The final day of the America’s Cup challenger selection series, the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins was due to take place today, Sunday 8 September in Barcelona.

Those keen to see the vital last races to determine which team would be knocked out of the competition were forced to wait as a storm rolled across Barcelona, with all competitors being forced to return to shore as lightning was in the vicinity of the race course.

However, as they made their way back towards the harbour the French Orient Express Racing Team – who were due to have a must-win race today against INEOS Britannia in order to remain in the competition – had a nosedive and suffered some undefined damage. “During training we had the first nosedive we have seen on the AC75 and suffered some damage,” said the French team’s coach, Thierry Douillard.

The French team hurriedly try to repair their AC75. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

As such, the 1 hour 30 minute delay saw the French shore crew hurriedly making a series of repairs to the boat in order to get it back out onto the water in time for the first start of the day. They did make it out, but it was a close run thing and far from the ideal preparation in what could be their final race of this event.

By the time all teams were back out on the water ready for a start, the wind was dropping significantly and, in fact, by the time the French were ready for their start against INEOS, the wind had dropped below the 6 knot minimum needed to get a race underway.

Yes more delays followed as the race committee waited for any sign of some breeze but ultimately the decision was made to cancel racing for the day and to use tomorrow’s reserve day to get the final three races of the America’s Cup Challenger selection series concluded. A decision that will see the French breathing a big sigh of relief and getting to spend the next 24 hours making a slightly less hasty repair to their boat.

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