Cup Experience

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Results and Standings

Ben Ainslie’s Land Rover BAR team won the shortened Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth event with a first and a second in Saturday’s racing. Winds over 30 knots and rough conditions caused Sunday’s racing to be abandoned.

Racing on their home waters and with more time in this type of boat than the other teams, Land Rover BAR showed sharp crew work and good tactics to win the opening race and then fight back from the middle of the pack to post a second in the day’s second race. Emirates Team New Zealand and new helmsman Peter Burling also looked impressive, winning the second race and coming in third in the first.

Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth – Results

1. Land Rover BAR (1,2)
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (3,1)
3. Oracle Team USA ( 2,4)
4. Groupama Team France (6,3)
5. Softbank Team Japan (4,5)
6. Artemis Racing (5,6)

Remember that these races count, and could even determine the winner of the America’s Cup Match in 2017! Standings in the LVACWS will be used to break ties at the end of the round robin series, and could determine which team begins the match with one point. More information on how the scoring works here.

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Video Highlights from the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_TE9pekMaQ

 

America's Cup When asked about the strange angles he got into, Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill said, "I'll tell you, we're just hanging on really. You're on the edge of control. It's very very difficult. Mistakes get made, but that's what you want, you want it to be difficult. The good guys get it right."

When asked about the strange angles he got into, Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill said, “I’ll tell you, we’re just hanging on really. You’re on the edge of control. It’s very very difficult. Mistakes get made, but that’s what you want, you want it to be difficult. The good guys get it right.”

America's Cup Artemis Racing had bad luck when their code zero halyard lock released in Race 2. They lost time as they struggled to get the sail under control and on board, dropping to last place in the race and in the event.

Artemis Racing had bad luck when their code zero halyard lock released in Race 2. They lost time as they struggled to get the sail under control and on board, dropping to last place in the race and in the event.

America's Cup Oracle Team USA came in with speed on port gybe and sailed past Emirates Team New Zealand

At the final mark in Race 1 Oracle Team USA came in with speed on port gybe and sailed past Emirates Team New Zealand, who had to gybe from starboard to port in order to round. Both boats protested, but the umpires signalled “no penalty.” In this situation, the inside boat, ETNZ was entitled to room to round the mark. The boats did not touch, so clearly OTUSA gave ETNZ room. The America’s Cup version of the rule for room at a mark is very different from the normal Racing Rules of Sailing. I explain it here and give another example of this rule here.

America's Cup View from on board Emirates Team New Zealand during the incident at Mark 6 in Race 1. You can see that ETNZ is still on starboard gybe, but Peter Burling has pulled the helm to gybe.

View from on board Emirates Team New Zealand during the incident at Mark 6 in Race 1. You can see that ETNZ is still on starboard gybe, but Peter Burling has pulled the helm to gybe.

America's Cup Oracle Team USA started Race 2 with some excitement when Groupama Team France luffed them at the start, giving OTUSA a penalty. OTUSA then fought back to finish fourth in the race and third for the event.

Oracle Team USA started Race 2 with some excitement when Groupama Team France luffed them at the start, giving OTUSA a penalty. OTUSA then fought back to finish fourth in the race and third for the event.

America's Cup Oracle Team USA with a penalty they picked up at the start of Race 2.

Oracle Team USA with a penalty they picked up at the start of Race 2.

America's Cup The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge awarded the prizes.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge awarded the prizes.

America's Cup Ben Ainslie receiving the trophy for winning the event from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Ben Ainslie receiving the trophy for winning the event from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

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Results: Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth

Six foiling AC45F catamarans were on the course together for racing on Saturday. Ben Ainslie’s Land Rover BAR team won the shortened Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth event with a first and a second in Saturday’s racing. Winds over 30 knots and rough conditions caused Sunday’s racing to be abandoned.

Racing on their home waters and with more time in this type of boat than the other teams, Land Rover BAR showed sharp crew work and good tactics to win the opening race and then fight back from the middle of the pack to post a second in the day’s second race. Emirates Team New Zealand and new helmsman Peter Burling also looked impressive, winning the second race and coming in third in the first.

America's Cup Fleet Racing on Foils

Results and Current Standings

  1. Land Rover BAR (1,2)
  2. Emirates Team New Zealand (3,1)
  3. Oracle Team USA ( 2,4)
  4. Groupama Team France (6,3)
  5. Softbank Team Japan (4,5)
  6. Artemis Racing (5,6)

Remember that points are totaled over two years, 2015-16 for the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. At the end of the series, the top team carries two points into the double round robin of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers. Any ties in the qualifiers will be broken by standings in the LVACWS. So this racing could determine which team earns a bonus point to start the America’s Cup Match and it could also determine whether a challenger makes it through to the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Playoffs. I’ve summarized the competition format here.

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The Tyranny of the Majority

When Team Australia withdrew as Challenger of Record last July, Luna Rossa was next in line. They decided to form a Challenger Committee to deal with Protocol changes proposed by the defender. What were they thinking? They gave up the power to veto any Protocol changes and left themselves vulnerable to a simple majority vote. In late March, ACEA announced plans to jettison the AC62 Class. Luna Rossa threatened to withdraw, pointing out that it was too late to make such a change and believing that the design rule should only be changed by a unanimous vote. Oracle’s proposal was not to change the AC62 Class Rule, but to discard it. They claimed this manoeuvre was a change to the Protocol, not a change to the design class. On March 31, Artemis, BAR and Team France voted to accept Oracle’s proposal to change the Protocol, dropping the AC62 and replacing it with the “America’s Cup Class.”  Luna Ross was good to their word and promptly withdrew from the America’s Cup and cancelled the Cagliari America’s Cup World Series regatta, which was to have been held in June.

America's Cup - Patrizio Bertelli, in happier times, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup on his first try, in Auckland in 2000. The 2017 challenge was his fifth, equalling Sir Thomas Lipton.
America’s Cup – Patrizio Bertelli, in happier times, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup on his first try, in Auckland in 2000. The 2017 challenge was his fifth, equalling Sir Thomas Lipton.

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Mysteries and Miracles

Recent decisions by ACEA, Oracle and three of the challengers (Artemis, BAR and Team France) have mystified close followers of the America’s Cup and the two other challengers (Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand). The class of boat has been changed. The AC Qualifiers have been pulled from Auckland. One or two mysterious Asian teams have been announced as potential challengers. There is a deadline on May 1 for all teams to pay the balance of their entry fee ($900K) plus the $1 million performance bond. Read my summary here and here.

“The natural conditon is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.”
“So what do we do?”
“Nothing. Strangely, it turns out well.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. It’s a miracle.”

Impresario Fennyman explains the theater to his financial backer Henslowe.

Shakespeare in Love