High winds cause more delay in challenger races

8.30am

Racing in the Louis Vuitton challenger series for the America's Cup has been called off for the second day in a row due to high winds on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour.

Today's races, already delayed after high winds caused the cancellation of day two of the first round robin series yesterday, are now scheduled to be raced tomorrow.

Racing was called off for yesterday after the southwesterly wind exceeded an 18 knot threshold before the scheduled midday start.

Rules governing the Louis Vuitton Cup state that racing will not begin if winds are less than 7 knots, and racing will not commence if winds are in excess of 18 knots for a period of five minutes at any time during the 15 minutes prior to the preparatory signal.

After a race begins it can be abandoned if winds of 23 knots are sustained for five minutes.

But the wind was gusting over 20 knots on the water and the American OneWorld syndicate recorded 33 knot gusts at the top of its mast.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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