Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd - For the Obsessed

Cup Spy Feb 20: American Magic and Kiwis complete three hour on the water sessions

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 20 Feb 2024 20:21 PST 21 February 2024
American Magic - AC40 - Day 94 - February 20, 2024 - Barcelona © Ugo Fonolla / America's Cup

Two teams sailed in Auckland and Barcelona. The Swiss have completed their sail-evaluation program in Jeddah and have returned to Barcelona to resume training in their upgraded AC75.

What happened in the Cup - February 20, 2024:

  • INEOS Britannia - No report. Several of the sailing team will head for Sydney mid-next week for the SailGP regatta.
  • Alinghi Red Bull Racing - sailed in Jeddah, and have returned to Barcelona to resume their AC75 program.
  • Orient Express Racing Team - No report. The sailing team will head for Sydney mid-next week for the SailGP regatta.
  • Emirates Team New Zealand - Sailed on Course E on the outer Waitemata Harbour - the Back Paddock - in their AC40 in flat water.
  • American Magic - sailed a single AC40 again in Barcelona.
  • Orient Express Racing Team - no report.
  • Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - No sailing reported by the AC37 Joint Recon program

Emirates Team New Zealand - LEQ12 - Day 66 - February 20, 2024 - Auckland

Day 66 with ETNZ in the LEQ12 out on the Hauraki Gulf. Docking out at 1100hrs, heading into a nice southwesterly breeze, the team towed down to Mechanics Bay and hoisted the M2 main and the J3 Jib. With a quick pop onto their foils and a bear-away, the team ran down the harbour, gybing out towards Motuihe Island and into the "Back Paddock" [America's Cup Course E] to the south of Waiheke Island.

Chasing flat-water in the back paddock, the team made some long runs, putting in three solid laps and completing some nicely timed boat manoeuvres, including one round-up very high on the foils, working on finding the edge of grip and speed. The team stopped for a drinks break around 1220hrs and got quickly back into it.

After a touchdown tack beating back towards the eastern beach, the team stopped for a jib change, as the wind had dropped to around 6.5 kts. They completed the shift to the J2 and continued sailing laps around the Back Paddock.

After performing some tight manoeuvres, including a well-executed "gybe set", the team stopped for another drinks break and put someone from the chase boat onboard to look downstairs. Showing no signs of concern, the team started sailing back into the harbour in a now building South Westerly. After some higher-end manoeuvres in the upper harbour, the team sailed into Mechanics Bay to finish sailing for the day.

After sailing, Recon caught up with Nathan Outteridge to talk about what they achieved today and the upcoming time off.

[AC Recon team: Sam Thom and Andrew Burgess]

Crew: Peter Burling, Nathan Outteridge, Andy Maloney, Blair Tuke

Session Statistics: Emirates Team New Zealand - LEQ12 - Day 64 - February 15, 2024 - Auckland

  • Weather: 23°C Sunny
  • Wind Strength: 5-16kts
  • Wind Direction: 230°
  • Sea State: 0.2mtr
  • Total time: 175min
  • Distance 50nm (92km)
  • Crane In: 1020hrs Dock Out: 1100hrs
  • Dock In: 1400hrs Crane out: 1420hrs
  • Total Tacks: 23 - Fully foiling: 20; Touch & Go: 1; Touch Down: 2
  • Total Gybes: 16 - Fully foiling: 16; Touch & Go: 0; Touch Down: 0

American Magic - AC40 - Day 85 - February 20, 2024 - Barcelona

NYYC American Magic clocked up another single-boat race training day aboard the AC40 America.

The boat was rolled out of the shed at 1020hrs for the shore crew to step in and set up its original mast (yesterday, it was fitted with the mast from the team's second AC40 Magic) before launching at 1058hrs.

Once in the water, we could confirm that an object we spotted yesterday mounted in the middle of the foredeck was a LiDar unit trained on the headsail.

Dockout was at 1227hrs, with the team getting custom design sails (MC 4 mainsail and J1 C1 headsail) hoisted by 1245hrs. The boat left the harbour at 1250hrs and was quickly airborne in a solid southerly sea breeze at around 13-14 kts.

After a short, fast downwind run, a stop was made to switch to the J3 C1 headsail. After a quick upwind sail to bed in the new headsail, the crew went straight into the prestart of the first series of practice starts/races.

This first race saw the boat complete two windward/leeward laps before a stop at 1350hrs.

After a 10-minute debrief with the chase boat and coaching team alongside, the boat was off again for a second prestart. The subsequent 'race' was terminated at the bottom of the first downwind run.

After a five-minute stop, the crew rolled into Start #3, followed by a full two-lap race. A 15-minute stop at 1445hrs saw the crew return to the J2 C4.

The breeze at this point was 10-11 kts from 180°. The initial pre-start of the fourth race was aborted after the boat fell off the foil during a tack in the final minute (05m25s in the highlights video).

The rerun went better, although the boat fell off the foil on a tack on the approach to the windward gate in the subsequent race. This race was terminated at the end of the first downwind. A fifth and final start saw the crew race upwind to the harbour entrance, where they arrived at 1546hrs. Sails were dropped shortly afterwards, and the boat docked in at 1603hrs.

Crew: Co-helms: America - Paul Goodison and Lucas Calabrese. Flight Controller/Trimmers: Michael Menninger and Riley Gibbs

Session Statistics: American Magic - AC40 - Day 85 - February 20, 2024 - Barcelona

  • Weather: Clear 16° C
  • Wind Strength: 10-15kts
  • Wind Direction: 180°
  • Sea State: Light chop
  • Crane In: 1100hrs Dock Out: 1330hrs
  • Dock In: 1600hrs Crane out: 1830hrs
  • Total Tacks: 34 - Fully foiling: 32; Touch & Go: 0; Touch Down: 2
  • Total Gybes: 19 - Fully foiling: 19; Touch & Go: 0; Touch Down: 0

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.

Related Articles

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 $NZD48million 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 7 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 24 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
America's Cup: Dalton reflects on Barcelona
Dalton reflects on Barcelona, and what the future holds for him, New Zealand, and the next Defence In this in-depth discussion Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton joins top sports broadcaster Marty Devlin to talk all about their recent win at the America's Cup in Barcelona, hailing it as their "most complete effort" yet. Posted on 3 Dec 2024
ETNZ ranked #5 in major sport brands
Emirates Team NZ has been ranked at #5 on the global Sports Technology Power List In the 2024 Sports Technology Annual Review and Power List published Friday, Emirates Team New Zealand has been ranked at #5 on the global Sports Technology Power List by The STA Group who champions the best sports technology globally. Posted on 22 Nov 2024
America's Cup: Ben Ainslie reflects
Ben Ainslie's thoughts subsequent to his riposte to the Kiwi sport commentator Topics covered include his most memorable moment of the Cup, his thoughts subsequent to his riposte to the Kiwi sport commentator and much more in this frank review of the Brits performance in the 2024 America's Cup. Posted on 20 Nov 2024
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst Yacht Tender 1456x180px BOTTOMArmstrong 728x90 - Wing FG Board Range - BOTTOMRooster Women's Wetsuit Range