early to get the crowd into position.

Shore based viewing is not good for this location. The normal vantage point of Kennedy Park has been heavily planted along its edge and public visbility has been blocked. There is a stairway down the cliff to Back Beach, but the stairway is not designed as a vantage point.

Campbells Bay is a good low-down position or go to Campbells Bay Primary Schools which has a commanding view of the course.

The wind is light seabreeze at present, with a stronger seabreeze of just 5-7kts forecast by Predictwind.

However a seabreeze stronger than the forecast is settling in over the race area.

The five course areas designated in the inner Hauraki Gulf - the land adjacent to course B is a 850ft volcanic cone. North Head and a second volcanic cone, Mt Victoria are also substantial obstructions - photo © Emirates Team New Zealand

Auckland Harbour Chart - with the Course `C` area running NE/SW between Bastion Point and North Head. AC75's will have to race in the large white area in the centre of the chart because of Bean Rock and several associated reefs in the blue area. - photo © Navico

This is a knockout series.

First race start is at 3.12pm with Emirates Team New Zealand against INEOS Team UK

The second start is Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli against American Magic.

The third start will be Final of the Xmas Cup between the winners of the first two races.

The fourth and final start will be between the two losing teams from the first two races.

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