Oracle AC72 MKII: Back to Foiling, day 3
Some say Artemis is ‘done’, others ‘foiling will not pay’, and every day we are closer to know who is right. If foiling prevails it could change the sport for ever, as no recent attempt has succeed, new technology will trickle down to samller cats. Latest A-Class developments are yet to be seen in racing.
The only one (for now?) going against the full ‘Flying current’ is Artemis, for me it is a 50-50 bet, and they are gambling just like the Tornado Code Zero gennaker at Beijing as the other 3 boats will be on a somehow leveled field, as they are all aiming to full foiling, with different approaches and solutions, if the gral foil concept works for all conditions, Artemis is done at the first race.
I still give Artemis an excellent chance though, as this is going to be a short course, steady +20knots are not guaranteed, they are happy with their speed and they are also playing a safer solution. Artemis team is training F18s and Oracle Moths…any clearer sign of things to come?!
All Images Guilain Grenier / Oracle Team USA.
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It's going to be exciting for sure, it all depends on the course I guess. When it's a course like the ac45 with an even amount of upwind ad downwind I still go for Artemis, unless they lose too much on the downwind leg. Upwind they promise to be faster.
Won't put any money in yet!
Put your money on Artemis
Ok , I will.
Martin, do you know what the course will be or is that the giant joker in Oracle's hand?
Rene, Racing Area and aprox course distances were known beforehand by the teams, Santi Lange (Artemis) told me they were too short to maximize the AC72 capabilities, if I recall well he said 6min downwind legs, will check his unpublished interview to verify(as he didn´t give final approval I couldn´t post it…)
Hi Martin, thank you very much, it would be greatly appreciated to know what it will be. Like car racing it comes down to down force. Up force with ac of course but you catch my drift.
The announced courses are not equal parts upwind and downwind, as they start with a short reach near the windward mark and end up with a short reach after a leeward mark. The number of laps are up to race management to choose each day.