What did we learn on day 1 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin?
by Mark Jardine 30 Aug 2024 01:34 AEST
29 August 2024
His Majesty King Felipe VI visits the America's Cup during Race Day 1 of the Louis Vuitton Cup © Ivo Rovira / America's Cup
Light winds led to a delay before the minimum 6.5 knots was recorded on the course area. Not everything went to the form book today and it's clear we can't make assumptions about the outcome of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The broadcast is improving day by day.
- The names of the crew are now displayed on the cockpit view. With sailors' faces covered by helmets and goggles, this is a welcome addition.
- The team support boat input and celebration shots are excellent, and it would be great to feature these more.
- On-board comms are clearer on the audio, and provide welcome insights.
- It would be good to know the wind strength and direction, maybe superimposed on the water like we've seen previously.
Orient Express Racing Team vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing
The French team pushed the Swiss hard on the start, with Alinghi tacking away and starting on port.
Orient Express clearly wanted the left and led Alinghi at the first tack, holding the lead, which hovered around 200 to 300 metres, throughout the first lap.
The French clearly favour the left upwind and protected that side on the second upwind leg, extending their lead to over 500 metres at times.Generally it looked like Orient Express were quicker upwind while Alinghi were slightly faster downwind.
The French kept their nerve for a huge win. Orient Express Racing Team are learning how to sail their sister-ship to Emirates Team New Zealand's yacht fast.
Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Luna Rossa
We saw a very even start, without pre-start engagement. ITA were to the left with slightly more pace. They went high, forcing ETNZ to tack away.
Luna Rossa led by 11 seconds at Windward Gate 1 with the teams choosing different marks to round. Just 30 metres separated the yachts as they crossed downwind with Luna Rossa leading by 5 seconds at Leeward Gate 1.
On the second upwind leg, Emirates Team New Zealand overtook as the Kiwis survived on port on Luna Rossa's hip. The pair of yachts then tacked from port to starboard, with New Zealand using a high mode to luff up from underneath the Italians.
Luna Rossa trailed by 22 seconds at Leeward Gate 4. In the end Emirates Team New Zealand won by 12 seconds.
Emirates Team New Zealand clearly have a wide range of modes, which they employed well to overtake Luna Rossa.
INEOS Britannia vs. New York Yacht Club American Magic
With the breeze at a reported 10 knots, American Magic fell off the foils in the pre-start, so were very late into the entry box and only just got onto the foils at start time, but way over the start line, having to come back and restart, handing a 700 metre lead to the British team.
In clearly marginal conditions INEOS Britannia kept their cool and stayed foiling.The lead waxed and waned, and American Magic closed the gap significantly, though in the end Brits took the win by 14 seconds.
Orient Express Racing Team vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
The French team again wanted the left hand side of the course, and managed to build from a down-speed pre-start to come off the line very evenly with the Italians. Unfortunately for them, come the first tack they were already in Luna Rossa's dirty air.
Luna Rossa then commanded the race, despite losing control of the rudder during a gybe which had air being sucked down the blade. They kept it under control, lowering the ride height and reattaching the flow, winning by 1 minute 24 seconds.