American Magic are out of the race for the America's Cup after being beaten by Luna Rossa in the Challenger Series semifinals.
Photo: PhotoSport / Andrew Cornaga
With four wins in the America's Cup Challenger Selection Series semifinals, Luna Rossa now advance to the Prada Cup final to take on Ineos Team UK.
In mid-range wind conditions, Luna Rossa cruised to victory with a 35-second win in the first race in Auckland today.
American Magic's campaign then came to an end when it was beset with mechanical issues with its foil arms in the second race and fell behind by more than three kilometres towards the end, finishing almost four minutes behind Luna Rossa.
American Magic was unable to win a race during the Challenger Selection Series, while the Italians will meet Team UK in the best-of-13 finals series, starting 13 February.
Luna Rossa helmsman Francesco Bruni said to win in the way they did was hard.
"It's really sad because they are great competitors," Bruni said of the American struggles.
"They have to be really proud of what they've done."
Bruni said the Luna Rossa team had worked hard.
"I'm very proud of the team...we made some huge steps forward. The whole team is on another level," he said.
"We demonstrated once again we are strong on the starting line...unfortunately the Americans had some problems, their boat wasn't functioning well, I feel very sorry for them."
"I think we will see some good racing in the final against Ineos."
An emotional American Magic skipper Terry Hutchinson said the defeat was "brutal".
But he said the team would take the experience in Auckland "on the chin" and look ahead to the next America's Cup.
"It would have been easy to stop," Hutchinson said of the capsize but he credited his team, sailors and shore crew, with showing a high level of resolve to get back racing.
"These are incredible boats...the highest praise for the AM team for overcoming what we did to get the boat back on the water," he said.
The winners of the Challenger Series, which ends on February 22, will take on Team NZ from March 6 for the America's Cup.
- RNZ, Reuters