The second boat in the British challenge for the America's Cup will be called Wight Magic.
Peter Harrison, founder and chairman of GBR Challenge announced the name at a ceremony on Cowes to mark the boat's departure for New Zealand.
Wight Magic, also known as GBR78, was placed on a
barge and towed past the Royal Yacht Squadron where she was toasted by representatives from GBR Challenge's 28 sponsors, gathered on the lawn.
The BBC's Peter Snow, who will present the BBC coverage of the America's Cup, was on hand for the celebrations and Wight Magic was given a traditional Maori farewell with a haka.
From Cowes, Wight Magic will be towed to Southampton docks where she will transferred to a special transporter, with a police escort, that will take her by road to Stansted.
There she will be loaded into a Russian Antonov aircraft. These are the largest planes in the world and the only ones capable of taking the 80' yacht to New Zealand.
The Antonov and its precious cargo are due to leave Stansted at 7.00pm on Wednesday August 7. After stopping in Bangkok and Singapore, GBR78 is due to arrive in Auckland on Saturday August 10.
Peter Harrison was delighted to see GBR78 on her way to New Zealand.
"I'm thrilled that the 33-strong build team has been able to build the second boat so fast, which has given us the option of flying Wight Magic to New Zealand.
Flying out the second boat will give us five or six weeks of final practise and tune up time, which will be quite demanding on the team but will give us the maximum boat selection options between rounds."
"I have named her Wight Magic to continue the theme of linking with our team base on the Isle of Wight, where the auld mug was first contested 151 years ago.
Wight also has a spiritual meaning of spirit, courage and enterprise, as well as magical connotations.
"Our ultimate ambition is to see Wight Magic up against Team New Zealand's Black Magic, racing for the America's Cup."
Designers:
Taro Takahashi and Akihiro Kanai were involved with the Nippon Challenge campaigns in 1992, 1995 and 2000.
Builders: Jason Akers (Australia), Brandon Linton (Australia), FBM Yard (Cowes)
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
The second boat in the British challenge for the America's Cup will be called Wight Magic.
Peter Harrison, founder and chairman of GBR Challenge announced the name at a ceremony on Cowes to mark the boat's departure for New Zealand.
Wight Magic, also known as GBR78, was placed on a
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