A New Zealand sailing team today won the first-ever Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in San Francisco.
The New Zealand Sailing Team with Emirates Team New Zealand clinched the title after racing finished up this afternoon on the Bay.
The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup was a competition involving teams of men ages 19 to 24 and served as a prelude to the America’s Cup Finals starting Saturday between Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand.
Full Metal Jacket Racing, a team also from New Zealand, finished second in the youth competition while ROFF/Cascais Sailing Team from Portugal finished third.
American Youth Sailing Force, the team associated with the defending America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA, finished fifth.
A total of 10 teams competed in the youth races, which began Sunday and ended today with a seventh race that was won by a team from Switzerland.
An eighth race that would have been worth double points in the competition had to be canceled this afternoon because of high winds, according to race officials.
When the America’s Cup Finals begin Saturday, the Oracle team will be starting from a disadvantage after the regatta’s International Jury docked them two points for making illegal modifications to their boats during exhibition races in 2012 and earlier this year.
As a result, Oracle will have to win 11 races to clinch the America’s Cup, while Emirates Team New Zealand only has to win nine.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
