◾British actor, Alfie Allen, joins Britain's America's Cup team Land Rover BAR in New York

◾Game of Thrones star recruited by Sir Ben Ainslie to be the team's 'sixth man'

◾Land Rover BAR is bidding to become the first British team to win the America's Cup

New York: British actor, Alfie Allen, joined Britain's America's Cup sailors in New York yesterday as they prepare to do battle in the next Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series event which starts today.

Allen took time out from a busy schedule of rehearsals for his West End debut in Jesse Eisenberg's play THE SPOILS to join Sir Ben Ainslie and the Land Rover BAR team on the Hudson River for a showdown with America's Cup Defenders Oracle Team USA.

All eyes were on the British team and the Game of Thrones star as Land Rover BAR made its inaugural outing in New York. Practice racing played out in front of the Statue of Liberty reigniting the rivalry ahead of this weekend's sailing spectacle (Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th).

Allen, who plays Theon Greyjoy in the award winning HBO series, swapped his furs for a wetsuit to experience the thrill of flying on water aboard Land Rover BAR's foiling catamaran under the dramatic backdrop of the Manhattan skyline.

Despite limited sailing experience, the celebrity 'sixth man' proved equal to the challenge. Sitting on the stern just behind Sir Ben Ainslie, Allen admitted he'd never experienced anything like it. 'It's still sinking in really that I'm here with this amazing team – Ben's a legend! I'll be honest I'm not an avid sailor but being 'sixth man' is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's incredible watching how the team and the boat operate on the water, we got foiling - it was amazing.

The actor who went to college in Portsmouth England, the home of Land Rover BAR, made it clear where his allegiances lie ahead of the weekend's official racing; 'Of course, I'm bigging up the Brits man! As long as we come ahead of the Americans I'm happy.'

Land Rover BAR Team Principal and Skipper, Sir Ben Ainslie, said: 'The lads are big fans of Game of Thrones so it was a pleasure to meet Alfie and give him a taste of America's Cup racing. I know he's a big Formula One fan and this is effectively the equivalent on water. I think he must have enjoyed it because he's coming back to cheer us on tomorrow.'