Please select your home edition
Edition
Navico AUS Zeus3S LEADERBOARD

America's Cup - Pre-race pit stop not enough to save the day

by Oracle Team USA on 3 Jun 2017
Oracle Team USA & Artemis Racing - 35th America's Cup 2017 ACEA - Photo Gilles Martin-Raget http://photo.americascup.com/
A great effort by the Oracle Team USA shore crew wasn't enough to save a point against Artemis Racing on Friday at the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers.

During pre-race preparations, Oracle Team USA broke its port rudder. The boat was immediately towed back to base, hauled out, and a new set of rudders installed.

The boat was back on the course in record time, but only just before the start of the race, making for a difficult pre-start.

'When we broke the rudder, we came back to make a switch. I thought we didn't have time to do it and get back to the course, but we did,' Spithill said.

'It was an amazing effort by the shore crew. It's a shame we couldn't reward them with a win, but it's good to know what we're capable of when it comes down to it.'



With skipper Jimmy Spithill on the push, Artemis Racing responded with a luff and '17' splashed down, losing speed just before the start.

Oracle Team USA crossed the starting line nine-seconds behind the Swedish challenger and trailed the rest of the way around the course.

With the wind shifting slightly to the right, the race course didn't offer any passing opportunities and neither did the Artemis Racing crew who sailed a strong race to take the win.

'Getting out there late didn't cost us the race, no way,' Spithill insisted. 'The shore team got us in a position to win.'

'What did cost us the race was that crash down before the start. We have to look at what happened there. What was hard was the course was pretty one sided, so that was disappointing.'

The leaderboard is now set up so that Saturday's race against Emirates Team New Zealand will determine which team earns the one bonus point advantage for the America's Cup Match.

If Oracle Team USA wins the race, it will have a one point advantage heading into the America's Cup Match. If Team New Zealand wins tomorrow and is the challenger in the Match, it will start with the lead.

'It's a big one tomorrow. For us to be in a position where we need to beat the Kiwis to get that advantage is pretty exciting. The boys are pumped up for it. The forecast is great and I think it will be one hell of a race.'

Our starting six on Friday:

• Skipper / Helmsman -- Jimmy Spithill
• Wing Trimmer -- Kyle Landford
• Tactician / Grinder -- Tom Slingsby
• Grinder -- Louis Sinclair
• Grinder -- Kinley Fowler
• Grinder -- Ky Hurst

Results and Leaderboard - Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers (Team -- wins / losses -- points)

• Emirates Team New Zealand -- 8 / 1 -- 8 points
• Oracle Team USA -- 6 / 2 -- 7 points (including 1 bonus point)
• Land Rover BAR -- 3 / 5 -- 5 points (including 2 bonus points)
• Artemis Racing -- 4 / 5 -- 4 points
• SoftBank Team Japan -- 3 / 6 -- 3 points
• Groupama Team France -- 2 / 7 -- 2 points

(Ties are broken in favor of the highest finishing position in the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series)
Switch One DesignNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastZhik 2024 December

Related Articles

Middle Sea Race set to attract exceptional fleet
Royal Malta YC has 118 entries already At midnight on Friday, 19 September the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race had amassed a fleet of 118 yachts. The entrants represent 30 countries and territories: from Australia and New Zealand to Finland and Norway, and from the United States to Romania.
Posted today at 6:27 pm
52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 1
Solid Sled earn early lead in Sardinia Takashi Okura's Sled lead the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta after the first two windward leeward races.
Posted today at 6:10 pm
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 1
No racing possible on the first day Good things are worth waiting for, and that was the adage at the opening day of the Melges 24 Worlds, which ended without any races in the scoreline. The weather in Trieste proved too unstable, with storms in the morning followed by a lack of wind.
Posted today at 5:41 pm
Formula Kite Worlds Quartu Sant'Elena preview
9th Sardinia Grand Slam is the first major step towards Los Angeles 2028 Next September 28th to October 5th, the Poetto beach will host the event that crowns the new World Champions. Among the top contenders: Maeder, Vodišek, and Pianosi in the men's fleet; Nolot, Aldridge, and Kampman among women
Posted today at 5:14 pm
SailGP, TOR Europe, Women's Match Racing Worlds
Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity Good things often happen when preparation meets opportunity. Such was the case for the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank squad when they notched their first-ever SailGP event win at last weekend's Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix.
Posted today at 5:00 pm
Melges 15 Fittings Guide
A breakdown of the fittings based on a complete Allen Brothers fit-out If you are looking to upgrade or replace the hardware on your Melges 15, it helps to know exactly which fittings you need and what their role is on the boat.
Posted today at 7:30 am
Fortaleza World Sailing Championships announced
Test event in January 2026, and the real thing in January 2027 World Sailing has confirmed the dates for Fortaleza 2027 World Sailing Championships as 22-30 January 2027, with a Test Event being held one year prior.
Posted today at 6:40 am
All set in Trieste for the Melges 24 Worlds
Racing set to begin at Yacht Club Adriaco The countdown is nearly over. In just a few hours, the Yacht Club Adriaco will oversee the start of one of the most eagerly awaited international sailing events of the season.
Posted today at 4:41 am
2025 Six Metre World Championship Day 1
Wind gods fail to deliver in Oyster Bay, NY Sadly day one of the 2025 Six Metre World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (SCYC) proved to be a non-starter as the wind failed to make an appearance.
Posted today at 12:51 am
52 Super Series Porto Cervo practice race
The loss of the last 'dress rehearsal' is something of a disappointment Although there was just enough breeze to execute a couple of meaningful practice starts, the breeze dropped away and thereafter proved insufficient to allow the planned two short official practice races to be sailed today off Porto Cervo.
Posted on 22 Sep