Friday's racing in the America's Cup Challenger Selection Series in Auckland has been called off.
Team UK and Luna Rossa will have to take part in "ghost" races against the absent American Magic to pick up a point. Photo: Studio Borlenghi
American Magic's withdrawal from the final two round robins of the series, following damage to their boat in Sunday's capsize, has lead to a change in schedule.
On Saturday and Sunday Luna Rossa and Team UK will race at 4pm.
In order to comply with the formality of the Regulations, both teams will have to take the start of a "ghost race" versus American Magic to pick up a point.
The "ghost race" will then be suspended just a few minutes after the start.
Should Team UK win the Saturday race, the Sunday race result will be redundant as Team UK would be the first classified team of the round robins and, as such, will go directly through to the Challenger Selection Series Final.
In that event the two teams will have the choice whether or not to race on Sunday.
American Magic's damaged AC75 being craned back into the boat shed at the team's base in Auckland after capsizing during the America's Cup Challenger Selection Series. Photo: Studio Borlenghi
The original programme had Team UK racing twice - once against each of the other two challengers - on Friday, American Magic in action twice on Saturday and Luna Rossa doubling up on Sunday.
Under the protocol governing the 36th America's Cup, Challenger of Record (COR) Luna Rossa are the team able make changes to the Challenger Selection Series (CSS) schedule.
In an amendment made to the protocol in July 2020, it stated:"COR shall have the right at any time prior to the commencement of any phase of the CSS, in consultation with the other Challengers and RNZYS, to alter the number of races for each stage depending upon the number of the then eligible Challengers and the time available for the competition."
After capsizing during racing on 17 January and sustaining significant damage to their AC75, American Magic confirmed they planned to be back for the Challenger Selection Series semi-finals starting on 29 January.
The semi-finals pit the bottom two teams, after the four round robins, against each other in a best of seven races with the winner progressing to the Challenger Selection Series finals starting on 13 February. The finals is a best of 13 race series where the first team to reach seven wins will win the trophy and the rights to challenge for the 36th America's Cup against Team New Zealand.
Undefeated Team UK and challengers of record Luna Rossa had to confidentially declare to the regatta's measurement committee by 3pm on Wednesday the configuration of their boats to be sailed in the next block of racing starting this week.
The teams were required to identify which of their the hull, foils, rudder and mast tube will be used.
Team UK came under fire for modifications to their boat which did not meet the AC75 class rule during the last block of racing and were fined.
The boat had passed the Measurement Committee's initial inspection but after racing Luna Rossa brought the changes to the British team's mainsail to the attention of the rule makers.
The infringement was deemed to not have impacted on the performance of the yacht.
On Tuesday a new interpretation of the AC75 class rule was released around mast fairings, which will be under scrunity on Wednesday.