NYYC American Magic Youth Team Qualifies for Final Series at Youth America's Cup
by NYYC American Magic 23 Sep 13:03 PDT
September 23, 2024
NYYC American Magic Youth Team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing Youth team Switzerland on Day 6 - Group A - UniCredit Youth America's Cup - September 23, 2024 - Barcelona © David Maynard /
www.alleycatphotographer.com
The NYYC American Magic Youth Team officially secured a place in the six-team Final Series of the Unicredit Youth America's Cup. With calm focus and consistency on the racecourse, the team delivered the necessary performance on the final qualifying day to secure their place in the final six.
The team, featuring Harry Melges (helm starboard), Kyle Navin (helm port), Severin Gramm (trimmer starboard), and Finn Rowe (trimmer port), navigated both highs and lows throughout the week. Despite some early challenges involving technical issues that sidelined them in races 3 and 4, they kept their cool when it mattered, coming back strong to finish the qualifiers on a high note.
In a must-win scenario for the team, Race 8 provided the platform for American Magic to deliver. They got off to a great start, finding their rhythm early and establishing a lead on the first leg. As the race unfolded, they maintained their composure, defending their position from a strong Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli challenge and resisting late pressure from Athena Pathway.
The American Magic team managed the shifts in the wind, crossing the finish line first to confirm their place in the Final Series. After the race, Melges noted, "Everything resets tomorrow in the semifinals and just a new day. The goal is to come out in the top two and make it to the final. We will be looking at the rewind of the races that we did today, and I think it's just about tying up all the little things; it looks like it's going to be a breeze similar to today, so we might jump in the simulator, and just get a little warmed up before racing."
The team has now turned their attention to tomorrow's Final Series, where they will face a tough fleet that includes Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA), Athena Pathway (GBR), Artemis (SWE), Sail Team BCN (ESP), and Andoo Team Australia (AUS). The competition will be fierce, with four races determining the two teams advancing to the ultimate Match Race Final on September 26.
For full results and standings, visit www.americascup.com/results