A British yacht has made it back to the America’s Cup finals for the first time in sixty years, bringing the island nation with its rich maritime heritage closer to ending a long wait in international sports.
INEOS Britannia secured their spot by defeating Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Friday, winning the challengers’ final series 7-4. This victory sets them up for a showdown against the defending champions, New Zealand.
“One more to go, boys!” shouted skipper Ben Ainslie as his crew celebrated joyfully, crossing the finish line in view of the Barcelona beachfront.
Despite having the most Olympic medals in sailing and a deep-rooted nautical tradition, Britain has never claimed the top prize in the sport, a drought that stretches back 173 years.
“It’s a significant moment for British sailing, that’s for sure,” Ainslie, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, remarked. “We know how tough the challenge will be against New Zealand for the America’s Cup, but it’s been a long time since we’ve come this far.”
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The last time a British boat raced in the America’s Cup final in 1964 the English soccer team was two years away from winning the World Cup and The Beatles were all the rage.
Britannia clinched the winning point after a swift and flawless race, finishing 17 seconds ahead of Luna Rossa. With this victory, they secured the Louis Vuitton Cup as the top challenger in a best-of-five series.
The British team now has a week to get ready for their showdown against Team Emirates New Zealand in the America’s Cup, which kicks off on October 12 with a first-to-seven wins format.
“It’s a huge day for our team. I can’t express how proud I am of everyone on the water, back on shore, and in the UK,” Ainslie said. “There’s a lot of pressure on these organizations, with significant investments of time and money, so we want to make it count.”
Ainslie and his crew celebrated by lifting the challengers’ trophy, which was delivered on a motorboat by two stewards in white gloves who carefully removed it from a Louis Vuitton case. Billionaire backer Jim Ratcliffe, part owner of Manchester United, then joined them to celebrate by spraying champagne.
Additional Source : AP