What did we learn on day 6 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin?
by Mark Jardine 5 Sep 2024 16:37 BST
5 September 2024
Alinghi Red Bull Racing on Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin Day 6 © Ian Roman / America's Cup
With the storm through, racing resumed in Barcelona for Day 6 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins in a light and very patchy wind.
Despite the defeat to American Magic, INEOS Britannia fans can take heart from their performance today as they've clearly found a bit more pace since the first Round Robin.
Saying that, the Brits still looked a bit lumbering around the corners, and the Americans looked short on power occasionally, but it was a fascinating match. Also, INEOS Britannia need to eliminate the small mistakes, as they've picked up unnecessary penalties and misjudged lay lines too often.
Luna Rossa again looked superb. Slick in the manoeuvres with an almost symbiotic relationship between Checco Bruni and Jimmy Spithill. The fact that they were the only two-helmed team in the 36th America's Cup is paying great dividends.
It's tricky to gain any knowledge from the matches involving the America's Cup Defender. With them not counting for points, it feels like both teams have their foot slightly off the gas.
The reduced power from American Magic's recumbent cyclors showed a definite weakness during a tacking duel with Alinghi.
Broadcast
- I've said it before, and I'll most likely have to say it again, but can we please have wind speed and direction on screen? It may well be different all over the course, but a ballpark figure would make such a difference to watching the racing. We've previously seen the windspeed at the top of the rigs, which was so useful, but there was none of that today.
- There was good use of VMG displayed. Personally I'd be happy if VMG was displayed all the time during the aerial view of the boats.
- The boundary graphics with the sponsor logos were going a bit heywire at times, moving up and down wildly in the background.
New York Yacht Club American Magic vs. INEOS Britannia
After a short delay waiting for the wind, racing was under way when the Race Committee recorded just enough wind.
American Magic were late into the box, allowing INEOS Britannia to dial them down but, while the Americans went high, the Brits went low and fell off the foils in a gybe.
The British team found just enough puff to get back up foiling and ducked the Americans on port at the committee boat end of the line, with American Magic soon tacking to follow suit.
With both teams clearly favouring the right hand side of the course, INEOS Britannia had another unforced error, picking up a boundary penalty, but they cleared this and still managed to stay in touch with American Magic, rounding the first windward gate 20 seconds behind.
The US team maintained their lead downwind, despite a wobble where they nearly lost control of the rudder, and then kept control of the race by tacking on the British team on the second upwind leg where possible, and a loose cover where not. Despite this, they couldn't open up a significant lead, with the lead at the second windward gate only 16 seconds, which was cut to just 9 seconds by the second leeward gate.
The final upwind leg was fascinating, with American Magic bouncing INEOS Britannia out to the left, but the British team were constantly making small gains and came into the final windward gate level pegging with the US team.
The pressure told, with American Magic dropping off the foils as they rounded the right buoy while INEOS Britannia went left and into the lead.
A poor gybe by INEOS Britannia saw their speed drop from the mid 30s to the 20s which, combined with a favourable windshift, let American Magic back into the lead, winning by 13 seconds.
Another great match to watch.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. Orient Express Racing Team
The French team picked up a boundary penalty in the pre-start, giving an immediate advantage to the Italians, as well as being locked out to the windward side of the line by the form team of the competition so far.
Orient Express though tacked to shake off their penalty and found a good band of pressure on the right to stay in touch. Luna Rossa tacked on top of them a couple of times, but the French team stayed close, rounding the first gate just 10 seconds behind.
Luna Rossa though are very slippery, and made gains both downwind and up to extend their lead to 37 seconds by the second windward gate. Orient Express looked a little ragged through their manoeuvres, while the Italians looked as slick as ever.
In the end it was a 1 minute 2 second win for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, keeping up their perfect record in the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins.
INEOS Britannia vs. Emirates Team New Zealand
The Kiwis came in from high, while the Brits stayed lower and left to result in an even start, racing neck and neck on starboard to the boundary.
INEOS Britannia then had a poor boundary tack, falling off the foils and were instantly 250 metres behind.
At the leeward gate Emirates Team New Zealand led by 15 seconds, choosing different buoys to round, but the Kiwis were quick to cross and loose cover the Brits on the right.
The America's Cup Defenders extended their lead upwind to 33 seconds by the second windward gate, and then INEOS Britannia misjudged the leeward gate lay line, having to wiggle down to the buoy and falling off the foils.
The rich got richer as the wind died to just 5 knots at the top of the course, and Emirates Team New Zealand ended up winning by over 3 minutes in this no point match.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing vs. New York Yacht Club American Magic
The Americans picked up a penalty for coming into the start box early, with Alinghi getting the better start and tacking with American Magic to make it difficult for them to lose the 75 metres from their earlier error.
The Swiss team held the Americans at bay for the first lap, leading at the leeward gate by 14 seconds, and then kept a cover with a tacking duel on the second upwind leg, working the cyclors to the limit and extending their lead to 23 seconds at the second windward gate.
The tacking duel clearly took its toll on the recumbent cyclors, and American Magic struggled on the second downwind leg, touching down a few times as the mainsheet trim stopped without the hydraulic pressure needed to adjust it, allowing Alinghi to extend to a 600 metre lead on the final upwind leg.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing went on to win the race by 38 seconds and gain a valuable Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin point.
Orient Express Racing Team vs. Emirates Team New Zealand
The French team fell off the foils in the pre-start, giving the Kiwis a 600 metre head start.
In the dying breeze, Emirates Team New Zealand fell into a wind hole themselves, with Orient Express slingshotting past to lead at the first windward gate by 21 seconds.
Going into the first leeward gate the French again fell off the foils, allowing the Kiwis to sail around the outside and into an 800 metre lead.
The course was shortened to just 0.9 nautical miles in the patchy breeze, and the French again went into lowriding mode at the second windward gate trying to perform an over-ambitious tack bear away.
The Kiwis went on to lap the French and record a big win in this no point match.
A bad day for Orient Express with two defeats and Alinghi picking up a point.