Cup Spy: August 25 - Emirates Team NZ win tight Final Race of Louis Vuitton Prelim Regatta
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 25 Aug 18:40 BST
26 August 2024
Emirates Team NZ crosses ahead of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - Race Day 4 - Final - Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta - Barcelona - August 25, 2024 © Ricardo Pinto / America's Cup
The final day of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Event lifted, what had been a lack-lustre event marked by breakdowns, onto a new level.
Even though the makeup of the Final was decided before racing commenced for the day, the fourth day of racing was keenly contested with plenty of surprises - certainly in the first half of the races.
A change in wind direction around to the east after three days of southerly breezes, blew away the belief that Barcelona was a one way, bang the beach race venue. The easterly breeze brought with it a chopped up seastate, which challenged the crews' sailing skills in the breeze which lightened throughout the day requiring accurate tacking and gybing.
Although there were six teams sailing, there was a seventh "virtual" boat which triggered several penalties for infringements on the course and startline. The virtual boat is an umpiring device created to avoid contact between the AC75s, and appears on the screen in the umpire booth as a diamond shape touching the bow, stern and outer edges of the wingfoils in a raised position.
The virtual boat started prematurely in one race, was penalised for not keeping clear 25secs before the start in the Final, and on two other occasions as the AC75s match raced in the traditional way mid-way through the Final, and determining the outcome of the event.
All teams came away from the day encouraged, and looking forward to competing in the double round-robin phase of the Louis Vuitton Cup, which begins on Thursday.
The day opened with Emirates Team New Zealand, who had led the series through the previous three days - thanks to a couple of defaulted races - coming to grief against a revitalised American Magic - bouncing back from a rudder rake issue which forced their withdrawal from racing on Saturday.
The New York Yacht Club team seized the initiative from the start, sailing in a breeze of just over 8kts, and worked their way out to a 200 metre lead at Mark 1, over the America's Cup Champions. Afterwards skipper Peter Burling claimed the differences were small - getting on the wrong side of a 10° degree shift, while co-helmsman Nathan Outteridge saying the Kiwis missed a couple of shifts mid-race. Whatever, trying to pull back a 200 metre margin has never been easy, and particularly after losing the start in convincing fashion.
"It was all on", said ETNZ coach Ray Davies mid-race. "We obviously made an error in the prestart and led back too late, which made it an easy jump into the lead for the Americans. And they did a good job of seizing that opportunity. We were thin on their hip off the line [slightly to windward of their stern quarter] . So straight away, we were a tack down and Americans got that nice little left shift up that first beat, and we've been trying to pick up the crumbs ever since."
"We're getting a good look [from behind] at their sails, this race. They're going really well. They're joining the dots. They're sailing really well tactically up the beat.
"We're having to look for opportunities and having to do extra maneuvers, or potentially even go the wrong way at times to try and get a bit of a split or an opportunity. The Americans are sailing really well," Davies added.
American Magic were well pleased with their win, which while well-earned was definitely an upset - albeit it one that had been coming once the US team began firing on all cylinders.
It was more of the same in the second race - Race 14 in the Preliminary Event - when Swiss team Alinghi Red Bull Racing dealt to the highly fancied Italian Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. Like the US team before them, the Swiss won the start and worked their way out to a near 400 metre lead at the first mark, and held that until the first half of the second downwind leg, when a muffed gybe in the sloppy seaway, resulted in the Swiss foils losing their grip and control, opening the way for the Italians to move into the lead. However once again the virtual boat came into play, with the umpires being of the view that the Italians had not given the Swiss sufficient room in their rear-up, and they were penalised. The Swiss were clearly rattled by their snafu, and some more pressure from Luna Rossa enabled them to regain the lead and the race.
Regardless of the outcome, the Swiss proved to the other teams, and themselves, that they do have the ability to win races, and they will be looking to build their capability in the coming Louis Vuitton Cup.
In the final race, Race 15 of the Preliminary Event, it was the turn of the French Orient Express Racing Team, to turn the tables - again with the assistance of the virtual boat, with both they and the British being penalised in the pre-start, however the French were first to escape, and led by over 200 metres at Mark 1. However they were reigned in by Mark 2 when the wind eased to 7.5kts and the French were caught with the wrong jib selection, in a 22 minute race that was shortened to five legs.
Given their earlier performances on the day, it was anyone's guess as to how the result would play out. The race proved to be the highlight of the series, and indeed the best race that has been seen since the start of racing in the AC75 class. While the Kiwis got the best of the start and held on with a defendable margin until the start of the penultimate Leg 5 which the Italians made a hot approach to Mark 4 cutting the NZ lead from 19scs to just 6secs and they were engaged in classic match racing up most of Leg 5. While the Kiwis made some handling errors, allowing the Italians to be within an ace of establishing a winning lead. But a couple of penalties kept the Kiwis in the game, working their way back to a flattering 400 metre lead at the finish.
However both teams proved that the AC75 is capable, in the right hands, of some top level and fast paced match racing - and set high expectations for the rest of the Louis Vuitton series.
From the Mixed Zone:
For the first time in recent America's Cup history (since 1970) America's Cup event organisers have elected not to run Media Conferences at the end of each race day - unless there was no racing - and fans are unable to see some of the most memorable parts of any America's Cup regatta - we'll replay some of them in the week.
The best we can do is to pick up some of the one on one interviews from the Mixed Zone where media are allowed limited interaction with the sailors and cyclors put up by the teams.
Race Summaries:
Race 13 Emirates Team NZ vs American Magic:
US Team led off the start and extended to a lead of over 100metres
Mark 1: USA rounded 3m48sec after start and led NZL by 15secs. Kiwis dropped back to over 200metres behind.
Mark 2: USA rounded at 7m 15sec ETNZ trailed by 19secs. Margin now about 335 metres on Leg 3.
Mark 3: USA rounded at 11m 47sec ETNZ trailed by 35secs. Big gain for USA. Lead on water 540 metres.
Mark 4: USA rounded at 15m 5secs. ETNZ trailed by 50 secs and 600metres on the water.
Mark 5: USA rounded at 19m 43secs. ETNZ trailed by 36sec and 590 metres on the water on Leg 6. ETNZ sailing with a better VMG at times downwind cut margin to 390 metres
Finish: USA won crossing at 23m 10sec after start and beat ETNZ by 28 secs, with the wind shown as averaging 8.2kts and gusting 10kts from 114°
Race 14: Alinghi Red Bull Racing vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
Start: Alinghi Red Bull Racing forced Luna Rossa over the start line by a big margin and the Italians trailed off the line by 520 metres. After finish Francesco Bruni says the Italians had some issues with their windward foil arm ("board") not raising correctly.
Mark 1: Alinghi Red Bull Racing rounded 4m 28secs after the start with a margin of 34 secs or 395 metres on the water.
Leg 2: Alinghi lose boat - rearing up out of control as ruder lost group and too high on foils. Italians gained lead but were penalised for passing too close as a windward boat and the virtual boats had "contact".
Mark 2: Alinghi regained lead rounding 9m 2secs after start and had a margin of 9 secs. Margin only 30 metres as the Swiss tack underneath Luna Rossa forcing the Italians to tack away. Italians take lead.
Mark 3: Italy leads at Mark 3 rounding 14m 11sec after start with a margin of 12 secs and 160metres on Leg 4. Italy with better VMG at times downwind.
Mark 4: Italy lead at Mark 4 rounding 17m 59secs and 8secs margin with a 180 metre lead on Leg 5 sailing to windward.
Mark 5: Italy lead at Mark 5 rounding at 23m 4secs with a margin of 13 secs. Course shortened to 1.5nm. Italy sailing much faster (by 10kts at times) than Swiss at times on Leg 6.
Finish: Italy cross the finish 26m 46secs and a margin of 46secs.
Race 15: Orient Express Racing vs INEOS Britannia
French penalised for being late into the start box.
After start French got rid of their penalty, but the British misjudged start getting their virtual boat profile marginally over the line and then did not clear themselves correctly and had to double dip back, giving the advantage back to the French who got an edge over the British leading by 120metres on Leg 1. Big variance in speed approaching top of course France leading by 180 metres at one point. Boats split tacks with French taking the left hand side.
Mark 1: Orient Express (FRA) lead rounding at 4m57sec after the start and with a margin of 16secs. On Leg 2 the margin got out to 228metres. Lead change after French wobbled in a gybe and were caught in port and the giveway boat, passing astern of Brits. Boats criss-crossing on Leg.
Mark 2: GBR led rounding 9m55sec after start and 11sec ahead of FRA. Margin still small on Leg 3 down to 40 metres - less than a couple of boat lengths. But Brits extended to 100 metres as wind went light and patchy at top of course, with a substantial seaway running. French forced to split tacks and margin creeps out to 130 metres. They close on opposite tacks at mark 3, with teams taking opposite marks.
Mark 3: INEOS Britannia round 14m 34sec after start and with a margin of 5secs. French trail by 125 metres on Leg 4. French team claim they made the wrong choice of jib (too small in the easing breeze). Course shortened to finish on end of Leg 5.
Mark 4: British round 18m 6sec after start and a margin of 18sec. Both boats close to full splashdown rounding leeward mark. Brits extend lead to over 350 metres on Leg 5 - the final leg.
Finish: INEOS Britannia finished 22min 28secs after the start signal, with a margin of 48secs and 517metres on the water.
Final: Emirates Team NZ and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
Italy penalised 25 secs before the start for passing too close to New Zealand when the virtual boats touched. Italy on port and give way.
Emirates Team NZ led off the line but with Luna Rossa carrying a penalty and had to drop back to 75 metres behind the Kiwis.
Mark 1: ETNZ led rounding 3m 50sec after the start and a 22sec margin. Wind only 7.8kts. Course lengthened to a 1.5nm leg and 100° bearing. Italy trailing by 230metres on Leg 2.
Mark 2: ETNZ led rounding 7m 9sec after start and with a margin of 16sec - a gain on the Kiwis - lead on the water down to 150metres.
Mark 3: ETNZ led rounding 11m 55sec after the start and with a 19sec margin. Kiwi lead reducesd to 165 metres after a small error when Kiwis gybed on Leg 4. Kiwis extend back to 220 metres at the end of Leg 4
Mark 4: ETNZ made a mistake in their approach to Mark 4 rounding at 15m 40sec after start with a margin of just 6secs. Luna Rossa approached on a much hotter angle sailing at 37kts. Lead dropped to be near equal on Leg 5. ETNZ bounced Italy off, with starboard advantage. Kiwis touched down in a tack aftermath. Italy penalised twice dropping back to 80 metres.
Mark 5: ETNZ rounded 20m 37sec after start and 11 sec margin. Kiwis led by 150metres on Leg 6, extending out to 250metres after Italians skidded slightly in a gybe.
Finish: ETNZ finished 23m 59sec after start and with a margin of 34secs. Kiwis judged final approach correctly to the finish coming in fast at a hot angle. Leading by over 400 metres at the finish.
Full Replay Live Coverage:
Additional Images:
Weather Forecast:
This Sunday 25th, in the afternoon the strong Northerly winds in the Med will turn and weaken towards Barcelona. On the race course the winds will come from East/East-South-East direction. Wind strength is a bit uncertain and we should get around 6-12 knots with a possible increase by the end of the afternoon, with gusts up 18 knots. Cloudy day with temperatures few degrees colder. A little chance of rain could affect the wind.
For full weather details, webcams, live wind and wave readings and more www.predictwind.com/americas-cup