Editorial- Alinghi win a Thriller

by nzeditor@sail-world.com on 4 Jul 2007
On 3rd July 2007, Alinghi won the 32nd Match for the America’s Cup and became just the fourth team in the history of the America’s Cup to win and defend the trophy.

Today’s result was notable for being the closest finish in Cup history at just a single second margin. The Race was also notable, we think, for being the first America’s Cup race in which a penalty has been awarded. And, in the end, this was one of the factors which determined the outcome of the race.

Congratulations to Alinghi on a job well done, in a most outstanding event. The Swiss Defender sailed a fine, very measured regatta in which they took a patient, very precisely positioned approach and were content, at the right times, to let the boat do the work for them. Ed Baird sailed outstandingly, and Alinghi was superbly skippered by Brad Butterworth.

For Emirates Team New Zealand, they turned in another very competitive performance and restored a small nation’s self-belief, after the debacle of 2003. Dean Barker rose to the occasion as both skipper and helmsman. Grant Dalton as floater and CEO also provided tremendous leadership and frankness. They will not realise the effect they have had on New Zealand until they arrive home.

This was a race the Emirates Team New Zealand had to win to stay alive in the regatta. NZL-92 started well, working the 15 knot seabreeze to perfection and grinding out a useful lead only to have it reclaimed when Alinghi picked up on the starboard hand layline.

Then there was the luffing match close to the end of Leg 1, which gave Alinghi a useful lead at the top mark.

Downwind we saw NZL-92 climb back into Alinghi, taking 21 seconds out of the Defender by the leeward gate. While many were quick to criticise NZL-92 for their choice of gate at the bottom, the GPS positions show they emerged with an increased lead, allowing for the extra tack to get on Alinghi’s line.

Again, it was Alinghi calling the action from the starboard layline, and NZL-92 entering this phase with a useful lead which was soon all but spent.

That left the Kiwis to break off and try to jag a header going to the top mark, but as so often has happened in this regatta, the wind came from the right, and Alinghi rotated nicely to be able to survive and approached the top mark with starboard rights.

Then came the bear away and penalty which we have described in our report along with GPS shots. The key is that Alinghi, as right of way boat, must not sail below 90 degrees from the wind direction, and NZL-92 must keep clear as the port tack boat. Alinghi lined up NZL-92 and the penalty was awarded.

God was trying very hard to prove that He was Kiwi in the closing stages of the final leg - as the seabreeze swung and dropped , with New Zealand highly favoured and she soon wiped out Alinghi’s lead.

That left the penalty turn, which was cleared just short of the finish, however NZL-92 was unable to re-build speed and lost in the narrowest margin in the history of the America’s Cup.

In many ways this final race highlighted the differences between the Challenger and Defender.

Alinghi had a slight edge in upwind speed, but one which Emirates Team New Zealand was able to offset with a canny ability to play the shifts. The right hand side of the course which had served Emirates Team New Zealand so well in the Louis Vuitton Cup, became Alinghi’s domain in the America’s Cup, and that was really the first difference between the Challenger and Defender.

The second was in tactics, where Emirates Team New Zealand’s greatest strength became their greatest weakness. Their crew work which had been worked and honed to perfection, seemed to cause them to take come high risk options, which if everything worked perfectly would come off. But unfortunately that was not always the case and we saw some real snafus develop as a result. These allowed Alinghi back into the game when NZL-92 was in the lead, and should have had the race in the bag.

Between the two yachts, there seemed little difference in speed. Alinghi having a touch more consistent pace upwind; with NZL-92 showing a surprising burst of speed downwind.

The difference in the afterguards lay in the fact that Alinghi’s seemed to be able to think a longer term strategy than Emirates Team New Zealand. SUI-100 seemed to be able to enter most tactical situations with a viable exit strategy, where Emirates Team New Zealand seemed to take a more opportunistic approach. Alinghi also seemed to be more able to sail within their capabilities, button off when required, let the boat do the work for them, and then strike again at the next opportunity. They were very prepared to lose the odd battle in order to win the war.

Emirates Team New Zealand pushed the envelope too hard on too many occasions, when under pressure. Certainly they had confidence in their boat handling ability, but sometimes that was an over confidence, almost arrogance. Alinghi on the other hand reflected the four winning America’s Cup campaigns amongst their Kiwi Tight Five, and knew when to push, and when to back off. Trading small losses for bigger, later gains.

In light airs, Murrays Jones’ calls from the masthead were perfection, and another strength of NZL-92 from the LVC, was somewhat neutralised.

Alinghi always seemed to have a very fine sense of boat positioning on the course, better than Emirates Team New Zealand. Maybe this was due to the experience of the Tight Five, and Brad Butterworth in particular; Ed Baird’s skill and experience; or the readout on Baird’s glasses (believed to show boat position on the course); or an amalgam of all three.

The Challenger of Record and date of the 33rd America’s Cup is yet to be announced, however the CoR will be a group associated with Desafio Espanol (ESP). If the Cup is scheduled for 2009, as expected, it will clash with the Volvo Ocean Race, and crew commitments that have been already made for that race. One of those affected will be Ray Davies of Emirates Team New Zealand who will skipper one of the seven entries to date in the Volvo.

An early date for the next America’s Cup will clearly work Emirates Team New Zealand’s way.

Although they were obviously beaten in the Match, Emirates Team NZ and Alinghi, are a significant jump ahead of the other Challengers – be it from the Class of 2007, or new entrants. The early date will also reduce campaign costs, both in term of salaries and research and development. If Valencia is announced as the venue, then the bases can be retained.

The test for the Kiwis will be to hold their professional Team together. The announcement that the New Zealand Government will contribute $10million 'seed money' should enable them to plan with some certainty, and maintain momentum going into a 2009 Match.

Equally for Alinghi, their task will be to hold a Defence team together, particularly given the average age of their current crew, which is 12 years older than NZL-92’s. What direction Russell Coutts chooses to take, and who goes with him, is another factor.

Finally, this is the penultimate of Sail-World’s America’s Cup newsletters. It has been a pleasure to produce these, and we trust they have been of interest.

From here on, all America’s Cup news will be covered in Sail-World.Com’s regular newsletters and websites – except for the announcement on Thursday of the Protocol for the 33rd America’s Cup Match, Venue and ramifications of both those decisions.

Our thanks to all our contributors, sponsors and supporters – and particularly our readers for your feedback.

Good sailing!

Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor