America's Cup - Champion has second race loss on Day 7 of Qualifiers

by Richard Gladwell Sail-World.com on 2 Jun 2017 The number '7' is lucky for some.

On Bermuda's Great Sound, on Day 7 of the America's Cup Qualifiers it was more than lucky for Emirates Team New Zealand, winning two races in fine style and going to the top of the points table.

The America's Cup Champion Oracle Team USA broke a rudder while training, on the Great Sound, and had to hurriedly return to the team's base in the Royal Dockyard, fit a replacement and then go out and race.

Whether the failure was structural, or a turtle strike is not known. The sand coloured creatures are relatively common on the race course and pre-start area - ranging in size from small to substantial. They come up to breathe stay on the surface for a few minutes and then dive. Turtles and AC50's are not a good mix.

To add to Oracle's woes, they were beaten by Artemis Racing, and now have two losses in the series. The team that is on everyone's lips, Emirates Team New Zealand has only lost one race - and that was their first encounter with the America's Cup Champion - and in that race, the Kiwis led, before being passed at the top of the final beat.

Today it was champagne sailing conditions for the America's Cup crews.

Bright sun, lovely whitecapped water, and a breeze in the 14-18kt range - close to the maximum speed for the AC50's - but only one skipper would respond with their top speed when asked at the media conference.

On the water, the AC50's were flying with plenty of very fine high-speed spray, almost a mist in the rooster trail left by the flying catamarans.

Emirates Team New Zealand set another benchmark today being the first to be credited with sailing a 'dry' course- meaning they sailed the course without a single splashdown.

When asked the significance of this achievement, Kiwi helmsman Peter Burling, said he was surprised that it hadn't been achieved before and that he expected everyone would be doing it before long.

Day 7 was a lucky day for the unlucky Artemis Racing. Skipper Nathan Outteridge took to Oracle Team USA's Jimmy Spithill in the prestart and left the two-time America's Cup champion struggling in his wake. Artemis was sailing impressively in the testing conditions, and most would expect the Challenger Final to be between Emirates Team New Zealand and Artemis Racing.

Artemis Racing's win was significant that it was over the Defender, but it also altered the points table regarding the possibility of Oracle Team USA taking a point in the America's Cup Match.

Now that they are on equal points with Emirates Team New Zealand, tomorrow's final day of racing in the Round Robin and Qualifiers, it is a must win situation for Oracle Team USA if they are to secure the point.

After racing was over for the day, Oracle Team USA went back out on the Great Sound for more practice and testing, and are still out as this report is being written at 1800hrs.

Tomorrow marks the last racing with the Challengers in which Oracle will participate before the Match. When questioned in tonights Media Conference on their plans for the next two weeks, Spithill said that they had a lot of developments to put on the boat, with the clear implication that they expected to be sailing much faster than at present.

All the top teams are in the same situation, but with Emirates Team New Zealand appearing to be the coolest and with controlled confidence that changes made were advancing the performance of the boat.

Others may well be in the same situation, however, they also have to deal with inconsistent on the water race performance with crewing errors being openly admitted as being a work in progress.

While the media searches for reasons for good and poor performance, maybe the name tags on the top table at the Media Conference gives a pointer. Peter Burling is the only one with just the simple title of helmsman - the others wear two hats, and some wear three.

Groupama Team France will exit the America's Cup at the end of the Round Robin phase. Skipper Franck Cammas was philosophical at the Media Conference as to being the first to exit. For the French, their exit was touted widely at the start of the regatta. However two good race wins over Land Rover BAR, and the fancied Artemis Racing gave the team a lot of confidence and earned the respect of Cup fans.

Sadly for the French, they ran out of time, but they will be joined by two others at the end of the Semi-Finals.

Quite when that will be is in the hands of the Weather Gods with strong winds being forecast for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week.

The first round of the Semi-Finals is due to start on Sunday with Emirates Team NZ having the choice of opponent - most likely to be Land Rover BAR. The latter get their position on the points table through their two points gained from the preliminary America's Cup World Series and not for their exploits on the Great Sound.