Sport
1News

Team NZ reveal Auckland course for America's Cup 2021

September 1, 2018

World sailing's biggest show will descend on Auckland in 2021.

Team New Zealand have this morning unveiled the course of the 2021 America’s Cup and released the official dates of racing.

The America's Cup is set to take place from March 6-21 in 2021, where it will be the best of 13 series between Team New Zealand and the winner of the Prada Cup challenger series.

Races are expected to begin between 4pm and 6pm, New Zealand time.

The course is set to take place in the Hauraki Gulf, which runs along the North Shore beaches close to North Head within the inner part of Waitemata Harbour.

It is then set to continue up to the Harbour Bridge and downtown Auckland, across Auckland's eastern suburbs and between the Tamaki Strait, Waiheke Island and Maraetai.

Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton told americascup.com that the Auckland venue provides an array of race course options.

"There is a reason that Auckland is world-renowned as 'The City of Sails' and for its sailing conditions," Dalton told americascup.com.

"We're very fortunate that the geography of Auckland allows us so many exciting and challenging race course options in close proximity to elevated vantage points for spectators on land.

Team New Zealand lifting America's Cup

"We needed to define a wide racing area to cater for all wind and tide directions and conditions, which we have done across the racing area,” he said.

"But the one overarching objective in identifying the specific race courses within the race area was to bring the racing as close as possible to the land-based spectators, and we are incredibly lucky to have both North Head and Bastion Point where the public will literally be able to hear the AC75s whistling above the water and see the wind shifts on the water without having to set foot on a boat.

"In saying this, catering to the huge expected spectator fleet does provide its own challenges, but we have been working closely with the harbour master and all related agencies that have fully bought into the objectives and to do everything we can to make this America's Cup the most inclusive and spectator friendly America's Cup ever."

SHARE ME

More Stories