Louis Vuitton Cup Finals - Race 7
by 34th America's Cup media 25 Aug 2013 07:33 BST
23 August 2013
Emirates Team New Zealand opens 6-1 lead in Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Emirates Team New Zealand won Race 7 of the 30th anniversary Louis Vuitton Cup today with a 1:58 victory over Italy's Luna Rossa Challenge. The Kiwis lead the series 6-1 and need one more victory to close out the America's Cup Challenger Series. That chance comes tomorrow in Race 8.
Today's Race 7 was sailed in some of the strongest winds recorded in the regatta. The average wind strength was recorded at 18 knots with a maximum gust of 21.4 knots. That enabled Emirates Team New Zealand to set a new Louis Vuitton Cup speed record of 47.18 knots at Mark 3, the windward gate. That's 54 mph, or 79 feet per second for the 72-foot long catamaran! The Kiwis' previous record was 44.15 knots.
"We've hit those speeds before. We're getting used to it," said Kiwi bowman Adam Beashel. "It's a shame we didn't hit 50. It'd be nice to be the first ones to do that. We'll keep pressing on and get that before this event's over. We've gone close in practice, so hopefully we'll crack it."
Beashel may have been matter-of-fact about the speeds, but helmsman Dean Barker usually has a wider stance and tighter grip on the steering wheel when the wind gets stronger.
"When the speeds increase the margin for error steering and trimming becomes less; you have to work hard to keep the boat in balance," said Kiwi skipper Dean Barker. "It's cool sailing; you're not going to have better sailing than this. Today was dead flat water, nice strong flood tide and good solid breeze. That's about as good as it gets."
The race started similarly to yesterday's Race 6, with Emirates Team New Zealand to windward and slightly ahead. The Kiwis led by 4 seconds at the first mark, 27 seconds at the second mark, 1:53 at Mark 3, and 1:51 at Mark 4.
Luna Rossa tactician Francesco Bruni said that he would've liked to start to windward of the Kiwis, but they couldn't get to that position. Once the race started, he noted that the wind was so far to the left that there were few tactical options on the racecourse.
"The boat was going well downwind, the problem was that it's a one way track upwind. The leading boat is going to extend," said Bruni. "I still see a bit of difference in performance upwind, but downwind we are more competitive. Definitely we were better today than yesterday."
While the Kiwis topped 47 knots in the race, Luna Rossa also set an in-race record of 43.46 knots or 50 mph. Helmsman Chris Draper spoke of the insanity sailing the AC72.
"It's impossible to convey to the public what it's like to sail these boats," said Draper, the first-time Cup helmsman. "I used to think my Moth (a hydrofoiling dinghy) was full on, but these boats are just insane. Most of the time it feels in control, but there are a lot of things you have to keep aligned to stay in control."
Emirates Team New Zealand can clinch its second consecutive Louis Vuitton Cup championship tomorrow in Race 8, scheduled to start at 1:10 pm PT. Race 9, if necessary, would start at 2:10 pm PT.
Louis Vuitton Cup Final Standings: (first to 7 points wins)
- Emirates Team New Zealand – 6
- Luna Rossa Challenge – 1
Race 7 Performance Data:
- Course: 5 Legs/10.25 nautical miles
- Elapsed Time: ETNZ – 23:38, LR – 25:36
- Delta: ETNZ +1:58
- Total distance sailed: ETNZ – 11.4 NM, LR – 11.5 NM
- Average Speed: ETNZ – 29.24 knots (34 mph), LR – 27.27 knots (31 mph)
- Top Speed: ETNZ – 47.18 knots (54 mph), LR – 43.46 knots (50 mph)
- Wind speed: Average – 18 knots, Peak – 21.4 knots
Upcoming Louis Vuitton Cup Schedule: (best-of-13 series)
- Sunday, Aug. 25: Final Race 8 (1:10 pm PT), Final Race 9* (2:10 pm PT)
- Monday, Aug. 26: Final Race 10* (TBD)
* if necessary
www.americascup.com
One win away from the win (from Emirates Team New Zealand)
Emirates Team New Zealand took another point today to lead Luna Rossa 6-1 in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup. The team is now a win away from the seven needed to win the series and challenge Oracle for the America's Cup.
Today Dean Barker and crew led from start to finish and were never seriously challenged. The delta was 1min 58sec.
The breeze today was close to the upper limit; the water was flat with a flood tide of 1.9 knots.
Race 7 statistics make interesting reading. Emirates Team New Zealand's top speed was 47.18 knots, achieved as the yacht rounded mark 3. The maximum wind speed recorded was 21.4 knots.
The team did a great job. Showing superior speed with authoritative boat handling and control. They got off the start line cleanly, took the first mark 4s ahead and extended to 27s at mark.
On the beat, the boat foiling at times, the lead grew quickly and the delta at the third mark was 1m 53s, at the fourth mark 1m 51s.
Skipper Dean Barker was disappointed not to get the second race away. The breeze has crept up and exceeded today's wind limit.
Grant Dalton: "It's frustrating not to be racing again today – but that's yachting and that's how it is. We will be back again tomorrow.
"Should we get through to the Cup match, we will be sailing in these conditions. It's the top end... but the boat feels fine, it's responding well and we were able to work a bit on upwind foiling.
"As always the key is to get away at the start and lead comfortably at the first mark which closes down the following boat's options.
"Today the Luna Rossa crew did all they could do to get us but in the end we were going a little bit faster."
Race 7 update (from Luna Rossa Challenge)
Today Luna Rossa Challenge raced against Emirates Team New Zealand in the seventh race of the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals. The eight race scheduled for today has been postponed due to the wind exceeding the limits imposed by the racing rules.
Luna Rossa entered the pre-start box on starboard tack where Luna Rossa's helmsman Chris Draper took control to leeward; the two boats crossed the starting line at the same time.
Luna Rossa sailed in the Kiwi's disturbed air but was still able to maintain contact with her opponent when rounding the reaching mark with less than a boat length's gap.
The Italian team then chased the New Zealanders keeping the distance unchanged with a good boat speed.
On the downwind leg Luna Rossa was the first to jibe ashore; at this point both teams were sailing at the same average speed although the Italians made one more jibe (35,25 knots Luna Rossa, 35,70 knots Emirates Team New Zealand). In these wind conditions Luna Rossa showed clean manoeuvres and was in total control of its foiling.
At the downwind gate the boats chose two different tactics, with Luna Rossa rounding the left-hand gate and then heading out towards the Alcatraz Island, thus closing the gap on her opponent.
The wind conditions however, together with the current and the boundaries of the race course, didn't allow many tactical options notwithstanding a good upwind speed for Luna Rossa.
On the last downwind leg, although Luna Rossa again showed a good boat speed and boat handling, she was unable to close the gap and New Zealend scored its sixth point in the Louis Vuitton Final (6-1).
Chris Draper, Luna Rossa helmsman, commented: "This was definitely the most windy race we have had in the entire series. In these conditions we finally had a chance to see the incredible progress made in these last weeks. Unfortunately time has run short; we would require at least three more months of development to reach our goals. And time is, as we know, the crucial element in the America's Cup."
Luna Rossa Challenge will race again against Emirates team New Zealand tomorrow, Sunday August 25th, for the eight match of the Louis Vuitton Cup finals.
Luna Rossa Challenge's crew was: Max Sirena (skipper and pitman), Francesco Bruni (tactician), David Carr (pitman/grinder), Pierluigi de Felice (trimmer), Giles Scott (primary grinder), Chris Draper (helmsman), Xabi Fernandez (wing trimmer), Nick Hutton (bowman), Lele Marino (wing grinder), Marco Montis (freestyler) and Simone de Mari (hydraulic grinder).