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In Portsmouth three of the six teams were 100% nationals: Groupama Team France – 100% French, Land Rover BAR, 100% British and Oracle Team USA, 100% Australian. What’s your suggestion for a nationality rule? Join the conversation in the Cup Experience Facebook group.
America’s Cup World Series Leaderboard After 7 Events
America’s Cup competition format and scoring explained here.
Ben Ainslie and his all British crew had three firsts, two seconds and a fifth place to win the Portsmouth America’s Cup World Series. Again. They also won the event here in 2015. The win puts them at the top of the overall series leaderboard. Oracle Team USA got back on the podium, one point behind the Brits for the Portsmouth event.
Oracle takes over second place overall, pushing the Kiwis into third. New Zealand had big gaps on board in the two most important positions: Ray Davies handled wing trim for the first time since wing trimmer Glenn Ashby was on the helm replacing Peter Burling, off in Rio to prepare for the Olympics. Like Team New Zealand, Artemis was without their regular helmsman. Nathan Outteridge is also in Rio, hoping to defend his 2012 gold medal against silver medalist Burling. Francesco Bruni stepped in as helmsman – his first time ever to sail an AC45F. The rules prevent sailing the AC45F’s between events. The conditions were different each day, so there was no chance for Bruni to learn the boat. Artemis finished last in Portsmouth – a frustrating result after their win in Chicago last month.
Dean Barker and his men on SoftBank Team Japan confirmed their performance in Chicago with their second podium finish. Groupama Team France shared the lead after the first day of racing but fared less well in the stronger conditions on Sunday.
Crew lineups have been shaken up with some of the top sailors off in Rio preparing for the Olympics. Skipper Glenn Ashby will be on the helm for series leader Emirates Team New Zealand replacing Peter Burling. Francesco Bruni will steer Artemis Racing since Nathan Outteridge is in South America getting ready to battle Burling for the 49er gold. More on that next week. Ben Ainslie will once again be without tactician Giles Scott, the favorite in the Finn class. Giles already missed the last AC World Series event, but the Brits showed the depth of their bench, taking second in the Chicago event.
The only opportunity to train in the one design AC45F’s is at the AC World Series events – sailing on Thursday and practice racing on Friday. Francesco Bruni has never raced an AC45F and Glenn Ashby has not helmed in previous racing. Both are top sailors but will have their work cut out for them. Ed Powys will once again handle tactics in place of Giles Scott on Land Rover BAR.
With six of the nine AC World Series events completed, the teams go into Portsmouth with three teams fighting at the top of the leaderboard. One of them will end the series empty handed when it wraps up in Fukuoka, Japan in November. Emirates Team New Zealand continues to lead the series, with Land Rover BAR and Oracle Team USA tied on points.
America’s Cup competition format and scoring explained here.
Dean Barker and his men on SoftBank Team Japan hope to build on their good showing in Chicago, where they were on the podium for the first time. Franck Cammas’s Groupama Team France won races in Oman and New York and will try to bounce back from their poor results in Chicago.
I was among the large and enthusiastic crowd on hand when Groupama Team France christened their experimental AC45X at their base in Lorient on Monday. That explains why this edition of the Monday New is appearing on Tuesday!
The Groupama Team France base is nestled between the WWII U-boat bunkers in Lorient – an incredible sight, and well worth a visit.
L-R, Michel Desjoyeaux, Franck Cammas, four time F1 world champion Alain Prost and former Jules Verne Trophy record holder Olivier de Kersauson were on hand for the christening. Prost spoke about how the French often underestimate themselves but are capable of big achievements when they dare. UK Bookmaker Ladbroke’s currently sets the odds of Team France winning the America’s Cup at 100:1 (Being British, they give Ben Ainslie 4:1 odds.) I think the French are a long shot, but not that long!
The aft fairing is a bit long for the test boat but will fit just fine when the hulls are replaced with AC Class compliant hulls in December. Except for the hulls, this IS the Team France race boat for 2017. The wing, crossbeams, pod, fairings, rudders, daggerboards and control systems will all be fitted to class compliant hulls later this year. With the smallest budget of six teams, Team France depends on outside-the-box thinking to be competitive. This photo also shows one very special feature on the starboard hull – can you guess its purpose?
In order to maximize sailing days and allow sailing in rough conditions, Team France design chief Martin Fisher reduced the risk of pitchpoling by adding volume to the bows of the test boat. Design team consultant Juan Kouyoumdjian added one of his signature features – the spray rails. Neither complies with the AC Class rule but both are perfectly legal on the experimental boat.