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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.
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.
Oracle got caught in the current and were swept over the line early in Race 2. They fought back to finish the race in second.
Artemis won Race 1 but came in last in Race 2. France did the opposite – last in Race 1 but first in Race 2. With a 4th in the third race, Groupama Team France got on the podium for the first time in the ACWS.
Going into the last race, all six teams had a chance to win the regatta. With four of the teams bunched on the downstream side of the course, struggling to avoid being carried outside the course limits by the current, the Kiwis found a gust and roared off to win the race and the regatta.
(missing photo – 1Feb’17)
Race 3 Leg 4: The current, flowing from top to bottom of the image, has carried Land Rover BAR and SoftBank Team Japan outside the course limit, giving them penalties. Meanwhile you can see the ripples on the water where the gust has launched Team New Zealand into the lead and on their way to winning the race and the regatta.
The debate about nationality rules always stirs passions. Having a strict nationality requirement for the crew would probably boost audience interest, like for the Olympics and the football (soccer) World Cup. But it would also reduce participation and make it hard or impossible for new countries to compete.
What few people realize is that crew nationality rules were introduced only in 1980 and were dropped 10 years ago. In 1895 and 1899 when American fishermen from Deer Isle, Maine were the crews on “Defender” and “Columbia,” they made news, since crews on US defenders before and after were often Scandinavians.
Charlie Barr, skipper of “Columbia” and later of “Reliance,” was Scottish born. Even “America” had a British pilot on board to navigate around the Isle of Wight in 1851. Barr was a pure professional. He didn’t hesitate to go back to Scandinavian crews for the 1901 and 1903 defenses. Barr would certainly agree with the current philosophy of hiring the best sailors, regardless of nationality.
For the 2017 America’s Cup we have three mostly national teams – Land Rover BAR, Groupama Team France and Emirates Team New Zealand – and three mostly international teams – Oracle Team USA, Artemis Racing and SoftBank Team Japan.
What do you think about nationality requirements? Send me your comments and in a few weeks I’ll report back on what I hear from you.