ETNZ and Luna Rossa have informal "race" off Auckland

A Sail-World article on ETNZ and Luna Rossa having an informal sail together in their AC72 catamarans.

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-First-AC72-Practice-Race-takes-place-in-Auckland/103941

Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa went training off Auckland this afternoon.

It was not so much a spectacle as an historic encounter as the two AC72 catamarans met on the water.

It was the first AC72 race – practice or otherwise – to take place. The south-westerly breeze never got above 12 knots and the yachts had no chance of stretching their legs and providing the action that America’s Cup fans had expected. gallery/first-race-between-ac72s’s pictures are here.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC72 was the first to be launched – on July 21 – and the team has been testing and training alone. With only 30 days of sailing allowed under America’s Cup rules until the end of January 2012, every day is precious.

read more here