Glenn Ashby quashes rumour Team NZ hitting 110km/h — 'Tell him he's dreaming'

While Team New Zealand may be viewed as "scary" to other competitors with how well they're performing behind closed doors, one rumour surrounding the America's Cup defenders and their boat has been firmly quashed by the team's skipper himself.

Glenn Ashby and Team NZ have continued to tinker with Te Rehutai this week after it was confirmed racing for the America's Cup was postponed due to Auckland's lockdown over a community outbreak of Covid-19.

That's led to some rivals coming out and speaking about what they've seen from the Kiwi syndicate, including comments from INEOS Team UK about how intimidating the New Zealanders are based on their current performances in practice.

Ashby said the team is blocking out that noise, though.

"We've very much for the last three and a half years been focusing on our programme," Ashby told 1 NEWS.

"We don't know exactly how fast we are and we'll find out probably in the first race."

While their top speed may not be known, or simply revealed, Ashby did confirm the rumour swirling around the Waitemata that Te Rehutai is hitting 60 knots — or 110km/h — isn't true, let alone possible.

"60 knots is pushing things," Ashby said with a smile.

"There once was a movie saying, 'Tell him he's dreaming,' so it's very much that with the 60 knots.

"The boats are definitely getting faster and we're pushing the boundaries pretty hard but you run into some barriers at just over 50 knots.

"That's physics."

Ashby did admit, though, that perhaps one day an America's Cup boat could hit the terrifying number.

"The sky's the limit — who knows what the future holds for performance."