The final day of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta was a fascinating affair with some very close battles throughout the day’s racingThe fourth and final day of racing in the 37th America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 saw very tricky conditions for the foiling AC75 monohulls today, Sunday 25 August.
\nIt wasn\u2019t 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\u2019ve 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\u2019s Cup challengers.
\nAlthough 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.
\nKey takeaways from America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta Day 4<\/p>\n
Based on the results, the two strongest teams in the 2021 America\u2019s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli remain the top two
\nBut American Magic is absolutely up at the same level as these two, if not quicker
\nOrient Express Racing Team and INEOS Britannia are pretty evenly matched at the slower end of the Challengers<\/p>\n
American Magic lead Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo: Ricardo Pinto \/ America\u2019s Cup
\nRace 13 American Magic Vs Emirates Team New Zealand
\nSkippers
\nEmirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
\nAmerican Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby<\/p>\n
It was a disappointing day for American Magic on day three of the America\u2019s 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.
\n\u201cWe made a pretty big error in the prestart and led back too early, which gave an easy lead to the American\u2019s and they made the most of that opportunity,\u201d Ray Davies explained during the race. \u201cI felt like we had an okay start but got a wrong shift early in the race and that was it,\u201d explained Burling at the end of the race.
\nThe kiwis were forced to tack away and by the time the boats had their first cross, the Americans had a solid lead. We\u2019ve 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\u2019ve 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.
\nWhat did we learn from the America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 13?
\nThis 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\u2019s 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.
\n\u201cWhen we sail well, there\u2019s a lot of potential in this team,\u201d a satisfied Slingsby said after racing. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a few set backs this event, but it\u2019s really good to finish on a high.
\nFor their part, Emirates Team New Zealand won\u2019t be too worried about their first loss of this regatta. Assuming American Magic is one of the fastest challengers \u2013 which the racing we\u2019ve seen so far would indicate \u2013 the Kiwis looked quick enough that had they won the start they probably could have won the race.
\nPhoto: Ian Roman \/ America\u2019s Cup
\nRace 14 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
\nSkippers
\nLuna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
\nAlinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
\nJimmy 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.
\nNot 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.
\nJust 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!
\nThe 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\u2019s a needed safety feature for match racing on 75ft foiling monsters, but to a sailor\u2019s eye it is a little odd.
\nBy 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\u2019ve 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\u2019s 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.
\nFrom here the Italian team never really look back \u2013 although Alinghi do a good job of pushing them all the way to the finish. \u201cTalk about doing it the hard way,\u201d said Jimmy Spithill to his team as they cross the finish line. \u201cSorry about that,\u201d he adds referring to the startline error.
\nWhat did we learn from the America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 14?
\nAlinghi 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.
\n\u201cIt was a bit difficult for us with the waves today, so we just have to get back to to [practicing],\u201d Maxime Bachelin said after racing and it\u2019s fair to Alinghi looked a little less slick than the Italians when the pressure was on.
\nLuna Rossa continue to look a class act and winning a race when you\u2019ve made such a significant error in the start will be a real confidence boost for Spithill, Bruni and Co.
\ntight racing between the British and the French. Photo: Ricardo Pinto \/ America\u2019s Cup
\nRace 15 INEOS Britannia Vs Orient Express Racing
\nSkippers INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
\nOreint Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
\nThe 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\u2019s crew immediately after the start.
\nWith 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.
\nThe French team did a good job of the beat and managed to lead at the top mark by dint of making one less manoeuvre.\u00a0 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. \u201cIt\u2019s 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,\u201d explained \u201cRob Wilson of the conditions.
\nThere 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.
\n\u201cWe were in the fight today which is good, I did think we were a little underpowered so that made the difference,\u201d explained Quentin Delapierre after the finish.
\nWhat did we learn from the America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 15?
\nUnforced errors by the British team are a concern and will be added to the list of concerns for Ainslie\u2019s 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.
\nFrom what we\u2019ve seen so far this was a race between the two weakest Challengers for this America\u2019s 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.
\nIt was a close and thrilling final between New Zealand and Italy. Photo: Ricardo Pinto \/ America\u2019s Cup
\nAmerica\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta Final \u2013 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
\nSkippers
\nLuna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
\nEmirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge<\/p>\n
A repeat of the 2021 America\u2019s 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.
\nBoth 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.
\nThe 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.
\nA 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\u2019s starting to look very close. Up the final beat there\u2019s 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.
\nAfter 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\u2019re 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\u2019t 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.
\nHowever, 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\u2019s Emirates Team New Zealand who take the win and claim the America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta spoils.
\n\u201cWe made that a lot harder than we should have,\u201d said Outteridge after the racing. \u201cIt\u2019s awesome to see such a tight, tactical race, but it was good action, a good battle and lots for us to review.\u201d
\n\u201cIt sure was a match race,\u201d Spithill agreed. \u201cI think with this wind direction and wave state it certainly showed there were some passing lanes, which we haven\u2019t seen to date. Congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand on the win.\u201d
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The final day of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta was a fascinating affair with some very close battles throughout the day’s racingThe fourth and final day of racing in the 37th America\u2019s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 saw very tricky conditions … <\/p>\n