Matt Sheahan looks at the highly controversial Saudi America’s Cup event.
The Saudi Arabia venue for the second America’s Cup Preliminary event was always likely to be controversial, but few expected the AC40 series to redefine high performance racing on foils – Yet that’s precisely what the three day series did.
Plus, Matt talks exclusively to the new IMOCA Globe Series Champion Sam Goodchild about his performance in the Transat Jaques Vabre and discover his pick of the pack in the ultra competitive IMOCA fleet as the focus draws in on the 2024 Vendée Globe.
Moving six teams along with the travelling Cup circus to a country and coastline that has never previously hosted a grand prix sailing event of any kind was a bold call.
But after a week of training and racing it was clear that this style of high octane racing had changed for good.
From close-quarters boat on boat tactics at closing speeds of over 60knots, to stunning performances from some of the youngest sailors the Cup has ever seen and shocks for some of the big guns, this was an event that will be talked about for some time.
