New Zealand boat prior to crane accident during America's Cup

Emirates Team New Zealand encountered a significant setback in their America’s Cup defence on Thursday (29 August 2024) when their AC75 boat, Taihoro, was damaged during a crane accident in Barcelona.

The incident occurred as the 23-metre (75-foot) boat was being lifted out of the water, leading to a hard fall of about six metres (20 feet) onto its supporting cradle at the team’s base in Barcelona’s old port.

Although no team members were injured, the impact was severe enough to put the boat out of action for an undetermined period.

The team secured the boat with a portable crane and put it back in the shed. The team will not be racing today (30 August 2024) as they assess the extent of the damage. The team says it will issue an update on its plan for repair once further investigation is completed today.

The accident happened on the first day of competition for the “Auld Mug,” the oldest international sporting trophy, in the Spanish Mediterranean city.

“There was an issue with the lift, and the boat landed heavily onto its supporting cradle,” the team stated.

CEO Grant Dalton noted: “Clearly this is a setback for the team at such an important time of the campaign. These are the moments that can define an America’s Cup campaign, and we have an amazing group of dedicated and talent people who will be working around the clock on getting the boat repaired.

“We will not be sailing tomorrow at least, and will provide further updates on the outlook in due course.”

Despite the setback, New Zealand’s participation in the double round-robin series is not as critical as it is for the other competitors. As defending champions, they automatically qualify for the head-to-head final in October. The round-robin series, which includes teams from Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States, determines which challenger will face New Zealand.

Before the crane incident, New Zealand had shown strong form by defeating Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in a tightly fought race during the Preliminary Regatta. Britain also secured a victory over the U.S., who suffered a setback when their boat came off its foils before the start. French team Orient Racing Express overcame Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing in their match. Italy later redeemed itself with a win over France.

The competition continues with all teams racing against each other twice in the round-robin phase. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, which begin in mid-September.

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