Please select your home edition
Edition
Musto 2023 Hikers LEADERBOARD

Adventures of a Sailor Girl Prada Cup Day 2 Review

by Nic Douglass 16 Jan 2021 21:35 GMT 15 January - 22 February 2021
Terry Hutchinson still in good spirits © COR36 / Studio Borlenghi

"Sometimes you are the bug, and some days you are the windshield" said Terry Hutchison of today's Prada Cup racing. "At any given moment all the teams were dealing with the same thing, I guess we drew the unlucky number in the lottery." said Hutchinson of today's race track.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli posted their first win in race three over the American's, and in what ended up being a race against the clock, INEOS Team UK also took their third win from three races against American Magic in the fourth race of the Prada Cup, the first of Round Robin 2. They finished at 42:44, with a maximum allowed time limit of 45 minutes in what was described so well by Terry Hutchinson as a "connect-the-dots breeze day".

Welcome to day 2 - AC Chat & Wrap:

Debrief for day 2 - AC Chat & Wrap:

As the only team to not post a win so far in the Prada Cup Challenger Series for the 36th America's Cup, all eyes and ears were on the NYYC American Magic sailors.

"I would suspect our foil is small" he continued to attempt to explain why the team found it difficult to stay on their foils today.

For those watching, they also had a smaller headsail than Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli up for race three of the series. "We didn't expect to be sailing in that amount of breeze, was a bit of a surprise that it got late light" said Dean Barker as he took off on the foils in between race three and four today on the broadcast.

"You hedge, when you designed the boat two years ago, you are making decisions on what you think the conditions may or may not be... We have to continue to stay committed to learning to sail our boat, learning how to race our boat" said Terry post-racing.

"For sure we stayed on the foils for longer, otherwise we would not have won the race" commented Bruni, "as Terry said, very hard conditions, we have definitely bigger foils so it's a little bit easier for us, but if you are on the wrong side, or if you don't connect with the next puff you may lose the race".

Bruni was nothing but complimentary of the Americans, "at one stage our American friends did a very good job of overtaking us, and we were worried, we are [were] nervous, but we keep ourself [ourselves] calm and waiting for our moment... it was not easy. It was a minefield". On the racetrack, Bruni commented on how hard it is for Italians to stay calm, especially in those conditions which brought light to the situation, especially when we know they have been gearing toward the lighter end of the spectrum. "Not easy conditions at all, right on the limit for racing, but we know the limit, and we were just above at the start time, otherwise we would not have had a start".

Ben Ainslie said on the team's third win from three races, where they seemed to be toying and playing with American Magic at the start, sailing to leeward and then tacking to cross while they were foiling and the Americans were low-riding; "That was a pretty tough race I have got to say given what is at stake, I think it was actually toughest for the grinders trying to keep the boat up on the foil... if you come off the foil that could be the end of the race... we managed to muscle it around and get the win, so we will take it!"

"Today really was all about just staying in that wind, and ultimately every team was going to fall off the foil at some point today, and I think to win you needed to have a package underneath you that was capable of taking off well" said Giles Scott from INEOS Team UK.

"It really is about keeping the boat on its legs... you can be sailing around at 35 knots, or you can be in the water doing 4 knots. So your direct course to the next mark doesn't really matter a lot of the time".

"We've raced together since 2014, I joined Land Rover BAR in the last Cup and previous to that I raced against him as well. We go back a reasonably long way in the competitive sailing world as competitors and as teammates" said Scott on what we all heard was an exceptionally strong communicative bond between Ainslie and his tactician today.

The scores now stand at 3 from 3 for INEOS Team UK, 1 from 2 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team and 0 from 3 NYYC American Magic.

Tomorrow we will see Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli race twice, first up against INEOS Team UK, and then NYYC American Magic in what is sounding like breezier conditions.

We will be live with our preview and debrief shows each day, with guests starting from next week!

For more adventures, to catch up on past shows, or to suggest a sailing "die hard" that you would like to see interviewed, head to www.sailorgirlhq.com, or @sailorgirlhq on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, iTunes, or Twitter.

Related Articles

Sam Haynes on winning the Sydney Hobart
Sam Haynes Owner/Driver of Celestial after winning the 2022 Sydney Hobart race Sam Haynes Owner/Driver of Celestial interviewed after being declared the overall winner of the 2022 Sydney Hobart race. Posted on 29 Dec 2022
Review of Dubai Sail Grand Prix Day 2
The three boat final provides heart stopping action The P&O Marinas Dubai SailGP went to the next level in Dubai, with the three boat final providing heart stopping action, and a result indeterminable until the final manoeuvre. Posted on 13 Nov 2022
Review of Dubai Sail Grand Prix Day 1
Throwing out challenging conditions for all nine teams The Dubai SailGP got under way on Saturday 12 November, throwing out challenging conditions for all nine teams. The breeze was significantly less than forecast, with much of the racing seeing boats forced into "H1" displacement mode. Posted on 13 Nov 2022
Nic Douglass On Deck with Stan Honey
Chatting with the sailing legend about his career and the Mixed Offshore event Sports broadcast and sailing legend Stan Honey was on deck with Nic Douglass over the weekend to chat about his career and to get some insights as to just what is going down with the Mixed Offshore event and inclusion in the Olympic Games. Posted on 24 May 2021
Flashback Friday to a stunning Sail Port Stephens
The wrap video: from the go to the nooooo I don't want it to end Here it is! The wrap video from last week at Sail Port Stephens, from the go to the nooooo I don't want it to end. Posted on 30 Apr 2021
A look back at the Cup so far with the Sailor Girl
A great group of experts Nic has spoken to along the way! What a journey it has been so far, and what a great group of experts we have spoken to along the way. Check out our guests so far this Cup, looking back from most recent to earliest. Posted on 11 Mar 2021
John Bertrand chats with Nic Douglass
To talk about today's incredible Prada Cup race! What a race! INEOS Team UK are into the final of the Prada Cup, the Challenger Series for the 36th America's Cup! This evening as our special guest we have none other than John Bertrand AO to join us to Chat & Wrap! Posted on 23 Jan 2021
Jimmy Spithill: "We have to win a race"
Nic Douglass previews today's PRADA Cup racing It's all on today in a must win race for Prada to keep the round robin series of the Prada Cup, the Challenger Series for the 36th America's Cup alive. Posted on 23 Jan 2021
Prada Cup Review and Hutchinson's Mission
Nic Douglas reviews a frenetic 48 hours in Auckland Terry Hutchinson represented his team today. He looked as tired and was as emotional as one would expect, with the dignity and grace that all respect in the NYYC American Magic figurehead. Posted on 18 Jan 2021
Adventures of a Sailor Girl Prada Cup Day 1 Review
And then there were two... wins that is! And then there were two... wins that is! INEOS Team UK MUST have been good this year to get a whole lot of boat speed from "Santa" over Christmas! But seriously, great job to the whole team as Ben Ainslie said. Posted on 15 Jan 2021