Emirates Team New Zealand

May 30, 2016 By Jack Griffin

America’s Cup World Series Standings After New York

It Could Happen

Imagine two teams – let’s call them Purple and Orange. Purple wins the America’s Cup World Series – fleet racing in identical-except-for-the-paint-job, one design AC45F catamarans. Remember, all the points are totaled for all the America’s Cup World Series events. Orange finishes middle of the pack in the AC World Series, since they focused on testing the design for their America’s Cup Class yacht, and on the crew work for the one-on-one match racing in Bermuda. Their strategy pays off. At the end of the double round robin “America’s Cup Qualifiers” in May-June 2017, Orange has a perfect, undefeated record, with 10 points, having won all 10 of their races. Purple did well, too, and finishes 8-2, having lost only their two matches with undefeated Orange.

But guess what?

Purple wins the AC Qualifiers and will start the America’s Cup Match on June 17 with a one point lead. How can that be? Well, as winner of the AC World Series, Purple carried two bonus points into the AC Qualifiers, so they finish the Qualifiers equal on points with Orange, tied at 10 each. How do you break ties? By looking at the AC World Series final standings, where Purple finished ahead of Orange. So Purple wins the AC Qualifiers and will start the America’s Cup Match with a one point lead. It could happen.

You can download a copy of this diagram with the competition overview here.

May 30, 2016 By Jack Griffin

America’s Cup Teams Racing in Foiling GC32’s on Lake Garda

Nine foiling GC32’s sailed 19 races over four days on Italy’s Lake Garda.

Three America’s Cup teams went racing this past weekend on Italy’s Lake Garda in a fleet of nine boats in the GC32 Series. Not surprisingly, Franck Cammas and his Groupama Team France crew won the event, sailing under the banner of their America’s Cup sponsor Norauto. Cammas and Groupama Team France have been using the GC32 as their training and test boat in preparation for the America’s Cup. Artemis Racing had Nathan Outteridge, Iain Percy, Luke Parkinson and Christian Kamp sailing with young Swedish helmsman Gustav Petersson under team owner Torbjörn Törnqvist’s Gunvor label. Emirates Team New Zealand supports Switzerland’s Team Tilt, which will have an entry in the 2017 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, and ETNZ skipper Glenn Ashby was on board trimming the wing and handling tactics. Team Tilt set the new speed record for the GC32 at 39.7 knots. And, like the America’s Cup, the GC32 series has its own connections European nobility – Pierre Casiraghi, skipper of “Malizia” from the Yacht Club de Monaco is the son of Monaco’s Princess Caroline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oimjym2FRtg

May 16, 2016 By Jack Griffin

Who Has the Fastest Test AC45X in Bermuda? Guess Again.

On my last visit to Bermuda, in April, I spent an afternoon on a chase boat, watching Oracle Team USA, Artemis Racing and Softbank Team Japan doing some speed tests together.

With the Dark ‘n Stormy’s flowing freely at SoftBank Team Japan’s party last Saturday, a close observer of the activity in Bermuda claimed that Team Japan currently has the fastest test boat. You may remember a few issues ago I had an article and video about Nick Holroyd, formerly head of design at Emirates Team New Zealand and one of the pioneers of foiling America’s Cup yachts. Nick is now head of design for Team Japan.

May 16, 2016 By Jack Griffin

How Emirates Team New Zealand Won in New York

Glenn Ashby explains in this video that the team never gave up, even after they got caught on the starting mark anchor line.

ETNZ: Winning in the nick of time

I caught up with tactician Ray Davies in Bermuda last week and asked him if they positioned themselves to catch that puff on the last leg that launched them to win the race and the regatta. He laughed and said modestly, “Complete luck. That puff found us.”

Ray was in Bermuda to scout logistical details to plan the team’s move here when the time comes to launch their AC Class race boat.

May 10, 2016 By Jack Griffin

Big Enthusiastic Crowds in Spite of Gray Skies and No Wind on Saturday

Light and shifty winds combined with the Hudson River’s current to challenge both the Race Committee and the teams. On Saturday only a provisional race was held, after the TV window had passed. It was the third time in five regattas that a full day of racing was lost. The crowds in the AC Village and lining the river edge were excited just to see the AC45F’s even if they had to be towed to show off their foiling.

The crowd loved seeing the race boats foiling, even when they had to be towed on Saturday in order to put on a show.