Can they be beaten?

While the challengers slug it out in the Prada Cup, tradition dictates that the Defender of the America’s Cup lies in wait and doesn’t show its colours until the Cup match itself.

This 36th edition of the Cup has been different, in that the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, organised two regattas before Christmas 2020 in Auckland, where all four teams took part.

This gave all Cup watchers a fascinating glimpse of each team’s and each boat’s relative performance – including that of the Defender. And as we know, the New Zealanders came out on top, winning the regatta. They were clearly the fastest on the water but their dominance overall wasn’t complete. They were threatened most by the Italian outfit, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. That, however, was in December. Both the Italians and the British made huge leaps in performance in the period over Christmas