4 Sep 2024

Storm stops America's Cup boats from taking to water

9:03 pm on 4 September 2024
September 03, 2024. Louis Vuitton Cup, Race Day 5.

Lightning hits the Louis Vuitton Cup racing in Barcelona Photo: America's Cup TV

Inclement weather cancelled a second day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup second round robin in Barcelona.

A day after Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa were forced to abandon a race due to a dramatic lightning strike just a few hundred metres of the Italian boat, more stormy weather kept the boats off the water again.

The beginning of September is a transition period in the weather, so Mediterranean storms are commonplace, and with winds reportedly gusting up to 50 knots offshore on the Balearic Islands and a front moving towards Barcelona, the Race Committee made the call to abandon all racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup on Wednesday (NZT).

An updated schedule of racing will be issued in due course.

In addition to the cancellation of racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup on Wednesday, the decision was also taken to close the Official Race Village on the Moll de la Fusta and all fanzones due to the forecast for heavy rain squalls and the possibility of thunder and lightning around the Barcelona area.

Team New Zealand are racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup but are not collecting points. The winner of the Cup will face Team New Zealand in the America's Cup Match.