Team New Zealand leads America’s Cup World Series standing after win in Sweden
September 21, 2015
GOTHENBURG, Sweden (LOG NEWS SERVICE) — Emirates Team New Zealand leads the overall standing in the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) after winning the second ACWS stop of the year here Aug. 29-30.
Led by skipper Glenn Ashby and new helmsman Peter Burling, the Kiwis performed well in light, shifty conditions.
Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing is now in second place in overall standing following winning third place in Gothenburg and winning the America’s Cup World Series opener at his home port of Portsmouth, England July 25-26.
Oracle Team USA, which follows a close third in overall standing, was fourth in both races Aug. 30. The two-time defending America’s Cup champion had two first-place finishes Aug. 29 and finished the regatta in Gothenburg in second place.
Overall standing in team points following the races in Gothenburg are Emirates Team New Zealand (72 points), Land Rover Bar (65 points), Oracle Team USA (64 points), SoftBank Team Japan (56), Artemis Racing of Sweden (53) and Groupama Team France (50).
The weekend’s racing in the AC45F foiling catamarans was the second of a lengthy qualification process which will count towards the 2017 America’s Cup Challenger Series, the winner of which will take on cup holder Oracle Team USA in the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda.
There is one more one more opportunity this year — Bermuda, Oct. 16-18 — for teams to earn points towards the Challenger finals in 2017.
The opening event of the 2015 ACWS had been scheduled for Cagliari, Sardinia in June. It was canceled following Luna Rosa’s withdrawal from the America’s Cup after a majority of teams voted to reduce the size of the catamarans for the second time in less than a year.
Originally known as the Royal Yacht Squadron’s 100 Pound Cup, the trophy was awarded to the winner of a race around the Isle of Wight off England’s south coast in 1851. It was won by the schooner America and became known as the America’s Cup after it was given to the New York Yacht Club in 1857. It has never been won by a British team.
A report from The Associated Press was used in this story.
