Booshify finally secures his place in America's Cup E-Series Grand Final
by America's Cup 16 Sep 07:57 BST
America's Cup e-Series Qualifier 6 © America's Cup e-Series
Consistency paid off for Booshify last night in the sixth America's Cup e-Series Qualifier as this 19-year-old Kiwi sailor secured his place in the Grand Final and a shot at the prize pot of some €50,000 on September 28 2024.
Despite scoring only one race win, secured in the final race, Booshify put together a thoroughly consistent regatta series scoring a fifth, two seconds, and a third, before his bullet, to complete a dominant performance overall. His margin of victory when the scoreline was tallied, totalled some 20 points - the biggest margin of victory we've seen so far in the Qualifiers.
For Booshify, the America's Cup e-Series Qualifiers have been a long journey, having competed in all five finals up to yesterday. At the sixth time of trying, eventually his dream was realised, and he will join fellow countryman, eSailingCentral, on the plane up from New Zealand to compete in Barcelona. That could be an interesting flight as Booshify confirmed that he and eSailingCentral had been in touch and the competitive juices are already flowing: "He said he was going to disturb me the whole flight!"
Having been in six finals before qualifying, Booshify is one of the competition's most battle-hardened contestants and could well provide an upset in Barcelona. Talking about the racing, he reviewed his performance after a hug from his proud mum, saying: "I was enjoying it, especially on the last downwind where I was a bit nervous, I put my board down early and thought I was going to screw it all up but managed to just get through it all and sail it, so I was pretty happy."
Asked how stoked he was to have finally made it to Barcelona, Booshify was ecstatic, saying: "Very stoked. It's been a long grind for the last six weeks, trying to make every finals, and doing all the work and everything-I'm glad it's paid off."
Asked for a prediction on the Grand Final, Booshify definitely puts one e-sailor as a favourite saying: "I would say Liam, eSailingCentral, is probably who I would say is the favourite. He's always just so fast. He taught me everything with this game, so I have to say him."
For now, though, the glory is quite rightly all Booshify's and over the coming days he plans to spend time honing his steering wheel execution and: "play a little bit each day, do a bit of speed work, and then race the others as much as possible and some practice racing."
Congratulations Booshify, consistency and persistence paid off and we look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona on September 28. The final places now in the Grand Final will be awarded with the issue of two wild cards that will be announced in the coming week.
The America's Cup e-Series is all set for a thrilling conclusion in Barcelona where a champion of champions will be crowned.
You don't want to miss it!