Please select your home edition
Edition
Selden 2020 - LEADERBOARD

Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Day 1

by Mark Jardine 12 Oct 2024 07:53 PDT 12 October 2024
Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Race 2 - October 12, 2024 © Ian Roman / America's Cup

The first day of the America's Cup Match is a day of reckoning. The Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, who we haven't seen in competition since the Round Robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup, against the battle-hardened Challenger, INEOS Britannia, who came through the epic Louis Vuitton Cup Final against Luna Rossa.

Will one team have a speed advantage over the other? Will the Kiwis' new foils give them the edge? Will the Formula One team at Mercedes have added more to the British boat, keeping them on the improving performance trajectory they've shown throughout the racing in Barcelona?

Broadcast

  • The wingwash graphic, showing the dirty air coming from the lead boat, improved significantly and was very useful.
  • Increased use of VMG (velocity made good), was superb, showing us how the different modes were resulting in higher or lower speeds towards the next mark.
  • We got to see the trimmers and flight controllers more on board, which added variety and showed how hard they are concentrating.

Race 1: INEOS Britannia vs. Emirates Team New Zealand

After 40 minutes of anticipation-filled delay, waiting for the breeze to come in, we were under way.

There were huge differences in wind strength across the race course, so staying in the pressure, avoiding the holes, was paramount.

Emirates Team New Zealand entered the start area on time, but INEOS Britannia were very late, apparently due a battery issue in the pre-start, so the Kiwis tacked in front of them, trying to delay their entry. Both boats they gybed away with the British tailing the Kiwis.

Both boats lined up high, with the New Zealand team ducking to make the line at the pin end, while the British were far closer to the other end. From the off, Emirates Team New Zealand pulled out a 50 metre advantage, with both boats tacking at the same time.

On the first upwind leg the Kiwis kept a close cover on the Brits, gradually extending their lead to round the first windward gate 24 seconds ahead.

The Brits went for an early gybe into more pressure, reducing the deficit slightly, clawing back nine seconds on the downwind leg.

On the second upwind leg the Kiwis gave the Brits zero breathing space, matching them tack for tack, in classic match racing style, extending their lead to 36 seconds.

Seeing Nathan Outteridge continually watching for breeze showed how his strengths have benefitted the Kiwi team. The 'Wind Whisperer' has legendary wind spotting ability, and his communication with his team-mates was superb. By the second leeward gate their lead was 40 seconds.

As the breeze dropped a little, Emirates Team New Zealand continued to keep their elbows out, not giving INEOS Britannia an inch, extending their lead to 56 seconds at the third windward gate.

The Kiwis made no mistake on the final downwind leg to take the first point of the 37th America's Cup match with a 41 second victory. An ominously clinical performance by Emirates Team New Zealand.

Race 2: Emirates Team New Zealand vs. INEOS Britannia

Following on from the Puig Women's America's Cup Final, it was back to action for the Kiwis and the Brits.

Emirates Team New Zealand came in from high on the final approach to the line, with INEOS Britannia slightly early, but able to force the Kiwis to tack away at the start.

The early gains were made by the British as they approached the port boundary while the Kiwis had to take two extra manoeuvres, but at the first reengagement INEOS Britannia had to duck Emirates Team New Zealand, but too close for the Kiwis to tack on them.

At the next cross the Kiwis were ahead by 36 metres, and rounded the first windward gate eleven seconds in the lead, splitting choice of marks.

The British boat sailed into more pressure on the left, looking downwind, and the two teams were bow to bow on the first cross, with INEOS Britannia taking the lead. Emirates Team New Zealand retook the lead though in the same band of pressure on the left, rounding the first leeward gate nine seconds in the lead.

Once again, it was INEOS Britannia who went across to the pressure first, but Emirates Team New Zealand maintained enough of a lead to tack directly in front of the British boat, forcing them to tack away.

With the wind dropping the jeopardy of falling off the foils was becoming a real possibility, so both teams were working hard on tacking in the puffs and looking for the pressure. The Kiwis managed to extend their lead to fourteen seconds at the second windward gate.

Downwind INEOS Britannia made a nice gain in pressure on the right, looking down the course, with just 7 to 8 knots of wind now. Coming into the second leeward gate there were just 50 metres separating the boats. Interestingly, the stats showed the British boat had slightly better VMG both upwind and downwind.

Emirates Team New Zealand sailed a superb third upwind leg, with both Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge looking around continuously for the best breeze, rounding the third windward gate 28 second in the lead, extending to 32 seconds by the third leeward gate.

The Kiwis weren't feeling charitable, getting into position to cover the Brits on the final upwind leg and rounding the final windward gate 33 seconds in the lead.

They made no mistake on the final downwind leg to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Emirates Team New Zealand port side helmsman Nathan Outteridge summed it up succinctly with, "Nice way to start."

Related Articles

America's Cup: Breaking through the Silent mode
Some new Rules emerge - teams restricted to just one or no new masts for the recyled AC75s A look at the state of the Cup - given the three weeks of silence since the hasty final Protocol signing. Entries have been open for three weeks. Some changes in the ability of the teams to get new gear have been leaked. There's more.. Posted today at 2:11 pm
From The Other Side - The State of the Sport
The editors of Sail-World New Zealand and Inside Great Lakes Sailing discuss the state of sailing. The Editors of Inside Great Lakes Sailing and Sail-World New Zealand got together last week to shoot the breeze in an unscripted video discussion, without any pre-arranged "talking points" about various aspects of the sport. Posted on 5 Sep
Youth America's Cup set to continue in Naples
The Youth America's Cup is a sign-post to the future direction of the America's Cup itself. Since its inaugural event in 2013, the Youth America's Cup, designed as a competition for sailors under the age of 25, has always been the most remarkable sign-post to the future direction of the America's Cup itself. Posted on 4 Sep
America's Cup: Carlo's insights 1983-2024
Leading Italian lensman Carlo Borlenghi has been shooting the America's Cups for 41 years Carlo Borlenghi is the go-to photographer for many of the world's top sailing events and has covered every America's Cup since 1983 when he was assigned to the Azzurra team for Italy's first challenge. Posted on 30 Aug
America's Cup: A seismic shift for sailing
For the first time in its 174-year history, female sailors will be mandated onboard AC75s This week's announcement from the America's Cup felt momentous. For the first time in its 174-year history, female sailors will be mandated onboard AC75s at the pinnacle of our sport. Posted on 15 Aug
America's Cup: The Brave, New Protocol
The just announced Protocol for the America's Cup has many innovations and a few fish hooks The just announced Protocol for the America's Cup has many innovations, and maybe a few unintended consequences around the mandatory re-use of 2024 vintage AC75 hulls. Updated with a look at how the new Cup structure could work. Posted on 12 Aug
America's Cup: A "ground breaking" partnership
An innovative Protocol for the 2027 America's Cup has been agreed between RNZYS and RYS An innovative 11th hour Protocol for the 2027 America's Cup has been agreed between the Challenger of Record and the Defender. It creates a commercial framework for the current and future Cups, eases nationality rules, and has a quota for female sailors. Posted on 12 Aug
Cup sailor and commentator dies suddenly
A look at the many achievements and contributions of Peter Lester who died suddenly at 70yrs. It seems like only last month that Peter Lester was being carried shoulder high in his OK Dinghy, up Takapuna Beach, having just won the 1977 World championship, having just won the World championship. . Posted on 9 Aug
America's Cup impasse close to resolution.
The impasse over the Protocol is expected to be resolved next week - meeting in Auckland. The impasse over the Protocol for the 38th America's Cup is expected to be resolved, one way or the other, next week, with a meeting of the parties in Auckland. Posted on 9 Aug
America's Cup: Naples first taste of the Cup
The America's Cup came to Naples in 2012 and 2013 for two of the most memorable regattas. The America's Cup World Series, a multi-city series in the lead up to the 2013 America's Cup regatta in San Francisco, came to Naples in 2012 and 2013 for two of the most memorable regattas. Posted on 7 Aug
Barton Marine Pipe GlandsPalm Beach Motor YachtsNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast