GBR Challenge has confirmed its participation in the Road to the America’s Cup regatta in Auckland, 11-17 February 2002. The invitation to compete came from Cup hosts and holders Team New Zealand but GBR Challenge is one of just three syndicates to take up their offer.

The regatta will be held in Hauraki Gulf – the same waters in which America’s Cup 2003 will be raced – and Peter Harrison’s British challengers will test their mettle against Team New Zealand, Craig McCaw’s One World Challenge and Sweden’s Victory Challenge.

Unlike the 1999 event, which was raced in Team New Zealand’s pair of 1992 boats, teams will use their own boats. Instead of the normal match race format, the contest will involve a series of fleet and match races, testing for the first time the format devised after consultation between teams after the 2000 America’s Cup.