The second America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was easily won by Emirates Team New Zealand, racing in the one-design AC40s.
The Defenders won the match race final against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli after the Italians nose-dived on the final leg, flooding both cockpits of the AC40 and coming to a grinding halt. It was a disappointing end for the Italian team, who had hugely impressed after opting to swap their usual helming duo of Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni for the much younger pairing of Ruggero Tita and Marco Gradoni (seestory, right). The Italian team took three wins over the eight race series, sharing the honours with Emirates Team New Zealand, who took five.
