Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing and France’s Orient Express Racing Team will have to wait until Monday to determine who gets eliminated from the America's Cup, as races were postponed due to adverse weather conditions in Barcelona. Organizers cited 'dynamic and fast-moving conditions' that made racing impossible on Sunday, with significant rain showers and the threat of lightning.
Alinghi and Orient Express currently occupy the bottom of the standings, with only one team advancing after the final round-robin regattas. The French team will need to defeat Britain's INEOS Britannia and hope for a Swiss loss to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli of Italy to force a tiebreaker scenario.
The postponement worked in favor of Orient Express, which had to address structural damage on its boat following a nosedive during a practice run earlier in the day. Despite the setback, the French team managed to make repairs before the races were ultimately called off.
INEOS Britannia and NYYC American Magic secured spots in the America’s Cup playoffs on Saturday, joining Luna Rossa as the qualified challengers. The playoff series is scheduled to commence on September 14, determining which challenger will claim the Louis Vuitton Cup and earn the opportunity to face defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup match set for October. While New Zealand is participating in the initial phase, its races do not contribute to the standings.
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