Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa All Square After Thrilling Opening Day of America’s Cup

In a thrilling start to the 36th America’s Cup off the coast of Auckland, Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa were all square at 1-1 after the first two races on Wednesday. The opening day of racing promised an exciting contest for the oldest trophy in international sport.

Defender TNZ claimed victory in the first race of the best-of-13 match, winning by 31 seconds after Luna Rossa had a shaky start. However, the Italian challengers bounced back in the second race, taking the win by seven seconds.

TNZ skipper Peter Burling admitted that his team had not been at their best in their first races in three months, especially struggling at the start of the second race. Despite this, Burling praised his team’s downwind speed and acknowledged that they made a few mistakes due to rust.

The first day of racing confirmed that the battle for the ‘Auld Mug’ would be a close contest, dispelling rumors of TNZ’s superior speed. The last time Luna Rossa took on the New Zealanders for the America’s Cup in Auckland 21 years ago, they were swept 5-0.

Luna Rossa’s Australian co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill commended his team’s performance in the second race, highlighting their strong maneuvers and ability to bounce back after losing the first race. Spithill, a two-time America’s Cup winner, expressed his excitement for the upcoming races.

The match is now tied at 1-1, setting the stage for an intense battle as the teams head into Friday’s third and fourth races. The racing will continue daily until one team wins seven races, determining the winner of the prestigious America’s Cup.