Intense and Competitive Racing as Emirates Team New Zealand Secures Fourth Louis Vuitton Win in the 37th America’s Cup
by America’s Cup Media 14 Oct 09:45 PDT
14 October 2024
In a tightly contested race that highlighted the value of slight advantages, Emirates Team New Zealand secured an additional point in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match this afternoon in Barcelona, marking their fourth consecutive win against INEOS Britannia and bringing them three points closer to victory in this first-to-seven series.
The British team faced a challenging loss, presenting a notably different pre-start strategy. They chose to avoid potential penalty-inducing close encounters, instead relying on the sheer speed of their yacht ‘Britannia’ to overpower the Kiwis in a straight race. Initially, this tactic seemed to be effective.
INEOS Britannia launched off the starting line to windward with two knots more speed, successfully matching Emirates Team New Zealand’s pace until reaching the boundary, where they executed a leebow tack, compelling the Kiwis to quickly tack back left before crossing over on the next tack as they exited the right-hand boundary.
During the subsequent convergence, the British team allowed Emirates Team New Zealand to duck and head right on the course. Sailing in clean air and capitalizing on a slight pressure increase from the upper right sector, the Kiwis managed to level the playing field with the British yacht as they approached the windward gate, executing a quick tack in front to block the Challengers’ path to the right-hand mark.
The British team tacked away, and both teams rounded opposite windward marks at exactly the same time. Downwind, when Emirates Team New Zealand gybed before reaching the left boundary and crossed back on the right-of-way starboard gybe, the British barely managed to cross. A protest from INEOS Britannia alleging they were raced out by the Kiwis was quickly rejected, and from there, the Kiwis began to build a lead they would not give up.
On this six-lap course, with wind conditions hovering around 10 knots and overcast skies, Emirates Team New Zealand showcased exceptional front-running skills, consistently gaining leverage and staunchly defending the right side of the course upwind.
The British had limited options, primarily navigating the middle and left parts of the course upwind. By the time they reached the final windward gate, after some expert covering, the Kiwis rounded with a 24-second advantage, proceeding confidently downwind from boundary to boundary and executing their gybes with speed and elegance to finish with a 23-second victory.
Peter Burling, Skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand, shared insights into the Kiwi mentality and tactics, stating: “We’re excited. We feel like we’re improving consistently. We have a few adjustments to make to the boat overnight and won’t sail tomorrow, but it’s about maintaining pressure. We believe we haven’t yet reached our peak; there’s more to come, and we embrace the challenge.”
When asked if the team anticipated varying conditions later in the week, Burling replied: “We’ve only encountered these light, choppy conditions thus far, so I’d love some variety. It’s certainly a different wind range than what we experienced in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, but yes, we’re ready to tackle whatever comes our way.”
Dylan Fletcher, port helm on INEOS Britannia, reflected on the narrow margins, saying: “We focused on a strong start. It felt great when we squeezed them out and made the first real cross, but we couldn’t maintain the advantage, which was frustrating.”
Discussing potential improvements in the next 24 hours, Fletcher remarked: “We’re analyzing everything, and we’re aware they’ve reviewed our data. They had a significant edge by monitoring our onboard data since the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, so it’s great that we can finally analyze theirs. We’re examining what they’re doing better, and I’m sure they’re still looking at us for our strengths. It boils down to tiny margins, and we’re getting quicker every day.”
When asked about the team’s morale, Fletcher remained optimistic and resolute, stating: “I think we’ve faced doubt from the beginning, yet we’ve consistently proven people wrong. We believe we can compete against them, and we’ll see how it unfolds on Wednesday. While it’s disappointing, there’s strong belief, and it’s not over yet.”
With Tuesday, October 15, designated as a Reserve Day, both teams will return to competitive action on Wednesday, October 16, for two more scheduled races. Before that, both teams’ performance analysts and data engineers will diligently analyze data, while coaches will dive deeply into tactics and prepare for the expected fresher conditions later in the week.
The scoreline speaks for itself, with Emirates Team New Zealand leading 4-0, indicating a significant challenge ahead for INEOS Britannia. However, recent trends in the America’s Cup demonstrate that no lead is safe until the series concludes fully.
The intense nature of the racing and the comparable performance of both yachts suggests that the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match is likely far from over.
