Cup Experience

Many America's Cup fans say this is their best source of information.

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Why Did the Bracket Break?

Midway through the America’s Cup Match, Oracle changed the way they set up and trimmed the wing. They changed the twist profile, opening the wing more at the top while closing the leech at the quarter-span and half-span of the wing. They also opened the slot between the tab on the leading element and the flap segments of the trailing element. This reduced lee helm and allowed them to foil upwind. These changes increased the load on the wing winch by 170%, far above initial limits. This increased load might have added enough stress in the wing to break the bracket.

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Wing Breakage Almost Lost the Cup in 2013

Oracle wing technician Jeff Causey with glue gun 40 minutes before Race 19 of the 2013 America’s Cup. Click photo to watch video.

Less than an hour before the start of the deciding race, a bracket broke inside Oracle’s AC72 wing. Oracle and Team New Zealand were tied 8-8. This race would decide the 2013 America’s Cup. The breakage needed to be stabilized or else the control arm for the wing’s flap would be jammed and Oracle would be unable to race. This video shows what happened.

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About Those Bonus Points

There are still lots of questions about the bonus points… The winner of the America’s Cup World Series carries two bonus points into the round robin match racing “Qualifiers,” which begin 26 May in Bermuda. The runner up gets one bonus point. With six teams (remember that defender Oracle Team USA races in the Qualifiers), in this double round robin, a perfect score would be 10 points. The winner of the Qualifiers will start the America’s Cup Match with a one point lead. If Oracle wins the Qualifiers their opponent in the Match starts with a score of minus one (-1). If a challenger wins the Qualifiers and they make it through the “Challenger Playoffs to the Match, Oracle starts at minus one.

So, those bonus points could be very valuable. Remember, too, that the final AC World Series ranking will be used to break ties at the end of the Qualifiers. If two challengers are tied for fourth, the AC World Series results will determine which challenger is eliminated and which one goes on to the semi-finals of the challenger selection.

Series Leaderboard

Going into the final regatta in Fukuoka, Japan in November, Land Rover BAR has a comfortable lead to grab the two bonus points. Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand will be battling for the final bonus point.

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Bart’s Bash – Andrew Simpson Honoured in Global Regatta

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Andrew “Bart” Simpson was killed on 9 May 2013 in a training accident on San Francisco Bay when Artemis Racing’s AC72 capsized and broke up. His friends, led by his Star boat Olympic Gold and Silver medal teammate, Iain Percy, set up the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation to encourage children and young people to sail. You can contribute here.

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Thousands of people at hundreds of clubs around the world race in Bart’s Bash. Artemis Racing, SoftBank Team Japan and Oracle Team USA raced their AC45x test boats in Bermuda.

Video: Watch this interview of Andrew Simpson and Iain Percy at the 2013 UK Star Championships, sailed in a snowstorm.

Video: Iain Percy tells about Andrew Simpson’s personality and spirit.

Video: Listen to Grant Simmer, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Campbell talk about Bart in Oracle Team USA’s really wonderful video.

Contribute to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation here.

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Series Leaderboard Arithmetic

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Land Rover BAR leads the series, 14 points ahead of Oracle Team USA and 17 ahead of Emirates Team New Zealand. These three teams have traded places at the top of the leaderboard all through the America’s Cup World Series. Remember that that top two teams in the series carry bonus points into next year’s round robin AC Qualifiers in Bermuda – two points for the series winner and one for the runner up. With one event left, in Fukuoka, Japan in November, the arithmetic says any of the three could win still win the series, but past performance says it’s unlikely either Oracle or the Kiwis can close the gap on BAR, who are likely to finish on top. With only three points separating them, Oracle and Team New Zealand will be battling for the remaining bonus point.

Chances for the other three teams are between slim and none. Team France is out of contention. Artemis cannot beat BAR and would need something close to a sweep of the regatta in Japan combined with a collapse by Oracle to grab second place. Unlikely. Team Japan has a mathematical chance, but the odds are very long. That said, all six teams need to fight for every remaining point – series standings will be used to break ties at the end of the round robin, when one challenger will be eliminated.