Cup Experience

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Score: New Zealand 8 – USA 2

Oracle needs to win seven in a row.

Oracle dominated the start of Race 12, then showed speed with upwind foiling. If that had been the first race, we would assume they would win 9-0. But now ETNZ only needs to win one of the next seven races to take the Cup.

Nine points are required to win the America’s Cup Match.

America's Cup Score: New Zealand 8 - USA 2
On the upwind leg OTUSA showed game-changing speed with upwind foiling over 30 knots.
America's Cup Score: New Zealand 8 - USA 2
The view from under OTUSA’s boat. They are on port tack, riding on the starboard daggerboard’s winglet. You can see the size of the winglet on the port daggerboard which is raised and out of the water.
America's Cup Score: New Zealand 8 - USA 2
In the pre-start ETNZ seemed to be defending well, leading back to the line with 23 seconds to go.
America's Cup Score: New Zealand 8 - USA 2
Approaching the line at 18 seconds to go, with both boats on starboard tack, OTUSA has “hooked” ETNZ, by getting an overlap to leeward. This gave OTUSA right of way, so they could luff ETNZ, forcing them to slow and tack onto port.
America's Cup Score: New Zealand 8 - USA 2
OTUSA’s luff forced ETNZ to tack onto port, heading away from the starting line. OTUSA is slow after the luff, but they bear away towards the line, build speed and lead on the reach to the first mark.

Dominating the start and foiling upwind – enough for a comeback?

If this had been the first race of the AC Match, most people would assume that OTUSA would dominate the Match and win 9-0. But now ETNZ takes the Cup if they win one more time, and OTUSA needs to win seven more, in a row. The comeback seems possible, but unlikely…

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Race Schedule

Emirates Team New Zealand needs to win two more races to score nine points and take the America’s Cup. With their three race wins, Oracle Team USA erased their two point penalty and scored one point. They need to win eight more races to defend and keep the Cup. Two scheduled races were not sailed: OTUSA used their “postponement card” to cancel the second race on Tuesday, September 12. The second race on Saturday, September 14 was abandoned because the wind limits were reached.

The broadcast schedule is available here. The schedule of remaining races is:

America's Cup Race Schedule

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Momentum shifted back to ETNZ in Race 10

Dean Barker led ETNZ back to winning ways in Race 10 in perhaps the most hard fought race in America’s Cup history. During the race, each team tacked seven times and gybed seven times. On the upwind leg, the boats met seven times and the lead changed three times.

OTUSA’s top speed in the race was an incredible 44.98 knots! ETNZ hit a top speed of 43.01 knots.

“It was very important to bounce back after the first race; the Oracle boat sailed a great race and gave us no opportunities,” said Barker. “The second race was close across the first reach; they touched the water once, which gave us the lead at the mark. We felt strong at the bottom mark but they sailed a good upwind leg and were right there at the top.”

Watch the video of the pre-start and first leg.

Look carefully during the first leg and you’ll see the splash when OTUSA came off the foils and touched down. That allowed ETNZ to get an overlap and rights to the inside lane at the mark. Without the overlap, OTUSA would have been able to shut the door on ETNZ at the mark.  … and the outcome of the race might have been very different!
Video: ACTV

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Oracle led from start to finish in Race 9

America's Cup Skipper Jimmy Spithill did a masterful job in the pre-start, gaining a position to leeward of Emirates Team New Zealand late in the 2-minute sequence and preventing the Kiwis from entering the racecourse.

Skipper Jimmy Spithill did a masterful job in the pre-start, gaining a position to leeward of Emirates Team New Zealand late in the 2-minute sequence and preventing the Kiwis from entering the racecourse. Spithill and crew led at the first mark by 4 seconds and then sped away from the challenger, gaining time on every leg of the course with their new found boatspeed.

Watch the pre-start:
Video: ACTV

All images below: ACTV

America's Cup The port tack boat, OTUSA, may enter the start box 10 seconds ahead of the starboard tack boat, ETNZ.
The port tack boat, OTUSA, may enter the start box 10 seconds ahead of the starboard tack boat, ETNZ.
America's Cup ETNZ turns to follow OTUSA. Both boats still going away from the starting line.
ETNZ turns to follow OTUSA. Both boats still going away from the starting line.
America's Cup OTUSA starts their turn back to the starting line. The yellow line is the "layline" to the downwind end of the starting line. If you sail below that, normally you would be slow or need to tack twice to get back to the starting line.
OTUSA starts their turn back to the starting line. The yellow line is the “layline” to the downwind end of the starting line. If you sail below that, normally you would be slow or need to tack twice to get back to the starting line.
America's Cup With under 30 seconds to go, both boats are below the layline.
With under 30 seconds to go, both boats are below the layline.
America's Cup There was a strong ebb tide (the blue arrows) that carried the boats back above the lay line.
There was a strong ebb tide (the blue arrows) that carried the boats back above the lay line.
America's Cup The tide has carried both boats back above the layline and OTUSA has control, as the leeward (right of way) boat. With the clock showing one second it's clear both will be late to the line, but in match racing that is not important.
The tide has carried both boats back above the layline and OTUSA has control, as the leeward (right of way) boat. With the clock showing one second it’s clear both will be late to the line, but in match racing that is not important.
America's Cup The gun has gone off - notice that the LiveLine graphics have turned the start line white. Spithill in OTUSA is luffing Barker in ETNZ to hold him away from the line.
The gun has gone off – notice that the LiveLine graphics have turned the start line white. Spithill in OTUSA is luffing Barker in ETNZ to hold him away from the line.
America's Cup Spithill has turned towards Mark 1 and speeds off, over 6 knots faster and well ahead of Barker. ETNZ was never able to recover and OTUSA led the race from start to finish.
Spithill has turned towards Mark 1 and speeds off, over 6 knots faster and well ahead of Barker. ETNZ was never able to recover and OTUSA led the race from start to finish.

 

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Score: New Zealand 7 – USA 1

Racing has been close, and OTUSA has found new speed and won three races. But their two point penalty from the International Jury means they still need to win eight to keep the Cup, while ETNZ needs only two more wins to take it back to Auckland.

Nine points are required to win the America’s Cup Match.