Cup Spy: Brits dominate both contests while aiming for a record-setting win – Finals 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 clinch consecutive victories on Day 6 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals and Day 20 of the Challenger Selection Series for the 37th America’s Cup.
The British team disrupted the previous five days’ routine, where one team won the first race of the day while the other rebound in the second, leaving both teams tied on points.
This sequence persisted throughout the five days of racing so far.
The Brits appeared relatively at ease in their AC75, which, as previously mentioned, is more forgiving than other challengers and can be pushed harder with reduced risk. When they occasionally came back into the windward position, they recovered swiftly with minimal distance lost.
Luna Rossa required a much more delicate touch, particularly when recovering from rudder washout. Throughout the series, we’ve observed the calm exchanges on board when a rudder wash alert is communicated, followed immediately by instructions on how to rectify the issue.
During their online debrief, the British acknowledged encountering a few control issues when they “lost” the rudder, which placed additional pressure on the cyclors to maintain momentum so the AC75 could be swiftly maneuvered out of danger.
Given the day’s conditions of a substantial seaway, gray skies, and winds of around 16-18 knots, it was noteworthy to recall the previous day’s comments from their foil designer Nat Shaver, who stated that the Brits were sailing with foils optimized for lighter winds rather than conditions near the upper end of the permitted racing range.
In both races, the British Challenger officially won both starts. In Race 9, the two boats crossed paths, with the one emerging from the starboard boundary holding right of way but having to yield when positions were reversed at the next junction. Around the first mark, they were almost even. However, the British, using a #4 jib instead of the smaller #5 preferred by the Italians, built an advantage that they maintained up to the finish.
The tradition of this Louis Vuitton Cup Final held strong as the lead remained unchanged following the rounding of the first mark.
Both teams slightly jumped the start in Race 10. Luna Rossa briefly considered positioning themselves leeward of the Brits but opted against it, resulting in both teams starting quickly with clear air.
However, as the two AC75s sailed on starboard toward the port boundary, the Italians squeezed under the British, who broke off early. The Italians established a 40-meter lead and were ahead by just three seconds at Mark 1, maintaining their lead to win by eight seconds or approximately 200 meters on the water.
During their public debrief on Inside Tack, cyclor/sailor Freddie Carr remarked, “To be honest, it was intense out there—nothing like the weather we anticipated. It was windier than expected, with a very aggressive, chaotic sea state we had to contend with.”
Reflecting on the feedback shared in their just-finished catch-up after the crew came ashore, Carr recalled the suggestion from Leigh McMillan, one of INEOS’ trimmer pilots, “who advised against being overly critical, emphasizing that it wasn’t a day for scrutinizing data and making minor adjustments. It was about managing in real-time and improving with each maneuver.”
“In the first race, we, as a team, made an error by opting for a jib that was too small, which left the boat unbalanced for that race,” Luna Rossa co-helmsman Francesco Bruni told Shirley Robertson of America’s Cup Media.
“We experienced some rudder issues while close to INEOS. Additionally, there were a few minor tactical errors, but the race remained close until we lost the rudder. We lost significant distance, and the race was essentially over after that.”
“In the second race, our start was not optimal. We could have executed a better start, probably with a split, but we didn’t. We were immediately on the back foot post-start. Despite this, we stayed close throughout the race.”
“We recognize we can improve upon today’s performance. While it wasn’t a great day, I have the privilege of having Jimmy [Spithill] by my side, known for his ability to make comebacks. We’ve done it before, and I’m confident we can do it again.”
There will be no racing on Wednesday. Two races are scheduled for Thursday. The Final may be decided the next day or extend to a sudden-death match on Friday.
The Brits face the legendary comeback king, 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 plans for the winner to 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 tacking for the starboard end toward the beach. The course is oriented for a NE breeze, so the typical shore advantage is neutralized; previously, both sides of the course have been relatively equal, although substantial shifts of up to 20° are common.
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
Key Statistics Finals Match 9:
Race Winner: INEOS Britannia; Time: 27m 23sec; Margin: 12secs; Distance: 356metres;
Top Speed: 51.2kt (GBR) 50.7kt (ITA); Average: 39.2kt (GBR) 39.3kts (ITA);
Upwind Speed: 36.1kt (GBR) 36.3kt (ITA); Downwind speed: 43.5kt (GBR) 43.4KTSkt (ITA)
Average VMG: 23.6kts (GBR) 23.5kts (ITA)
Distance sailed: 33,346mtrs (ITA) 33,946mtrs (GBR)
Tacks: 15 (ITA) 15 (GBR); Gybes 9 (ITA) 9 (GBR); Total Tacks/Gybes 24 (ITA) 24 (GBR)
Final – Match 10: INEOS Britannia (GBR) (Port Startbox entry) vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) (Starboard Startbox Entry) Start: 1315hrs UTC
Start: The wind was 16.5kts at the lower part of the course and 18kts at the upper section. Between races, Luna Rossa switched their jibs, anticipating more wind in the first race and feeling somewhat underpowered at times.
Luna Rossa attempted to position themselves under INEOS Britannia as they approached the start line but possibly went too early. Unfortunately, for the Italians, their rudder failed temporarily, causing them to bail out with control over the British’s stern. Both boats crossed the start line simultaneously. However, the British proved to have a better start, allowing them to maneuver underneath the Italians as both headed toward the port boundary in a considerable sea with many whitecaps, pushing ITA to tack off and head toward the starboard boundary.
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
Key Statistics Finals Match 10:
Race Winner: INEOS Britannia; Time: 27m 09sec; Margin: 08secs; Distance: 198metres;
Top Speed: 51.0kt (ITA) 51.3kt (GBR); Average: 39.1kt (ITA) 39.4kts (GBR);
Upwind Speed: 38.1kts (ITA) 38.9kt (GBR); Downwind speed: 46.0kt (ITA) 47.1kt (GBR)
Average VMG: 26.1 (ITA) 26.3kts (GBR)
Distance sailed: 33,943mtrs (ITA) 35,007mtrs (GBR);
Tacks: 16(ITA) 17 (GBR); Gybes 8 (ITA) 8 (GBR); Total Tacks/Gybes 24 (ITA) 25 (GBR)
Virtual Eye
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