Day 1 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final
by Mark Jardine 26 Sep 07:42 PDT
26 September 2024
What an exhilarating day to kick off the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. With winds hitting 20 knots, temperatures at 25°C, brilliant sunshine, and a substantial swell, these conditions are challenging for any yacht, but the AC75 sailors were truly tested.
All designers expected Barcelona to produce winds of 6 to 10 knots during this season, making today’s strong winds a real challenge for these foiling giants.
To reach the 37th America’s Cup match, a team must score 7 points, and the race format has changed from six to eight legs, which means four laps.
Broadcast
It was refreshing to see the introduction of wingwash in the graphics, as it clarifies how the disturbed air from the leading boat affects the following teams. The wind speed and direction arrows on the course overlay, previously seen in the Youth America’s Cup, are a fantastic enhancement. Live wind speed data was presented more frequently, which is very beneficial; personally, I’d prefer it to be displayed continuously, although I understand that the screen could resemble a dashboard if overloaded with information. The accumulator percentage (the pressure vessel for the hydraulic system) and the power generated by the cyclors provided fantastic insights into the team’s energy output and how they must adjust during maneuvers to manage the sails effectively.
Match 1: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. INEOS Britannia
Luna Rossa made its way into the starting area first from the port end, smoothly transitioning to the right side and making a gradual turn to starboard with both foils deployed, positioning for their timed approach to the start line.
The Italians quickly took command over INEOS Britannia as they advanced toward the line, perfectly gauging their speed and compelling the British team to tack away early.
At the first crossing, Luna Rossa held a lead of over 130 meters, opting to sail far right instead of tacking directly on INEOS Britannia.
The top mark lead was 11 seconds, but the British boat made contact with the water temporarily as they turned downwind, enabling the Italian team to extend their distance by another 100 meters. Luna Rossa appeared as streamlined as their hull design, while INEOS Britannia seemed less agile.
Top speeds were impressive, with Luna Rossa registering 52.3 knots at the first top gate.
The lead remained at 11 seconds at the initial leeward gate; however, while Luna Rossa executed a flawless two-foil-rounding, INEOS Britannia stumbled during their rounding and tack, causing a touch down that halted their downwind speed, increasing the Italian lead to over 300 meters.
The Italians’ only misstep, if it could be considered one, was a brief foil vent during the second downwind leg, but they quickly regained control. A lead of 500 meters shrank to 300 meters in seconds, illustrating that victories are never assured until the finish line.
Following this, Luna Rossa faced no challenges, rounding marks more tightly than INEOS Britannia and sailing swiftly, eventually winning by 46 seconds.
Regarding Luna Rossa’s lone error, Checco Bruni commented post-race, “We frequently battled with the sliding. Sometimes you fly too high and lose control rapidly. It’s about quick recovery, and the team did a commendable job.”
Ben Ainslie remarked, “We struggled a bit with the start, and they just had the advantage.”
On the sailing conditions, Ben added, “We’re at the upper limit for these boats, and we’re pushing hard.”
The British team faces significant challenges ahead, with the Italians finding additional speed in conditions that had previously been thought to favor INEOS Britannia.
Match 2: INEOS Britannia vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
For the first time, the upper wind limit of 21 knots was surpassed during the wind reading period, resulting in a few postponements. This represents the extreme end for these vessels, increasing the potential for equipment failure, which we have witnessed in lighter winds.
The team selected a J5 jib, which is low profile and quite small, but the unique design of the AC75 mainsail allows for depowering, enabling these extraordinary boats to continue sailing even in challenging conditions.
After two delays, the race commenced. INEOS Britannia perfectly entered the starting area while Luna Rossa arrived a bit late.
The Italian team again opted for a wide arc near the boundary while the British chose to gybe inside, which proved advantageous as both teams crossed the line a couple of seconds late, with INEOS Britannia closer to the pin end.
During the first tack on the boundary, Luna Rossa touched down briefly, giving INEOS Britannia a slim lead of just 5 meters as they surged across the course on port tack.
The Brits then executed a flawless tack right on top of Luna Rossa (compelling them to return to port), pulling out a lead of 100 meters, crucially with two fewer maneuvers leading to the top gate. Despite this, the lead narrowed to just seven seconds.
INEOS Britannia hit full throttle going downwind, with complete focus, highlighted by Ben Ainslie’s comment when asked about the lay line, “You call it, mate; I’m just focused.”
The lead widened to 17 seconds at the first leeward gate.
Luna Rossa maintained a solid performance during the second upwind leg, using an effective high mode to ride off INEOS Britannia’s wake and closing the gap to seven seconds. The Italians refused to be shaken off.
Downwind, Luna Rossa showed faster boat speed, though INEOS Britannia maintained a slight VMG advantage, expanding their lead to 13 seconds at the second leeward gate.
The lead at the third windward gate was 10 seconds, then extended to 15 seconds at the third leeward gate, indicating that Luna Rossa exhibited quicker upwind performance, while INEOS Britannia excelled downwind.
At the final windward gate, the lead grew to 17 seconds, and the British team executed the final downwind leg flawlessly, adding a second and equalizing the overall score at one point each.
If this continues, we should expect thrilling races.
