Americas Cup 36 World Series: Win for Team New Zealand

by · Published · Updated

  • Photo credit: COR36 / Studio Borlenghi

The AC75 concept its a success as we wrote after Day 1, but the light wind poor transitions reaction of the AC75s were evident yesterday, and it seems one of the features teams wont be able to improve much, it’s just the nature of the beast.
Much to go but right now: AC50 / F50 > AC75 in the overall.

Luna Rossa looked good in this lighter conditions and we hope they can reach an overall competitive level for the platform.

AMagic super consistent again, an issue wit the FCS put them behind TNZ while leading, in the end it was a close Match.

TNZ is not having much issues on their systems, they invented them all from scratch and the FCS is being provided to all teams. Thus our comments on Luna Rossa accepting to go for a totally new concept aside their collaboration on the R&D. LR and any other challenger would have greatly elevated their chances of winning the Cup keeping the AC50s in place.

Official statement by TNZ on the FCS after complains by Ben Ainslie:

The foil cant system (FCS) is a one design supplied component designed and developed by ACE for all competitors. It has been used since the inception of this class.

  • All teams are responsible for the installation, ongoing maintenance and operating procedures of their own systems.
  • All teams are provided with full operating and maintenance instructions and programs to ensure effective and reliable performance.
  • For the past few months there is a weekly coordinated call between all teams every Friday in an open and transparent environment to discuss the system and address any developments collectively.
  • The maintenance and start up schedule that has been developed is a comprehensive schedule that is shared and in possession of all teams.
  • In Emirates Team New Zealand’s experience if all maintenance and start up procedures are followed correctly; the system operates as designed.
  • Emirates Team New Zealand has no access system to ensure these procedures are followed by any of the teams.
  • In answer to INEOS TEAM UK’s suggestion that they only received a software update at 12pm yesterday.
    o This is completely incorrect and inaccurate.
    o The last software update was delivered to all teams last Friday following extensive consultation with all teams. Not midday yesterday.
  • As far as The Defender is aware INEOS TEAM UK’s Foil Cant System is fully operational.

Day 3 Live replay here

Detailed results at https://www.americascup.com/en/results

ACWS Final Positions:

TeamWLT
Emirates Team New Zealand 515
NY Yacht Club American Magic 424
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team 333
INEOS TEAM UK 060

Below official TNZ report

Auckland, New Zealand – 19th December 2020

The crowds were out basking in the sun at Auckland’s America’s Cup Race Village, right outside the doorstep of the Emirates Team New Zealand base to soak up the building atmosphere in anticipation for the final day of racing for the PRADA ACWS Auckland.

Like any good final day of a regatta, the PRADA ACWS Auckland was wide open for most teams to sail their way onto the winner’s stage, with a clean couple of races and maximum points getting them onto the podium. One of many hurdles for the teams to overcome was the light and tricky breeze, which forced a late shift of the racecourse further up the Rangitoto Channel to get the best from the 7-13 knots northerly wind.

After suffering a very close loss to American Magic in the first-round robin and tied on 3 wins apiece, the result of this race would have a significant effect on the overall outcome of the regatta, and so Emirates Team New Zealand’s focus was on cleaning up their mistakes to secure that vital point.
ETNZ_JS_201219_0275.jpg
Download – Photo credit: Emirates Team New Zealand

RACE 10: Emirates Team New Zealand vs American Magic

After a delay in the days start procedure, Emirates Team New Zealand and American Magic were flying into the start box at over 30 knots in just 9 knots of wind speed.
Emirates Team New Zealand decided to stay high and wide in the box, turning back down the line early, with the Americans looking slightly late. The end result had both boats starting at the extreme ends of the line at the gun, bow to bow, and heading out on starboard tack.
The first cross as the kiwis came back on port saw American Magic helmsman Dean Barker and tactician Terry Hutchinson tack in the face of Peter Burling, who managed to maintain speed and live on the hip of American Magic before eventually having to tack away to the left again – it was all on.

American Magic protected the right but the kiwis kept it close rounding the first mark 0:12 behind. On the downwind run both were doing over 30 knots in just 10 knots of wind, with Barker maintaining his lead, just rounding the mark only 0:03 ahead of Te Rehutai, with the kiwis opting to head out on opposite tacks, to keep out of phase with Patriot.

American Magic on starboard crossed ahead of Emirates Team New Zealand but chose not to tack on their face, allowing the kiwis to extend out to the righthand lay line who were still 100m behind – this new class demanding even faster decision making than ever before, with massive losses if you choose to cover an opponents move even seconds too late.

It was the opportunity Burling and crew were looking for at the next convergence, and when American Magic on port were forced to dip the kiwis, they grabbed a narrow lead as they headed out to the starboard boundary for their final tack into the top mark.
However, it was that tack that proved to be the costly mistake that would effectively hand the race to Emirates Team New Zealand as American Magic struggled through a bad one, labouring to get back on the foils and eventually rounding 0:54 astern of Te Rehutai.
Emirates Team New Zealand free to sail their own race and extend their lead around the remainder of the course to take another vital point.
Blair Tuke’s reaction as they extended their lead, “All good.”
AC201219cb_21382.jpg
Download – Photo credit: COR36 / Studio Borlenghi

RACE 12: Luna Rossa vs Emirates Team New Zealand

The last race of the schedule and the regatta result was on the line.
The stakes; if Emirates Team New Zealand win they take the regatta, if Luna Rossa win it would be a three way tie with American Magic and the Italians.

Both boats stayed apart in a relatively quiet pre-start, the wind fading to just 8-9 knots, meaning the key the objective was to keep on the foils. In the final twenty seconds before the gun, a left-hand shift meant Emirates Team New Zealand could not lay the pin and were forced to tack to port, Luna Rossa hitting start line, pulling out to a 150-metre lead over Emirates Team New Zealand – in a now familiar position behind with plenty of work to do.

All the way up the first leg, Luna Rossa simply matched the kiwis, maintaining a comfortable lead rounding the top mark 0:32 ahead as the wind dropped to just 6 knots. Not enough for Emirates Team New Zealand to pop back up on the foils as Luna Rossa flew off down the run before also dropping back off their foils in a low speed gybe, turning the race into a sprint get back into flight mode.

It was slow and stressful but Peter Burling and crew used a boundary to boundary run to gain maximum advantage, popping up on the foils and abruptly turning a remarkable 800 metre deficit into a 500 metre lead before Luna Rossa were up and foiling again.

The remainder of the race saw a knife edge dance for both boats to maintain speed on the foils, each knowing a single mistake would be costly. Emirates Team New Zealand did a bad tack off the foils, and in that slow speed build all

owed Luna Rossa to within 100 metres up the run until the final top mark, the kiwis 0:18 seconds ahead, causing supporters of both teams to hold their breath.

Peter Burling and his crew eased Te Rehutai down the final run to cross the finish line and win the Prada ACWS Auckland by just 0:16 in a light wind slugfest, that saw technique and smart tactics secure the win.

Foil Controller Blair Tuke: “It was tough coming off the foils, so we were happy to get back up again, but a bit more happy when they came off foils! The wind got down to 6 knots at one point, so it was an awesome effort to get going by the lads and keep it going for the rest of the race – so all good. It has been an epic days racing, American Magic & Luna Rossa are certainly going really well in these conditions – great to secure the win in front of a fantastic crowd out there.”

“This is great for the team in general but there is plenty more work to do”, was Tuke’s summary as he took off for the Official Mumm Champagne moment.

Tags: