There was a special feeling in the Port Vell, Barcelona this afternoon as Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS Britannia docked-out of a packed waterway and despite the drizzle, crowds thronged around the harbour as packed pleasure-craft honked horns to send off these two elite teams that are locked in battle for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup.
With low cloud cover sucking up the wind, initially the Race Committee went into postponement but as the clouds slowly cleared and separated, in came a tricky and puffy south westerly breeze that filled to a maximum of 12 knots in the puffs but could cruelly leave wind holes at will right across the racecourse.
Racing got underway after a short postponement with INEOS Britannia struggling to get into flight down at the bottom of the pre-start box with three minutes to go, whilst Emirates Team New Zealand were well into their drills to start at the port end of the line. The British were late, entering with only just over a minute to go and were faced with a determined Kiwi team who were doing their level best to disrupt airflow, positioning and the ultimate lead back to the line.
In the final throes of the start, Emirates Team New Zealand started fast to leeward with separation, leaping forward off the line and by the time of the first tack back had established a lead that they would never lose over the next six legs of the course.
Showing manoeuvre execution of the highest order, the Kiwis were 24 seconds up at the first mark and despite some spirited downwind comebacks from INEOS Britannia, Emirates Team New Zealand extended on every leg and rounded the final windward mark with a lead out to 56 seconds. The final winning delta was 41 seconds and 1-0 to Emirates Team New Zealand.
With the enormity of the challenge before them, a fired-up INEOS Britannia came into the second race with more determination and accuracy. A port entry gave the British a chance to execute their characteristic tack-around-and-trail move once across the Kiwis, something that had worked so well against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli but were greeted with an aggressive Emirates Team New Zealand who had gybed around, came back on starboard tack and dictated tactics thereafter.
What followed was a dance to hold the right side off the line, and as the clock ticked down it was the Kiwi boat to windward with speed who tacked right on the starboard marker, with pace, and headed to the right boundary.
A fascinating duel ensued with lead changes aplenty that eventually arm wrestled in Emirates Team New Zealand’s favour but on a shorter-legged course and more laps (eight laps this race), manoeuvre execution was tested as the wind hovered around 8-10 knots. The crucial decider was the third beat where Emirates Team New Zealand stepped out on INEOS Britannia who had been gambling to the right side of the course whilst new breeze was coming in left. The Kiwis bounced the British relentlessly right and bore away with a 28 second lead that they never looked like losing.
By the finish, Emirates Team New Zealand were reading the puffs masterfully and sailing supremely with pitch perfect flight control and smooth execution of their tacks and gybes. Crossing the finish line 27 seconds ahead, they moved to 2-0 up in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match and have set the sailing bar high for INEOS Britannia to try and compete.
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