The thirty-sixth edition of the
Copa América
looses its ties.
In
Auckland
waters
, the fearsome
Emirates Team New Zealand
will try to hold the world's oldest sports trophy, while
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
aims to be the first Italian team to
claim
the
holy grail of the sea
.
The first two rounds of the 13 that make up the final of the mother of all races will take place this Wednesday (at 4:00 am in Spain).
Sailing 'All Blacks' blatantly set sail as favorites
.
Although he has not competed in the Prada Cup, the battle of challenges to become the rival of the trophy defender, the
AC75
ship
'Te Rehutai'
(in Maori, something like "the essence of the ocean that stimulates and drives our strength and Motivation ") has reached insane speeds during his solo workouts, he is even said to
have exceeded the barrier of 100 km / h (57 knots)
.
History is also on the side of the
Kiwis
: the 'Defender' has only been overthrown seven times in 170 years;
Never has a 'Challenger of Record' or first challenger (figure that Luna Rossa holds) has won the Cup and the
only precedent
between both teams in a Copa América final, in 2000, resulted in a resounding
5 to 0
in favor of the Team New Zealand.
Italy, which is playing its third final (Il Moro di Venezia lost 4-0 in 1992), is holding on to the rhythm of competition it acquired during the Prada Cup, to the possibility of weak winds in the Hauraki Gulf - conditions that they could balance the forces - and especially their only non-Italian crewman: James Spithill.
And it is that the combat of helmsmen is undoubtedly one of the great incentives.
In a corner of the ring,
41 years old
, 1.83 meters tall and weighing 87 kilos, Australian
James Spithill
faces his fourth consecutive Copa América final with two victories to his credit;
The
aussie
, as
the
rocket
of Oracle Team USA, was the executioner of Team New Zealand in the 2013 final and the victim of the same team in 2017. At the other end of the ring, at
30 years old
, 1.87 meters tall and 83 kilos of weight, one of the greatest talents that sailing has given in recent times: New Zealander
Peter Burling
, who aspires to successfully defend the Hundred Guineas Jar that he conquered four years ago.
Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa, in the December pre-regattasCOR36
Despite his youth, Burling leads the helm of an ultra-fast ship with an astonishing calm, as if he did not carry on his shoulders the responsibility of an entire nation, New Zealand,
the country that vibrates the most with sailing and has been present in all the Copa América finals for 26 years
(except in the judicialized 33rd edition of Valencia).
His ability to squeeze the full potential of anything that floats has led him to an astonishing record for his age:
eight world titles, two Olympic medals (gold and silver) and an America's Cup
, as well as third place in the
Volvo Ocean. Race
.
Peter Burling, who studied Mechanical Engineering for two years, likes to be present at all designers meetings, trying to understand every detail of the boat to make it sail faster and even providing solutions.
In 2017, for example, it ingeniously solved the problem of water that entered the catamaran with force and operated some pedals under the rudder;
He solved it by adding to the levers
the galvanized spring of a simple clothespin
.
His is an innate gift: before learning to sail (something he did at the age of 6 aboard a dumpy wooden Optimist), he already drew sailboats instead of cars or animals;
at 17 he played his first Games;
with 25 he conquered the gold of Beijing (along with Blair Tuke, who today is also a crew member of Team New Zealand) and with 26, the very America's Cup.
Four years ago in Bermuda waters, Burling brought down Larry Ellison's almighty Oracle Team USA, helmed by James Spithill, from whom the kiwi also snatched the honor of being
the youngest rod to win the America's Cup
.
Thus the revenge of what happened in 2013 was consummated, when
the Oracle of Spithill starred in one of the most memorable feats in the history of Sport
by retaining the silver ewer after going back 1 to 8 against.
Now comes the third 'round' of the pulse between the two helmsmen.
Spithill has a
tactical nose, nerves of steel and an enormous aggressiveness in the pre-starts
, in that fight that the boats fight minutes before crossing the starting line to start better positioned and with more speed than the rival.
During the Prada Cup, the pre-start was the most decisive phase of the regatta and where Spithill did not stop giving master classes against
Dean Barker's
American Magic
and
Ben Ainslie's
Ineos Team UK
.
It is true that the Australian shares the functions at the helm aboard the Luna Rossa: he drives the wheel from the starboard side and
Francesco Bruni
, from the port side.
An unusual formula but one that proved to be very effective during the Prada Cup.
In fact, Team New Zealand has even copied that formula in some training.
However, no one doubts that
Pitbull
, the Australian's nickname, is more destabilizing than his partner.
And it is that James Spithill
has spent half his life dedicated to the America's Cup
.
He made his debut in the regatta when he was just 19 years old and is now facing his seventh season.
Sailing is intrinsic to him, since he grew up in Elvira Bay, Sydney, where it is common for children to play more with sailboats than with bicycles.
As a young man, he
learned to box to defend himself from the bullying he suffered for being a redhead
, later he obtained his airplane pilot license and also regularly participates in world paddleboard events, paddling more than 50 kilometers through the fierce Pacific.
Hobbies that have given him toughness, speed and endurance.
Spithill recognizes the superiority of the adversary, but does not rule out causing a catastrophe in New Zealand: an Australian snatching the America's Cup from the 'All Blacks' of sailing on his race course.
In addition to being the fastest America's Cup boats ever conceived, the AC75s have proven capable of starring in spectacular
match racing
moments
(boat versus boat format).
If the differences between yachts are not overwhelming, Burling and Spithill are called upon to wage the most ruthless helmsman's fight in 170 years.
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