ACC boats don't sail, TP52's do

Peter Reggio, PRO of the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Auckland, decided to cancel all racing on Friday due to the adverse weather forecast, south-westerly winds ranging from 20-30 knots. According to Reggio, it is "important in this regatta - where teams aren’t using their own boats and there are just three available – to protect the equipment and the crews from their competitive instincts ."

Nevertheless, the exact same conditions are an exceptional opportunity for Emirates Team New Zealand to test their modified TP52 in heavy breezes. Last year's TP52 Medcup champion will be shipped to Europe on Tuesday, although I'm not sure whether it will come to Valencia before going to Cascais for the curtain raiser of this year's circuit.

The Emirates Team NZ TP52 yacht getting ready for a day of training in heavier winds. Auckland, 12 March 2010. Photo copyright Emirates Team NZ

Here's also a short video of Grant Dalton, talking about Friday's weather and his team's performance so far.