The New Zealanders claim their leadership and win the preliminary regatta

The America's Cup defender has fulfilled expectations and emerged as the winner of the competition's preliminary regatta. The New Zealanders have revalidated their leadership after defeating Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the Italian team that competed against the Kiwis in the final of the previous edition, finishing in second place in a competition where, in reality, there is no second.

The six teams in the competition offered during this preliminary regatta the spectacle of winding races of flying boats for which the city has prepared for two years. With a racecourse located between the W Hotel and the renovated Port Olímpic, the teams have competed for the first time in their new AC75 model boats. These sea rockets have starred in what has been the third preliminary regatta of the competition, after those held in Vilanova i la Geltrú in September, and in Saudi Jeddah in November.

In addition to the Kiwis and Italians, the French Orient Express Racing Team, the Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing, the British Ineos Britannia, and the American New York Yacht Club American Magic have competed in a phase where nothing was yet at stake. However, this stage has revealed the teams' strengths against their rivals and on the Barcelona waves, also before an audience that has witnessed the four days of the preliminary regatta from various fan zones and from beaches and port areas converted into stands and viewpoints.

With their victory and despite losing against American Magic in the last round, Emirates Team New Zealand has confirmed its superiority four days before the start of the America's Cup regattas, now without preliminaries. The round robin phase will begin on Thursday, August 29, and will pit all teams against each other. In this stage, which will end in early September, one of them will be eliminated, and in no case will it be the New Zealander: the trophy defender has already secured its direct pass to the final, which will be held in October. Thus, after the prelude of the preliminary regatta already in Barcelona waters, the America's Cup gets serious, diving into a new phase in which every test and every point counts.