America’s Cup 2021: the world media reacts to the New Zealand team’s defense of the Cup

The global media reacts to the New Zealand team’s 7-3 America’s Cup victory over Italian rivals Luna Rossa.

Magnus Wheatley of the Rule 69 sailing blog said that this New Zealand team crew was one of the best to lift the Auld Cup.

“Somewhere in New Zealand right now, there are teenagers watching the most memorable of the America’s Cups that will one day be the Pete Burling or Blair Tuke of their generation. There are future superstars among us right now. The 38th or 39th America’s The Cup will be your turn, the dynasty is ready.

“Burling was on fire. Tuke was coldness personified. Ashby made all the right decisions. The crew acted. Every generation has its heroes. These are the America’s Cup champions for 2021 and one of the greatest to engrave their names on the Auld cup.. “

“Whatever happens, the Cup has a bright future. The Italians will come back. They are too good now to not know where and when the issue is. They can reflect on a campaign they executed almost perfectly. Great Cup game so admirable, aggressive but with enthusiasm and flair, winning the hearts of her nation and coming so, so close. Tonight you can reflect on a job well done and leave Auckland with your head held high. “

Stefano Vegliani of the Italian publication OA Sport credited the New Zealand team’s innovation.

“Luna Rossa ran an extraordinary America’s Cup campaign, determined, head down, not caring about those who didn’t give credit, relying on her development skills. The result of the regattas is not the result of the decisions made this week. previous., but we have to go back a year, maybe more.

“You have to give New Zealanders credit for doing an extraordinary job, for getting involved with that strange ship that left everyone speechless when it came out of the shed for the first time. It is incredible that such a small country, where Sailing is a sport second only to rugby, it produces incredible innovations like the AC75 and immediately finds a way to put a futuristic ship in the water by taking a path no one had thought of. “

Italian Federico Militello wrote in an OA Sport editorial how much the dream of winning the event meant for a country devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It was a beautiful dream. We have shaken it for three months, since the World Series in December. Bringing the Copa América to Italy, the dream of a lifetime, especially for Patrizio Bertelli. We have never been so close. But once again the dream crashed into the wall of New Zealand “.

“… the history of the America’s Cup teaches that the best boat always wins. Unfortunately, Italy has not yet managed to design it. However, it is a pity to think that it is only a question of budget. The investments of Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand turned out to be substantially equivalent, around 60-65 million euros. Kiwis can be considered true geniuses of design and engineering: they always manage to propose futuristic solutions to their opponents, such as the flat and T-shaped sheets of this edition. “

“Luna Rossa, and this is her great victory, has brought above all hope and relief to a crying Italy, doubled over for more than a year by the wounds of a lacerating pandemic.”

“Getting up in the middle of the night and admiring that boat that was sailing slightly across the ocean on the other side of the world was a small relief, it made us breathe that now lost normality at times. Even for a few hours, the Italians escaped the torments of the daily life and began to dream, letting themselves be carried away by the blinding glare of the Moon. That is precisely why we loved Luna Rossa so much. It was good to dream. “

Andrew Das of the New York Times noted how unprecedented the 36th America’s Cup was.

“The victory of the Kiwis ended one of the more unusual editions of the America’s Cup, which was first contested in 1851. This year’s races were held without their usual crowds of visiting spectators, many of whom They had been kept out of the way by strict coronavirus restrictions that had effectively closed New Zealand’s borders to non-citizens. The racing program also had to be modified several times to accommodate the strict – and ever-changing – lockdown rules that at times they forced delays in the competition.

“The participants were also different from those who preceded them. This year’s Copa América was contested by a new class of boat: elegant 75-foot foiling monohulls that, when lifted out of the water and sailed above the waves in their foils – they were capable of speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The boats didn’t glide as much through the water as they glided over it. And none did it better than Team New Zealand. “

Tom Cary of The Telegraph asked the question if the 36th America’s Cup is really good to watch.

“It was fun while it lasted (actually, not everyone would agree with that, more on that later), but by winning race 10 of match 36 of the America’s Cup on Wednesday, the New Zealand team claimed the Auld Mug for fourth time since 1995. That’s four of the last seven.

“Given that Great Britain has not been able to win one since losing the first in 1851, that just feels greedy. However, the congratulations are due to Grant Dalton’s union, who proved conclusively that they were the best team in AC36.” .

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These boats are undeniably impressive. The marketing of the America’s Cup these days as ‘F1 on the water’ is no exaggeration. An army of designers and aerodynamics, some of them employed directly by F1, they work on these boats for years, the results are spectacular.

“We see these 75 foot boats flying over 30 knots upwind. As former America’s Cup sailor Ken Read said during Monday’s race commentary. ‘You can’t do that in your motorboat with twin Mercuries.’ At times, the race has been sensational.

“New Zealand’s Tuesday win over Luna Rossa, which featured multiple lead changes in changing winds, was also insane. But it is true that the action was also quite pedestrian at times, with the boat leaving the start very difficult to overtake. If the wind was constant. And when it dropped below seven knots and the boats swayed helplessly, these highly sophisticated machines didn’t seem too smart. “

Steve McMorran of the Associated Press lamented the fact that the game was sailed in light breezes.

“With their nation on fire, the New Zealand team ran a flawless run on Wednesday at a racetrack full of shifts and cheating to win the game at their first opportunity.”

“Halfway through the six-stage race, New Zealand was 27 seconds ahead. Rounding the last mark, leading 49 seconds, and with no signs of stress on the New Zealand boat, the race was over.

“Over time, it can be regretted that all the regattas in the match were held in light winds and the full potential of these incredible boats was not seen.

“But the New Zealand team had no regrets, as St. Patrick’s Day 2021 became an important date in America’s Cup history.”

Toby Heppell from Yachting World said the event offered some interesting races.

“This Cup will be remembered for a number of reasons, the Kiwi defense on the one hand, the first showing of the AC75 (which seems likely to return for the next event) and crucially for the impressive event hosted by New Zealand amidst a pandemic.

“It has been enormously impressive for the country to organize such a quiet event under the circumstances. Now we hope to find out who will be the record challenger for the 37th Copa América, what the boats will be, where the event will take place and, eventually, if someone can take the Cup away from a New Zealand team that is starting to look dominant in the oldest trophy in sport. “