Sept 9 (Askume) – France were eliminated as potential Copa America challengers on Monday, ending their dreams of competing for the prestigious trophy, while Great Britain secured a crucial win to top the round-robin leaderboard in Barcelona.
As leaders, Ben Ainslie’s GB can pick their opponents in the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals.
“To be honest, we didn’t really expect it, but they refused to say who they will now select to compete,” Ainslie said after beating Italy in rowing.
“It’s a huge honour for the team … all the hard work has paid off. I think we have a fast programme so we have to keep pushing forward,” Ainslie said during the America’s Cup broadcast.
The five potential challengers for the America’s Cup – Great Britain, France, Italy, the United States and Switzerland – are battling with often erratic sailing conditions in the Mediterranean in the double round-robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
England had earlier knocked France out of the competition with a convincing win over the late arrivals as cup challengers.
Quentin Delapierre said of the French squad’s performance, “We fought very hard, but it wasn’t enough,” adding that “what the team has achieved is truly incredible”.
With only one series win despite strong performances, the four teams that survived France’s elimination will advance to the semi-finals for a place in the final, which will determine who will challenge defenders New Zealand in October.
All four are aiming for the oldest international sporting trophy, the Auld Mug, first won on the south coast of England in 1851.
The America’s Cup is now worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is contested on state-of-the-art “Frustration” AC75 sailboats, considered by some to be the equivalent of a Formula One sailing race.
