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Auckland, NZL (February 2, 2023) – America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand became the first campaign for the 2024 Match to commence a two boat testing program with crews today onboard AC40s on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.
Team members for the 3.5 hour session was the now familiar crew of Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge helming with Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney trimming on boat #1. Liv MacKay swapped port side driving duties with Leonard Takahashi while Josh Junior was on the starboard helm on the second AC40 with Sam Meech and Marcus Hansen in the trimming seats.
It didn’t take long for the competitiveness of the sailors to show, engaging in some match-race action. “We were quickly into it,” noted Junior. “Our team was just getting used to the boat and next minute Pete, Nath, Andy and Blair jumped into windward of us and we were straight into a line up which was really exciting and a huge credit to the whole team to be able to get to this point having two boats on the water.”
Coach Ray Davies noted the benefits of the two boats squaring off. “The boats were engaging so well from the outset and as a result you could definitely see some instant gains in communication between the guys and girls onboard, obviously keeping check on the other boat’s performance and moves which is really important as far as match racing goes…
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