America’s Cup Race 3 – Oracle throws away lead

by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World team on 9 Sep 2013 America’s Cup Race 3 - Fog on the race course, Oracle on port 10 seconds ahead.

A clear start, Oracle to leeward, Spithill inside at the top mark, threw in a luff, drew a penalty. This was the first time the Emirates AC72 had been behind on the downwind leg in either the Louis Vuitton or America´s Cup 2013. Oracle had the best run and was faster around the left hand gate.

Oracle was defending tightly covering tack for tack. NZ gaining upwind, big gains by the Kiwis as they roll tacked.

Emirates bow down sailed thru, Oracle blinked and short tacked. But Oracle came back luffed up and pushed NZ away, but Kiwis came again. They split gates after an extra gybe.

Bouncing along the left hand shore, it seemed Oracle was in defensive mode, ETNZ kept making gains and were able to pass with a port tack advantage close to the boundary. Overall, Oracle was sailing further and Emirates were tacking better.

At the windward gate 29 seconds behind, now downwind, Oracle was a little faster but they were not making a serious dint.

At mark 4, on the blast reach to the finish, the delta was 29 seconds. NZ touched 40 knots to take race three with a delta of 28 seconds behind.

Dean Barker, ‘Oracle did a nice start and top mark and down run, but we closed up on the beat.

'We will keep pushing hard for every point and will try and win race 4 now.’

Oracle Team USA -2 Emirates Team New Zealand 3

Race 3 Performance Data

Course: 5 Legs/9.94 nautical miles
Elapsed Time: ETNZ – 25:00, OTUSA – 25:28
Delta: ETNZ +:28
Total distance sailed: ETNZ – 11.8 NM, OTUSA – 12.1 NM
Average Speed: ETNZ – 28.57 knots (33 mph), OTUSA – 28.62 knots (33 mph)
Top Speed: ETNZ – 42.25 knots (49 mph), OTUSA – 41.37 knots (48 mph)
Windspeed: Average – 16.8 knots, Peak – 19.3 knots