Cup Spy: Brits dominate both brawls and aim for a historic knockout – Day 6
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 2 Oct 12:47 PDT
3 October 2024
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and INEOS Britannia – Louis Vuitton Cup – Final – Race Day 6 – October 2, 2024 © Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup
INEOS Britannia executed two precise performances to secure consecutive victories, breaking the pattern of the Brits winning the first race while Luna Rossa responded to take the second.
The British team appeared fairly at ease in their AC75, which, as previously mentioned, is more stable than the other competitors and allows for more aggressive sailing with reduced risk. On the rare occasions they came back into the wind, their recovery was swift, losing minimal distance.
Luna Rossa, on the other hand, seemed to require a more delicate touch, especially when recovering from rudder washout. Throughout the series, we’ve witnessed calm communication from their crew when alerts for rudder wash are issued, with immediate instructions to rectify the situation.
In their online review session, the British team acknowledged facing a few control issues when they “lost” the rudder, placing pressure on the cyclors to generate force for the AC75 to navigate out of difficulties.
Given the conditions of a significant seaway, grey skies, and winds of approximately 16-18 knots, it was notable to recall comments from their foil designer Nat Shaver the day prior—indicating that the British were utilizing foils optimized for lighter winds, rather than breezes near the upper limits of the race starting range.
In both races, the British Challenger nominally claimed both starts. In Race 9, the two boats crossed paths, with the one emerging from the starboard side asserting their right of way, having to yield when roles reversed at the next crossing. At the first mark, it was nearly neck and neck. However, the Brits, using a #4 jib instead of the smaller #5 preferred by the Italians, established a lead they maintained to the finish.
The tradition of this Louis Vuitton Cup Final held strong, as the lead remained unchanged after rounding the first mark.
Both crews were slightly premature at the start of Race 10. Luna Rossa momentarily considered positioning downwind of the Brits but quickly abandoned that plan, opting to start fast with clear air.
As both AC75s sailed on starboard toward the port boundary, the Italians squeezed under the Brits, who broke away early. The Italians built a 40-meter lead, rounding Mark 1 just three seconds ahead and never relinquishing it, ultimately winning by eight seconds or 200 meters on the water.
Reflecting on the ride in their public debrief in Inside Tack, cyclor/sailor Freddie Carr remarked, “Honestly, it was intense out there, not the weather we anticipated. It was windier than expected, with a highly aggressive and confused sea state to navigate.”
In reference to their just-completed briefing immediately after returning to shore, Carr noted a comment from Leigh McMillan, one of INEOS’ trimming pilots, who urged not to be overly critical, stating, “It wasn’t a day for studying data and minor adjustments. It was about flying by instinct all day, evaluating your performance on the move and striving for improvement on each maneuver.”
“In the first race, we, as a collective unit, made a minor mistake by opting for a jib that was slightly too small—resulting in the boat being imbalanced for that race,” Luna Rossa co-helmsman Francesco Bruni conveyed to Shirley Robertson of America’s Cup Media.
“We encountered a brief issue with the rudder while near INEOS. Additionally, we made a few tactical errors—small ones here and there—but the race was very competitive until we lost the rudder. That set us back significantly, and the race essentially ended there.”
“In the second race, our start wasn’t ideal. We could have performed better, likely through a split, but we didn’t take that route. We found ourselves on the back foot right after the start but remained close throughout the race.
“We know we can perform better than we did today. Although it wasn’t a great day, I’m lucky to have Jimmy [Spithill] alongside me, known for making comebacks. We’ve succeeded together before, and I’m confident we can do it again.”
There will be no racing on Wednesday, with two races scheduled for Thursday. The Final could either be decided the following day or lead to a sudden-death match on Friday.
The Brits face the King of Comeback, and regardless of the outcome, history will be made.
The America’s Cup Match begins just over a week later on Saturday, October 12, with the intention that the winner will be determined by the end of the following weekend.
Final – Match 9: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Port Startbox Entry) vs INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Starboard Startbox entry) Start: 1210hrs UTC
Start: Split tack start with Luna Rossa heading for the starboard end and towards the beach. The course is set for a NE breeze, meaning the usual shore advantage isn’t a factor, and historically, both sides of the course tend to be even, although there are often significant shifts of up to 20°.
Mark 1: 03m 49secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 02secs
Mark 2: 06m 50secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 12secs
Mark 3: 10m 57secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 09secs
Mark 4: 14m 02secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 07secs
Mark 5: 18m 09secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 15secs
Mark 6: 21m 02secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 18secs
Mark 7: 24m 56secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 13secs
Finish: 27m 35secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 23secs
Final – Match 10: INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Port Startbox entry) vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Starboard Startbox Entry) Start: 1315hrs UTC
Start: The wind measured 16.5 knots at the course’s bottom and 18 knots at the top. Between races, Luna Rossa switched their jibs as they anticipated more wind in the first race and sometimes felt underpowered.
Luna Rossa attempted to position themselves beneath INEOS Britannia as they reached for the start line but probably began too early. Unfortunately for the Italians, their rudder briefly malfunctioned, but they managed to maintain reasonable control while crossing behind the Brits. Both boats crossed the start line simultaneously. However, the British start proved to be more advantageous, allowing them to sail up on the Italians as both aimed for the port boundary in a large seaway with considerable whitecaps, compelling the Italians to tack off towards the starboard edge.
Mark 1: 03m 32secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 03secs
Mark 2: 06m 27secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 11secs
Mark 3: 10m 39secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 12secs
Mark 4: 13m 37secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 10secs
Mark 5: 17m 44secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 08secs
Mark 6: 20m 33secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 13secs
Mark 7: 24m 26secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 09secs
Finish: 27m 09secs GBR led ITA by a margin of 08secs
Virtual Eye
After the races, you can review the critical moments or the entire race with Virtual Eye from ARL by clicking here and selecting “Watch Previous” followed by choosing the desired race to view. This 3D viewer allows you to zoom in, out, and navigate around just like you would in a helicopter.
Additional Images:
