Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster SB1 Inshore Range

Cup Spy Sept 17: Day 3 - American Magic win first event of the 2024 America's Cup

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 17 Sep 2023 23:19 PDT 18 September 2023
A happy and winning American Magic - Race Day 3 - AC40 - America's Cup Preliminary Regatta - Vilanova - September 17, 2023 © America's Cup Media

After being the first team to exit the 2021 America's Cup in Auckland, the New York Yacht Club's American Magic won the first Preliminary Regatta of the 2024 America's Cup.

The Terry Hutchinson led team had a very polished day winning two races and finishing second in the other to be leading Emirates Team New Zealand, by a 1pt margin ahead of the Final race.

The US team took the battle to the America's Cup Champions, and perhaps surprisingly it was the Kiwis - who while sailing brilliantly at times, cracked under pressure at vital moments of the regatta, sailed in AC40 One Designs.

After two races were sailed on the third and final day of the first Preliminary Regatta of the 2024 America's Cup, the two eventual finalists were were separated only by two points, and the outcome of the third race of the day looked to be academic.

Emirates Team New Zealand, the overnight points leader, made up for their disappointing Race 2 from Saturday, leading Sunday's Race 3 from start to finish, with the boats consistently hitting over 30kts in an 8kt breeze. The Kiwis took the race by 40secs, taking just under 22minutes to sail the six leg course, with American Magic (USA) second and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) third.

Emirates Team New Zealand led the pointscore with 26 points, with American Magic on 24. Alinghi Red Bull Racing are on 19pts along with Orient Express Racing Team (FRA).

American Magic won the second an third races of the day to be the highest placed qualifier.

Emirates Team New Zealand won the other Final spot after an action packed Race 5 - the final race of the qualification series.

The Kiwis looked to have the race under control with a blinding start, and eased away on Leg 2, but dropped of their foils in the exit phase of their last gybe to the mark - dropping back to last, and allowing American Magic through to the lead. The USA extended for the next four legs, while the real battle was fought out mid-fleet.

Emirates Team NZ sat in the backend of the fleet until the close of the penultimate leg, when they came across from the port side of the course, with a good angle, but lower speed. The Kiwis came in fast and to leeward sliding inside Orient Express Racing Team, at the windward mark moving from fourth to snatch second place.

The Kiwis had another foil-fall, but it was only brief and they recovered, again, to work back in front of the chasing pack - with only four boats left in the race. [Alinghi Red Bull Racing had hydraulic issues before the start, and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was off the foils in the latter stage of Leg 6.]

USA led the final point score with 34pts, and New Zealand on 33pts - with both going through to contest the match race final, which got away around 1700hrs CET.

The wind, as forecast began to fade with the AC40s unable to self start their foiling. New Zealand had the starboard entry, and found the worst of the fading breeze, and picked up two boundary penalties attempting to get sufficient momentum to start foiling. After they turned back to make their pre-start, the Kiwis did get onto their foils, but the softening breeze made foiling unsustainable. American Magic foiling on the other side of the course suffered a similar outcome.

The Kiwis were required to start behind American Magic, to clear their penalty, but the final quickly became pointless, as the wind faded, both boats attempted to sail in displacement mode, and to aggravate their predicament they had to punch into a head sea on starboard tack.

Requiring around 15kts of boatspeed to get foiling, both teams were struggling to get much above 6kts, and to the surprise of no-one the 10 minute time-limit triggered the abandonment of the race. The race officials' intention was to attempt another start, however times and an unco-operative breeze were against them, and a few minutes later the committee put everyone out of their misery, calling off all racing for the day and the series.

That outcome gave the win in the first Preliminary Regatta to American Magic, representing the New York Yacht Club. The leaderboard showed the two teams were more consistent than the other four, with Orient Express Racing Team - finishing on 24pts, with Luna Rossa on 20pts, Alinghi Red Bull Racing on 19pts. The Brits have a lot of thinking to do, finishing on 9pts.

The second Preliminary Regatta will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the end of November 2023. American Magic have already applied to be exempted from participation on security grounds, but has not had an official response from Emirates Team New Zealand on the matter.

The teams are expected to stay in Barcelona at least until the 12 month period of the Cup Match, occurring in mid-October, to check weather and sea states.

Additional images:

Related Articles

Auckland in venue bid for 38th America's Cup
Events arm of Auckland Council, has confirmed that they are part of a group bidding to hold AC38 Nick Hill, Tataki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive, the Events arm of Auckland Council, has confirmed that they are part of a group bidding to hold the America's Cup in Auckland. Posted on 5 Mar
€1billion payday for Barcelona from AC37
Study says Barcelona reaps hefty economic return from 2024 America's Cup The University of Barcelona and the Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation (FBCN) have released the outcome of their post event economic impact study which reveals over €1 billion positive economic GDP return from AC37 for the host venue Barcelona. Posted on 4 Mar
Cup Spy: Top coach looks at the rise of the Brits
Challenger Finals for the Louis Vuitton Cup - why the Brits were formidable In this interview we cover the Challenger Finals for the Louis Vuitton Cup - why they panned out the way they did, and why INEOS Britannia was so formidable. Posted on 20 Feb
America's Cup: INEOS being sued
New Zealand Rugby owner of the All Blacks brand says it is suing INEOS Following the much publicised split in the INEOS Britannia America's Cup team, NZ Rugby has revealed that it is taking legal action against INEOS [Group], for alleged breach of a $USD36million ($NZD63m) sponsorship deal. Posted on 11 Feb
Cup Spy: Fans get their patience tested
Fans got well used to the sight of AC75s falling off their foils - the Cup is off its foils now. America's Cup fans got well used to the sight of AC75s falling off their foils in the lighter moments of Barcelona. They were cringe-worthy moments. The Cup is well and truly off its foils now. Posted on 8 Feb
America's Cup: War of the Roses - a brief truce?
The embattled Houses of Ratcliffe and Ainslie are expected to stage a brief truce, this weekend The embattled Houses of Ratcliffe and Ainslie are expected to stage a brief truce, this weekend, for the first meeting of the teams involved in the 2027 America's Cup. Posted on 31 Jan
America's Cup: CEO ousting starts War of the Roses
A previously strong British America's Cup effort has nosedived after an acrimonious split A split between the skipper and backer of the 2024 British America's Cup team has significant implications for the Cup as two Knights of the Realm line up with legal lances ready for a bloody joust. Posted on 23 Jan
Cup Spy: Best race-craft key factor in Kiwi's win
Best race-craft cited by top America's Cup coach as key factor behind Barcelona win Top America's Cup coach on why the cards fell the Kiwi's way in their successful Defence in Barcelona - but the win was a lot closer than Auckland despite the similar score-line. Posted on 20 Dec 2024
Dalton reflects on another extraordinary year
ETNZ managed an unprecedented third successive America's Cup victory winning 7-2 2024 has been another extraordinary year for Emirates Team New Zealand which managed an unprecedented third successive America's Cup victory winning 7-2 in the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup against INEOS Britannia in Barcelona. Posted on 20 Dec 2024
Rio wants to host 2027 America's Cup
According to letters leaked into the Italian media, Rio de Janerio has its hat in the ring for AC38 According to letters leaked into the Italian media, Rio de Janerio has thrown its hat in the ring for the staging of the 38th America's Cup, expected to be sailed in 2027. Posted on 18 Dec 2024
North Sails Loft 57 PodcastHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER