Start Box Tension as Emirates Team New Zealand Leads 3-0 in Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match
by America’s Cup Media 13 Oct 11:40 PDT
13 October 2024
In the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, Emirates Team New Zealand showcased ruthless precision, increasing their lead to 3-0 after securing a penalty against the Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, during the pre-start phase of the sole race held today in Barcelona.
The early afternoon presented promising conditions; however, forecasts indicated a gradual decrease in the easterly breeze, which unfortunately happened more quickly than anticipated.
With His Majesty King Felipe VI observing from the Spanish aircraft carrier ‘Juan Carlos I,’ race three of the first-to-seven-points series commenced as scheduled, with wind pressure patches across the course reaching up to 11 knots and averaging around 8-9 knots.
After entering the race with a two-point lead, Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand were intent on capitalizing on opportunities. As both teams maneuvered in the early pre-start stages, a well-rehearsed move by the Kiwi afterguard, led by Peter Burling and Nathan Outteridge, quickly resulted in a penalty advantage.
INEOS Britannia had entered the box on a port gybe, attempting to execute their signature move—heading up after crossing the incoming Kiwi boat’s bow before tacking above the start line to position themselves behind their rival. However, as the British team descended below the line on port gybe, they were met head-on by Emirates Team New Zealand on starboard, who had the right of way.
As the distance between the boats diminished rapidly, INEOS Britannia was required to provide space, but their response was too late, causing their foils to overlap. Both teams lodged protests before Chief Umpire Richard Slater issued a ‘get-back’ penalty of 75 meters to the British team.
Although INEOS Britannia quickly made up the penalty distance after the start, helmsmen Sir Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher would have understood that their chances of recovering in the race were slim, even at that early stage.
Despite their efforts, the British team faced a tenacious Emirates Team New Zealand crew that allowed no room for maneuver throughout the three laps of the 27-minute race.
The Kiwis improved on every leg, skillfully navigating the variable winds on a challenging easterly course marked by inconsistent pressure patches. As the race progressed and the wind dropped to around seven knots, Emirates Team New Zealand’s precise flight control and superior speed during tacks and gybes propelled them to a 52-second victory. Although INEOS Britannia demonstrated comparable straight-line speed, the Kiwis excelled in their maneuvers and maintained a smooth pace across the course.
Emirates Team New Zealand advanced to a 3-0 lead in this first-to-seven series, exuding the confidence of a championship team at the pinnacle of the sailing sport. As Defenders of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, they have shown remarkable consistency throughout this series. For INEOS Britannia, the magnitude of their upcoming challenge is evident, prompting them to quickly regroup and potentially seek more favorable conditions later in the week.
Unfortunately, for the thousands of fans in Barcelona who filled the Race Village and nearby free-access Fanzones at Plaça del Mar and Bogatell beach, along with race enthusiasts worldwide watching the live broadcast, the fourth race had to be rescheduled for tomorrow, Monday, October 14, due to the anticipated drop in wind conditions.
Nathan Outteridge, port helmsman for Emirates Team New Zealand, expressed his satisfaction with the series’ progress, stating, “We’re quite pleased with the boat’s performance. After analyzing yesterday’s race, we recognized improvements in our tacks and aimed to replicate that today. We’ve invested significant effort into both the boat’s performance and our maneuvering techniques. It’s rewarding to secure the win and having a lead at the start helps tremendously.”
When asked whether the team was concerned about a potential comeback from INEOS Britannia, Outteridge added, “We certainly respect INEOS. They’re a formidable Challenger—both the sailing team and the boat exhibit impressive performance. We’re determined not to give them any breathing room.”
“They have a strong support team analyzing their own and our performance. Rest assured, we have a dedicated team monitoring both our performance and theirs. Every day is an opportunity to improve our boat’s speed.”
Ben Ainslie, skipper of INEOS Britannia, maintained a determined outlook, summarizing the day by stating, “I believe the relative performance is much closer, but they’ve excelled in maintaining their leads and finding the right moments to slightly extend. It’s been challenging for us; however, we’ve kept it relatively competitive. While it may appear there’s a substantial gap in performance, I don’t think it’s as significant as it seems, and we know there are still gains to be made.”
When asked about areas for improvement, Ainslie explained: “Sailing these boats well involves numerous techniques: the choice of sails, trimming, and various small adjustments.
“We shouldn’t be discouraged—the performance is closely matched. They clearly have an advantage in upwind sailing and during tacks, but we will continue to analyze and push forward. Tomorrow brings new opportunities; we won’t succumb easily.”
INEOS Britannia now finds itself in a battle to shift the momentum in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match, while Emirates Team New Zealand will aim to apply maximum pressure on the scoreboard by securing further race victories. The first crew to reach seven points will claim the America’s Cup trophy, a competition that has witnessed numerous remarkable upsets and comebacks in its storied 173-year history.
Will we witness more excitement in this edition? Tomorrow, both teams understand the importance of peak performance in what is set to be a single-race day starting at 14:10 CET.
