Cup Spy Feb 11: Swiss try to 'regain muscle memory' on first day back in Jeddah
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 11 Feb 14:21 PST
12 February 2024
Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC40 - Day 74 - February11, 2024 - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia © Alex Carabi / America's Cup
Alinghi Red Bull Racing continued with their two AC40 training program in Jeddah
What happened in the Cup - February 11, 2024:
- American Magic - No sailing as advised last Thursday.
- Alinghi Red Bull Racing - resumed what appears to be a continuation of a sail testing program off Jeddah, using their two AC40's. Former ETNZ and American Magic AC helmsman Dean Barker joined the session as a co-helmsman. The team hoisted custom design J2 and J3 jibs and also carried One Design J2 and J3 jibs. One Design mainsails were used in the session. There was an issue with the power leg on the Recon Boat - and the AC37 Joint Recon team were not able to go on the water. Alinghi Red Bull Racing kindly provided its own Recon Report. This session in Jeddah, like the previous two, is expected to last just over a week. Sail trimmer Yves Detrey provided a post-sail interview.
- Emirates Team New Zealand - No sailing on Sunday (not unusual) and did not sail all last week, however today (Monday) the Chase boats were lowered back into the harbour, and it is expected that sailing will be conducted during the week. Light winds are forecast for all Tuesday and Wednesday morning. The sailing team will head for Sydney mid-next week for the SailGP regatta.
- INEOS Britannia - No sailing reported - the team has not sailed since February 2 (AC40s x 2), and their test boat T6 since a rudder incident on November 13, 2023. Several of the sailing team will head for Sydney mid-next week for the SailGP regatta.
- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - No sailing reported.
- Orient Express Racing Team - No sailing reported. The sailing team will head for Sydney mid-next week for the SailGP regatta.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC40 OD & LEQ12 - Day 74 - February 11, 2024 - Jeddah
Edited - AC37 Joint Recon Team author not identified. Alinghi Red Bull Racing supplied their own Recon Report.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing started their fourth trip to Jeddah with the rollout of their AC40-7 (Black) and AC40-4 (Red) boats at 09:15hrs and 09:35hrs, respectively, each equipped with one design wingfoils and rudder elevator.
Tell-tales were added along the length of both masts, as well as markers at the mast base for Cunningham, indicating a focus on mast rotation and Cunningham, with these systems potentially linked.
A hydraulics engineer carried a blue pressurised tank to the Red boat as work was carried out below deck.
Unfortunately, sailing observations were not made due to an unresolved issue with the recon boat's lower legs of outboards, and the recon boat was not able to put out on the Red Sea.
One Design mainsails and J2 LE jibs were prepared on both boats, ahead of 12:00 dockout, however the decision to change to the J3 must have been made once the team reached open water. Dean Barker's return to sailing operations were noted, as he helmed the Red boat, alongside Maxime Bachelin. Arnaud Psarofaghis and Nico Charbonnier helmed the Black boat. The crew swapped boats during the day, as evident when the team docked in three and a half hours later at 15:25hrs, with crews on different boats from dockout.
Updates received from Rodney Ardern (Recon Rep/Sailing Team Manager) indicated M1 OD mainsails and J3 LE jibs were up by 12:30hrs, with a jib clew adjustment made at 12:40hrs. Further notes were provided by Rodney via email:
"Being the first day in the 40's for a couple of weeks the session was a shakedown and systems checks day.
Both boats have OD foils.
Both boats had OD mainsails and we used two previously used LEQ J3's.
The boats did 20min of individual warm up, followed by some straight line work to get everyone focused.
During the straight line sections, we swapped sides and sailed on both tacks – upwind then downwind.
Swapped crews and repeated the sequence.
After that we did two practice starts followed by a 2-lap race on a 1nm course. "
Crew:Co-Helms: Arnaud Psarofaghis, Maxime Bachelin, Nico Charbonnier, Dean Barker. Sail Trimmers/Flight controllers: Bryan Mettraux, Yves Detrey, Nico Rolaz, Jason Waterhouse
Session Statistics: Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC40 OD & LEQ12 - Day 74 - February 11, 2024 - Jeddah
- Weather: 27° degrees. Sunny
- Wind Strength: Not recorded
- Wind Direction: Not recorded
- Sea State: Not recorded
- Crane In: 0930|1000 Dock Out: 1200hrs
- Dock In: 1530hrs Crane out: 1610hrs
- Total Tacks: - Fully foiling: ; Touch & Go: ; Touch Down:
- Total Gybes: - Fully foiling: ; Touch & Go: ; Touch Down:
Additional Images:
This commentary was written and compiled from video, still images and statistical content extracted from the AC37 Joint Recon program and other material available to Sail-World NZ including photo files, and other on the water coverage from the 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021 America's Cups. Its format is intended to give Sail-World readers a snapshot of all teams' progress on a given day or period.