Swiss America’s Cup team Alinghi Red Bull Racing issued a statement today, Thursday 29th May, as the latest war of words among various interested America’s Cup teams escalates.

That statement was followed by another from the official America’s Cup Challenger of Record, the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Athena Racing.

The first indication that something was (once again) amiss in the world of the America’s Cup came when Team New Zealand announced Naples as the venue for the 38th America’s Cup, seemingly out of the blue – though rumours of an announcement had been circulating.

That venue announcement was followed days later by Ben Ainslie’s Athena Racing, and US team NYYC American Magic, both issuing co-ordinated team statements. The Athena Racing statement revealed the British frustration that six months of negotiation with Team New Zealand, headed up by Grant Dalton, had failed to result in a Protocol agreement stating that:

‘For seven months Athena Racing has been in negotiations on a protocol for the 38th America’s Cup with the Defender, Team New Zealand, on behalf of all the Challengers – with the aim to deliver a fair sporting framework and commercially viable event for all America’s Cup stakeholders. Despite recent progress being made, significant barriers remain.

‘Typically, a host agreement has only followed the publication of an agreed protocol. In the absence of an agreed protocol, it is therefore difficult to understand what exactly has been agreed between Team New Zealand and the Government of Italy as the sporting framework and details of the event do not yet exist.’

Ben Ainslie. Photo: INEOS Britannia

These opening salvoes then saw Team New Zealand biting back against charges of a lack of transparency, calling the challengers ‘unreasonable’ and taking the unprecedented step of releasing the America’s Cup Protocol draft apparently without full consultation with Challenger of Record Athena Racing.

Gloves-off America’s Cup statement from Alinghi

The statement released today by Alinghi takes aim squarely at Team New Zealand and goes as far as claiming that ‘Team New Zealand have sold something they do not own the rights to.’ And additionally reveals they have contacted the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron ‘raising questions about the administration of the competition by Team New Zealand.’

In what was another clearly co-ordinated effort from the Challengers, the Alinghi statement was quickly followed by another from both Athena Racing and NYYC American Magic, both giving full-throated support to the sentiments expressed by the Swiss team.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing had previously announced that they would not compete in the 38th America’s Cup. Photo: America’s Cup

In full the Alinghi statement reads:

‘When Alinghi Red Bull Racing withdrew in April from consideration for the 38th America’s Cup, we did so because we had serious concerns about the administration and governance of the Cup by the Defender, Team New Zealand.

‘While we wholeheartedly welcome the choice of Naples as a perfect host venue for the Cup in 2027, our concerns were deepened yesterday when Team New Zealand celebrated the announcement of the host venue at an event in the city.

‘They had no right to do so without first having agreed a protocol with the Challenger of Record, Athena Racing, who were not consulted on the host venue arrangements which critically impact all challenging teams with regards to cost and logistics.

‘In signing a commercial deal with the host city that includes the Challenger Selection Series of races for the Louis Vuitton Cup, Team New Zealand have sold something they do not own the rights to. This is not acceptable.

‘Additionally, the lack of transparency over the terms of the venue deal struck by Team New Zealand begs the question: How can a venue be agreed without either the host city or any of the challenger teams knowing what form of regatta will take place?

‘This is just the latest demonstration of the Defender’s failure to live up to its fiduciary duties as the Trustee of the America’s Cup.

‘These growing concerns about the governance of the Cup is why Société Nautique de Genève has written to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron raising questions about the administration of the competition by Team New Zealand and requesting information relating to RNZYS’s responsibilities and duties as Trustee.

‘As a two-time winner of the Cup and a former Trustee ourselves, Alinghi will always feel a responsibility to the America’s Cup and believe that those who organize and run the event should always seek to put the collective interest of the Cup above all else.

‘Like Athena Racing and American Magic, we believe that a successful America’s Cup hinges on openness, trust, and a shared understanding among all participants. We remain hopeful that a protocol between the Defender and the Challenger of Record can be agreed that establishes an equitable sporting framework for the racing and a commercially viable event for all America’s Cup stakeholders.

‘If this can be achieved, then Alinghi is ready to explore ways that we can be part of that future, especially in the wonderful city of Naples in 2027, a truly fitting setting for the world’s greatest sailing competition.’

Alinghi are no strangers to Cup controversy themselves having been taken to court by Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle after their succesfull defence of the America’s Cup. the resultant fall out saw several years of battle in the courts before a Deed of Gift match between the two teams in 2010.

Could the Cup be heading back to the courts once again?

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The post ‘Team New Zealand have sold something they do not own the rights to. This is not acceptable.’ Alinghi issues strong America’s Cup statement appeared first on Yachting World.

The 37th America’s Cup is due to start on Saturday 12 October and will see America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand taking on the first British challenger in 60 years INEOS Britannia.

The America’s Cup is a two boat match race and is a first to seven points competition (best of 13 races). Two races per day are scheduled and the competition will run daily until one team gets to the magic seven race wins.

Emirates Team New Zealand have won the last two America’s Cups but this second generation of the foiling AC75 class boats has seen all teams much closer in performance terms than the first time they were used in 2021.

For those wondering how to watch the America’s Cup there are a whole host of options and many of the America’s Cup streams are free depending which country you are in.

Read all our America’s Cup reports to catch up on the latest racing and our analysis of where each team stands.  

Looking for a free America’s Cup Sailing live stream? The event will be free in the UK on Youtube and the America’s Cup website. Full details on how to watch The 2024 America’s Cup live stream just below.

How to stream the America’s Cup in the UK for free

America’s Cup racing for the UK audience will be available on a number of platforms. The easiest way to watch the action for free will be via either the America’s Cup Website, via the America’s Cup Youtube Channel. The racing will also be available on TnT Sports – an add on to Discovery + with a cost of £30.99 per month. And it will also be available on Eurosport.

If you try to watch your domestic coverage from anywhere outside your home country, you’ll soon find a problem – geo-blocking. That’s where the broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It’s a common problem for sports fans all over the world.

By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it’s back at home. Our sister title, TechRadar has done extensive testing of the best VPN service and Nord VPN consistently comes out on top.

How to use a VPN to watch the America’s Cup racing

Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three…

1. Download and install a VPN – as we say, the top choice according to our sister title is NordVPN.
2. Connect to the appropriate server location – open the VPN app, hit ‘choose location’ and select the appropriate location, eg: ‘Australia’ for 9Now.
3. Go to the broadcaster’s stream – head to your home broadcaster’s site or app and watch as if you were at home – Youtube or the America’s Cup website for UK viewers.

How to watch the America’s Cup in New Zealand

New Zealand has a similar set up to the UK in that America’s Cup racing can be streamed free and live via the America’s Cup Youtube channel or via the Website.

Stuff Group and Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this year entered into a partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand to provide extensive, live and lively coverage of the America’s Cup in New Zealand. You’ll be able to watch all of their coverage live via Stuff and also ThreeNow.

How to stream the America’s Cup in the USA for free

For America’s Cup viewers in the United States the options are a little more limited. America’s Cup racing will be available to stream for free via the America’s Cup website, but it will be on a 24 hour delay.

Those living in the USA and wanting to watch the America’s Cup racing action live will need to sign up to ESPN+ for the duration of the event in order to watch live. ESPN+ is $10.99 a month.

When is America’s Cup Racing 2024?

America’s Cup Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta: 22-25 August 2024
Louis Vuitton Cup: 29 August 7 October
Youth America’s Cup: 17-26 September
Women’s America’s Cup: 5-13 October
37th America’s Cup: 12-27 October

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

1 – Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
2 – Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The post How to watch the America’s Cup live streams appeared first on Yachting World.

With only two races completed in very light winds on Monday 16 September, racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals continued today Wednesday after a break in the racing on Tuesday to allow the Youth America’s Cup to get underway.

The wind was running from the east and was predicted to drop throughout the day’s racing from around 12 knots for the opening race. In fact the wind only occasionally touched double digits and was very patchy throughout the day and was shifting around a lot too.

A significant swell of over 1m was present on the course too, making foiling in the low end of the wind range tricky.

Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Day 3

• A structural breakage for Luna Rossa will see them desperately trying to repair their damage before racing tomorrow
• American Magic are now only 3-4 down against Luna Rossa
• INEOS is the first boat through to the Louis Vuitton Cup final, but it was far from a polished performance

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 11 INEOS Britannia Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

Having won a very light wind race on Monday, ghosting across the line just a couple of minutes inside the time limit of the race, Alinghi Red Bull Racing had bought themselves a stay of execution. But the Swiss boat still went into today 4-1 down in the first-to-five race wins competition.

The wind was up and down in the start box and clearly shifting left and right pretty significantly. With the wind down to around 7 knots in places, neither team looked keen to engage and Alinghi led back to the startline early to take the pin end of the line. For their part Ainslie and Fletcher were happy to let Psarofaghis and Bachelin win the pin end of the line.

At the gun both boats hit the line at pace, but a decent shift had made the pin end clearly favoured. As such, it was the Swiss flagged boat that looked to be leading as the two teams headed out to the left hand boundary. But as they tacked the Swiss boat dropped off the foils briefly allowing the Brits to lead them back to the right of the course giving the Swiss dirty air.

To make matters worse for Alinghi, a port tack lift meant a tack away would mean a big loss of ground so they had to just sit and take it, before eventually tacking away in the middle of the course.

By the top of the beat, the Brits tacked onto port on what looked like a layline for the windward gate, but they were headed all the way across the course and eventually had to tack just in front of Alinghi to go round the lefthand gate mark (looking upwind) with the Swiss right on their tail.

Alinghi did an excellent job of gybing early as the Brits gybed on the boundary, and the Swiss eased into a bit more pressure, while the Brits had a poor gybe to allow Alinghi through to snatch the lead.

As had been the case on Monday, INEOS Britannia looked pretty tender in the light conditions and throughout the downwind the Swiss team marched away to take a 1 minute 1 second lead by the first gate. The gap did vary a little bit as the Brits looked stronger when the wind was nearer 8 knots, but anything below that they started to cede ground to their competition and ended up crossing the line 1 minute 33 seconds behind.

“For sure it is good to have another point and we will be able to sail another race. We were very quick in these light conditions with the big waves, but it’s also really quite shifty out here today,” said Bachelin

Alinghi overtake INEOS Britannia. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 11?

In Monday’s report, I said INEOS will not be too concerned with their pace deficit in the very light conditions, as the conditions on Monday were well below the 6.5 knot minimum required to start a race. However, today will be a bit more of a concern. In particular the boat looked very difficult to get through the gybes and was generally slow at the bottom end of the wind range downwind.

The relatively small size of the INEOS’ foils will mean that she has less drag and so is faster at higher speeds, but the price paid for that is they are difficult to stay on in the light winds. Whether that is a fatal weakness only time will tell. Interestingly, Giles Scott later referred to changing to their biggest mainsail ahead of the team’s second race of the day, which could have been a factor in this first race loss.

For Alinghi, this is the first race I have watched in which they have been demonstrably quicker than their opponents, with their other wins not coming from boat speed. That being said, this win was as much about the tactical work as it was about boatspeed.

American Magic win the start. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 12 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

The wind remained the same light and shifty conditions for this second race of the day and, like Alinghi Red Bull Racing, American Magic would be looking to keep their regatta alive after a big win on Monday stopped them being knocked out of the competition.

In the pre-start Luna Rossa gybed around at the right hand boundary, looking to lead back but American Magic gybed round in front of them and try to get Luna Rossa hooked up to windward.

But Luna Rossa slowed nicely and were able to bear away around their stern to get to leeward of the American boat. In response Slingsby and Calabrese did an excellent job of accelerating over the top of them to hit the startline right in front of Luna Rossa, forcing the Italians to tack away immediately.

American Magic immediately tacked to follow them, but Luna Rossa managed to hook into a bit more pressure and by the time the Italians tacked they’d grabbed about a 100m lead over the American boat. And that was a lead that the Italians extended to be fully 47 seconds ahead at the windward gate.

However, the top right of the course (looking upwind) suddenly looked very light and the Italians were sailing in only around 5 knots, at a very tight angle to stay on the foils. Slingsby and Calabrese picked the opposite side of the gate and after they gybed at the boundary they had sailed past the Italians.

In marginal foiling conditions it was a real battle to stay on the foils through the gybes and, with the wind fluctuating significantly, the angle differences were massive allowing for losses and gains aplenty.

Midway down the first run American Magic had a poor gybe and dropped off the foils. Luna Rossa were bearing down on them but they would also need to gybe at the same left hand boundary. In an attempt to try to keep on the foils, Luna Rossa actually elected to tack around to stop themselves sailing through their own dirty air.

Spithill and Bruni picked up a boundary penalty in the tack, but keeping the boat on the foils was the aim of the game. Luna Rossa switched to sailing upwind for a while until their penalty was cleared and then set off downwind again to overtake American Magic.

As they wind remained light we were treated to Luna Rossa tacking around on the downwind on a couple of occasions. But on one such tack on the left boundary, they lost a lot of ground relative to American Magic, who just managed to get foiling again.

As they both came into the leeward gate, both boats rounded opposite gate marks at exactly the same time, with American Magic rounding the right hand mark looking upwind and the Italians on the left.

At the first cross it was initially the starboard tacked American Magic with a decent advantage over the Italian team, but they were headed all the way into the middle of the course and by the time the boats met, the Americans crossed the Italians’ bow by a handful of metres.

A little way into the beat, the committee shortened the course to four legs (two laps) meaning the race would finish at the next downwind.

Making their way upwind they traded the lead with the starboard advantage and coming into the top gate Slingsby and Calabrese had the starboard advantage and were able to force Luna Rossa to duck them. In so doing Spithill and Bruni were unable to make the gate and trying to tack back the Italians dropped off the foils.

Low riding towards the finish. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

In echoes of Monday’s race between Alinghi and INEOS, American Magic also fell off the foils on their first gybe and Slingsby and Calarese elected to set off downwind in low-riding mode instead of chasing the wind to try and get foiling again, which looked like a great decision with the wind dying away.

But there was a little puff still left in the day and it was the Americans who got that puff, to set off on their foils. For their part, Luna Rossa just chose to sail off the course and automatically award the win the the Americans, who were just a handful of metres from the finish line and foiling at pace.

“We’re not going anywhere yet we want to keep this thing alive,” said Slingsby after racing. “It was really tense. We did our warm up and there was nice breeze. We had a nice start but then all of a sudden we were struggling to stay on the foil and they were just ripping. It’s at that moment I though ‘this was a completely different race.'”

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 12?

There was a not insignificant amount of luck involved in this race, in what amounted to a game of ‘stay on the foils’.  If you did not need to gybe or tack in a wind hole, you would sai laway from your oppostion. But then, as the saying goes, you make your own luck and Slingsby and Calabrese won the start, and then won the race at the final top mark, getting their course geometry right to come into the windward gate on starboard and force Luna Rossa to duck them, missing the gate.

These two boats have been surprisingly even in pure pace terms so far this Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final, but this race was all about sniffing out the best wind. It should be noted that Slingsby suggested the had smaller sails up than Luna Rossa, though I’ve not been able to confirm this. If that is the case that could indicate some impressive pace from what should have been an underpowered American boat.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 13 INEOS Britannia Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

Given how light the conditions had got in the second race of the day it was hardly surprising that there was a delay to this third race of the day in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final. In fact, given just how light the race between Luna Rossa and American Magic had got, it was more surprising that this race got underway at all, with just a short delay in the end.

But the wind only needs to be above 6.5 knots for a sustained period of time at top and bottom of the course for the race to be started, so start it did. And, in fact, for the most part the breeze remained reasonably close to double digits throughout. It was still very variable, but was mostly closer to 10 knots than 5.

I recently wrote a piece on how the Brits turned their performance woes around and noted in that, that some software issues which had seen multiple boundary and start penalties appears to have been sorted. However, coming into the pre-start the Brits were clearly early entering the start-box and picked up a penalty, much to the surprise of Fletcher, who could be heard saying ‘Oh What!?’ Perhaps those issues linger?

With a penalty against them out of the start, the Brits elected to try to start on port tack, cross behind the starboard tacked Alinghi and so quickly scrub their penalty off. This was a good call from Ainslie and Fletcher as they quickly got rid of the penalty and were heading out to the right of the course with more pressure.

At the first cross, Alinghi were forced to duck behind the starboard tacked INEOS, a lead they held at the next cross when they sailed across the bow of Alinghi on port.

By the top of the course, the Brits had worked themselves into a very nice position, reduced their number of manoeuvres and rounded the right hand gate mark (looking upwind) 25 seconds ahead of Alinghi, who rounded the left mark.

INEOS once again had some poor gybes on the downwind but managed to lead around the bottom gate. “It’s getting a little nervy here on [the chase boat] but the boys are doing a good job. As you can see it’s really easy to lose the rudder in these conditions,” said Giles Scott from the coach boat during the race.

Upwind both boats looked pretty evenly matched and it was the Brits who extended on the second upwind to round the windward gate 50 seconds ahead. As with both the previous races today, downwind was all about picking the breeze and the slight puff meant a massive difference in angles and pace, to make a gap between the boats that fluctuated significantly.

But it was the final windward gate where the race was finally closed off as the Brits rounded ahead of the Swiss and, as Alinghi went to tack and go through the gate, Alinghi dropped off the foils, to see their hopes of remaining in this competition disappear.

“Happy with that,” said Ainslie after racing. “It was a tough day out here. For people watching it probably looked like we were doing a bad job, but it’s so hard out here with the waves and the wind all over the place. But credit to Alinghi who did a really good job in that first race and pushed us hard in the second.”

“It’s over. I think we started to sail pretty well yesterday and today, that was slightly too late, but it was a privilege to be here,” said Psarofaghis.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 12?

Coming into this competition many, myself included, predicted this Louis Vuitton Semi-Final was likely to be a 5-0 whitewash as INEOS seemed to have left their pace issues behind. But the Brits once again showed a bit of weakness even in these slightly stronger conditions, losing grip on the rudder through a couple of gybes on the first downwind – the issue that caused the speed loss in the early gybe in the first race that lost them that race.

There was clearly some sort of software issue as well, which led to them being well inside the start box early but clearly being surprised by that, so plenty to work on. Ultimately, though the Brits will be happy to be the first team through to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.

Close racing between American Magic and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 14 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers

American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

This second start of the day for these two teams was very similar to the first one, as Luna Rossa turned first back to the line and American Magic gybed around in front of the Italian team.

Slinsby and Calabrese managed to keep Spithill and Bruni held up high of the line and by they time they bore away down the starline Luna Rossa had few options but to follow the Americans into the start and tack immediately at the gun.

By the first cross port tacked American Magic were able to sneak across the bows of the Italian team, which also allowed American Magic to tack on the layline to windward boundary on the favoured top right of the course – which had been slightly windier all day.

At the windward gate, with American Magic on starboard, the boats were close enough that Luna Rossa felt able to (a little cheekily) call for a penalty as the ‘inside’ boat closest to the gate mark – but not close enough to actually get a penalty.

However, with the Italians rounding the right hand mark (looking upwind) they got to the favoured side of the course and so at the first downwind cross the starboard tacked Luna Rossa had taken the lead.

A lead that had gone back to the American’s by the time they met again at the gate. There was very little in it and the Italians were heading out to the right, with the stronger breeze and were well ahead at the first cross and had built enough of a gap to be able to tack in front of the American’s to protect the favoured right.

Once again the patchy conditions made the difference and, against the pattern of the day, the left of the course came good for American Magic, who managed to cross Luna Rossa on port to tack.

By the time they both met at the windward gate, they were neck-and-neck as they both tacked through the gate to take opposite sides of the course.

With the teams still trading blows on the downwind, it looked as though Luna Rossa were just starting to get the lead, but as they crossed in front of the Americans it was a sudden disaster for the Italian team, whose traveller suddenly ripped itself apart, crippling the boat and handing the win to American Magic.

“It looks like we’ve broken the traveller track unfortunately,” said Spithill. “But we’ve got a lot of faith in our shore team, they are one of the best in the business so I’m sure they’ll pull out all the stops to get us back out on the water tomorrow.”

The moment Luna Rossa’s traveller gives up. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 14?

Once again there was nothing to pick between these two boats. But a significant structural failure on Luna Rossa is a huge concern. On super high-performance boats it’s not quite as simple as saying in lighter weather there is less load on the boat, but there’s clearly something wrong to be picking up this sort of damage in ‘normal’ racing conditions.  And the team will be hoping that the shock-loading that will have gone through the rig and rigging will not have caused further issues.

Of course this all means American Magic is now on a three-win streak with their opponent needing to fix damage overnight. What looked like a lost cause after Sunday’s racing when the Americans were 4-0 down, they are now 4-3 down and within two wins of Louis Vuitton Cup Finals. Could the America’s Cup have another American comeback story?

Racing is due to continues tomorrow afternoon, with two races planned for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and American Magic.

Follow all of our 2024 America’s Cup coverage

The post Structural damage to Luna Rossa, 2 wins to the Americans, and INEOS through to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final appeared first on Yachting World.

Today, Monday 16 September saw the third day of racing for the four remaining America’s Cup challengers in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals. And for two teams it was a crucial day as both Alinghi Red Bull Racing and American Magic would be fighting to stay in the competition.

To date, the Semi-Finals have both been fairly one-sided in terms of results, with INEOS Britannia going 4-0 up against Alinghi and Luna Rossa also going 4-0 up against American Magic. This series is a best of nine races (first to five wins) so INEOS and Luna Rossa would each only need to win one of their two scheduled races today to book a spot in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.

Yesterday’s racing took place in a decent 1o knots, which built throughout the day to top out at 19 knots, by the final race of the day. Today’s racing was dogged by lighter unstable winds and there were many delays as the race committee waited for the wind to get over the 6.5 knot minimum needed for racing to start.

Even when the racing did get underway, it took place in marginal 6-8 knot conditions and with the thermal enhancement never really kicking in, only two races were able to be sailed today.

Tomorrow will see the start of the Youth America’s Cup racing, so Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final racing will resume on Wednesday 18 September.

Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Day 3

• American Magic continue to look very close to Luna Rossa and it’s not impossible to imagine them winning a few more matches on the bounce
• INEOS look weak in the sub-6 knot conditions and struggled to stay foiling.
• Both Luna Rossa and INEOS will rue not having sealed up their Semi-Final today in order to get an extra day in the shed ahead of Louis Vuitton Final racing

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 9 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

Having gone 4-0 down in this series to INOES Britannia, and with all of those wins being by a significant margin, Alinghi Red Bull Racing were looking for a minor miracle from today’s racing. But it all looked to be over for the Swiss team at the start.

Although the wind had filled in enough to officially start a race it was still looking very light with some big holes where the wind strength was probably under 6 knots.

Alinghi led back to the startline in the light winds and it was clear both teams were looking to minimise manoeuvres in order to stay on the foils, but the Brits did a good job of gybing round in front of the Swiss to lead them back to the line. With INEOS downspeed after their gybe, the Swiss looked to try to roll over the Brits, but they could not accelerate quickly enough and ended up to windward of the Brits, with both boats over the startline.

The only choice the Swiss had from there was to wait for the Brits to bear away down to the startline and follow INEOS to the line and start right on their hip, a very weak position. And to make matters worse Psarofaghis and Bachelin got their time on distance wrong and were over the line at the start, handing the lead to the Brits.

By the first windward gate, INEOS led round with a 17 second gap over Alinghi and stepped away in the final part of the first downwind to lead through the leeward gate by over a minute.

However, the wind was looking ever lighter and, as the Brits went to tack on the left hand boundary upwind, they dropped off the foils, allowing the Swiss to catchup and as the Swiss managed to stay on the foils though their tack, the Swiss grabbed the lead and sailed away for a huge lead.

For their part, the Brits seemed to drop off their foils almost every time they tried to tack, while Psarofaghis and Bachelin foiled their way upwind, rounded the windward gate and set off downwind. To add even more peril to the Brits’ predicament the Race Committee then shortened the course to move the finish to the top of the next beat.

But on their final gybe into the leeward gate, Alinghi dropped off their foils and with the wind around 5 knots across the course both boats gave up trying to get foiling and we were treated to a very slow low-riding race. Alinghi made it through the leeward gate and the question quickly became could they make it to the finish inside the 45 minute race time limit.

In the Alinghi crossed the line after 41 minutes 22 seconds and so officially took their first win of the Semi-Final and will live to race another day.

“The guys did a good job of fighting all the way and we got lucky on one puff and it was quite nice,” said Psarofaghis. “Of course we would like to cross the finish line at 45 knots, but we’ll take crossing it at 8 knots if it’s a win.”

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 9?

Certainly INEOS will be concerned about their manoeuvres. Ainslie commented after racing that there were a couple of manoeuvres where they could and should have stayed foiling but they absolutely looked more prone to dropping off the foils than Alinghi did in this incredibly light weather.

The British boat was still clearly the faster when they were on the foils but this does add to some manoeuvrability problems we’ve seen previously. This is of particular concern as the weather becomes more changeable in October as the thermal winds become weaker. As such October sees some significantly windier days and some very light days too.

However, this weakness only looks to show its head in sub-6 knot conditions, so they need a race such as this where there is enough wind to start but it dies away to really see their manoeuvring be an issue.

Alinghi were impressive this race and they absolutely looked the better of the two in sub-6 knots. It was a bit naive in the pre-start from Psarofaghis and Bachelin – a weakness that has been clear throughout this Semi-Final.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 10  Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs American Magic

Skippers
American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

There was another delay as we waited for the wind ahead of the second race of the day, but after only 15 minutes or so, the breeze was back strong enough to get a race start completed. But it still looked pretty unstable and, though it was up to 9 knots in the startbox, it was again softer in other parts of the course.

It was gloves off from the start as Slingsby and Calabrese decided to lead back very early and started hunting the port-tacked Luna Rossa, hoping to put a penalty on the Italian team. But American Magic were not quite able to get up to the Italians to force a port/starboard incident.

The upshot of that is that the American-flagged boat was leading back to the line very early and were scrubbing off speed all the way back to the startline, while Spithill and Bruni were able to reach all the way down to the startline to cross to windward of the Americans but at significantly higher speed.

By the first boundary Luna Rossa managed to get bow-forward of the US boat and were able to tack on them immediately after the boundary, but American Magic did a good job to hang in there and break cover at the top end of the beat and round the windward gate 17 seconds behind.

Both teams then traded sides of the course downwind and the gap was exactly the same at the downwind gate, with Luna Rossa leading around the left mark and American Magic raking the right hand mark.

But there was a touch more wind on the right of the course and at the first cross the port-tacked Luna Rossa were forced to duck the American’s. But it was a late call by Slingsby and Bruni and they crossed the transom of American Magic a little too close and picked up a penalty.

The Italians still managed to snatch the lead back at the next cross, forcing the port-tacked American Magic to duck them. But that looked to have reversed when they crossed again with American Magic on starboard. But Luna Rossa tried to squeeze across their bow and got another penalty in the process.

At the next windward gate rounding, it was American Magic just leading by 3 seconds, with both boats splitting out to different sides of the course again. The gap remained as a 3-second advantage to the Americans all the way down to the leeward gate.

Coming into the leeward gate, the starboard tacked American Magic looked like they might just cross in front of the the port tacked Luna Rossa. But with Luna Rossa in the two boat length circle, Spithill and Bruni decided to go for broke and dive inside American Magic in the hopes of getting a penalty on the American team, who must give way to allow Luna Rossa room to round the mark.

Slingsby and Calabrese were live the danger with Slingsby stating “I think he’s going to go for a penalty here, so we’ll give room.” It was a very close thing, but Slingsby and Calabrese were just able to give enough room to avoid picking up a penalty. With the Italians diving so low coming into the mark they were always going to drop off the foils. They were clearly hoping to get a penalty and force the Americans to drop behind them.

“It was clearly the wrong call, I didn’t look well enough at the software, I just got a glimpse and thought we had a bit of them,” said Bruni after racing.

It took the Italians an age to get back up on the foils and, by the time they managed it, American Magic were long gone to pick up their first win of the series. “It feels really good,” said Slingsby of the win. “It’s been tough, they’ve been just knocking us off for four races straight. But we know we can do it, so we want another one in these conditions.”

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 10?

These two teams have looked pretty evenly matched so far this Semi-Final and the 4-0 scoreline coming into today’s racing was not really a fair reflection of just how close this series has been. Once again this race there was not a great deal to choose between these two boats, with the teams once again trading the lead on a number of occasions.

Famously when Jimmy Spithill was asked how he felt when his Oracle Team USA was one 8-1 down in the best-of-nine 2013 America’s Cup against New Zealand he simply said: “Imagine if they lost it from here.” And after racing yesterday, Slingsby was asked how he felt being one point away from being sent home, to which he replied: “Imagine if they lost it from here.” Imagine, indeed.

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The post The day of the underdog: What we learned from the third day of Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final racing appeared first on Yachting World.

The second day of Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final racing took place today, Sunday 15 September in Barcelona as the four remaining challengers fight for the right to take on Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup next month.

Initially the day looked to have a relatively unstable southerly breeze fluctuating between around 9 knots and occasionally hitting the mid-teens. However, by the middle of the first race it had stabilised and built somewhat to provide some glamorous conditions of around 15 knots from the southwest, building to almost 20 knots by the end of the day.

Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Day 1

• Alinghi and American Magic are both now 1 loss away from being sent home
• Luna Rossa and INEOS are the standout challengers
• American Magic is slightly closer to Luna Rossa in the windier weather

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 5  Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs American Magic

Skippers
American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

American Magic once again had stand-in helm Luca Calabrese taking Paul Goodison’s spot while the Brit continues to recover from broken ribs that will likely see him out of racing for the foreseeable.

Luna Rossa are widely considered to be a bit quicker round the course than the Americans, so it is vital that American Magic have good starts in this series. Yesterday Slingsby and Calabrese got the better of Spuithill and Bruni in both races to lead off the line.

But in their first race today it was the Italians who came out swinging as Spihill and Bruni lead back to the start and managed to hold American Magic off to windward. By the time both boats accelerated towards the line American Magic were very close to Luna Rossa, without much opportunity to create a gap to leeward.

As such the Italians went straight into a high mode and force American Magic to tack early. By the first cross Luna Rossa were clear ahead and tacked right in front of their opposition. Yesterday’s racing has seen Luna Rossa able to break away once they had got a lead and this race was no different as the Italian boat looked easily in control to go 3-0 up in the series.

“It was a really good start by every body and especially Jimmy [Spithill] who did a great job at hitting the line at pace,” said Francesco Bruni after racing.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 5?

If American Magic had hopped that their boat might be a touch more competitive in these windier conditions, those hopes will have been dashed by this race. However, Luna Rossa did have a bigger headsail on and American Magic probably suffered a little in comparison due to that selection.

At around the halfway point it did look as though Luna Rossa might disappear into the distance. So it may be of some comfort to American Magic that they did manage to hand onto their coattails and prevent the win becoming a total blow out.

But of concern to the Americans will still be their manoeuvres, which simply do not look as polished as the Italian boat – whether that is a the product of design decisions or Calabrese’s relative inexperience or both is unclear.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 6 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

Yesterday’s racing had seen the Brits totally dominant finishing the day 2-0 up after two wins, both of which were by significant margins. Much like American Magic, if Alinghi want to make any sort of challenge, then the starts will be key to try to keep the quicker INEOS Britannia at bay.

But as the teams circled in the early stages of the pre-start, Alinghi dropped off their foils making them something of a sitting duck as they tried to get back into their foils on port tack. It was a pretty simple job for the Ainslie and Fletcher to force a port / starboard situation and get Alinghi to desperately try to avoid them as the Brits also gybed away to avoid a massive collision.

That should have been a clear penalty against the Swiss, but inexplicably the umpires called no penalty. There will be a great deal of discussion about that moment as short of simply ramming the other boat, it’s hard to imagine that is was possible to paint a clearer picture for the umpires. Often decisions in sailing about who is in the wrong can be difficult to define with 100% clarity. But this was not such a situation it was clearly, and obviously Alinghi at fault.

Despite that it was a ruthless move by Ainslie and Fletcher and as Alinghi struggled to get back onto their foils the Brits were well gone, leading by over a minute at the first windward gate, despite having picked up some sort of mainsail damage in their last-gasp gybe to avoid a collision. “I thought at one point we might be going aboard the Swiss but we managed to keep the boats apart and the boys did a good job to keep us on the foils,” said Ainslie after the racing. 

“It was quite bad, we didn’t manage the boat handling well and we were turning a bit too fast, probably and that was bad management,” said Bachelin.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 6?

Psarofaghis and Bachelin were poor in the pre-start and allowed themselves to get into a terrible situation. It was good to see both teams going for each other somewhat but Alinghi wil have to be better than that if they want to take any wins this series. 

There was not a great deal of leaning in terms of boat performance here. INEOS Britannia has looked quicker than Alinghi throughout this series and with a massive gap on the first leg, they were never going to be overhauled. And in fact they kept their foot to the floor and finished the race with over a 2km lead on their opponents.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 7 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

With the wind up a little more for this third race of the day both teams set up in a similar fashion to their first race of the day, with the Italians leading back to the line and the Americans looking to follow them and start to windward.

Unlike the first race, however, Slingsby did a good job of holding enough of a gap to leeward of American Magic to keep them out of trouble as both boats headed out to the lefthand boundary.

However, Luna Rossa were looking high and fast and, though American Magic were able to live off the Italians windward hip, when they both tacked at the lefthand boundary Luna Rossa had a slight advantage sitting directly to windward of Slingsby and Calabrese. The Italians managed to get a little bow-forward of the Americans heading to the right of the course and, but the time American Magic tacked at the next boundary, Luna Rossa were able to tack dead in front of their competition.

But in this winder weather, American Magic was looking faster than she has done in the lighter weather and as a much better match for the Italian boat.

What followed was a great race to watch with both teams making some tine errors but Luna Rossa just managing to hang onto a lead that was never greater than 11 seconds. And by the final windward gate Slingsby and Calabrese rounded the left hand mark just 3 seconds behind the Italians who took the left mark.

By the first cross on the final downwind American Magic had caught up even more and were so close Luna Rossa were unable to put in any defensive manoeuvre, so both boats continued on to opposite boundaries.

When both teams gybed back Luna Rossa had a poor gybe and it looked as though American Magic, with starboard advantage were going to snatch the lead, but the Italian boat just squeaked across the bow of the American boat to take the win by just 2 seconds. “We had a little issue on that last gybe but the boys just kept their cool and got the boat back on track,” said Spithill.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 7?

Whatever the outcome of this Semi-Final American Magic will look back at a number of missed opportunities in this series. Today they looked much more evenly matched in boatspeed terms in this windier weather. They had the pace to get this race today and were unlucky to miss out on the win. They will be hoping for similar conditions tomorrow in what has now become a must win race.

Although they didn’t have much of a speed advantage over American Magic today, Luna Rossa continue to look like a very polished, unflappable outfit. Upwind they still had a bit more pace than the Americans and were particularly impressive off the start line in this third race of the day, sailing higher and faster than their opponents.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 6 INEOS Britannia Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

The wind was up to around 16-19 knots by the final race of the day having built throughout the course of the day’s racing. And after the fireworks in the pre-start of the last race between these two teams, both looked happy to give the other some space this time around.

It was Alinghi who led back to the startline with the British happy to hold up to windward and build a bit of a gap to their opponents. At the start the Swiss-flagged boat hit the pin end of the line with INEOS around mid-line.

The Brits were looking strong and fast and were able to hold all the way out to the lefthand boundary and, when Alinghi tacked over, INEOS was able to tack right on Alinghi, forcing them to tack away to the boundary again. The Brits followed and tack right on them again each time the Swiss came back from the boundary. And with every tack the Brits build their lead,  looking faster in a straight line and in the manoeuvres.

From this point the Brits never looked back and, although Alinghi did enough to avoid this becoming another massive margin the Swiss team never looked like a realistic threat.

“It was a tough day. But it was really good conditions. We got back on our feet in the second race and really tried to give a good fight to INEOS on the second one. It’s not over, we’ll come back tomorrow with the same will to win,” said Arnaud Psarofaghis at the end of the racing. 

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 8?

Not a great deal new to pick up from this one. While American Magic are very unlikely to win the other Semi-Final, you can imagine that they could take a race win or possibly two tomorrow. But for this Semi-Final it is hard to imagine any confluence of events that will prevent the Brits winning the next race tomorrow morning and so send Alinghi home.

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The post Last chance saloon: What we learned from a windier Louis Vuittion Cup Semi-Final Day 2 appeared first on Yachting World.

Following their win in the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin Series On Monday 9 September, INEOS Britannia have selected their opponents for the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final, starting tomorrow Saturday 14 September.

INEOS clinched the Round Robin win by defeating Luna Rossa in a single-race sail off between the two teams, who were tied at the top of the table at the end of the regatta. Buy taking that win, the Brits gave themselves the significant advantage of picking their competition for this next stage of the event.

It was widely assumed that INEOS would pick Alinghi Red Bull Racing as the Swiss have looked the weaker of the four remaining challengers. And in his remarks immediately after the sail-off, Luna Rossa skipper, Jimmy Spithill talked of preparing to face American Magic thus showing that the Italian-flagged team also assumed his outcome.

INEOS were not required to name their competition until today, Friday, and have taken all the time allowed to announce their choice.

Some fans had speculated that the Brits could pick the strongest of the challengers to date, Luna Rossa in the Semi-Final. The reasons given for potential choice have varied, but boil down to the Brits having beaten the Italians in the last couple of races and have the momentum. And assuming Luna Rossa beat American Magic, INEOS will have to face them at some point, so might as well do so now.

Article continues below…

How Ainslie’s INEOS turned it around

Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Britannia has secured victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin Series, thus allowing them to choose…

Ainslie and INEOS win Louis Vuitton Round Robin, while the French are sent home

Today saw the final three races of the America’s Cup challenger selection series, the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin get…

For his part, Ben Ainslie also muddied the waters slightly this week writing for The Telegraph newspaper, he noted: ‘Everyone probably expects us to pick Alinghi as they won the fewest round-robin races of the four remaining challengers.

‘But there are arguments for and against every team. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Jimmy Spithill, one of the helms on Luna Rossa, said in his post-race interview on Monday that he was looking forward to their “semifinal against American Magic”. He may have gone a little bit early but let’s see.’

In reality it was never likely to be anyone other than Alinghi, who give the British-flagged team the strongest shot at the Louis Vuitton final. The choice also means that one of Luna Rossa or American Magic will be knocked out. Based on the Round Robin form you’d say that American Magic looks the weakest of the two, but either could well beat the Brits.

Announcing the decision via the INEOS Britannia’s Inside Track YouTube show, today Ainslie diplomatically said: “We’re going to pick Alighi, because all three teams are really tough in their own conditions. But we think, for a number of reasons, that Alinghi will be a good test and we want to keep getting better throughout the competition.”

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The post Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals: Selection made as INEOS pick Alinghi appeared first on Yachting World.

Today saw the final three races of the America’s Cup challenger selection series, the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin get underway after the cancellation of racing yesterday.

Once again today racing was delayed, though the southerly wind direction was due to see some thermal enhancement as the afternoon wore on, so racing was a much more likely possibility than yesterday’s very unstable conditions.

The big news from yesterday was a nosedive by French Orient Express Racing Team – who are due to have a must-win race today against INEOS Britannia in order to remain in the competition – causing some damage. They had managed to effect a temporary repair yesterday, but they will have been happy to have an extra 24 hours to make the repair a little more robust – and fully check the boat over.

The other big news from yesterday was that co-skipper of American Magic, Paul Goodison had picked up an injury so would not be racing yesterday – instead replaced by Lucas Calabrese, who has trained extensively with the team. This remains the case today and the team are reported to be taking it day-by-day.

It has been reported by a number of outlets that Goodison fell through a hatch in the team’s America’s Cup boat and sustained some rib damage, but we have been unable to officially verify that.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 28 INEOS Britannia Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

The first race of the day was set to be the most important as the French needed to win to force a sail-off with Alinghi Red Bull Racing to see who is knocked out of the series. A short delay saw the race start 10 minutes late in winds that were just above the minimum 6.5 knots required to start a race.

Given the light winds and the associated risk of falling off the foils, it was maybe not a huge surprise top see both teams reluctant to engage in the pre-start. The French were first to head back to the startline very early and the Brits seemed content to let them go and claim the pin end of the line.

It was pretty poor racecraft from Delapierre and Pepponet who crossed the line right at the pin, with the Brits also hitting the line at pace at the windward end of the line. With such a significant gap, there was little chance of the French forcing the Brits to tack away and Ainslie and Fletcher were easily able to foot into the space between the two boats and accelerate to get slightly ahead. 

When the French got to the left hand boundary INEOS were easily able to tack on the French with a tight cover and lead them all the way up the beat.

The Brits managed to hook up some decent puffs on the downwind and, coupled with their impressive downwind pace, INEOS had pulled away to a 45 second lead on the first lap.

There were a few moments of peril in the remaining few laps as the wind softened a little in the middle of the race and made foiling through manoeuvres a bit touch-and-go, but the Brits were never really troubled and came home to win by over a minute. “It was a tough little race there in the light breeze,” said Ainslie. “I want to make a shout out to the French team and it’s great to see France back in the Cup and they’ve got a great young team.”

“Its not the best feeling in the world. We fought hard but it was not enough,” said Delapierre. “What this team has achieved is unbelievable. Unfortunately you can’t see it on the results, but putting together this team 1 year before and being able to compete against these experienced teams is good.”

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup Race 28?

It was not the strongest showing from the French today, who came out desperately in need of a race win to avoid going out of the competition. However, they were not even able to land a punch. It is perhaps surprising that they did not come out with a bit more of an all-or-nothing approach and try to force the Brits off their foils in the start box.

That being said it is slightly unclear whether the French are still carrying any issues from their nose-dive yesterday. It’s been a pretty decent showing by the French given their small budget, small team and lack of time racing an AC75. But ultimately it was not enough to make it through the Round Robins.

INEOS was looking decent today in light winds and again was impressive downwind. Of course this race was over at the first tack, so they were never really under much pressure.

This win for the Brits means that they stand a chance of tying Luna Rossa for the series win, in the unlikely event that the Italians should lose the next race against Alinghi Red Bull Racing which would mean a race off between Luna Rossa and INEOS for the series win. The winner of the Round Robins gets to choose their competition in the Louis Vuitton Semi Finals, so it is a significant advantage.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 29 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

It seemed a very unlikely outcome indeed that Alinghi Red Bull Racing would beat the form team of the semi-finals but they did just that… albeit by dint of Luna Rossa picking up some damage to one of their foil arms and not being able to lower it in the lead up to the race. As such the Italian team were forced to concede the race.

There was briefly a question as to whether Luna Rossa had deliberately given up the race to take on INEOS in a sail-off for. But given how much of an advantage picking your semi-final competition is, it’s almost impossible to imagine the Italians would have deliberately given up a pretty clear shot at taking that advantage by beating Alinghi (currently looking like the weakest Semi-Final team) today.

Photo: Am Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 30 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs American Magic

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
Tom Slingsby & Lucas Calabrese

The wind remained light for this, the final race in which Emirates Team New Zealand will compete before the America’s Cup itself. And the light winds quickly became a major issue for American Magic, who dropped off their foils in the light pre-start.

The US-flagged boat did manage to get foiling again before the start, but they had picked up a boundary penalty in the process and any tactical decisions had been taken out of their hands by the series of events.

As such at the start Emirates Team New Zealand hit the startline on starboard in the middle of the line with the Americans crossing behind the on port looking to scrub off some more distance to clear their boundary penalty. When all was said and done the race properly got underway with around 150 metre advantage to the Kiwis.

But with both teams on split tacks and a fairly changeable wind strength and direction American Magic managed to claw back some of the gap and were only a handful of seconds adrift at the windward gate rounding. But that was as close as they got and in the light winds is was American Magic who continued to struggle staying up on their foils.

Having struggled and had some near misses, the American team dropped off their foils on the final upwind. They had been slipping back the whole way, but the final upwind saw them fall a long way behind, finally coming home fully 2 minutes and 39 seconds behind the Kiwis.

“Obviously we didn’t execute the start and were on the back foot a little. But Lucas did a great job and we didn’t have any problems with our speed,” said Slingsby after the racing.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Cup race 30

For the American team, a race in marginal foiling conditions is probably the worst time to have to drop in a spare skipper. Of course the races against New Zealand are irrelevant in terms of the challenger selection series, so you could also argue it’s an ideal first America’s Cup race for Calabrese. 

This race will do little to dispel the increasingly prominent view that American Magic’s AC75 has a couple of weaknesses, one of which is looking to be at the very bottom of the wind-range.

The Kiwis now leave the competition and will have plenty of technical developments still to come. They will leave this series pretty confident that the’ve got what it takes to beat any of the challengers when the America’s Cup proper rolls around on 12 October.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Winner’s Sail-Off Race Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

Nobody really expected this race to be on the cards at the start of the day, but with Luna Rossa’s ‘loss’ to Alinghi this quickly became possibly the most important race of the day. Given the choice of opposition, whoever wins this race is easily the most likely team to be in the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals.

The wind was still at the lighter end of the range for this sail-off, but at 8 knots for the pre-start it should have been enough to make manoeuvres a lot less risky than they have been earlier in the day. It was, then, something of a surprise to see the teams not engaging all that much.

Spithill and Bruni decided to lead back to the start very early and it was clear that the Brits were more than happy to let them go. In fact this start was almost a carbon copy of the Brit’s first race again the Orient Express Racing Team. Here the Italians hit the startline just up from the pin not fully at pace, while Ainslie and Fletcher nailed the windward end at pace, with plenty of space to foot into.

When the Italian team tacked on the left hand boundary it was a simple job for Ainslie and Fletcher to tack right in front of them and give them plenty of dirty air. From there the Brits protected the right and kept a loose cover on Luna Rossa to lead at the top mark by 18 seconds. And with few passing lanes around, the Brits were able to extend that to 29 seconds by the end of the first downwind.

From there all the Brits needed to do to was complete the course without making any major errors to take the win, and the valuable option to choose their Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final opponents. “The start is something we’ve been spending a lot of time on as I’m quite inexperienced there and so Ben’s been doing a lot of work teaching me, as well as Giles Scott and Ian Williams,” said Fletcher of their impressive starts today.

“It’s been a very interesting series and certainly INEOS had a good end,” explained Bruni. “We’ve struggled a bit in the last couple of days, but we always knew it’s going to be hard and we are prepared for that.”

What did we learn from  the Louis Vuitton Cup Winner’s Sail-Off?

The chunky INEOS Britannia (or Big Bertha as she’s become known in my household) has really hit her stride in the second half of this Louis Vuitton Round Robin series. The team are sailing well and now have a significant advantage heading into the Semi-Finals.

We’ll see in time who the Brits choose, but Alinghi seems to be the most likely pick for the Semi-Final competition and, from what we’ve seen, you’d back the Brits to win that one. “To win the America’s Cup you have to beat the best. It’s a bit early to make a call on who we will choose, and to be honest we weren’t really expecting [to win],” said Ainslie of the choice, which will be officially made this Friday before the Semi-Final racing at the weekend.

It will have been frustrating for Luna Rossa to ‘lose’ their race against Alinghi earlier today, particularly as their technical issue appeared to be a foil arm system problem, which is a one-design part supplied to all teams by the organiser. But it would be foolish to put too much weight on today’s results. It’s hard to look past them as the form team from the whole series, but the gap is certainly not looking as big as it once was.

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The post Ainslie and INEOS win Louis Vuitton Round Robin, while the French are sent home appeared first on Yachting World.

Having seen most of the Louis Vuitton Cup racing (the America’s Cup Challenger Selection Series) taking place in light winds, the penultimate day of Round Robin racing saw decent winds of around 11 knots and up to 18 knots making for some glamorous racing conditions in Barcelona.

With some storm systems having rolled across Barcelona in recent days, the sea state was significant and it was clear to see some significant waves, making it difficult conditions for the America’s Cup boats. There was also a bit of debris in the water, adding an extra dimension to the racing.

Debris is far from ideal and Ainslie reported hitting something in the water ahead of their first race of the day and Slingsby also referred to something wrapped around their rudder during their match against Orient Express Racing Team.

Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race Day 7

• INEOS find their pace with two big wins
• Luna Rossa are beatable in breeze
• It’s last chance saloon for the French tomorrow
• Headsail selection remains key, especially in these conditions

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 23 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

Last time out American Magic had a miserable final race of the day as they lost their race against Alinghi Red Bull Racing but they came out fighting in this race against the form Challenger of this series, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. In the Pre-start, Goodison and Slingsby did an excellent job of keeping Spithill and Bruni at bay.

The American’s led back to the line and the Italians tried to get underneath to get a hook on a number of occasions and, though it was close on a number of occasions, the US team did a great job of accelerating just when needed to keep Luna Rossa at bay and win the start in the middle of the line with Luna Rossa just off their hip.

As such it was Luna Rossa forced to tack off at the start gun, but with the starboard tack advantage at the first cross, it was the Italian team that were just ahead.

At the next cross, with Luna Rossa on starboard, Spithill and Bruni started to foot as it looked like they would need to duck the US-flagged boat. But Slingsy and Goodison elected to tack in front of them. We’ve seen on a number of occasions this regatta that a boat footing  is able to head into a high mode and carry speed for a long way, and Luna Rossa did just this to step over the top of American Magic.

From there, the race remained pretty tight for the next upwind and downwind before Luna Rossa managed to step away to a reasonable win. “It was a great start by Tommy, but it just came out the one tack and we didn’t quite get the surf out the back of it and that’s the race there,” Paul Goodison explained of they key moment.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Race 23?

After their disappointing race against Alinghi there has been a lot of talk about American’s Magic’s potential weakness in terms of power for manoeuvres and a great deal of discussion about whether their recumbent cyclors produce enough power. There was no confirmation of that today, with fewer manoeuvres in these slightly winder conditions.

The US-flagged boat looked quick enough for much of this race, keeping in touch with the very quick Luna Rossa, and it was nip and tuck before the final lap of the race when Luna Rossa was really able to step away. However, this is probably more down to being in second closing in on the finish – and thus taking more high risk decisions – than it is about boat speed. They’ll be pleased with their pace.

And for Luna Rossa, another win for the might Italian team, who are still yet to lose a single race against another challenger.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 24 INEOS Britannia Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
INEOS Britannia:Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

There was a short delay to the second race of the day as INEOS Britannia requested a 15 minute delay so they could change their headsail as the wind built up to close to 15 knots – each team may request a 15 minute delay on only 1 occasion throughout the course of the regatta.

When the racing did get underway, it was Alinghi Red Bull Racing who led back to the start with the British team looking to push them back early. Although the Brits didn’t manage to get underneath the Swiss-flagged boat they were able to gap off slightly as both boats headed back towards the start in a time on distance race.

At the gun, both boats hit the middle of the line at pace, but the Brits had managed to build enough of a gap to windward that they were able to put the bow down and roll a bit of the way over the top of Alinghi. By the time both boats got to the left hand boundary, they tacked at the same time and INEOS was able to again foot over the top of the Swiss and give them dirty air for a long way on port tack.

By the first windward mark rounding it was a 12 second lead for the Brits, which blew out to a 19 second lead by the leeward gate. From there on it was a case of the British boat extending throughout to take a convincing win.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Race 24?

INEOS has shown decent donwind pace before and today she looked very fast indeed downwind. She also had a decent turn of pace upwind compared to Alinghi. Ainslie will be very happy with the result and, though it’s foolish to take too much from a win against a team that has not performed all that well to date, INEOS looked impressive in these breezier conditions. “I think we’ve got plenty of potential, as we keep saying, it’s just about getting the best out of the boat,” Ainslie said after racing.

Alinghi will have come into this race on something of a high from their recent win against American Magic, but finishing just shy of a minute behind in this race will be worrying.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 25 Orient Express Racing Team Vs American Magic

Skippers
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

As was the case with the previous race, the third race of today’s racing was delayed as the French Orient Express Racing Team called for a 15 minute delay. However, although the wind had increased to 18 knots, the French were not delaying to change their sail plan, instead it looked as though they may have had some technical issues with the traveller. Certainly plenty of the support team could be seen desperately trying to fix something in that area as the start time closed in.

Whatever the issue was the French were able to fix it ahead of the start and get out onto the course seemingly without any issues.

With the breeze up into the high teens, neither team was all that willing to engage in the start and Delapierre and Pepponet elected to lead back to the startline. American Magic elected not to follow them down the startline, setting up something of a time on distance race to the line. 

At the gun the French were around two thirds of the way down the line with the American-flagged team hitting the windward end of the line. But it was far from a perfect start from the French, who were not fully on the wind at the gun and thus handed an early advantage to American Magic. A combination of this and the gap they had built to windward of the French allowed Goodison and Slingsby to easily hold all the way to the left hand boundary. 

when both boats tacked onto port at the boundary, American Magic were able to tack right on the French and from there they kept a tight cover on their competition and protect the right hand side of the course. 

Although the French never quite went away, they slowly slipped back with the win eventually going to American Magic – also guarenteeing the US a spot in the semi-final alongside INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. 

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Race 25?

This was a more polished performance from the French than we have seen previously and there was no real sign of the wobbly moments we have seen in previous races in breeze. But it increasingly looks as though these improvements are just too late to save the French from being eliminated from the competition in the Round Robin stage of the event.

The French boat once again looked pretty quick and this was a race that was once again lost due to inexperience. For American Magic they’ll  be happy with the win, but they did not look significantly quicker than the French in this race in pure boatspeed terms. That will certainly be food for through should they end up racing the Kiwis (who have the same design boat, with some improvements and a more experienced team) in the America’s Cup itself.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 26 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

The conditions remained breezy for the fourth race of the day, but had backed off to around 14-15 knots during the start sequence but once again we saw the boats not looking to engage too much in the pre-start. Once again it was something of a boat sped race back to the startline with Alinghi hitting the windward end at the gun at pace.

Unusually for the Kiwi team, they had a pretty poor start, about a third of the way down the line, getting their timing a bit wrong. At the gun the kiwis were around a boatlength back from the line. “We were just a little late on our trigger pull at the start so we’ll have to work on that,” commented Outteridge at the end of the race.

Both boats got to the left hand boundary at around the same time and as Team New Zealand tacked, Alinghi tacked to keep a tight cover on them. But the kiwis had a smaller headsail up in this wind, and they looked to have a decent turn of pace.

Both boats tacked back onto starboard, but with Alinghi to windward, Team New Zealand were able to go into a high mode and squeeze the Swiss boat, who were forced to tack away. By the next cross the Kiwis had the lead and rounded the windward gate with a 5 second lead.

Although the smaller jib did look to give the Kiwis something of a pace advantage upwind, the reverse was true downwind where horsepower it more important than reduced drag. It was’t enough of a pace differential for Alinghi to overhaul the America’s Cup Defender on this downwind, it was clear they had a click of pace.

However, the upwind advantage for the Kiwis far outweighed the downwind disadvantage and they stepped away as the race progressed to finish with a significant advantage.

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Race 26?

It was a sloppy start by the Kiwis, who will want to be making the most of any races they can get with only tomorrow’s racing to go before they are excluded from the remainder of the challenger selection series. It was interesting to see the two teams with significantly different sized headsails up. And that difference did clearly translate to a pace differential upwind in favour of the Kiwis and vice versa.

Ultimately, we know the Kiwis have an impressive boat and that they will be hard to beat and they once again looked strong here.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 27 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs INEOS Britannia

The final race of the day would see the undefeated Luna Rossa take on INEOS Britannia, who sit in second in the Challenger series, so it promised to be a show-down between the leading two challengers (at least on paper).

Immediately this race was a fascinating affair as the Brits looked to come out with a slightly smaller headsail than the Italians. And once again with the breeze in the mid-teens, neither team looked to engage that much in the pre-start, with the Italians initially holding the leeward position, but the Brits choosing to roll over the top of them.

For their part, Spithill and Bruni were happy to let Ainslie and Fletcher take the pin end while they looked to start around the middle of the line. But it was not perfect from either team with both a boatlength behind the line at the gun. The gap between the boats was too big for the Brits to squeeze up to the Italians but it was also not big enough for Luna Rossa to really put the bow down and get over the top of the Brits.

When the Brits tacked on the boundary Luna Rossa were forced to tack, which allowed INEOS to shepherd the Italians to the right of the course and then tack hard on them when they both tacked back onto starboard.

From there the Brits were able to step away and provide Luna Rossa’s first defeat of the series – despite a slightly worrying moment on the final downwind that saw the Brits get too high and splash down dramatically off the foils. “It was verry good today,” said Ainslie. “We came out yesterday [during a lay day] in some rough conditions to get some extra time in and that paid off today.

“It’s a massive win for the team. We’ve talked a lot about Luna Rossa being one of the form teams, so to get a scalp like that is massive for the team.”

What did we learn from Louis Vuitton Race 27?

INEOS has been quick all day in this windier weather and has shown decent pace downwind all series. Of particular not in this race was the British decision to take a smaller headsail. As such they did not look quite as strong downwind, but had traded that for some upwind speed, which seemed to work very well.

Luna Rossa will not be too concerned ,they managed to keep things pretty tight for the most part. The Brits picked up a favourable shift on the second upwind which accounted for much of the gap, but otherwise they were fairly evenly matched in pure pace terms.

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The post Ainslie and INEOS step up to the plate: What we learned from the Louis Vuitton Cup Day 7 appeared first on Yachting World.

With racing abandoned after two races due to a lightning storm on Tuesday 3 September and cancelled altogether due to storm conditions on Wednesday 4 September, racing in the America’s Cup Challenger Selection series, the Louis Vuitton Cup returned today, Thursday, with some light wind conditions making for tense racing.

The day was forecast to see light winds in of around 8 knots early on building to around 15 knots by the end of the day. So it was not a huge surprise to see racing delayed by 30 minutes as the race committee waited for the breeze to start properly building.

In fact this build never really materialised as the wind increased for the second race, but then slowly dropped away throughout the day making the later races, all about staying on the foils.

Key takeaways from Louis Vuitton Day 6

• Could American Magic have a power weakness?
• Alinghi pick up crucial win
• Worries for Orient Express Racing Team, now at the bottom of the table and lapped in the final race
• A surprising number of errors from many of the teams

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 18 American Magic Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

After a short delay to allow the wind to build, the first race got underway in very, very light winds. In the pre-start, both teams looked to be trying to minimise the manoeuvres and stay on the foils. A small error from American Magic saw them late into the start box, which gave the Brits the advantage as they were able to gybe round behind the US boat and follow them on starboard towards the pin end of the line.

With the Brits on their stern and both boats on starboard to leeward of the line, Ainslie and Fletcher were in a commanding position and should have been able to choose when the lead back, but they allowed the US-flagged boat to step up to windward and tack away.

The Brits gybed round, which would usually be the quicker manoeuvre, however it also means sailing back through the dirty air and with American Magic footing down to the line after their tack, they were able to make that dirty air even worse, sail over the Brits and leave Ainslie and Co dropping of the foils.

However, as the US boat tacked around at the windward end of the line and started making their approach to the start, the Brits managed to get foiling again and, in the end, crossed the startline on port, dipping American Magic’s transom.

The Americans tacked immediately and followed the Brits out to the right hand boundary. When both boats tacked on the boundary American Magic where able to squeeze up to the Brits and force them to tack away. What followed was some pretty standard match racing with the US boat tacking on the Brits every time they tried to get away from the boundary.

A combination of the US’  tight cover and a boundary penalty put the Brits 20 seconds behind at the first windward gate and there they stayed, held at arms length until the closing stages of the second upwind when the Brits managed to find some decent pressure up the Port side of the course and followed the US boat through the windward gate much closer.

INEOS Britannia was once again looking quick downwind and they managed to haul in some metres on American Magic and at the leeward gate it was all square with the teams both taking different marks. The Brits took the left of the course and the US took the right. American Magic was leading at the first cross and, once again tacked on the Brits’ wind, forcing them to tack away.

This tight cover continued but the Brits were picking up metres against the US and by the time they were in the layline, Ainslie and Fletcher managed to pick up a bit of pace by footing and, as the American’s tacked in front of them, they squeezed an impressive high mode to get directly to windward of Slingsby and Goodison.

The US boat was on the layline, so the Brits tacked to split the final windward gate. As they rounded, the US got too high out the water and dropped off the foils, potentially spelling the end of the race, but they got going quickly and were only 80m behind when the boats crossed.

The Brits chose to stand on and by the time they gybed at the boundary American Magic looked to be in decent pressure on the left of the course (looking upwind). This, coupled with a poor gybe from the Brits saw American Magic sail through the line first to clinch an absolute thriller.  “We definitely needed that. It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done in the end. It’s pretty tricky conditions out here,” said Paul Goodison.

“Obviously the final gybe is where we lost it,” commented Ainslie. “It was a real tough decision whether to cross or slam one on them, and then we had a messy gybe and that was it.”

What we learned from Louis Vuitton Cup Race 18

It’s been fascinating just how many unforced errors we have seen in this event so far from many of the teams. And this race was awash with errors from both teams.

In terms of boat speed, INEOS looked a click faster, particularly downwind today against American Magic. Downwind has long been the strength of the Brits and it was evident today, but they also look impressive upwind too, they have definitely made gains over the course of this regatta.

For American Magic, they will be happy to pick up a win to get themselves further away from the fight to be knocked out of the event come Sunday – which is now almost certainly a fight between Alinghi and Orient Express Racing Team.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 19 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

The first race of the day was always likely to be more competitive than the second, with Luna Rossa the standout performer of the Louis Vuitton Cup to date and the French still struggling to fully get to grips with their boat.

Although the wind had built a little from the first race, pre-start was still going to be a little nervy, with both boats keen to stay on their foils at all costs. If the French wanted to pick up a win, they would need to be at their best to beat this polished team.

But the race was all but over in the pre-start when Delapierre and Pepponet picked up a boundary penalty as they tacked round to windward of the startline. That penalty meant that they had to drop back behind the Italians out of the start and this allowed Luna Rossa to keep a tight cover on the French up the first beat.

From there Spithill and Bruni were able to sail away pretty easily, despite the shifty winds and pick up yet another win. “We’re trying to learn lessons each day,” said Spithill at the close of racing. “It was tricky today as it was different at one end of the course to the other. But I’ll tell you hat they French have a lot of boatspeed.”

What we learned from Louis Vuitton Cup Race 19

There’s not a huge amount the be learned from this race. The issues remain the same from the French they are just visibly that bit less polished as a team than the top boats.

As for Luna Rossa, I’m running out of ways to say ‘they look worryingly impressive’…

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 20 INEOS Britannia Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

At the end of the race between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the wind had been dropping a little bit, and becoming much more patchy, and conditions remained the same as INEOS Britannia lined up agains Emirates Team New Zealand. Once again in the pre-start it was a case of both teams looking to limit their manoeuvres to a degree.

Ainslie and Fletcher led back to the startline, with Burling and Outteridge staying gapped well off to windward. With around 25 seconds to the start the kiwis started to bear off and build speed down towards the Brits, but the Brits spun well enough and built speed to cross the start in the middle of the line, with the Kiwis off their windward hip.

Time and again New Zealand have shown two significant strengths: their high mode and the ability to manoeuvre well at low speed (and thus in light winds). The kiwis used this high mode to good effect off the startline, holding their lane to windward of the Brits, and were helped somewhat by a slight righthand shift.

When they Brits tacked on the left hand boundary, the kiwis had built enough of a gap to foot into the space and tack with a little more pace than the Brits. The kiwi boat floated nicely through the tack and this, plus their high mode, saw them exit the tack higher than the Brits, putting them into dirty air and forcing them off their foils.

In the very light winds, the Brits got foiling again in decent time, but the race was all but gone already.

“It was a tight start and they did a good job but we managed to get a righty off the line and just live long enough to get to get to the boundary,” explained Outteridge. “When we both tacked on the boundary, bottom speeds were right down and we executed a nice tack and managed to take control there.

“It was actually a very dynamic day. It’s nice to get a win though. We though it was going to be windier and bit more stable but it’s been about 5-8 knots and dynamic conditions.”

What we learned from Louis Vuitton Cup Race 20

A 3-minute deficit at the finish it a pretty big margin for INEOS Britannia and they looked very unstable on their foils in the light winds. Clearly they were much more likely than the kiwis to fall off their foils in the light wind manoeuvres.

But it should be remembered that, as the races agains Emirates Team New Zealand do not really count in the America challengers selection series. As such the Brits could well have been trying something new in their set up. They certainly looked more wobbly in this race than they did in the previous race of the day in similar conditions.

The Kiwis, like Luna Rossa continue to look strong and are particularly good in the lighter conditions.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 20 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs American Magic

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

With the winds remaining light both teams needed to be towed up onto their foils at the start of this race and it looked as though Alinghi could have thrown this vital race away before it had even started as they mistimed their tow release, got too high out the water and splashed down off their foils.

However, they just about managed to get up and foiling and get into the start box in time for the pre-start. However, American Magic managed to make a major error and got their timing wrong, entering the start box too early and picking up a penalty.

In the light winds and with a penalty already against the American Boat, the two stayed fairly separated in the pre-start and Alinghi hit the startline at the pin end at pace, with American Magic hitting the startline at the windward end. The US immediately tacked away scrubbing off some of the distance they need to to clear their penalty.

Alinghi tacked too and followed the American’s out to the right hand side of the course. Alinghi then did a great job of keeping a tight cover on American Magic all the way up the beat and were able to lead around the top mark, a lead they maintained on the downwind.

On the second beat, we were treated to possibly the closest thing to an old-school tacking duel I have witnessed in AC75s to date, with both teams short-tacking up the middle of the course trying to gain an advantage.

It was Alinghi who came out on top of this exchange as they managed to keep the US-flagged boat in dirty air.

But it was on the following leg where we, perhaps, saw the effect of this tacking duel with American Magic struggling to trim the sails as often as they would have liked, a clear indication of a lack of hydraulic power, which may have been slowly drained by the tacks. You could certainly hear the cyclors on American Magic struggling to pump up the pressure after so many manoeuvres on the beat and on this downwind they touched down a number of times, losing a lot of distance.

From there, the Swiss-flagged Alinghi were able to step away and took a crucial second win of the regatta and move themselves up from the bottom of the table.

“It was a very good race. American Magic gave us a hard time on that one and we had to push hard,” Psarofaghis said at the finish. “In terms of power we had all we needed and could have tacked 20 more times if we had needed,” he added, perhaps pointedly.

What we learned from Louis Vuitton Cup Race 21

Much has been discussed about the American’s recumbent cyclor position. It has certainly allowed them to build a very aerodynamically efficient boat, but it is known this is a less efficient power generating stance than a more normal upright position. Many have wondered if this would be a weakness for the American team.

That has all been speculation – and without knowing any details it remains speculation – but today after a lot of tacks, the US boat looked to be out of hydraulic pressure and unable to properly trim their sails. This will certainly be something other teams look to exploit in future matches unless it is proved to be a one-off.

But this was not all a loss by American Magic, Alinghi did a great job today and looked very polished in a high-pressure race. Psarofaghis and Bachelin sailed a great race and, bar the mishap during the tow, the Swiss-flagged team didn’t put a foot wrong and looked very polished in their manoeuvres.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 22 Orient Express Racing Team Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

Again it looked like the lighter winds might have finished this race before the gun as Orient Express Racing Team dropped off the foils in the pre-start to gift the America’s Cup Defender a huge head start at the startgun.

But just when it looked all over, the Kiwis tacked in a very light patch on the right hand boundary about a third of the way up the beat and also dropped off the foils. With the French back up on the foils, they were able to claw their way into the lead and got to 80 metres ahead of New Zealand by the time Burling and Outteridge go their boat foiling again.

The French actually looked as though they had extended on the downwind, picking the puffs nicely, but coming into the leeward gate the French boat dropped off its foils. The kiwis, foiled straight through their final gybe and foiled around the outside of the French to retake the lead.

From there is was all the Kiwis building their lead, while the French continued to struggle to stay on the foil and by the finish we had the biggest margin we have seen in any race, with the French suffering the ignominy of being lapped by the Kiwis.

What we learned from Louis Vuitton Cup Race 22

We’ve seen the French struggle on a number of occasions with their manoeuvres and this race once again confirmed those problems. Certainly it was interesting to see the Kiwis have their own struggle to stay on the foils, but it was also notable that the Kiwis were on a small headsail than the French and still looked to be the team struggling the most with the power.

This was a lot about experience and a lot about knowing how to get an AC75 around the course in the toughest conditions, but it also shows that, although the French bought the design package of this boat from the Kiwis, these are a long way from ‘sisterships’.

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The post American weakness, shock Alinghi win and more: What we learned from Louis Vuitton Cup Day 6 appeared first on Yachting World.

With the first Round Robin of the America’s Cup Challenger Selection Series, the Louis Vuitton Cup concluded, teams moved onto the second Round Robin today, Tuesday 3 September. This second Round Robin will run through to Sunday 8 August at which point the Challenger with the fewest wins against fellow challengers will be evicted from event and will see their hopes of making the America’s Cup itself over for this cycle.

In short, from here on things get very, very real.

Conditions for this fifth day of Louis Vuitton Cup predicted another light day with a maximum windspeed of 10 knots from the east with relatively flat seas. However, the easterly breeze was actually significantly stronger than that with a lot of clouds and rain around and the breeze was up into the high teens for parts of the day.

All of this made for winds fluctuating between 10-18 knots and oscillating a fair bit as clouds and weather fronts blow down the course, making for very tricky varied conditions for the AC75 sailors.

Key takeaways from Louis Vuitton Day 5

• Alinghi get a point on the board
• Luna Rossa looks as strong as ever

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 16 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

This first race of the day was set to be a big one. Alinghi Red Bull Racing are yet to score a win from their Louis Vuitton Cup racing so far. Their competition, Orient Express Racing Team had secured just a single win so far – the first race of the series when these two last met. So this battle was key for both team, who will desperately want to avoid becoming the single team to be knocked out of the competition come Sunday’s conclusion of the Round Robin Series.

It was a slightly odd start sequence between the two team and in the shifty and puffy weather it looked as though neither team particularly wanted to engage. Alinghi led back to the start and actually dropped off their foils briefly on their way back to the line, but this was far less of an issue in today’s windier weather than it has been in the racing to date and they easily popped back up on the foils to hit the mid-line at pace at the gun.

The French looked as though they wanted to accelerate along the line and harden up at the start gun to start to windward of Alinghi at pace, but if that’s what they were aiming for, the messed up the timing and were still in the process of hardening up when the gun fired.

From there it was pretty simple for Alinghi to hold their lane all the way to the left hand boundary and when both boats tacked Alinghi had the advantage. But during the tack the French looked to get a little too high on their foils and their rudder ventilated. They were able to save the boat from a huge spinout but by the time they were fully back in control they had lost a great deal of distance.

A similar incident happed again to the French up the first upwind and they splashed down off the foils too. They then took an age to get their windward foil raised and it became clear they were sailing with some technical issue.

Whatever gremlins there were in the French boat seemed to slowly dissapear but the race was already long gone, with Alinghi picking up a much needed win. “We struggled to sail the boat in the first upwind as we hd some issue,” confirmed Delapierre after the finish. “The Swiss took the advantage and we were not able to close the gap. The technical issue was there till the end.”

What we learned from Luis Vuitton Cup Race 16

We’ve seen that if they get everything right, the French boat is probably faster in a straight line than Alinghi. However, the French have a great deal less time in an AC75 than the Swiss and this inexperience has often shown itself in the French manoeuvres.

It’s hard to draw too many conclusions from this race given the French has some sort of technical issue, and without knowing the exact nature of that issue it’s even harder. But Orient Express looked pretty lose today again, as they have done on other days.

Luna Rossa get across the bow of the Kiwis in the ore-start. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 17 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

There’s a long way to go before the America’s Cup itself takes place in October, but many observers think when we do finally get there, these are the two teams who are mostly likely to be racing for the Auld Mug. As such, this might not officially count – as America’s Cup Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand’s results are discounted from the Challenger Selection Series results – but there’s plenty to learn for both teams in this racing.

With the breeze up to 18 knots as a big rain system blew across the course, these two teams looked to be gloves off in the pre-start with the Kiwis leading back to the start. Luna Rossa bore away to try to get around the transom of New Zealand, the Kiwis matched them and when Luna Rossa finally luffed back towards the line, the Kiwis duly followed and looked as though they might be able to lock the Italians out of the windward end.

“Be prepared for them to push again” was the call from Outteridge on the Kiwi boat, but Spithill and Bruni had other plans, with the Kiwis a little slow and high, the Italians powered up and managed to sail around the bow of the Kiwi boat. With only a handful of seconds to go until the start the Kiwis were force to effectively follow Luna Rossa, footing down the startline gaining speed until the gun. “It was really a power race there and our guys did a better job,” said Bruni of that moment after the race.

“I thought we were in a strong position but we didn’t manage to accelerate the boat as quick as I though we could and they just managed to get over the top of us,” agreed Burling.

Instead of just following the Italians in dirty air, the Kiwis elected to drop their windward board and roll straight into a tack but with the speed they were going it looked as though they got rudder ventilation and as they boat spun they dropped off the foils.

From there the two teams looked pretty evenly matched in the windier conditions and, barring a little moment where Luna Rossa got too high out of the water after a tack, both teams were looking pretty polished.

By the final lap with the Italians a way out in the lead and the front passing over the course, the wind started to rapidly die away and was down to 8 knots by the time both teams rounded the final windward gate.

Thunder had been rumbling around the course for a while but on the final downwind, a lightning strike hit the water in worryingly close proximity to Luna Rossa. Deciding discretion was the better part of valour, the Kiwis decided to leave the race course. They were quickly followed by the Italians and they were quickly followed by the announcement that racing would be abandoned for the rest of the day, with this race being awarded to Luna Rossa.

Lighting, carbon masts, carbon hulls and electronics do not mix…

What we learned from Luis Vuitton Cup Race 17

It might not matter in terms of the results but that was a clear win for Luna Rossa. Spithill and Bruni got the better of Outteridge and Burling in the pre-start and the Italian boat looked a fair bit quicker downwind and possibly upwind too.

When the wind dropped and things got very shifty the Italians also did a better job of picking their way through the tricky conditions – admittedly that is a lot easier to do from the lead.

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The post Lightning near-miss forces Louis Vuitton Cup Day 5 racing to be abandoned appeared first on Yachting World.

The fourth day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup – the challenger selection series for the America’s Cup proper – took place today. Sunday 1 September in Barcelona, with competitors facing off in a relatively calm sea state and winds hovering just below double digits for much of the day, though the wind and the waves both built throughout the day.

The wind had changed direction today with the breeze coming from the northeast and conditions had changed in Barcelona, with some showers around. As such it would be all-change for the sailors tactically as they close in on the end of the first (of two) Round Robins.

NOTE: Race 15 is the conclusion of Round Robin Round 1 and Race 16 is the start of Round Robin Round 2

Key takeaways from Louis Vuitton Day 1

• Things getting pretty desperate for Alinghi
• INEOS has decent pace downwind when the wind it a little breezier
• Luna Rossa is the standout
• No obvious issues after their damage to the Kiwis

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 12 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

Alinghi Red Bull Racing are yet to win a race and, though this race against the Defender doesn’t count in terms of who gets knocked out of the competition at the end of the Rouund Robin, rthey would want to win this one for some sense that they are making progress.

It was far from the ideal start as a problem with Alinghi’s mast saw them unable to hoist their mainsails before the start and they had to rush back to base to effect a quick repair. But once back out on the water and into start sequence Alinghi found themselves too far outside the boundary in the lead up to the start and – as the rules dictate – picked up an immediate disqualification for their efforts.

With limited racing available for the teams, though, Alinghi chose to carry on and complete the race – particularly useful for them as they would be racing against Luna Rossa on the same course later in the day.

Having lost the start by dint of struggling to get back to the start in time, it was always going to be tricky to overhaul the Kiwis and sure enough, the Defender used this opportuity to step away from the Swiss flagged team throughout the race / practise session untll both boats decided to pull out a couple of legs in.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 13?

Not a lot we can learn from this one. Perhaps the biggest lessons for many is the rule that you can be disqualified if you are 100m outside the boundary during the start sequence. Alinghi will also have a few concerns about their mast issues – as they have previously broken their mast on two occasions, so to have some issues again (albeit not the same catastrophic failure) will be a concern.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 13 INEOS Britannia Vs Orient Express Racing

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

If the first race of the day was something of a let down, the second was an absolute cracker of a race. With the British team leading back to the startline, Orient Express were looking to push their opponent back to the start early, but it looked for all the world as though they’d made a bit of a mess of it, as the Brits hit the pin end of the line at pace with the French boat just to windward. However, the Brits were called OCS and were forced to drop back behind the French.

Delapierre and Pepponet kept a tight cover on INEOS for the remainder of the first beat and led the Brits through the top gate by around 12 seconds. But INEOS has previously displayed a fair old turn of pace downwind and they did so again today, hauling in the French team as they both headed downwind. Ainslie and Fletcher did a great job tactically too and as both teams approached the leeward gate, the Brits were on starboard and the French needed to take their transom.

With the boats on split tacks it was Orient Express on starboard at the first cross and the Brits were forced to take their transom. The teams continued to trade blows but nearing the top mark with the French on starboard, the Brits tried to go for a marginal cross and tack right in front of the French, but it was way, way too close and the Brits picked up another penalty and ended up following the French around the windward gate 20 seconds behind.

But once again INEOS displayed a good turn of pace downwind and the British team managed to round the leeward gate only 12 seconds behind the French team.

With the French taking the left hand mark at the gate and the Brits taking the right, at the first cross, the Brits held the starboard advantage and instead of taking the British team’s transom the French elected to tack, but did so way too early and ended up allowing themselves to be shepherded to the left hand boundary.

From this moment, the British team managed to slowly pull themselves away from the French team and by the finish, it wasn’t exactly a blow-out, but the Brits looked very comfortable by the finish. “A good race for the fans that one. Slightly less so for the boys onboard,” said Ainslie. “It was a bloody good race, hats off the French for making it hard for us.”

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 13?

We know the French are quick in a straight line, it’s manoeuvres that have been their weak point so far. So it was impressive to see them fighting with the Brits and making few mistakes – in fact, you’d argue that the lion’s share of errors were made by the British team.

As for INEOS she looked very fast today compared to the French boat. We’ve seen INEOS be pretty quick downwind but in the slightly breezier weather today she looked comparatively quick both up and downwind. Mistakes from the team will be something to work on as they looked a little sloppy in places, but it was a tight old race, so errors are much more likely under those circumstances.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 14 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

Although they were disqualified from their first race of the day, the focus for Alinghi Red Bull Racing would have been this second of their two races as they try to find their first point of the series against another challenger. Psarofaghis and  Bachelin didn’t seem as though they wanted to get too involved in a pre-start scrap and and kept gauged well off to windward of Spithill and Bruni. As such, the Italian boat was able to perform a simple time on distance start and hit the line about mid-way down the start at the gun.

Alinghi also did a great time on distance job at the windward end of the line and nailed their start. But even with a fairly significant amount of space between the two boats, the Italian team managed to find a great high mode and sucked themselves up to Alinghi, forcing the Swiss-flagged boat to tack away. By the time both teams tacked back for the first cross, Luna Rossa just managed to squeek across the bow of the starboard-tack Alinghi.

Luna Rossa are yet to lose a race in this series and they once again looked very polished with some decent boatspeed and were able to just keep Alinghi at arms length for the rest of the race, eventually winning by a handy margin.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 14?

As we go deeper into this series we can start to firm up our assumptions about the boats as the pecking order of the challengers for the America’s Cup becomes clearer. Luna Rossa have been impressive since the start and are clearly one of the favourites to make it through to the America’s Cup itself – as they did in 2021. The Italian boat is clearly very quick and once again today she displayed a good turn of pace, with a very, very impressive high mode out of the start.

Alinghi is not massively slow, but was clearly the slower of the two boats today. The team did enough to keep it fairly tight, but at some point this Swiss team really does need to pick up some wins if they do not want to be the team going home at the end of this Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 15 American Magic Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

The final race of the day was another cracker as American Magic took on the Kiwis. And the Kiwis got the early advantage as they pushed Goodison and Slingsby towards the pin end of the line good and early. As a result the US-flagged AC75 needed to scrub off a lot of speed in the cl0sing seconds to the start.  Having forced their opponents to the pin early, the Kiwis were able to tack, accelerate and hit the startline on port going significantly faster than their opponents.

It was hardly surprising, then, at the first cross that the Kiwis were in the lead and they tacked right in front of American Magic, to force the Americans to tack away. But by the next cross the US boat had hauled in the Kiwis a bit. It was obvious from a long way out that the Kiwis would, once again, tack right on the face of the Americans. And as the boats approached one another, the US team were footing to build pace. When New Zealand tacked the US boat had enough overspeed to go into a slightly higher mode and sail over the top of the Kiwis.

The boats looked pretty evenly matched on the downwind, but on the next beat Goodison and Slingsby backed themselves to pick the right shifts and did not keep a tight cover on the Kiwis. However, the New Zealanders did a better job of picking the sifts and by the windward gate the Kiwis had stolen the lead. “It wsas a good start by the guys and we got ahead, but then we gave them a couple of inches. And if you give those guys a couple of inches, then they will take it,” summarised Paul Goodison after the finish.

From there, Emirates Team New Zealand sailed a solid and consistent race to take the win

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 15?

Not a huge amount of learning from this one. Certainly it’s clear that at the moment, these two boats were pretty evenly matched in pure pace terms. American Magic showed a great turn of pace to overhaul the Kiwis, but that was more of a Kiwi mistake than boatspeed. And the pass that the Kiwis picked up over the Americans was really a bit of March Racing naiveté from Goodison and Slingsby.

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The post What we learned from a cracking day 4 of Louis Vuitton Cup racing appeared first on Yachting World.

After the upset to the schedule caused by Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand’s dramatic crash of its boat down onto the cradle during lift-out after racing on Day 1, and light winds resulting in just one full race held on Day 2, America’s Cup organisers tried to max out the schedule for the third day of the Louis Vuitton Cup. After an impressive turnaround by the shore team, Emirates Team New Zealand were back on the race course, pitting all six teams against one another with a bumper six-race programme – though only four true races were completed. Here’s what we learnt from day 3 of AC75 racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup:

Key takeaways from Louis Vuitton Day 3

• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli dominate the day to build overall lead in the Round Robin
• Light airs pre-start tactics are key, and light airs foiling consistency has improved across the fleet – but races can still be decided by a single touch down
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing struggling to match the more experienced teams in the pre-start
• Little clues as to whether Emirates Team New Zealand will suffer any ill effects from Day 1’s damage, but early indications are that the Kiwis are back up to speed
• And we have some match racing… pre-start tactics and place changes are back. Hitting one side of the course is not going to be all it takes to win (phew!)

Louis Vuitton Cup, Race Day 3. LUNA ROSSA PRADA PIRELLI TEAM v NYYC AMERICAN MAGIC. Photo Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 7 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs American Magic

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

Starting in the best breeze of the day, this start was an exercise in time on distance, the two boats splitting on the line. American Magic crossed on the ‘B of the Bang’ at 30-plus knots, carrying that speed into the first tack to build a 100m lead in the very early stages.

Approaching the first cross, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli had reduced the deficit, so American Magic bounced them off to the right hand side of the course. But when they came back together at the top gate, the boats rounded opposite marks in symmetry, the Italians taking the advantage.

Again the two boats split to opposite sides of the course – in contrast to previous days, there did not seem to be one side which offered a repeatable advantage. Halfway down the first downwind leg, the Italians ducked the Americans – the second lead change of the race, making this one of the most engaged and engaging races so far.

After ducking right in the Americans’ wake with just a boat length between the two – the Italians continued on to the right-hand side of the course once again. This time they picked up a major right-hand shift, pulling away for yet another lead change and a 100m lead at the top mark, which they were able to solidify over the remainder of the race.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 7?

These two boats are clearly extremely evenly matched. Once any boatspeed advantage was removed, this race largely came down to conventional tactics – finding pressure, staying in phase with the shifts, and well-placed manoeuvres. And when it comes to light winds handling, the silver Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli seems to be marginally more forgiving, leaving the Italian crew free to focus on strategy and tactics. The Italian challenge is are starting to look like a very complete package.

Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand showing no signs of their earlier damage. Photo: Ian Roman

Race 8 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Orient Express Racing

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

This should have been a chance to see whether Emirates Team New Zealand’s 24-hour repair had impacted on reliability or speed, but the French team didn’t enter the start box and swiftly retired.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 8?

Very little. On first appearances the Kiwi AC75 looks good as new, but with France’s retirement and the cancellation of today’s final race the recently fixed boat was never put under pressure.

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Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton Cup. INEOS BRITANNIA, ALINGHI RED BULL RACING. Photo: Ian Roman

Race 9 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

In a fading breeze, Alinghi’s fate was sealed before the start, the Brits utilising their wind shadow to devastating effect, leaving the Swiss boat down speed and down hull in the water while INEOS Britannia hit the line at pace.

From here, it was all about keeping the big girl flying for INEOS Britannia, with a few tense moments for the British squad working hard to stay on the foil as boat speed hovered in the high-20s in just 6-7 knots of windspeed – despite having built up a nearly 1000m lead. Once boat speeds dip to around 25 knots or below, staying on the foils becomes a battle, so finding pressure on the race course became the driving factor. By the close of the final leg, wind speeds were down to just 5-6 knots – right on the edge of flight for the AC75s.

Halfway down the final leg, Britannia came off the foils in a low speed gybe – the boat wallowing at less than 18 knots of boat speed while Alinghi Red Bull Racing munched down their lead at 33+ knots, taking huge chunks out of their advantage. A huge effort by the cyclors and flight controllers on INEOS Britannia saw the boat get back up just in time, crossing the finish line over 1m 20s ahead of the Swiss.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 9?

This is what the second generation AC75s were designed to do: maintain flight in sub-7 knot breezes, combined with the Barcelona swell. And it was impressive to see just how low windspeed these boats can foil in – and to see that INEOS Britannia’s powerful design seems to have a ‘get out of jail’ mode in marginal conditions. The calm comms on the British boat were also revealing, despite the high tension onboard, skipper Ben Ainslie called for patience, and that patience was rewarded with another well-earned point.

But it also shows how the biggest lead changes in this competition are likely to come in the lowest speeds, not the highest. It might not be the highest performance racing the AC75s are capable of, but it certainly adds tension. “It’s a great example of why you can’t take any of these races for granted,” commented Ainslie afterwards.

ORIENT EXPRESS RACING TEAM come off the foils on Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton Round Robin. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 10 Orient Express Racing Vs American Magic

Skippers
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

Light wind technique and match racing strategy dominated the start again – both boats sailing far wide of the startline in order to minimise manoeuvres and stay on the foils before crossing via a ‘dip’ start. It might not’ve been pretty, but it did the job. American Magic crossed well ahead of the French, but the Orient Express Racing team showed impressive light airs skills to stay within 500m of the US team.

As the race progressed, the French sailed a smart, direct course, halving that advantage downwind – it looked, briefly, as if the US team might have a real race on their hands. Unfortunately, approaching the penultimate mark rounding, as they sailed through the dirty air of American Magic, the French boat plunged off the foils, boat speed dropping to sub-10 knots – the howls of frustration audible onboard. The US team pulled relentlessly away, over 2500m ahead by the finish while Orient Express picked up a DNF.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 10?

While high-speed close-quarters manoeuvres might be what we’re waiting to see, slow speed match racing on foils is a skillset all of its own, and using the AC75s’ considerable wind shadow effects is likely to be a key weapon for any team to have in its pre-start armoury.

Thought the French will be deeply frustrated by how they lost this race, in the early stages they demonstrated great coolness of head, as well as boat handling skills – this team were always on a steep learning curve, and they certainly seem to have made big strides since the Preliminary Regatta. However, American Magic demonstrated great control of this race from start to finish.

“It’s very tough conditions out here. You’re just always on edge that you’re going to fall off the foils and lose a big lead,” said Slingsby afterwards.

August 31, 2024. Louis Vuitton Cup, Race Day 3. LUNA ROSSA PRADA PIRELLI TEAM Photo Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 11 INEOS Britannia Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

This was a big one for INEOS Britannia – despite being unbeaten in the Round Robins so far, of those three race wins, two against American Magic and Alinghi both came after the opposing boats came off their foils in the early stages, while their third was a discounted ‘ghost race’ sail-over with ETNZ not able to start. This was likely to be the first race of the event which would see the Brits having to sail against one of the most feared Challengers. To add to the tension, the Italians decided to request a 15-minute delay to change jibs, while the racing was also postponed waiting for wind.

In the pre-start INEOS Britannia had the advantage, out-smarting Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli to maintain clear air and pace, crossing the line ahead. The Brits maintained the advantage at the first cross, but a slow tack put them 150m behind at the second.

The Italians were able to consolidate, steadily building their lead both upwind and downwind, until the Brits disastrously crashed off their foils approaching the bottom mark. From there, there was no coming back for INEOS Britannia.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 11?

Jimmy Spithill is known for being one of the most gladiatorial match racing helms in the business, but he’s not unbeatable, and the new Ben Ainslie/Dylan Fletcher British co-helm partnership confidently saw the Italians off in the pre-start.

Yet once the Italians had the advantage, they never looked in danger of losing it – the Brits may have lost this one with a couple of key manoeuvres, but – doubly concerning for them – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s boat speed had already built them a good lead.

The only chink in the Italian’s armour seems to be their rudder control – yet again we heard Spithill and Bruni discussing that they had ‘lost’ rudder, likely due to cavitation. In higher speed racing it will be interesting to see whether this problem continues.

Race 12 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

This race was cancelled.

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The post Super Saturday? What we learnt from bumper race day on Louis Vuitton Cup Day 3 appeared first on Yachting World.

The second day of the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robbin series – the America’s Cup challenger selection series – took place today Friday 30 August in Barcelona, but it was not far from the most thrilling day with only one full race completed in the very, very light winds.

One team that will be somewhat happy about the conditions will be America’s Cup Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, who were forced to withdraw from today’s racing while they try to repair damage sustained when pulling their boat out the water after the first day of Louis Vuitton Cup action.

It’s unclear just when the Kiwis will be back on the water and today did see them missing out on one match – against INOES Britannia – but they were also due to race the Frech and this race was cancelled due to a lack of wind.

American Magic foil while Alinghi low-ride in the pre-start. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 5 American Magic Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

As with yesterday’s racing, today saw a delay to racing as the race committee waited for the wind to fill to the required 6.5knots across the whole course that is needed to get a race started. Yesterday in these conditions American Magic dropped off their foils in the pre-start agains INEOS Britannia and lost that race as a result.

Today the Americans had a bigger headsail up and it was something of a reverse of fortunes in the start sequence as Alinghi just managed to get into the dirty air of American Magic and dropped off the foils in the light winds and it would be easy to assume that was the race won for American Magic as Alinghi were fully 550m behind by the time they got foiling and crossed the startline.

Things looked even better for the American squad as Alinghi dropped off their foils at the bottom of the first downwind. However American Magic also dropped off their foils at the top of the course.

The race very quickly became a case of watching the boats pop up on the foil and then either just make it though a manoeuvre or drop off the foils.

Ultimately when the US-flagged AC75 was 1/3 of the way down the second downwind – and with Alinghi still low-riding upwind – the course was shortened to 2 laps. At that point Goodison and Slingsby made the call to low-ride for the rest of the donwwind with 20 minutes of the 45 minute time limit still to run.

It’s not what these boats are built for and it’s not exactly spectacular watching but the US-flagged team managed to limp across the finish line in the lead. there was briefly some tension as Alinghi popped up in the foils with 200m still to go to the finish for the US, but by that time they couldn’t be much of a threat.

“It wasn’t pretty at all, but it’s just tough conditions. You get a nice gust at 8.5 knots and then it just drops off and it’s a real struggle to stay on the foils,” summarised Slingsby at the finish of the race.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 5?

This latest generation of AC75 have had some rule changes to try to make them a little better at foiling in low winds, after a couple of races saw the boat sailing in low-riding mode in 2021. But once again we were treated to the non-spectacle of just that.

What did we learn about the relative performance of American Magic and Alinghi Red Bull Racing? Pretty much nothing, but two losses from two races is far from positive for the Swiss team.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 6  Emirates Team New Zealand (withdrawn) Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

After a very, very long delay waiting for sufficient wind at around 15:50 local, there was finally enough wind to watch INEOS Britannia cross the startline alone – with Emirates Team New Zealand ashore fixing their damaged boat – and immediately being awarded the ‘win’.

A pointless experience in more ways than one, as this ‘victory’ will be scrubbed from the scoresheet when the Round Robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup concludes. This will be the case for all New Zealand races, so the Defender cannot influence which boat is eliminated from this stage of the regatta.

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The post A drift-off and a ‘pointless’ race: Wind doesn’t play ball for the Louis Vuitton Cup Day 2 appeared first on Yachting World.

It was not the start that anyone hoped for, for the opening day of racing at the America’s Cup challenger selection series, the Louis Vuitton Cup. Racing was due to get underway today, Thursday 29 August at 14:00 local in Barcelona but the wind stubbornly sat just under the 6.5 knots needed to get a start procedure underway and the first race was delayed by around 35 minutes.

When racing did finally get underway it was in very light 6-7 knot south easterly conditions initially, though the wind did build after the first race up into the low double digits but it was patchy and did not hold at that lever throughout. This relatively light weather put a premium on boathandling skills. As teams needed to get towed up onto the foils before starts, falling off the foils during racing would be catastrophic.

Even though the wind did increase the conditions remained puffy all day so it was a day of linking up the gusts that were running down the course. As such information about boat speed was harder to discern than in more stable conditions.

Key takeaways from Louis Vuitton Day 1

• Good day for the French with a win in their opening race
• Kiwi’s manoeuvrability at slow speed continues to impress
• Luna Rossa continue to impress of the chalengers
• Mistakes mount up for American Magic
• Pace of INEOS Britannia still a concern

Orient Express Racing Team leads Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 1 Orient Express Racing Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

With both boats pulled up onto the foils ahead of the start you may expect a relatively cagey and conservative start as both teams look to stay on the foils. But as Alinghi Red Bull Racing chose to lead back to the start, Orient Express Racing Team were looking pretty aggressive, looking to bear away behind the Swiss-flagged Alinghi and get a hook on them to leeward.

The French team didn’t manage to fully get underneath the Swiss, but they push them back enough that Alinghi’s only real option was to tack away or be early to the startline and end up over the line. Alinghi tacked off and started the race on port at the windward end of the startline with the French team on starboard at the port end.

It was quickly clear just why Delapierre and Pepponet had been quite so aggressive out of the start as the left hand side of the beat was clearly favoured. At the first cross Orient Express Racing Team had pulled out a 150m lead and, protecting the left at each cross this lead grew throughout the first beat.

For a time during the first downwind it looked as through Alinghi might be able to make a pass as they picked up a decent puff and started taking metres out of the French team. And as the French gybed in front of them at the boundary, things sounded very tense onboard Orient Express, as they got a bit wobbly in the gybe, but they held on and that was about as close as it got.

Orient Express did a good job of protecting the favoured left side and took the win by 24 seconds.

“It’s a really good feeling. It’s just the first match but it’s good for this team,” said a pleased Delapierre after the finish. “Well done to the cyclors, they’ve done an amazing job, they pushed so hard and they delivered this race for us.”

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 1?

The Round Robin portion of the Louis Vuitton Cup will see one team knocked out with the remaining four challengers going into the Louis Vuitton Semi Final matches. Although they have bought a design package from Emirates Team New Zealand, so their boat can be referred to as a sistership of the Defender, many believed the French were the most likely to be the first boat knocked out of the series.

Although the French boat is something of a sistership, the relative size of this team plus the (comparative) lack of funding makes developing the boat difficult for them, so it’s perhaps better to think if this as a Generation 3 AC75, but many of the other teams have developed their boats to a generation 3.5. Plus the French getting their boat last means they are the least prepared team in terms of manouvers.

All that being said, this race showed what we saw in the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta – this can be a quick boat in a straight line and it’s not a given they will be knocked out.

For their part Alinghi will be happy to have stayed in touch on a one-sided race course, but losing the first race is far from ideal – especially against a team that they are likely to be fighting against to avoid elimination.

The Kiwis sneak past the Italians during a simultaneous gybe. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 2 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

Straight out of the gate it looked as though Luna Rossa and New Zealand were not keen on engaging with each other in the start, with the Kiwis staying gauged well off to windward while Luna Rossa led back to the start. It was only with a handful of seconds to go did New Zealand bear away and head down to the start. Their late move essentially allowed Luna Ross to own the port end of the line and at the gun it was the Italian team to leeward with a touch more speed off the line.

It might have been a decent start for the Kiwis but the Italians had remained close enough to squeeze up to the Kiwis and force them to tack away well before the left hand boundary. From then on it looked as though neither team was interested in engaging at all with both boats happy to bounce off opposite boundaries on the first upwind and first downwind.

However, come the second beat, Spithill and Bruni were looking to protect the right and they performed a successful lee bow tack to force the kiwis back to the left. When the boats came to cross again, the Italians tried the same thing, but the Kiwis had gained a little and managed to go into a high mode and live off the Italian windward hip until both boats needed to tack back for the windward gate.

Both boats tacked simultaneously and Luna Rossa got a slight slide on their rudder which scrubbed a little speed through the manoeuvre and the Kiwis managed to pop out ahead and lead into the windward gate. “We are constantly fighting those slides with smaller and smaller foils, it happens,” said Bruni after the race.

Clearly there was a little issue for Luna Rossa in the tack but the Kiwis also seemed to glide through their tack for a long time, with the boat fairly downspeed. We’ve seen this from the Defender before during the pre-start when up against INEOS Britannia in the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta, it’s a very impressive little down-speed mode that allows them to be very dangerous in close quarters tacking.

From there the Kiwis stepped away a little and were never really troubled by the Italians to the finish, taking a 12 second win.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 2?

Given that the races against Emirates Team New Zealand do not count in this series – only wins / loses over other challengers will count towards progress in the series – it’s hard to take too much from these races. Clearly both teams were not really going for each other too aggressively.

As mentioned the downspeed manoeuvrability of Emirates Team New Zealand is starting to be a clear strength. Luna Rossa still looks plenty fast too. There’s nothing in this race to dissuade me of my view that these two are probably the two form teams.

If a picture could tell the story of a whole race. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 3 INEOS Britannia Vs American Magic

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

At the end of the second race of the day both Fancesco Bruni from Luna Rossa and Peter Burling from Emirates Team New Zealand talked about the wind being a little over range for the biggest sails that they had on “It was a tricky race to be honest. We thought it would be a bit lighter than it was and so we were a bit over range for the gear,” Burling said.

So when American Magic came out to the start of their race against Ainslie’s team it was, perhaps, not a huge surprise to see what looked like a smaller jib up – Tom Burton the American Magic coach, said they were not out of range with their sails although they “definitely don’t have our biggest sails up.”

However, the wind had been fluctuating all day and with it down to around 6-8 knots in the startbox it was quickly a disaster for the American-flagged team as they dropped off the foils with over a minute to go until the start.

It took them all that time and more to get foiling again and with the race underway by a few seconds, they finally got foiling and managed to cross the startline fully 700m behind the Brits.

Both teams had moments of struggle staying on the foils and looked wobbly at times and it was a tense old affair. Throughout the course of the race Slingsby and Goodison managed to hunt down the Brits hauling them in metre by metre. By the final downwind American Magic were within a couple of hundred metres of the Brits and, picking up a decent puff on the last downwind, looked like they could possibly threaten for the lead.

But the Brits held on and crossed the finish line a couple of seconds to the good.  “It’s good and time to get points on the board, but the American’s did well to get back into the race, there’s certainly plenty to work on,” said Ainslie after the racing.

“It was really frustrating as in the start area it was really light airs and nothing like at the top of the course. We almost got back into it there, but ran out of time,” concluded Slingsby.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 3?

Realistically this race was over a full minute before the start… or at least it should have been. Starting 700m adrift and getting back to be in the fight by the finish will be about the most positive loss American Magic could imagine. This team still looks quick but increasingly the feeling is they are a little prone to mistakes.

This race might not show the total lack of pace you might think for the Brits. With that size of a lead, tactically you just want to stop the team behind getting any separation and you’re typically happy to throw away metres in order to stay between your opponent and the next mark or finish. With that in mind, the performance difference here is probably much enhanced. But still, I don’t get the impression that Luna Rossa or the Kiwis would get hauled in in that manner.

Luna Rossa lead Orient Express Racing shortly after the start of their march. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 4 Orient Express Racing Team Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

Having got a race win under their belts the French would take on the might of Luna Rossa for their second race of the day. And Delapierre and Pepponet showed their naivety in the pre-start. It was very light once again and the French chose to lead back to the startline very, very early, quickly putting themselves in a very difficult position with a large gap to windward and needing to scrub a bit of time to not be over the line.

It was a pretty simple job for Spithill and Bruni to gauge well off the windward and hold the gap until the right moment to bear away and accelerate to the line at the start. Orient Express did manage to build speed reasonably well, but starting to leeward, without any chance to squeeze up to Luna Rossa and force them to tack off, was not a great place to be. As both teams got to the left hand boundary for the first time, Luna Rossa was able to tack right on the face of the French, who then had no option but to sit in the dirty air of the Italians.

By the time the French were able to tack away they were fully 200m behind already. From there it all looked pretty easy for the Italians to hold their gap and walk away with the win. “It’s good to get the win on the board. The French are very dangerous in those conditions so we’re pleased to get the win,” said Spithill after the finish.

There was a moment on the penultimate downwind where Luna Rossa got a bit of ventilation on their rudder that may have caused an issue but the team quickly got things back under control. “The guys did a fantastic job to get the boat back under control. These boats are pushed to the limit so mistakes are easy,” explained Bruni.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 4?

The French had a poor start and really it was all over from there. We did see a couple of manoeuvring errors from the French, including not getting the mast properly rotated during a gybe. These are the sort of things they’ll want to get ironed out but leaving the day with a win and a loss is not too bad for this young team. They’ll be happy that they managed to stop the gap to the Italians completely blowing up, which once again firms up their inherent striaghtline boat speed.

“It’s a good day today,” concluded Delapierre. “Against the Italians it was way better than it has been, so that’s really encouraging.”

The ventilation issue for Luna Rossa was the result of getting a little too high in the gybe. But that coupled with the rudder skid they had in race one against the Kiwis might be a bit of a concern. Obviously smaller foils are quicker but less stable. But the Italians continue to look fast, and walk away from the day having won the only race that matters for them today.

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Born on the banks of Lake Geneva, Arnaud Psarofaghis, as is the case for many top sailors, comes from a sailing family and he started sailing at the age of three and turned professional at just 23. Now, as the skipper for Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the 2024 America’s Cup, Psarofaghis is set to compete in the sailing’s highest profile – and toughest – event.

A talented helmsman, many will have first heard the name Psarofaghis in the foiling Moth class, where he won two European Championship titles in 2008 and 2009, in the early days of hydrofoiling. He further cemented his reputation by taking bronze at the 2009 Moth World Championship in Cascade Locks, USA. These early successes were just the beginning of a career filled with accolades.

F1 World Champion, Max Verstappen (left) and Arnaud Psarofaghis in conversation during the launch of the Alinghi RBR AC75. Photo: Joerg Mitter / Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Psarofaghis joined Alinghi – at the time not competing in America’s Cup racing – in 2016, following a successful stint with Team Tilt, where he won the 2015 D35 Trophy, including a victory in the iconic Bol d’Or Mirabaud. His coaching role at the 2013 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup demonstrated his deep understanding of the sport and his ability to inspire the next generation of sailors.

Since joining Alinghi, Psarofaghis has played a crucial role in the team’s success. He was instrumental in their victories in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 D35 Trophies, as well as in winning the 2016 and 2018 Extreme Sailing Series. He also led Alinghi to victory at the GC32 World Championship in Lagos, Portugal.

Arnaud Psarofaghis is not completely new to the world of the AC and he was previously been involved with French America’s Cup project, Groupama Team France back in 2017.

Article continues below…

Given the stricter nationality rules for the 2024 America’s Cup and his position within the Alinghi team prior to their AC announcement, it was of little surprise that he was named one of the skippers of the Swiss flagged America’s Cup team.

As he takes the helm for Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s 2024 America’s Cup campaign, Psarofaghis brings a wealth of experience and a winning mentality. “It’s my dream to compete in the America’s Cup, and Alinghi Red Bull Racing has given me that opportunity,” Psarofaghis said of his appointment in a team release at the time. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have a great team in place.”

He may not be a name that is synonymous with the America’s Cup just yet, but when it comes to high performance sailing, and spcifically hydrofoiling, Arnaud Psarofaghis is at the very top of the game.

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The fourth and final day of racing in the 37th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 saw very tricky conditions for the foiling AC75 monohulls today, Sunday 25 August.

It wasn’t hugely breezy with the wind once again in the mid-low teens, but the unstable wind from the east and a big confused sea state, meant teams would have a lot to do to keep their foiling beasts in control. And with the technical issues we’ve seen on a number of boats so far, the possibility for a breakage loomed large. This close to the Louis Vuitton Cup major damage would spell disaster for any of the America’s Cup challengers.

Although the racing got underway in winds that were in the teens, the forecast was for this breeze to drop throughout the day and, sure enough, by the final race of the day windspeed was closer to 7 knots, with the seaway still fairly significant.

Key takeaways from America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Day 4

• Based on the results, the two strongest teams in the 2021 America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli remain the top two
• But American Magic is absolutely up at the same level as these two, if not quicker
• Orient Express Racing Team and INEOS Britannia are pretty evenly matched at the slower end of the Challengers

American Magic lead Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 13 American Magic Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

It was a disappointing day for American Magic on day three of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta after a technical rudder failure forced them to retire before their race even got underway. But they came out swinging for today. The US-flagged boat has a clear plan to get to the left of the course early, led the Kiwis back to the start and got off the line to leeward of Emirates Team New Zealand.

“We made a pretty big error in the prestart and led back too early, which gave an easy lead to the American’s and they made the most of that opportunity,” Ray Davies explained during the race. “I felt like we had an okay start but got a wrong shift early in the race and that was it,” explained Burling at the end of the race.

The kiwis were forced to tack away and by the time the boats had their first cross, the Americans had a solid lead. We’ve seen Goodison and Slingsby happy to let their opponents get a bit of leverage on them and here again we saw them back themselves not putting a tight cover on the Kiwis. As we’ve seen throughout the racing so far in Barcelona passes are few and far between and we saw it again today with the US-flagged boat extending significantly over Burling and Outteridge in the Kiwi AC75.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 13?

This race absolutely confirms the Patriot is a very, very fast boat. The Kiwis are widely rumoured to be as quick as ever, but American Magic looked like a rocket ship in this opening race. It’s tricky to make too many assumptions when the boat behind is forced to the wrong side of the course, but Patriot looked quick upwind and on a single downwind leg the Americans pulled out 15 seconds over Emirates Team New Zealand.

“When we sail well, there’s a lot of potential in this team,” a satisfied Slingsby said after racing. “We’ve had a few set backs this event, but it’s really good to finish on a high.

For their part, Emirates Team New Zealand won’t be too worried about their first loss of this regatta. Assuming American Magic is one of the fastest challengers – which the racing we’ve seen so far would indicate – the Kiwis looked quick enough that had they won the start they probably could have won the race.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 14 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

Jimmy Spithill may well be one of the best match racing skippers in the world, but even the best of us make mistakes and it looked as though the Italian team made a major error in the pre-start of this race. Luna Rossa were a little early coming back to the startline. That early lead back put them in a vulnerable sport and Alinghi were able to accelerate around behind the Italians and push them back to the start to be over the line early.

Not only did Luna Rossa have to tack and head back downwind to re-cross the startline, they compounded the error by not fully recrossing the start and were called back by the umpires again. By the time Spithill and Bruni actually managed to get their boat underway Alinghi was long, long gone.

Just when you thought this would be another race that was over before it even began, Alinghi make their own mistake as they got too high out of the water during a gybe, lost grip with the rudder to dramatically splash down. For the briefest moment it looked as though Alinghi may well capsize, but they managed to get their boat under control. Spithill and Bruni pounced on the opportunity to sail round the bow of Alinghi, but with Alinghi luffing slightly, Luna Rossa picked up a windward / leeward penalty!

The gap between the two boats looked plenty big enough, but these boats have an electronic boundary around them that prevents them getting too close. With the closing speeds this high, it’s a needed safety feature for match racing on 75ft foiling monsters, but to a sailor’s eye it is a little odd.

By the time the pently and mistake had shaken out, both teams rounded opposite sides of the leeward gate and set off on the second upwind leg almost dead even. What followed was some of the closest action we’ve seen in the regatta to date as a tacking duel takes place between the two teams on the beat and a beautiful tack from Alinghi right on the face of Luna Rossa is about as impressive as it gets. However, it’s Luna Rossa who come out of the exchange slightly ahead picking up a decent shit at the top of the course to lead around the windward gate.

From here the Italian team never really look back – although Alinghi do a good job of pushing them all the way to the finish. “Talk about doing it the hard way,” said Jimmy Spithill to his team as they cross the finish line. “Sorry about that,” he adds referring to the startline error.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 14?

Alinghi showed a decent turn of of pace here and it was a very, very impressive pre-start for the team, really forcing the error from Luna Rossa. By right that should have been the race won. The Swiss-flagged team also showed enough pace to stay ahead of the favoured Luna Rossa.

“It was a bit difficult for us with the waves today, so we just have to get back to to [practicing],” Maxime Bachelin said after racing and it’s fair to Alinghi looked a little less slick than the Italians when the pressure was on.

Luna Rossa continue to look a class act and winning a race when you’ve made such a significant error in the start will be a real confidence boost for Spithill, Bruni and Co.

tight racing between the British and the French. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 15 INEOS Britannia Vs Orient Express Racing

Skippers INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Oreint Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

The British team really came out fighting and get a piece of the French team forcing a port / starboard penalty in the opening exchanges. By rights that should have been a significant boost for the Brits as the French would be forced to drop behind Ainslie’s crew immediately after the start.

With the penalty done INEOS Britannia looked happy to let the French do their own thing. However, in a quite remarkable error, the British team, totally unchallenged by their competitor, managed to be over the line early and have to make a dip back. Not only that, but starting at the leeward end looked to be an error with Orient Express Racing at the windward end, they were looking strong. Sure enough at the first cross there was a decent lead for the French.

The French team did a good job of the beat and managed to lead at the top mark by dint of making one less manoeuvre.  But their gybing was not quite as slick on the downwind and INOES Britannia managed to take the lead, although it remained very tight between the two teams. “It’s super tricky conditions. If you drop one tack or gybe it could be all over so it is pretty nerve racking for both of the teams,” explained “Rob Wilson of the conditions.

There were certainly some wobbly looking manoeuvres from both teams as the wind dropped off towards the tail end of the race, and from the French in particular who have a smaller jib than the Brits. But the race finished without any more major drama with a win for the Brits, who managed to keep a decent cover on their French rivals and finished the race with a decent lead.

“We were in the fight today which is good, I did think we were a little underpowered so that made the difference,” explained Quentin Delapierre after the finish.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 15?

Unforced errors by the British team are a concern and will be added to the list of concerns for Ainslie’s squad, but a second win at least makes their regatta look a little more respectable. Certainly INEOS looked to have some decent pace at the very tail end of the race, so that will be something to hold onto.

From what we’ve seen so far this was a race between the two weakest Challengers for this America’s Cup and neither team looked all that much stronger than the other. Mistakes from the Brits let the French take the lead and vice versa. Neither boat looked particularly faster than the other either. Lots to do for both of these teams.

It was a close and thrilling final between New Zealand and Italy. Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Final – Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

A repeat of the 2021 America’s Cup saw the Italian and New Zealand teams get stuck into one another straight away and it was Burling and Outteridge who came out in top in the opening exchanges and managed to put a port / starboard penalty on Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

Both boats tacked straight onto port on the startline, Luna Rossa to try to clear their distance penalty by dropping back after the tack, and Emirates Team New Zealand to prevent that happening. Thus Luna Rossa were forced to foot off downwind a bit to clear their penalty and it was a solid advantage to the Kiwis on the first leg.

The gap between the pair goes up and down a little in the puffy, skightly shifty conditions, but for much of the race, the Kiwis hold a 200m lead over the Italians and, as the race progresses it looks increasingly like Spithill and Bruni will need a mistake from Burling and Outteridge to pick up the win.

A slight overlay by the kiwis on the penultimate downwind leg could be the opening needed and it saw Luna Rossa really close in on the New Zealanders and as they tack immediately around the leeward gate it’s starting to look very close. Up the final beat there’s a tacking duel up the left hand boundary with the Kiwis coming in on starboard and then performing a leebow tack to force Italy to tack away again.

After the next tack, the Kiwis try to do the same again and the Italians try to accelerate to leeward of the Kiwis in an attempt to get a leeward hook on them. However, they’re deemed to have got too lose to the stern of the New Zealanders and so are penalised themselves (this truly could have gone either way and for my money if it wasn’t for the electric boundaries on the boats, Luna Rossa would probably have been called in the right). But Luna Rossa is quick and even having scrubbed off the penalty they looked to have taken the lead.

However, as Luna Rossa try to get over the top of New Zealand, with both boats on port and Luna Rossa to windward, New Zealand manage to get a luff on the Italians and force another penalty. It remains tight to the finish, but ultimately it’s Emirates Team New Zealand who take the win and claim the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta spoils.

“We made that a lot harder than we should have,” said Outteridge after the racing. “It’s awesome to see such a tight, tactical race, but it was good action, a good battle and lots for us to review.”

“It sure was a match race,” Spithill agreed. “I think with this wind direction and wave state it certainly showed there were some passing lanes, which we haven’t seen to date. Congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand on the win.”

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The third day of racing for the 37th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 got underway in 11 knots today in Barcelona providing solid foiling conditions for the AC75 monohulls that was forecast to briefly build, then ease, over the course of the afternoon.

The first two days of America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta racing have seen wins for Emirates Team New Zealand, American Magic, Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli with both INEOS Britannia and Orient Express Racing Team failing to get a score on the board. No question – pressure is building for those teams – how would they handle Day 3?

Key takeaways from America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Day 3

• INEOS Britannia win a race and demonstrate improved downwind speed
• American Magic suffer a rudder failure – reliability looks set to remain a major factor for the AC75s
• Boundary penalties scupper INEOS Britannia for their second race of the day
• Italians appear to have the most complete package among the Challengers
• Kiwis continue to look dominant, and confident

INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli dial up on Day 3 of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta. Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 9 INEOS Britannia Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainslie & Dylan Fletcher

The opening race of Day 3 saw INEOS Britannia go into the pre-start handling their AC75 with confidence despite yesterday’s difficulties. INEOS Britannia got the best of the start, leading Alinghi across the line. Immediately helm Dylan Fletcher could be heard discussing the need to get to the right-hand side, which has proven time and time again to be the favoured side in these Barcelona conditions.

In the first true speed race we’ve seen of this Preliminary Regatta. both boats looked evenly matched up the first beat, Alinghi squeezing INEOS off and taking the favoured right-hand side, while the Brits opted to protect boat speed and bailed out to the left hand side of the course. When the two boats came back together, Alinghi crossed ahead, but INEOS took the right with a click more speed – would we see the first place changes of the regatta?

INEOS indeed gained back to lead around the first mark rounding and began to extend slightly away, covering Alinghi to the downwind gate. On each downwind leg they gained a few hundred metres, on each upwind Alinghi tried to chip back at their advantage. But at the close the Swiss team were 30 seconds behind.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 9?

The main takeaway from this race for British fans will be that INEOS Britannia has found some pace, certainly against Alinghi. INEOS Britannia coach Rob Wilson noted during a mid-race link that while downwind boat speed was now looking strong for the team, they were still seeking a few more gains upwind.

We’ve no idea what might’ve been said in Wilson’s debrief last night, but Ainslie and Fletcher came out fighting today and were sailing smartly. Communication between the two sounded clear and confident – discussing whether, for example, to cover Alinghi or take the favoured layline, there  was no sense of panic despite the team’s urgent need for a point on the board. “A bit better,” was Ainslie’s understated response.

The race was also once of the closest we’ve seen –  in the early stages at least – with place changes on the first beat and the boats evenly matched enough that one single minor boat handling slip would have handed the advantage over.

Sail selection is also starting to become a factor – with a variable breeze forecast and two races scheduled for INEOS Britannia today, the British boat opted for a smaller mainsail than the Swiss. There’s also some evident variations in headsails between the teams – something which will no doubt be endlessly refined over the coming weeks.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing chasing hard on Day 3 of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta. Photo: Ricardo Pinto/AC37

Race 10 American Magic Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

Tech gremlins reared their head for American Magic almost immediately after they entered the start box, with helms Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison saying they had ‘lost the rudder’. The USA team swiftly retired, and the race was halted, letting the French take their first win.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 10?

Much as the French were desperate to get a point on the scoreboard, this is not how they will have wanted to do it. After a series of starting disasters, the French need a true race to gauge themselves against the other AC75s.

For the US team it’s unclear how serious an issue this could is – the we’ve seen minor electrical and mechanical failures across a couple of teams over the past couple of days, but a reasonably loud bang was audible on the video transmission, which indicates something physically broke on Patriot – helm Goodison said they had suddenly lost rudder rake control. Systems and components reliability is likely to be a significant challenge for the challengers with a long series to keep their AC75s going through.

Rudder issues for American Magic on Day 3 of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 11  Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainslie & Dylan Fletcher

This was a big one for the Brits – lining up against one of the strongest teams – could they maintain their positive momentum from today’s opening race win?

Unfortunately, it didn’t get off to a great beginning, with the Brits picking up an early entry penalty in the pre-start by a fraction of their bowsprit. The two boats engaged with an evenly matched start, with INEOS Britannia just leading across the line. The Brits then went for a low mode, trying to expunge their pre-start penalty (in metres), only to pick up a second boundary penalty in the early stages of the first beat.

On the back foot from the outset, they were 200m behind half way up the first beat. As Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli stretched out ahead, viewers were treated to the return of the Spithill and Bruni double act, as the Italian co-helms calmly discussed their tactics with their characteristically relaxed comms style. Italians won by 46 seconds.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 11?

This is a Preliminary Regatta and is the first real opportunity for teams to test elements like viewing the virtual boundaries while under the pressure of being on course with another boat. Having said that, the Brits will be deeply frustrated to be picking up unforced errors, and there is no room for any such mistakes once the points start to really count.

With no boat-on-boat engagement to watch in this race, all eyes were on the relatively boat speeds, and one thing the Brits will be able to take away with some positivity from an otherwise disappointing race was that their downwind speed seemed to stem any major further losses on the offwind legs.

After racing Dylan Fletcher commented: “It was definitely a tough pill to swallow – we thought we were safe on it [the boundary] but obviously not by enough.

“After that we were quite happy with the start, to beat the Italians at that point, but then it was tough from there being on the wrong jib and with that early penalty.”

The Italians, meanwhile, continue to look like a class act, the boat demonstrating a fast, wave-skimming mode, while Bruni and Spithill’s partnership – the most long-standing of any of the co-helms in this Cup – seems to have only improved with time.

Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand looking strong on Day 3 of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta. Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 12 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge 
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin

This race start will be one that Arnaud Psarofaghis can look back on fondly, holding his nerve against the Defenders to force them to split to the far end of the line, the Swiss marginally getting the better jump on the start gun. But the Kiwis swiftly demonstrated their superiority, sticking a tack right on top of the Alinghi team and bouncing them off to the left hand side of the course in the early stages of Leg 1.

From then it was all over for the Swiss, ETNZ stretching out their lead on every leg in the softening breeze.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 11?

It’s not a new observation: but Emirates Team New Zealand continue to demonstrate that they are going to be very, very hard to beat. They’ve won every race they’ve started, and they’re sounding ominously relaxed – it’s hard not to imagine that there is a lot more in the tank for the Kiwi boat.

This race did show that if a Challenger can engage them in the pre-start, there are opportunities to be taken – and with the fate of so many races sealed by halfway up the first beat, an early advantage could put the Defenders on the back foot. But Emirates Team New Zealand’s boat speed and boat handling means they once they have the upper hand, they’re not giving it up.

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The second day of racing in the 37th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 got underway in 10 knots with flat water today in Barcelona providing near-perfect conditions for the foiling AC75 monohulls.

The first day of America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta racing saw wins for Emirates Team New Zealand, American Magic, Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli with both INEOS Britannia and Orient Express Racing Team picking up losses. With lighter winds the question would be if the form from the previous day would carry over?

Key takeaways from America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Day 2

• Lots of worry for INEOS Britannia
• Luna Rossa and American Magic emerging as the top challengers
• Kiwis as strong as ever
• Gremlins that looked evident yesterday continue for Orient Express with them being forced to retire from their single race today
• Pre-starts are looking like they will be key and we should see some good battles there

American Magic get the best of Alinghi on the start of their race. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 5 American Magic Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

The first race of the day saw the combination of Goodison and Slingsby performing well in the startbox nailing their time on distance. This was in contrast to Alinghi who were outmanouvered – ending up to windward of the American team and got their time on distance wrong for the start. As a result, American Magic was slightly bow-forward at the start and had Alinghi off their windward hip. Unable to live there, Alinghi tacked away, quickly followed by the Americans.

At the first cross American Magic had a handy little lead and decided to carry on instead of tacking on their competition in order to protect the favoured right – this set the tone for much of the day and the right was also the favoured side of the course yesterday.

From there on Goodison and Slingsby continued to protect the right and didn’t really put a foot wrong. This impressive performance married with the clear turn of pace the American’s showed yesterday is was an easy win for the US team. “It was really good to get off the line in such good shape. It was a good launch and then we did a good job of controlling from there,” Goodison said of the race.

“We all know if you come off the startline leading, then it’s job halfway done,” agreed Alinghi’s Psarofaghis. “We tried to fight all the way but Magic closed all the doors so we tried t sail as fast as possible and hope they make a mistake.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 5?

With a clear favoured side of the course and a clear win of the startline for American Magic, it would be foolish to pin too much on the result here. However, there’s no denying that the American team looks quick. And, although the right was favoured, this race was the second race in a row that the US flagged team has been happy to let their opponents split away. To me, this implies an air of confidence about their boat speed and tactics, which all add up to a formidable team.

The one question about American Magic is their stability in manoeuvres. Yesterday the US team had a pretty big wobble during a bearaway and the trimmers could be heard calling for more power from their cyclors. To my eye they had one slightly uncertain bear away today, with some big mainsail adjustment needed. Added to this, American Magic are the only team thus far to round every leeward gate with both foils down. This is a slower, more conservative approach. Does is show a slight weakness in stability, or confidence in their position in both races to date?

As for Alinghi, they did not look as fast as American Magic, but neither were they absolutely demolished. A better start and who knows what might have been. Not a disaster.

Emirates Team New Zealand with a monster lead over INEOS Britannia. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 6 INEOS Britannia Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge 
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

If the first race of this second day of America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta racing was not a disaster for Alinghi, the second race of the day was an unmitigated disaster for Ainslie’s British team, INOES Britannia. Up against the all-conquering Kiwis it was always going to be a tough match up, but a combination of ETNZ’s apparent superiority in manoeuvring and a communication error in the pre-start saw the Brits completely outsailed with the Kiwis managing to pin them to windward and force them off their foils.

After yesterday’s racing, Ainslie had expressed concern about his team’s boatspeed, but even if their boat was a rocketship recovering from a 37 second deficit at the first mark would still be essentially impossible. The team also caused headlines when they picked Dylan Fletcher Scott to partner Ainslie on the helm over Giles Scott, but this duo’s relative unfamiliarity was shown up today.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 6?

It might be tempting to say this is another walkover for the Kiwis after yesterday’s win over a crippled Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. But, as the saying goes, you make your own luck and this boat and team continue to look first class.

As for INEOS Britannia, it seems that in addition to boatspeed, Ainslie can add manoeuvrability and crew work to his ever expanding list of woes. “It was another tough one,” Ainslie summarised. “Obviously at the start we tried something a bit different and it didn’t work out for us. But better to try now these things than later. It’s a challenge in these prestarts, we’re up against the best guys out there and Dylan is doing really well. We’ll be alright, we’ll talk to our coach and come back fighting.”

American Magic get pinned out by Luna Rossa. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 7 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

If we are to go by the limited racing we’ve seen so far and rumours around the sailing world, these two teams are beginning to be seen as the form teams of all the challengers. Once again we saw a pretty competitive pre-start with both boats going for each other in the start.

However, not for nothing is Luna Rossa’s Jimmy Spithill considered one of the best match racers in the world and he showed why this is his eight consecutive America’s Cup with a masterclass in pre-start tactics. Slingsby was swift to claim responsibility for their response, when American Magic bailed out of a push to get caught to windward of Luna Rossa, which set the Americans on the back foot. The Italians then just had to hold their bow up until the start and dip through the line, leaving the US team to round the windward end of the line and have to re-cross the start.

“That start’s on me, it’s my mistake,” reflected Slingsby. “I didn’t think we’d get held out at the boat [windward] end. But they did a great job of staying high and slow to hold us out, and well done to them We’ve got a bit of work to do but we’re not afraid of that.”

After that start it was a pretty easy win for Luna Rossa as they kept a lose cover on the US-flagged team for the remainder of the race. “Jimmy did a fantastic job [at the start], well the whole team did a fantastic job,” said Bruni. “I’m very proud of how we sailed the boat and very happy with the result. We know that the Americans are a tough team to beat and that was an important point today, so we’re happy.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 7?

They may have been pretty thoroughly beaten in the pre-start but American Magic will probably not be too disappointed about this race. They were a fair way behind off the start and were consistently forced to the wrong side of the course but still managed to keep things close.

For their part, Luna Rossa looked very polished, the boat looks fast, Spithull and Bruni co-helmed in the 2021 America’s Cup and look like a slick team. All-in-all, the Italians will be very happy with their day on the water.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 8 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge 
Oreint Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

Unfortunately the final race of the day could not be sailed with the French Orient Express Racing Tam retiring shortly before the start of the race. “We’ve got a major technical issue on board. [It’s] nothing too big for tomorrow or the next day, but we’d prefer to keep the boat in good shape to be able to race tomorrow and the day after,” said Delapierre.

For those of us who watched the struggles of the French team yesterday and have seen the impressive form of the Kiwis, you can’t help but think a technical error on the French boat was something of a mercy for them.

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Nearly four years after we last saw AC75s fighting it out on the water, today, Thursday 22nd August 2024 saw the foiling monohulls back on the water. The six teams taking part in the 2024 America’s Cup were on the waters of Barcelona duking it out as the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta got underway.

Today also marks exactly 173 years since the yacht America won a race around the Isle of Wight on 22nd August 1851 and thus kicked off the America’s Cup all those years ago.

It was not expected to be an incredibly revealing event – with racing proper, the Louis Vuitton Cup, set to begin on 29th August, no teams were expected to be pushing too hard or revealing too much – but even with this in mind, it was something of an inauspicious start, with plenty to do from both the teams and the organisers to make this a real spectacle.

Barcelona itself, however, was delivering with a solid breeze in the early to mid-teens and a decent sea state providing some impressive conditions. Certainly we have heard a great deal from designers about the waves in the lead up to this Cup and the difficulty of the short, sharp chop for a foiling monohull was clear from the off.

Key takeaways from Day 1

• Worrying sense of Déjà vu for the Brits as Ainslie seemed unimpressed with his team’s speed
• The French have a long way to go and their inexperience showed here
• Technical gremlins on boats and broadcast dogged the opening day
• Emirates Team New Zealand and American Magic probably had the best days

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

Race 1 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

The first race of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 was, realistically over before it started with the French Orient Express Racing Team late into the starting box and picking up a penalty for their efforts.

There was some debate in commentary that the team may have had an issue with their electronics, but this did not seem to be supported by skipper Quentin Delapierre. “We made too many mistakes and at this level that is not [good enough],” the Frenchman explained. “We just gave the start to Alinghi. We missed the entry and after that we were not able to take the strategy of the start correctly. We just need to do things better.”

After such a poor start it was always going to be nigh on impossible to overtake another boat unless you have a great deal of boatspeed in hand. Ultimately it was a relatively easy win for Alinghi Red Bull Racing who kept a close cover on their French competitors to cross the finish first.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 1?

There’s not a great deal that we can learn from this race. The French mistake in the lead up to the start renders the race essentially over before it’s started. The French may well be able to draw heart from staying within touching distance of Alinghi.

Ultimately this was a battle between the team with the smallest budget (Orient Express Racing Team) and a team who broke their mast 2 days ago and had to restep a new one (Alinghi).

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

Race 2 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge 
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

The second race of the America’s Cup Preliminary Series was a more tantalising prospect. The last time we saw these two teams racing was in the last race of the 2021 America’s Cup, where the Kiwis bested the Italians to win the Auld Mug.

And for the first couple of minutes it looked as though the gloves were off with a bit of a fight in the startbox going the way of the Kiwis with Burling and Outteridge winning the pin end of the line and forcing the Italian’s to tack away. The Kiwis followed and from there kept a tight cover on Luna Rossa.

However, immediately after a tack, early on in the race Luna Rossa suffered an electrical issue and needed to retire, the skippers calling on the onboard comms that they had “lost the boat” before stalling.

“It must have been an electrical issue, I’m 99% sure it’s an electrical issue,” explained Bruni after the team had regained control of their boat. “It was not ideal and a little bit scary as well as we suddenly had zero control of the boat.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 2?

In the end this was such a short race, it’s hard to walk away with any key pieces of information. Certainly the two boats looked pretty even for the couple of minutes of racing we saw.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli did get up and running again for the fourth and final race of the day. But the electrical gremlins will be a worry for the Italians, a total shutdown at another time could easily see the team in serious trouble.

Photo: Ian Roman | America’s Cup

Race 3 INEOS Britannia Vs American Magic

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

This was probably one of the most revealing races of the day with a close fight in the opening stages between the Brits and the Americans. It would also be interesting to see how two very different designs would go with the American team opting for a very aerodynamically efficient, small hull and the Brits opting for a more muscular powerful design.

It was a pretty even affair at the start of this race, with INEOS perhaps a couple of inches ahead and just to windward out of the startline. However, American Magic demonstrated a good high mode to squeeze up to the Brits and force them to tack away early. Even with this, once the two teams came to their first cross INEOS were a boatlength ahead and to my eye looked to have a decent turn of pace upwind.

But the Americans had certainly got the geometry of the course right and one less tack on the upwind saw them take the win at the first windward gate. From there they stepped away downwind, where they looked to have a decent edge all race and never really looked back.

For his part, Ainslie did not seem impress with the performance of his team’s boat, stating: “They sailed a great race and had the legs on us for pace. We had a nice start and had the first cross but they sailed around us… we’re lacking some horsepower, so need to get the boat back to the shed and think about how we get more pace.”

On the dock after racing cyclor crew Ben Cornish added: “It was amazing conditions firstly, really really nice sailing in the boats. A decent start for us on Britannia, we were quite strong out off the line, strong at the first cross – and then I think the American boat picked up a nice bit of pressure and shift on the right, and just got nose ahead.

“As we’re starting to see here, once a boat gets strong and has the choice route it’s certainly hard to pass on the way back. I think we sailed the boat reasonably clean around the course. So baby steps, but moving in the right direction.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 3?

It would be fair to walk away from this race with the view that American Magic had a slight pace advantage over the Brits. That the Americans looked a little more conservative in the manouvers may imply that they have a little more up their sleeve too.

Early data suggests that the British boat sailed around 500m further than the Americans, and being out of phase in the shifts will have set them back with a big deficit. But the biggest worry for British fans will be Ainslie’s comments at the end of the race. If genuine, they British team may be facing another uphill battle – at they did in the last AC when they needed to turn around a serious pace deficit.

Photo: Job Vermeulen/America’s Cup

Race 4 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
Oreint Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

Sometimes you have days on the water that you just want to forget about and this will be one of them for the French America’s Cup team as they dropped off the foils trying to slow themselves down coming into the start box. Having dropped off the foil they were then late into the startbox and picked up a penalty as they had in their first race.

The French team then picked up a second penalty by going out of the course boundary when trying to get foiling once again and ended up crossing the startline a good 12-13 seconds behind the Italians. As Jimmy Spithill said at the finish: “It was pretty much all over at the start.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 4?

These appear to be some serious gremlins onboard the French boat with issues in the start procedure in both races and issues throughout racing with foil height. Their design – purchased from Defender Emirates Team New Zealand – looks decent in a straightline, but this small team has plenty to do to be competitive.

Luna Rossa seemed to recover from their electronics issue in their first race of the day. And although Spithill says that “It’s great to get the issue sorted now when it doesn’t count,” one imagines it would be better not to have the issue at all.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto | America’s Cup

Cup TV Presentations

As much as this is a test regatta for the six America’s Cup teams it also serves as a testing ground for the America’s Cup viewing experience too.

And here, like some of the teams, there is work to do. Audio mixing was pretty poor with music and comms from the boats often drowning out the commentary and lots of missed connections when speaking to teams. Generally the audio was far from a polished experience and a long way from the production standard we saw in the 2021 America’s Cup.

There were some cute little technical details on display including a live wind graphic, which overlayed colours on the screen to correspond with wind pressure. This seems a great innovation for the unfamiliar viewer and tallied nicely with boat speed each time I saw it used. But a dearth of graphics elsewhere will need sorting.

When there are series out there like SailGP delivering such an impressive viewing spectacle, as the pinnacle of the sport the America’s Cup really should be, at the very least, at that level.

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We admit it, we’re excited. The 37th America’s Cup has all the signs of being a good one. At six teams in total, it may not match the entry numbers of the last Challengers series in Spain (the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia, when 12 teams duked it out for a chance to race Alinghi), but the intriguing thing about this Cup is that there are no real ‘wildcard’ entries. Even the newest or latest entries have the potential to deliver a strong showing in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

For this second edition held in the AC75 class there have also been some rule changes. From a spectator perspective the primary change is likely to be that the boats are designed to get foiling, and stay foiling, in much lighter winds, avoiding the painful ‘low-riding’ mode which dogged some teams last time around.

That’s not to say it will all be easy: the light winds and confused wave patterns that often dominate waters off Barcelona in early autumn could prove challenging for competitors and organisers alike.

Another big shift is the introduction of the AC40. These nippy mini-Cup boats have been multipurpose – used as test platforms for innovation, as race boats for the new Youth America’s Cup and Women’s America’s Cup events, and training boats.

One thing we’ve gleaned from watching the AC40 two-boat training is that the current Cup teams are preparing for battle, match racing style. With the new AC75s expected to be closely matched in speed, there’s every indication that this America’s Cup could see a return to dial-ups, slam-dunk tacks and nail-bitingly close crosses – all at 50 knot boat speeds. Let the Challenge begin…

ETNZ’s Taihoro has a plumb bow and sharp skeg with a flared forward section, then a full length bustle with rudder hung from it. However the real magic may lie beneath, in the control systems below deck. Photo: James Somerset/Emirates Team New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand

The Defenders are certainly going to be hard to beat. Not only did they hold all the cards when it came to creating the Protocol and choosing the venue for AC37, but they also only need to build a boat which can win the Match, rather than also needing to be fastest in the earlier Louis Vuitton Series.

Grant Dalton is known for driving a team with a laser-sharp focus, and ETNZ held a successful home defence during the strange Covid bubble Cup of 2021. But this time they are hosting an event on the opposite side of the world, with multiple Preliminary regattas, and a Women’s and Youth event, and all the compilations and distractions that brings.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup boat

ETNZ’s Taihoro looks like a refined 2nd generation AC75 and a progression of their previous winning design. While not outwardly radical, the most progressive ideas are likely to be concealed in key areas like control systems, with the team showcasing a mainsheet design that appears to save structural weight and offer energy efficiency. Though the team initially lost sailing time shipping their new boat to Spain, Taihoro will be developed right through the Challenger series.

Peter Burling. Photo: Emirates Team New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand’s team

Skipper Pete Burling shares helming duties this time around with foiling super-talent Nathan Outteridge (the Australian has lived in New Zealand since 2018). Blair Tuke, Andy Maloney and Josh Junior are among the ETNZ crew who, like Burling, return to bid for a hat-trick third Cup win.

INEOS Britannia has a substantial bustle or skeg that ends before a transom hung rudder. The complex hull shapes suggest the influence of F1 aerodynamics expertise. Photo: Job Vermeulen/America’s Cup

INEOS Britannia

Every British Challenge comes with a monumental weight of expectation – in 173 years Britain is yet to win the Cup. On paper, this could be the strongest and most consistent yet. However, there have been big changes – both in personnel and the partnership with Mercedes-AMG Petronas.

Of all the F1 collaborations in this Cup cycle, the British seem to have gone the furthest and the team has said enough to suggest that it was, at times, a somewhat challenging process. A complex LEQ12 boat also proved testing in every sense: capsizing, nearly catching fire, and with structure failures. However, the Brits will be hoping they can trust the process, and that F1’s data-driven approach and relentless striving for reliability will pay off by the Challenger series. It will be a truly epic sporting moment if they can get to face the Defender.

INEOS Britannia’s America’s Cup boat

INEOS Britannia is a complex beast, with geometry that shows the influence of the detailed aerodynamic tools used in the F1 car designs. Britannia has a powerful looking ‘bustle’ or skeg, which ends before a transom-hung rudder – there’s been plenty of speculation about exactly why, but all the teams have moved the centre of gravity forward, shifting the crew weight closer to the mast base in an effort to improve righting moment.

Ben Ainslie. Photo: INEOS Britannia

INEOS Britannia’s team

Ben Ainslie will co-helm with 49er gold medallist and Moth World Champion Dylan Fletcher on the opposite wheel (a surprise announcement that Giles Scott will not be part of the starting line up, instead remaining on shore as sailing team manager). Britain’s strength in cycling and rowing has also given the squad new talent to bolster the power crew, joining more experienced campaigners like Ben Cornish and Neil Hunter.

The new Patriot has a markedly low volume hull, with recumbent cyclors facing aft. Photo: Job Vermeulen/America’s Cup

NYYC American Magic

American Magic were looking like one of the strongest contenders in the last Cup cycle, before Patriot’s infamous crash during the Prada Cup ruled them out of being competitive. The team dug deep to try to rebuild and return – and won many fans for their determination against the odds – but there’s no question the America’s Cup is unfinished business for backers Doug Devos and Hap Fauth, and Terry Hutchinson (who moves to an off the water skipper/president role).

They are clearly in it for the long-haul – a new high performance sailing base is being built in Pensacola, Florida, though whether that’s planned as a base from which to launch their next challenge, or to host the America’s Cup remains to be determined…

American Magic’s America’s Cup Boat

The new Patriot is different from many of the other AC75s this time. Recumbent cyclors face aft – though it’s accepted a recumbent position will generate less power than a ‘sit up’ bike. Helm and flight controller pods are next to each other, rather than inline, which moves weight forward – but likely with an aerodynamic hit. So can Patriot’s markedly lower volume design, with increased mainsail area swept down to a low profile deck and a lowered centre of effort, outperform those compromises? Many think it can.

Tom Slingsby (left) and Paul Gooodison (right). Photo: American Magic

American Magic’s Team

Australian Tom Slingsby’s helming talents were sorely missed in the last Cup, but thanks to a US passport he’s on one wheel of Patriot. Brit Paul Goodison takes the other, moving from mainsheet trim. It’s a formidable partnership, which got off to a winning start at the first Preliminary Regatta.

The Italian boat has sleek lines and a lower volume hull with a slim line wave-piercing ‘bustle’, and crew in a deep pod for low windage. Photo: Job Vermeulen/America’s Cup

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

These days it’s hard to imagine the America’s Cup without Patrizio Bertelli and a silver and red Prada-liveried Italian entry. This is their sixth Challenge since 2000, the third skippered by Max Sirena. The Italians have a remarkable record, having been a finalist in the Challengers series four times, twice winning, beaten in two Cup matches and two Challenger finals by Team New Zealand.

But they’ve never gone one better – is this their year? The Italians have had an apparently smooth build-up to the 37th Cup, training off Cagliari year-round in a wide range of conditions in the AC40 and LEQ12, before launching their AC75 there.

The team also picked up a confidence-boosting 2nd place in the Jeddah Preliminary Regatta, behind – of course – Emirates Team New Zealand.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s America’s Cup boat

The Italian team’s silver bullet is an undeniably stylish machine, with a sleek design characterised by organic flowing shapes rather than the computer generated angles of other teams. The low volume hull has a deep, slim skeg to slice through the Barcelona waves.

Helm stations are positioned well forward, and the team has been experimenting with fighter jet-style canopies for their AC75 pilots – while we understand there are cameras under the hood for improved all-round visibility.

Jimmy Spithill. Photo: Studio Borlenghi/ACE

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s team

The Italians were first to introduce split helms in the last Cup and the easy patter between Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni delighted fans. Spithill has stepped out of SailGP in order to focus on the Cup this time, but talented younger drivers Ruggero Tita and Marco Gradoni also made a big impression in the AC40s in Jeddah.

The Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75 was first to launch and has one of the most radical hull shapes. Photo: Olaf Pignataro/Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Inviting jokes about running like Swiss clockwork, Alinghi were first to roll out their AC75 in April, but the team’s return to the Cup arena has been slick from the start. They were first (after the Challenger of Record) to throw their hat into the ring, and first to get sailing in Barcelona (with ETNZ’s former AC75), then spent a winter two-boat training in AC40s in Jeddah – also taking 3rd in the Preliminary Regatta there (ahead of American Magic and INEOS Britannia).

Alinghi remains the only European team ever to have won the America’s Cup (in 2003 and 2007), but since their defeat in 2010 Bertarelli has kept his powder dry. The reformed syndicate, partnered with F1 team Red Bull Racing, is not to be underestimated.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s America’s Cup boat

The Botin-designed SUI-100 BoatOne features some radical angles and intriguing curves which suggest the influence of F1 team Red Bull Racing in the hull shape’s aerodynamics – the boat has markedly truncated topsides which end abruptly before the transom, and a scooped foredeck. BoatOne dismasted in June, however Alinghi was quick to re-step a new mast, and the team now has a possible advantage of knowing more about the one-design rig’s limitations than other Challengers…

Arnaud Psarofaghi. Photo: Samo Vidic/Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s team

The strict nationality rule means Alinghi needed to find home-grown talent for AC37 but Switzerland has a strong tradition of lake racing in radical high performance designs. The Swiss squad is young, with experience in foiling classes like the GC32 and TF35. Skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis is a double foiling Moth European champion. Older hands behind the scenes have included Brad Butterworth and Dean Barker.

The French AC75 is designed by Emirates Team New Zealand, built in France. Teams have the option to further develop areas such as foils, so the two boats may diverge. Photo: Job Vermeulen/America’s Cup

Orient Express Racing Team

The French Orient Express team was the last to enter the 37th America’s Cup, and the last to launch their AC75. There is plenty of knowledge of both the Cup and how to build a winning campaign in this camp – joint CEOs are K-Challenge founder Stephan Kandler and Dongfeng team boss Bruno Dubois, while Franck Cammas is head of performance.

Dubois has been open about the fact that the team is running on a much smaller budget than many of its rivals, but with that comes efficiency of decision making and a sharp focus. Sound familiar? It’s the same backs-against-the-wall ethos the Kiwis are famed for, from another of the greatest sailing nations in the world. Early indications are this team could punch above its weight.

Orient Express Racing Team’s America’s Cup boat

The French bought a design package from Emirates Team New Zealand so their AC75 inevitably shares many characteristics with the Defender’s. It’s a fair assumption that the French boat won’t be quicker than Taihoro. However, the French team aren’t necessarily trying to beat ETNZ – to line up against them in the Match would be an extraordinary victory in itself. This campaign is about gaining knowledge, and delivering enough returns to build a team with longevity.

Quentin Delapierre. Photo: Alexander Champy-McLean

Orient Express Racing’s Team

The Orient Express crew overlap closely with the French SailGP team (also managed by Dubois), and have picked up 2nd overall at two GP events this season. Though lacking Cup match racing experience, skipper Quentin Delapierre and crew sprung a major surprise when they finished 3rd at the first Preliminary Regatta in Vilanova.

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Alinghi Red Bull Racing have today, Tuesday 20 August, suffered a rig failure when out training on their AC75, just two days before the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta is due to get underway. The Swiss-flagged team are scheduled to feature in the first race of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta against Orient Express Racing Team on Thursday August 22 at 14:00 CET.

The incident was confirmed by Alinghi Red Bull Racing in a post on their social media channels. The posts reads:

“Today there was a rig failure during the early stage of training on BoatOne. Everybody onboard is safe, and an investigation will be carried out in due course. In the meantime, the team remains fully focused on racing.” 

TEAM STATEMENT @americascup #AlinghiRedBullRacing #AmericasCup pic.twitter.com/xzgVENaC4q

— alinghiredbullracing (@alinghiredbull) August 20, 2024

Of concern to the team will be two key facts. Firstly this is the second significant rig failure Alinghi has experienced this year with a previous mast failure on 13 June 2024. The second factor that will be of concern is the relatively light winds and unremarkable sea state forecast today in Barcelona. These two facts together could indicate some fundamental issue in the teams masts… of course it could also just be bad luck.

That the team state they are ‘fully focussed on racing’ is good news and would imply that they do have a spare mast that they can use. Indeed we understand they did have another mast delivered to their base at some point in early August. They will now be hoping that there is no fundamental underlying issue with their mast construction.

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America’s Cup team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, suffered a catastrophic failure of their mast on Thursday 13 June 2024 while training on their AC75 in in Barcelona, all crew are safe and uninjured.

The mast breakage happened just after 2pm local time with the afternoon sea-breeze well and truly in – a wind the locals call a ‘strong Garbi’ – from 210-220 degrees atop a 0.5-0.8 metres, three-second period swell from 230 degrees.

The incident occurred on the most hazardous point of sail for any high performance boat, during the bear away. It was during this manoeuvre that we saw a capsize from American Magic in the 2021 America’s Cup, the damage from which ultimately saw the US team out of the America’s Cup.

Mid-way through Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s bear-away – the moment at which when acceleration is greatest and loads can shoot up if acceleration is hampered by waves – significant mast bend can be seen before the forestay went slack as the lower section in the bottom third of the mast gave way under pressure forward, causing the rig to collapse into the water to leeward.

Immediately the Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailing and support teams swung into action with divers in the water and all hands on deck to rescue the situation. Thankfully no injuries were reported. Happily for the team it seems the boat was not significantly damaged with only minor scratches observed initially around the bow area.

Silvio Arrivabene, the Co-General Manager of Alinghi Red Bull Racing said: “This afternoon, while executing a bear away in 20-knot winds, there was a mast failure on BoatOne. Everybody on board is safe, which is the most important thing. The boat is already back ashore which will allow us to quickly assess the cause of the failure.”

Photo: Ivo Rovira / America’s Cup

“Incidents like this are part of the sport. The team is prepared for this kind of situation and ready with all the necessary spare parts, so the focus is now on getting BoatOne back on the water as soon as possible.”

The effects of this breakage will be felt further than just in the Alinghi Red Bull Racing camp, however. The masts are a component on the AC75 America’s Cup boat that is very strictly controlled with the rules specifying almsot every aspect of the spar, even down to the laminate layup. As such every team currently training on AC75s in preparation for the America’s Cup is using exactly the same mast.

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As the sailing world eagerly counts down to the 37th America’s Cup, the spotlight in recent months has been on the cutting-edge foiling AC75s, which teams have been launching. With under 100 days remaining until the start of the competition, teams have been unveiling the design upon which they hope to win them the oldest sporting trophy in the world.

To delve into the details of the first America’s Cup boat to be launched this cycle under the slightly adjusted second generation rules, Yachting World editor Helen Fretter sat down with Thomas Tison, a distinguished Naval Architect and Yacht Designer with extensive experience in cup cycles.

Tison’s expertise offers invaluable insights into the specific design elements of the Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75.

Alinghi’s AC75 aerodynamics

A cornerstone of Alinghi’s design philosophy is the pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency, and much of this philosophy can clearly been seen to have been influenced by Emirates Team New Zealand‘s groundbreaking concepts in the 2021 America’s Cup.

Photo: Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Notably, however, although Alinghi Red Bull Racing features the significant side pods we saw on the Kiwi boat, the Alignhi America’s Cup design includes strategic modifications to side pod geometry, redirecting airflow to optimise performance in ways previously unseen in America’s Cup boats.

One of the key design features of this AC75 is in the curvature of the bustle – or lack thereof – and its impact on wave interaction. This, alongside the shape of the bustle overall, highlights the team’s commitment to achieving optimal performance across the sea conditions expected in Barcelona for the 2024 America’s Cup. But also points to the team’s confidence in terms of foiling.

The collaboration between Alinghi and Red Bull Racing also brings something new, integrating insights from the all-powerful Formula One team. Tison says you can see a holistic approach to optimising speed and manoeuvrability on the water here.

In conclusion, Alinghi Red Bull Racing has emerged as a formidable contender in the America’s Cup 2024, armed with a meticulously created AC75, that seems to have drawn on the considerable aero expertise of the Red Bull partnership.

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Alinghi Red Bull Racing has rolled out the boat which the Swiss team is hoping will bring them more America’s Cup glory (Switzerland under Alinghi is a two-time winner of the event) at the 37th America’s Cup at the end of 2024.

The unveiling of the hull took place during a glitzy evening event out of the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Port Vell base in Barcelona on 5th April 2024, but there is much left to be seen, such as the all-important foils and rig arrangement, which will be seen when the boat is first properly launched.

The AC75 was introduced to the America’s Cup in 2021 for the 36th edition of the event, which took place in New Zealand and which saw a successful defence of the trophy by Emirates Team New Zealand. As a brand new class in that edition of the America’s Cup teams were allowed to build two America’s Cup boats, but for the 37th AC teams are only permitted to build one new boat.

Key features, such as the foils, remain hidden until launch day

As such, this is the boat which will see the Swiss fight for the right to compete in the America’s Cup itself later this year.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing did not take part in the last edition of the America’s Cup and, as such, were permitted to purchase an old AC75 from competitors in order to get up to speed with the class, so when they launch, this will not be the first time the team has taken to the water in the unique foiling monohull design, having sailed on a number of occasions onboard the AC75 that they purchased from Emirates Team New Zealand as a training platform.

First AC75 out of the shed

With only a single AC75 allowed to be designed, built, and launched by each team, timing is crucial on order to give development time to teams to optimise their boats but also not to launch too early and cut design time short. Most teams should be launching their boats in the coming weeks, and we expect most to be on the water by mid-May 2024.

Article continues below…

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But the Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75 – named BoatOne – is the first we have seen this cycle and thus the first AC75 to be launched under slightly modified class rules.

The changes to the AC75 class rule for the 37th America’s Cup include the reduction in crew from 11 to 8 sailors as well as some other subtle changes which mean weight saving of about a tonne, which coupled with the increase in foil wingspan, should improve light air performance of the class – an issue last Cup cycle.

Other than crew numbers, key developments for this Cup cycle are: the reintroduction of ‘Cyclors’, which were first developed by the Kiwis for their successful 2017 campaign, but were outlawed for the 2021 edition; the boats no longer feature back stays; and crews will not cross the boats during manoeuvres.

The nature of these rule tweaks means we were not necessarily expecting the new AC75s to look radically different from those in the last cycle and from what can be seen of BoatOne at her unveiling, she looks to be a development, albeit a significant development, of many of the ideas present on the all-conquering Te Rhutai AC75, upon which Emirates Team New Zealand won the 2021 America’s Cup.

The radical- looking stern is a development of several features we saw in the last America’s Cup

A prominent ‘skeg’ or ‘bustle’ is a clear similarity here as are the slab sides of the hull from which the crew – likely cyclors – will sail the boat in an aerodynamically efficient fashion. All in all, from what we can see, this first AC75 can be summed up as a development of Te Rhutai taking many of the features that made that boat so fast and taking them a step further.

Plus there are some developments that come directly from rule changes, with a very open stern area with a good 10ft of open area and just carbon sidewalls that abruptly end, which should reduce weight in the transom and is something we expect to see in many teams due to the lack of back stays and no need for a ‘safe’ zone in which crew can cross the boats.

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There is now just 1 year to go until the America’s Cup proper kicks off in Barcelona, where Emirates Team New Zealand will take on the winner of the challengers selection series to fight for the ultimate prize in sailing, the America’s Cup. It has been a long time since we last saw cup teams racing, but the Preliminary Regatta last month has served as something of a line in the sand for fans, who can now start to get excited about the build up to the competition.

With this in mind, the sight of America’s Cup sailors out of their aerodynamically sleek cockpits hanging off shrouds and standing on the bow of their AC40s trying to get boats moving in displacement mode was probably not the image that the organisers had hoped for after racing in the first America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta came to a close over the weekend of 14-16th September. But it is the image many viewers will remember as the racing was marred by poor conditions.

Although racing was cancelled on day one due to no wind, was adversely affected on day two for the same reason and was forced to finish early on day three, there was still some thrilling action on the race course for those patient enough to keep watching through the lulls (both figuratively and literally).

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta?

The simplest answer to this question is ‘not very much at all’. How teams perform in their one-design AC40 foilers bears very little resemblance to how they might perform at the America’s Cup proper in late 2024, when they will be racing their AC75 America’s Cup yachts which have a much more open class rule and which teams are developing behind the scenes right now.

But there is a little more nuance than that. American Magic, with two of the best foiling sailors in Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison won the event.

They have spent plenty of time sailing their AC40 – of which they now have two. Even if the team felt they came into the race a bit “underprepared” as Goodison put it as the sailors had been focussed on sailing against, not with, each other.

It may be a small surprise that Emirates Team New Zealand with the three generational talents of Peter Burling, Nathan Outteridge and Blair Tuke onboard did not win the regatta. They have also been sailing plenty in their two AC40s, but at least the Preliminary Regatta showed the all-powerful Kiwi team can be beaten.

A much bigger surprise, however, was the performance of the French Orient Express Racing Team who picked up third place having only launched their single AC40 in August this year, weeks before the event began.

However, it is interesting to note that with no other test platform on the water and no AC75 either, this team spent a significant amount of time working on an AC40 simulator, so they are not quite as unfamiliar with the platform as their launch date might suggest.

This move to simulator time is a theme we have seen in recent America’s Cup as teams develop computer platforms to help with the design process, but we’ve not often seen them used for upskilling in pure sailing skills terms.

Elsewhere, the two teams that have focussed on technical development of their own test platforms (called LEQ12s) in Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and INEOS Britannia were fourth and sixth respectively.

For their part INEOS stated their disappointment with the team’s Giles Scott admitting they should have done better despite their limited time sailing an AC40.

Sandwiched between these two were Alinghi Red Bull Racing, who have put a great deal of time and effort into updating and sailing the AC75 they purchased from Emirates Team New Zealand to better understand the platform while they design another boat for the 2024 America’s Cup.

America’s Cup weather worries?

One thing that can be learned from the first America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta are the conditions likely to be experienced at the start of the next America’s Cup – or at least the challenger series, which will take place at a similar time 50 miles up the coast in Barcelona.

The timing of this event firmly puts it just ahead of the windiest winter season, with the lightest wind month being August and the windiest month typically around January. As such the spectacle of foiling boats struggling to make it round a race course might well be something we see some of in the early parts of the challenger series – and the Youth and Women’s AC both set to use AC40s and both scheduled ahead of the AC itself.

With the America’s Cup itself taking place in October, winds should in theory be a little stronger. It is worth noting that as Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand will not need to compete in any of the racing ahead of the Cup itself, and so could well see a significant advantage from not needing to focus so hard on very-light wind performance.

Of course, this is sailing and everyone is at the mercy of the elements to some extent.

American Magic out two-boat testing. Photo: Paul Todd/America’s Cup

Test platforms and training

Every team entered into the 2024 America’s Cup needs to purchase a one-design foiling AC40 for racing in the Preliminary Regattas and to ensure they can enter teams into both the Women’s and Youth America’s Cups (both of which will use AC40s).

All teams set to take part in the 37th America’s Cup now have AC40s on the water, however, some have had them on the water longer than others, and some have two out on the water sailing.

Although the AC40 is a one-design class and must adhere to strict rules for the Preliminary Regattas and the Youth and Women’s AC, outside of these events they are allowed to be modified in order to conduct testing ahead of the launch of team’s single allowed AC75 America’s Cup boat – though they must be able to be returned to their one-design configuration for racing.

Photo: Martin Keruzore/OERT

The French Orient Express Racing Team were the last team to enter this America’s Cup and were also the last to get an AC40 – only launching it in mid-August. And as such hold the difficult duel position as both last team to enter the Cup and the team with the least time on the water. But an impressive showing in the America’s Cup Preliminary regatta at least shows they have the sailing chops to mix it with the rest of the field.

By contrast, Defenders of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand were the first to launch an AC40 back in 2022 and were the first to conduct two-boat testing once their second AC40 was launched. Neither of these outcomes are a surprise, with a single builder of AC40s, teams were allocated a build slot based on their order of entry to the 37th America’s Cup.

In terms of boat launches, teams have taken a number of different approaches. With a wait for AC40 delivery and time of the essence (as ever in the AC), some teams chose to build their own training boats.

Boat terminology has become a little confusing, but test platforms are generally referred to as LEQ12s (short for ‘Less or Equal to 12m’ the parameters for a test platform as defined by the America’s Cup rules, to limit teams building platforms too similar in size to an AC75).

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli training in their LEQ12.

The two teams which have chosen this route are Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. To add a little more confusion to the nomenclature, Luna Rossa refer to their boat as simply LEQ12 while the Brits have named their ‘LEQ12’ T6. Both of these were launched in late 2022.

For both of these teams, their LEQ12 has been the primary test platform, with both also adding AC40s to their roster of boats following the launch of their LEQ12 test platforms.

To further confuse the issue, if teams take an AC40 out of one-design configuration that too becomes (officially) an LEQ12. This is because there are limits on the number of parts any team can design and own. So an LEQ12 can have a certain number of test foil shapes (for example) and this same rule applies to foils on a non-one-design AC40.

INOES Britannia launched their LEQ12 bristling with sensors. You can make out one camera here, above and aft of the foil arm buried in the hull, surrounded by carbon there are hundreds more load, speed etc. sensors. Photo: C.GREGORY / INEOS BRITANNIA

In addition to AC40s and LEQ12 test boats, teams are also able to sail their AC75s from the 36th America’s Cup, though with limitations on when they can be sailed. These limitations vary somewhat with teams that took part in the last America’s Cup, who already have AC75s, more restricted than new entries, who were able to purchase an AC75 and sail it earlier in the cycle.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing are a new entrant in this Cup cycle and they purchased Emirates Team New Zealand’s first AC75 from the 2021 Cup cycle and relaunched it in August 2022 immediately getting some time on the foiling monohull under their belts. They have since relaunched once again after adding some further developments.

They have split their time between AC75 sailing and AC40 sailing, once their own one-design was delivered, and have recently been two-boat tuning with the delivery of their second AC40.

Sailing ‘legacy’ AC75s will be a key part of the build up to the next America’s Cup, with teams only allowed to build one new AC75 this time around (two were permitted for the 2021 Cup).

Emirates Team New Zealand training on an AC75 with cyclors now returned to Cup sailing . Photo: Job Vermeulen / America’s Cup

“The rule that you can only build one AC75 this campaign is to save cost, but it’s a big change from the America’s Cup that I grew up with, in the old IACC class monohulls,” explained Jeff Causey, INEOS Britannia’s boat operations manager. “Back then, it was all about two-boat testing. Every team that could afford to designed and built two boats, and then lined them up against each other for countless hours of side-by-side tuning out on the water. We don’t have that available to us this time.”

The USA flagged team, American Magic has taken a similar approach to Alinghi Red Bull Racing, getting plenty of time out on the water onboard their AC75 from their base in Pensacola and sailing their first AC40 there too, before moving out to Barcelona earlier this year where they got their hands on their second AC40 allowing them to get some two boat testing and training under their belts.

It should be noted that the AC75 rules have been slightly tweaked for this edition with ‘cyclors‘ once again allowed and some changes to the foil arms and sail control systems – among other tweaks, such as reduced crew numbers. And we have seen teams making changes to their legacy AC75s to reflect this, with many teams opting for cyclors at this early stage.

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The second day of racing for the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta was something of a mixed bag. Three solid fleet races in full foiling conditions were followed by an attempted two-boat match race, which started as the wind died.

With a 10-minute time limit for the two competing boats, American Magic and Emirates Team New Zealand, to reach the top mark the final match race was looking unlikely from the start. After a painful exhibition of the two teams nursing their AC40s upwind – crew on the bow, hanging from the shrouds, doing everything they could to dampen the pitch and roll of the AC40s hulls as they wallowed in the water – the race was abandoned. Swiftly afterwards race organisers confirmed that all racing had been abandoned for the day.

Teams tried everything to get the most from their boats in the extremely light winds

This awarded American Magic the Preliminary Regatta win by just one point.

But the day had started very differently. With around 10-12 knots of south-easterly breeze and a rolling swell at 1500hrs, the AC40s were fully powered up and flying under their J2s (headsail choice is mandated by race committee). The first race start was a stormer – the fleet all hitting the line at speed, French Orient Express Racing Team looking to repeat yesterday’s success with another port start.

Emirates Team New Zealand and American Magic took up the early battle for the front, each slam-dunking tacks on their opponents, until New Zealand team’s height and speed took gave them a direct line to the port top mark, building a lead that was never under threat. American Magic took second, with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli taking third from the Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing.

The second race was another showcase start, the French team again showing their willingness to get their AC40 fully in the mix despite their limited time in the boat with a heart-stopping approach at full speed at the committee boat end.

The American team dominated the race, coming off the line at pace to pull away. Behind them were place changes and tacking battles – Luna Rossa and Alinghi evenly matched, while the French made it hard work for Emirates Team New Zealand to get past them. With Emirates Team New Zealand finishing 4th, the third fleet race of the day would determine who would go through to the final match race of the Preliminary Regatta.

The points calculations were further complicated when it became apparent that Alinghi Red Bull Racing wouldn’t be racing, as they parked up with hydraulic issues while the other five boats lined up to start.

Yet again American Magic delivered another super-smooth performance. Meanwhile, though Emirates Team New Zealand had evident pace, they also showed a few chinks in their boat handling with a major splashdown that let several boats past. The Kiwis had to hunt hard to overhaul Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Orient Express Racing Team, who were duking it out for second. At the finish it was American Magic 1st, from Emirates Team New Zealand, with Orient Express Racing Team rounding off a superb first event with a 3rd.

The deciding race may have been abandoned, but there was plenty to glean from the day’s fleet races about the team’s relative performances.

A day of learning for the America’s Cup teams

American Magic and Emirates Team New Zealand were, without question, a notch above – unsurprisingly given both teams have been training using two-boat AC40 programmes.

Paul Goodison, American Magic helm, told Yachting World after racing: “We’re over the moon, obviously. We weren’t shy about saying this was a performance regatta and we needed to put our best foot forward to get the team on a roll, and to deliver it is a really good feeling.

“It’s interesting but we missed some of the fleet practice races that all the other teams did a few weeks ago, to focus on our development side because we had a couple of key milestones to make. So we were actually a little bit worried that we hadn’t done the time [in the AC40s] coming into this event – mainly because the four of us onboard usually sail on two different boats so we’re going against each other more than sailing with each other.

“So one of the biggest things we’ve had to work on the last week is basically the communications, because when you can’t see half the race track you need to communicate what you want to do with the other guy and be sure you’re on the same page. And I felt like we did a pretty good job of getting further down the path with that, and today I feel like we gelled really well as a four.

“I think the biggest thing for us winning here is that’s it a whole team thing, it just lifts the spirits. Some people in the shed have been working very very long hours to get us out on the water in the smaller boats, but also at the same time getting the AC75 ready to sail at the end of this month. So they were all working their balls off to give us the opportunity to go sailing every day! And being able to pay them back by showing them were good enough to take it the best guys was important.”

Another team that was delighted with their performance – and who will no doubt have ruffled a few feathers among the longer standing teams, were the newest entry. The French Orient Express Racing Team finished 3rd overall and were in the mix from the very start despite only taking delivery of their AC40 in mid-August. Helm Kevin Pepponet told Yachting World afterwards:

“There were some close calls today – we got a penalty with Luna Rossa, the second start was pretty intense for us, but we are handling the boat better day after day, and we are getting much more confident on the boat and in the team. Of course we have a lot of work to do to catch the top two. American Magic and Emirates Team New Zealand were a way ahead and today there were pretty impressive, but we have another event in just one month – and the Cup itself will be totally different. It gave us a lot of confidence launching this America’s Cup campaign and there is a really good dynamic in the team.”

Others will have been disappointed. INEOS Britannia made little secret of the fact they were under prepared in the AC40s, having instead been focusing on their LEQ12 development boat, but they were consistently off the pace, scoring three 6th places and two 4ths over the weekend.

Helmsman Giles Scott admitted: “We’re licking wounds, as expected after the day we had. We know we were a little bit unprepared but let’s be honest, we should have done better that we did this weekend, we can’t shy away from that.

“So yeah, we’ve got to have a good look at ourselves and, with regards to the AC40, use Jeddah as a bit of a milestone. And also just go back and review where we’re at in terms of the bigger picture, and looking forward to racing in the big boat. Because there’s been good lessons here – really, really good lessons. We’ve come away bitterly disappointed and with our tails between our legs for sure, but we’ve been in some pretty dark places before and the key is how you rebound from it.”

The second America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 29th November to 2nd December 2023, again in the AC40s.

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It was a day of firsts in Villanova, some 30 miles along the coast from Barcelona today: the first races in the 37th America’s Cup cycle, the first ‘proper’ races in the new AC40 one-design class, and the first chance to see how the new teams – and new crew combinations – compare with one year to go until the Cup proper.

This first America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta event has a slightly different feel to the usual Cup events – something of a matinee performance. The practice races earlier this week were a chance for teams and organisers to iron out a few teething problems, while the event also had a pleasing air of informality – there are no paid for spectator stands, instead racing is free to view from the beach, and the team bases are equally matched marquees without any glossy hospitality quarters.

Although today began hot and still, by lunchtime the flags were fluttering well and the 200-plus Pati Catala dinghies (a classic local design that has no tiller or rudder, but is instead steered by trimming the mainsail and shifting bodyweight) were racing off the beach for a special celebration regatta in moderate breezes.

Coming off the foils can see an AC40’s boat speed halved compared to a boat in flight mode.

At the pre-start for Race 1, all teams were burning around on their AC40s with ease. The on the water view from a team chase RIB was a frankly eye-opening indication of the closing speeds that can occur with six foiling AC40s in confined water. They may be just 40ft, but with some teams reporting hitting over 50 knots in practice sails (see Matt Sheahan’s column in the current issue of Yachting World for more), these are not toothless mini-models, but a genuinely impressive class in their own right.

When there’s breeze, that is…

America’s Cup AC40s first race

Sadly by the start of Race 1 the wind had dropped, and with around 7-8 knots at the gun few teams were positioned for a clean foiling start. With just 1 minute 40 seconds to go the French Orient Express Racing Team had dropped off their foils and were sluggish in the water, but recovered impressively to cross the line at speed on port, and keep going, maintaining flight and pace to round the top mark in first.

Close behind them was Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, who traded places for 1st place as the breeze began to fade and the AC40s came off their foils onto a low-riding displacement mode. The remainder of the race was characterised by the curious sight of crews climbing out of their stream-lined, aero-efficient cockpits to stand on the bow to lift the AC40 transoms out of the water.

With a shortened course the leading French and Italian pair crawled down to the finish line, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli with right of way on starboard. But as the boats made their final gybes the Italians picked up a penalty for their foil coming too close to the French. This gave the French Orient Express Racing Team the first ever event win in the AC40s. In a final twist, it turned out that Luna Rossa had started incorrectly and were DNS. [In a final, final twist, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was then reinstated 2nd place later that evening]

The French team went into this race as the outsiders, having only taken delivery of their AC40 in mid-August. They were, unsurprisingly, delighted with taking the first win.

Orient Express Racing Team trimmer Jason Saunders commented after racing: “Yeah, we’re surprised. The training hadn’t been going as well as that.

“We’d actually been struggling a lot in those [light] conditions and we’ve spent a lot of time analysing the data, analysing the footage that we’ve got, and we’re just super happy for the whole team, because it’s a massive team effort to be able to help us to progress. And today we were able to put that into place and we showed that we certainly improved. Once we’re up and foiling, we’re able to match with the best. That’s pretty positive for day one.”

Low riding mode

With a fading breeze racing the start of Race 2 was delayed, and it looked very likely that racing would be abandoned for the day. However, by 5pm some boats had headed to the top of the course and were foiling unassisted, with other teams using their chase RIBs to tow their AC40s to get them up to speed before casting off in flight mode, and the race committee quickly followed suit by setting off Race 2.

The start area, however, was still in a patch of much lighter wind, and one by one the AC40s fell off the foils in the pre-start. All but one, in fact, with Alinghi holding flight mode to cross the line on foils and pull away in a completely different race. Behind them the French made another good start with INEOS Britannia behind, both firmly stuck in low-rider mode.

Halfway up the first beat, however, Emirates Team New Zealand got back up on foils and, racing at twice the boat speed of all the other teams (Alinghi also having dropped back down), essentially sailed rings around them, approaching the top mark for the final time while other had barely rounded it for the first.

Emirates Team New Zealand was noticeably able to get their AC40 foiling earlier when other teams were in low-rider displacement mode at the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta in Villanova.

Getting back on the foils

One observation I heard in Villanova, which seemed confirmed by today’s races, is that Emirates Team New Zealand are often seen to foil first, in 5-6 knots of breeze, with other teams needing 1, 2 or more knots extra to get back up onto the foils mid-race.

For teams struggling to foil, the alternative is to sail in VMG displacement mode, sailing the most direct route to the mark. With shortened races, such as today, this also gives the advantage of protecting their position on the course as teams are scored according to their placing on the water if they do not finish the race.

There seemed to have been some confusion over how these points were awarded for those watching the TV commentary, but there was no doubt the teams were racing for rankings on the water no matter how they would be finished (a bit like a Whiskey flag to award tail enders in a dinghy fleet with a result).

The AC40 crews using body weight to get their boats moving when not in foiling mode. Photo: ACEM

Ben Ainslie, skipper and Principal of INEOS Britannia, explained that it’s a balancing act between knowing when to best sail as fast as you can in displacement mode, and when to try and get back onto foils:

“We were actually not in that bad shape sailing around in displacement mode [in the second race]. We were in second place, saw New Zealand had go back on foils, decided to try and pop up, but we didn’t make it and got overtaken.”

“You got to make sure you’ve got some runway, you’re not too close to the boundary going into it. Then you’re trying to figure out is there enough wind, you’re looking at the wind speed on the boat, also looking at the wind on the water and what the other boats are doing, have they got up or not?

“And of course, there’s a lot of technique in it. The Kiwis are very good at it – kind of not surprisingly, they got great sailors and they spend a lot of time in the boat. So, yeah, we’re certainly in catch up mode on that.

“It’s a lot of things. It’s to do with the setup of the boat, of course, the aero side of things, but also the foils. And then, like any other boat, really, it’s just very subtle. We all know how difficult sailing any boat in light airs is. It’s a very subtle technique: when to trim on the sails, when to try and accelerate and when to try and lift the boat out of the water, drive, the pitch of the boat. It’s really dynamic and takes a lot of choreography.”

Does that stance look similar to the one above? The local Pati Catala vintage catamaran dinghies are sailed with body weight rather than a rudder. Photos: ACEM

Today might not have showcased the AC40s’ real potential on their debut, but it did prove that the Kiwis are not actually invincible, and that no team – even the least experienced – can be discounted.

Tomorrow there’s a more solid breeze forecast, and bigger sea state forecast, which is likely to deliver the teams a whole new set of boat handling challenges.

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Several years after Emirates Team New Zealand successfully defended the America’s Cup back in 2021, we are about to see racing in this cycle for the first time. But what have teams been up in the last couple of years as they look ahead to the 2024 America’s Cup?

The first official event of the 37th America’s Cup will take place from 15th September 2023 as the five America’s Cup teams gather in the Catalonian port of Vilanova i la Geltrú for the first America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta.  The racing itself will take place in the One-Design AC40 class, which might make for entertaining racing, but will show us very little about where each team is in their technical development path towards the ultimate goal of winning the 2024 America’s Cup.

So what have the teams been up to since the last America’s Cup in 2021?

INEOS Britannia and Orient Express Racing Team training in their AC40s

America’s Cup test boats and AC40s

Every team entered into the 2024 America’s Cup needs to purchase a one-design foiling AC40 for racing in the Preliminary Regattas and to ensure they can enter teams into both the Women’s and Youth America’s Cups (both of which will use AC40s).

All teams set to take part in the 37th America’s Cup now have AC40s on the water in preparation for the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta. However, some have had them on the water longer than others, and some have two out on the water sailing.

Although the AC40 is a one-design class and must adhere to strict rules for the Preliminary Regattas and the Youth and Women’s AC, outside of these events they are allowed to be modified in order to conduct testing ahead of the launch of team’s AC75 America’s Cup boats – though they must be able to be returned to their one-design configuration for racing.

Oreient Express Racing Team were the last to launch an AC40

The French Orient Express Racing Team were the last team to enter this America’s Cup and were also the last to get an AC40 – only launching it in mid-August. And as such hold the difficult duel position as both last team to enter the Cup and the team with the least time on the water.

By contrast, Defenders of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand were the first to launch an AC40 back in 2022 and were the first to conduct two-boat testing once their second AC40 was launched.

Neither of these outcomes are a surprise, with a single builder of AC40s, teams were allocated a build slot based on their order of entry to the 37th America’s Cup.

In terms of boat launches, teams have taken a number of different approaches. With a wait for AC40 delivery and time of the essence (as ever in the AC), some teams chose to build their own training boats.

Boat terminology has become a little confusing, but test platforms are generally referred to as LEQ12s (short for ‘Less or Equal to 12m’ the parameters for a test platform as defined by the America’s Cup rules, to limit teams building platforms too similar in size to an AC75).

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli training in their LEQ12 in Cagliari

The two teams which have chosen this route are Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. To add a little more confusion to the nomenclature, Luna Rossa refer to their boat as simply LEQ12 while the Brits have named their ‘LEQ12’ T6. Both of these were launched in late 2022.

For both of these teams, their LEQ12 has been the primary test platform, with both also adding AC40s to their roster of boats following the launch of their LEQ12 test platforms.

To further confuse the issue, if teams take an AC40 out of one-design configuration that too becomes (officially) an LEQ12. This is because there are limits on the number of parts any team can design and own. So an LEQ12 can have a certain number of test foil shapes (for example) and this same rule applies to foils on a non-one-design AC40.

Emirates Team New Zealand training on one AC40 and one modified AC40 (officially a LEQ12). Photo: Ugo Fonollá / America’s Cup

In addition to AC40s and LEQ12 test boats, teams are also able to sail their AC75s from the 36th America’s Cup, though with limitations on when they can be sailed. These limitations vary somewhat with teams that took part in the last America’s Cup, who already have AC75s, more restricted than new entries, who were able to purchase an AC75 and sail it earlier in the cycle.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing are a new entrant in this Cup cycle and they purchased Emirates Team New Zealand’s first AC75 from the 2021 Cup cycle and relaunched it in August 2022 immediately getting some time on the foiling monohull under their belts. They have since relaunched once again after adding some further developments.

They have split their time between AC75 sailing and AC40 sailing, once their own one-design was delivered, and have recently been two-boat tuning with the delivery of their second AC40.

Sailing ‘legacy’ AC75s will be a key part of the build up to the next America’s Cup, with teams only allowed to build one new AC75 this time around (two were permitted for the 2021 Cup).

“The rule that you can only build one AC75 this campaign is to save cost, but it’s a big change from the America’s Cup that I grew up with, in the old IACC class monohulls,” explained Jeff Causey, INEOS Britannia’s boat operations manager. “Back then, it was all about two-boat testing. Every team that could afford to designed and built two boats, and then lined them up against each other for countless hours of side-by-side tuning out on the water. We don’t have that available to us this time.” 

American Magic out two-boat testing. Photo: Paul Todd/America’s Cup

The USA flagged team, American Magic has taken a similar approach to Alinghi Red Bull Racing, getting plenty of time out on the water onboard their AC75 from their base in Pensacola and sailing their first AC40 there too, before moving out to Barcelona earlier this year where they got their hands on their second AC40 allowing them to get some two boat testing and training under their belts.

It should be noted that the AC75 rules have been slightly tweaked for this edition with ‘cyclors‘ once again allowed and some changes to the foil arms and sail control systems – among other tweaks. And we have seen teams making changes to their legacy AC75s to reflect this, with many teams opting for cyclors at this early stage.

Emirates Team New Zealand training on an AC75 with cyclors now returned to Cup sailing . Photo: Job Vermeulen / America’s Cup

Testing, data collection and simulators

Two boat testing provides a clearly defined development path for those who choose to do it and can be used to either validate technical data (e.g. how well different foils perform) or team performance using identical kit to race each other.

This type of A/B testing has been key to producing a fast boat and a well oiled sailing team since time immemorial. However, the America’s Cup is at the very forefront of technology and gone are the days of relying purely on such simple tools.

It’s widely accepted that one of Emirates Team New Zealand’s key advantages back in 2017 when they wrested the America’s Cup from the hands of then Defender, Oracle Team USA was the Kiwis’ reliance on simulation tools. And an accurate simulator has remained the holy grail of the AC world ever since.

INOES Britannia’s LEQ12 is bristling with sensors. You can make out one camera here, above and aft of the foil arm buried in the hull, surrounded by carbon there are hundreds more load, speed etc. sensors. Note also the two differing foil shapes. Photo: C.GREGORY / INEOS BRITANNIA

It is here where we are likely to see the key benefits for those teams who have got together with F1 teams – Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Red Bull) and INEOS Britannia (Mercedes).

The key thing here is that teams will want to capture as much data as possible from their test platforms in order to validate their simulator findings. Put simply the closer to real-world sailing you can make your simulations the better and this relies on adjusting the simulation output based on how well it corresponds to real world scenarios.

As such we have seen boats bristling with sensors and cameras all sending high quality data back to huge data banks largely in order to calibrate simulators.

Foil mounted aft with a bulb protruding forward as we saw in the last Cup.

Foils and sail controls

The upshot of a good simulator is that it significantly reduces the need for real world testing of ideas. In short, why design and build a foil to put through two-boat testing when you can build thousands of simulated permutations of different foil types?

But we have seen teams testing different foil shapes in the real world too, with some teams electing to A/B test foils on a single boat by running different foil configurations on port and starboard – something we saw a lot of in the last Cup cycle.

From what can be observed from the testing to date, there seems to be a consensus around the foil wings themselves sitting as far aft as possible on the foil arms, usually with some kind of bulb projecting forward. This is the style of foil Emirates Team New Zealand used in their successful defence of the AC last time out.

Sail controls will once again be a significant development area.

Once again, though foil shapes are a key area of development with flat elliptical foils a popular option, Y foils on display as well as curved foils (somewhere between a flat and Y-shaped foil) and the recent return of a W foil by the Brits (trialled and eventually dropped by them before the last Cup).

While foils were a key visual difference between the boats last time around, sail control setups were also a marked area of differentiation. Some teams had boomless setups, some had a boom, Luna Rossa had a sort-of-boom hidden underneath the deck and INEOS used (and then abandoned) an articulating boom.

There was a lot more experimentation beyond the booms and a significant amount of development was hidden within the boat and between the sails.

All of these differences were in order to get the twin-skin mainsail to be as powerful as possible to provide drive for the AC75 to get up on it’s foils and then allow rapid depowering and aero efficiency once foiling and contenting with apparent wind speeds of around 50 knots.

It looks as though sail controls are once again going to be a significant area of development. More so than the foils, sail controls and systems are very well hidden but we have already seen a mixture of boom and boomless setups on test boats and there are rumours that this is a rich seam of development once again this time around.

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Having taken delivery of their first AC75 several weeks ago and officially launching the boat recently, the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Team, has suffered a capsize on their first training day in Barcelona.

The team is set to take part in the 37th America’s Cup in 2024 and, as a new entrant in this cycle (though Alinghi has previously won the AC, they have not been involved with the event for several America’s Cup cycles) the team are allowed to sail their secondhand AC75 for a number of days this year where other teams are not allowed on the water in their America’s Cup class boats.

Photo: Alinghi RBR media

However, their first training day on the water came to a disastrous close as a squall knocked their boat over on the return to shore. On a post across their social media channels, the Alinghi Red Bull Racing team explained:

A tough day at the office.

After a successful day of sailing, Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s BoatZero was hit by the violent rain squall, which developed over the city of Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon. While towing back with sails down, the boat bounced into the wind and was pushed on to her side.

Some of the crew members were knocked overboard but were promptly recovered by the support team. Everyone returned safe and sound to the team base.

“Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s BoatZero suffered minor damage to the port foil arm and to the hull. We will be back on the water soon, carrying on with our preparation for the 37th America´s Cup.” says Silvio Arrivabene, Co-General Manager of Alinghi Red Bull Racing.

The cliche in America’s Cup racing is that the one thing you can’t buy is time, so these training days are seen as a particular key in terms of catching up with the development and information teams in the last America’s Cup were able to secure racing and training in their AC75s.

This damage will mean a break from training while the team makes repairs. However, it seems the damage should not be too significant and nothing like the significant damage American Magic saw in the 2021 America’s Cup when they spectacularly capsized their Patriot AC75 forcing them to rush a repair, but ultimately seeing them exit the competition despite a valiant effort to get back racing.

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Alinghi Red Bull Racing launched their AC75 in Barcelona yesterday, Monday 8th August 2022. This is the first America’s Cup boat to hit the water since the conclusion of the 36th America’s Cup in New Zealand in early 2021, as teams begin the long build up to the next America’s Cup set to take place in Barcelona 2024.

Although this is the first AC75 we have seen on the water during this Cup cycle, it should be noted this is not a new launch. Alinghi Red Bull Racing team purchased the first boat launched by Emirates Team New Zealand in the last Cup cycle – an option for teams which did not take part in the last America’s Cup.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s AC75 pre-launch sporting her new livery. Photo: America’s Cup

As a new entry to the America’s Cup, Alinghi Red Bull Racing will be able to get out on the water sailing in this training boat, while teams that took part in the last Cup cycle will have to wait until next year before they are able to get out on the water in their AC75s.

Alceo Bertarelli, son of syndicate founder Ernesto Bertarelli, smashed the customary bottle of champagne on the wing as Red Bull sponsored Hazal Nahir, the trail-blazing Turkish parkour athlete performed tricks on the foil arms during the christening ceremony.

“Today symbolises the adventure that begins in Barcelona,” commented Alinghi Red Bull Racing Head Coach Nils Frei at the launch, “This first-generation boat will allow us to gain valuable training hours before we have our race boat. We are a new team sailing a boat that we are only just discovering, but to be able to train already this year is highly beneficial.

“If there is one thing that all Cup campaigns have in common, it is that you can never make up for lost time. And you never have enough of it! The preparations for this launch have given us the opportunity to learn to work together, and it is so important to be united towards a common goal in an America’s Cup campaign.”

Having purchased the boat early in the cycle from Emirates Team New Zealand, the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Team have been working flat-out to prepare the AC75 for its first sail, scheduled for later this week, subject to tow-testing and final safety preparations.

The Alinghi Red Bull Racing team onboard their AC75. Photo: America’s Cup

Adding vital AC75 experience to the Swiss team are two legends of the America’s Cup in the form of Dean Barker from New Zealand, a veteran campaigner, part of the winning New Zealand team in 2000 and more recently helmsman of American Magic in 2021, plus Pietro Sibello, a finalist with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the 2021 America’s Cup Match.

Skipper of Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Arnaud Psarofaghis, will be helming the boat throughout the permissible training period and crew will be rotated in and out as the schedule progresses. Analysis of performance in all areas will be key and the eyes of the Cup world will be watching intently to see how this new team develops.

“BoatZero will allow us to gain the necessary experience on the AC75. Despite the satisfaction of today’s festivities, we are aware that there is still a lot of work to do to catch up with the level of the teams that raced the 36th America’s Cup. But today has given us the energy to focus on the next step: sailing,” commented Silvio Arrivabene, co-General Manager and Head of Technical Operations.

Although this boat does represent an important step for the team in terms of getting up to speed in a new (to them) class of boat, it is notable that, so far, there appear to be few signs that this AC75 has been developed in any significant way to bring it into line with the updated AC75 class rule.

From the early images the foil arms do not appear to be longer, as allowed by the new rules, and similarly there doesn’t appear to have been a change from the traditional grinding stations to a ‘cyclor’ grinding set-up, which most anticipate will be seen in the coming America’s Cup after they were effectively banned in the last cycle but have been reinstated as an option this time around.

In fact, even the now defunct bow sprit (the Code 0 sails they were to be used for have been dropped) remains in the launch images.

Of course for any new team merely getting to sail an AC75 will bring plenty of information and there do appear to be different foils on either foil arm, indicating the platform will be used as a test bed for foil design. Last cycle we saw all teams running similar asymmetric set ups early on in an attempt to validate future design choices and directions.

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