America’s Cup: Emirates Team NZ Faces Their Toughest Race Yet
by Emirates Team NZ 14 Oct 14:58 PDT
Emirates Team NZ – Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, Race Day 3 – October 14, 2024 © Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup
Monday served as a catch-up day with a single race hosted by the Race Committee, completing the fourth race of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Match. Conditions were rather calm, while the pressure increased for both Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS Britannia with each passing day.
The backdrop for this crucial race four featured grey skies, a breeze of 7-10 knots, and flat water.
Support from Kiwi fans grew as they turned out in large numbers to see Taihoro being guided out of the busy Port Vell, accompanied by Ngati Whatua Orakei’s waka ‘Te Kawau’.
Race 4 proved to be a fierce contest, marking the closest race thus far. Emirates Team New Zealand emerged victorious once again, with every meter of their lead hard-earned. The delta at the first two marks was only mere seconds apart. The race was never secure, but Emirates Team New Zealand managed to maintain control despite constant challenges from INEOS Britannia, who relentlessly pursued them throughout.
Race 4:
A crucial race was set as the breeze registered 8-12 knots from the north-east, with course legs measuring 1.8 nautical miles. Emirates Team New Zealand entered from the port side, crossing paths with the fast-starting INEOS Britannia. INEOS Britannia gybed onto Emirates Team New Zealand’s line heading to the right side of the pre-start box. Emirates Team New Zealand navigated down the right, gybed deep, while INEOS Britannia tacked into the windward lane. Both boats had time to kill on starboard tack before returning to the start line, with Emirates Team New Zealand aiming for the port end, resulting in an even start as INEOS Britannia started 2 knots faster to windward.
Emirates Team New Zealand headed towards the left boundary before tacking, discovering INEOS Britannia positioned directly beneath them in a favorable leebow spot. Forced to tack away back to the boundary on a slow tack, Emirates Team New Zealand quickly tacked back to follow INEOS Britannia to the right. Both boats then faced a significant speed test on a lengthy port tack. INEOS Britannia tacked at the right boundary, gaining an advantage on starboard tack which compelled Emirates Team New Zealand to duck, continuing on to the right boundary before tacking.
INEOS Britannia sailed into the middle of the course, aiming at the port tack layline, but Emirates Team New Zealand caught a breeze on the right, gained ground, and tacked just underneath INEOS Britannia on the port layline to the starboard marker. Emirates Team New Zealand bore away at the starboard marker as INEOS Britannia tacked off to port, with zero seconds separating them at the first gate.
Split tactics were employed on the run, with Emirates Team New Zealand initially going left and INEOS Britannia opting for the right. At the first cross, Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the bow of INEOS Britannia on starboard and shifted towards the right boundary. Emirates Team New Zealand gybed at the right boundary and came back together, narrowly crossing ahead of INEOS Britannia once again as both boats approached the leeward gate.
Arriving at the mark, Emirates Team New Zealand gybed to take the port rounder 3 seconds ahead as INEOS Britannia approached the starboard marker and commenced the second beat to the left. Emirates Team New Zealand tacked on the right boundary, extending their lead before immediately covering INEOS Britannia’s bow as both boats headed back to the right. INEOS Britannia was the first to tack away, while Emirates Team New Zealand continued towards the right boundary before tacking back to cover.
Emirates Team New Zealand spotted favorable breeze from the upper right quadrant, while INEOS Britannia sailed well out left. Upon returning, Emirates Team New Zealand made progress and tacked to cover INEOS Britannia in a drag race on port tack. INEOS Britannia was forced to tack back left and upon retacking, the same scenario unfolded as Emirates Team New Zealand covered them resolutely. As they approached the second windward gate, Emirates Team New Zealand tacked onto the port layline and bore away at the starboard marker, with their lead extending to 13 seconds. INEOS Britannia followed at the same marker.
Emirates Team New Zealand gybed effectively before the left boundary, pursued closely by INEOS Britannia who gybed inside, and they engaged in a lengthy starboard gybe down the course toward the right boundary. Emirates Team New Zealand was first to gybe before the boundary and led back across the course on starboard gybe, followed initially by INEOS Britannia, who then gybed back toward the right boundary. Emirates Team New Zealand seized the moment to do the same, arriving on the port layline to round the starboard marker with an increased lead of 15 seconds.
Emirates Team New Zealand traveled a short distance on starboard tack before tacking back to cover INEOS Britannia, who rounded at the port marker. When INEOS Britannia tacked, both boats met mid-course in a tack-for-tack situation with Emirates Team New Zealand covering vigorously. Out at the right boundary, INEOS Britannia tacked but was immediately covered by Emirates Team New Zealand, who offered no opportunities for leverage. As INEOS Britannia attempted to tack back for the right boundary, they faced immediate cover, and were forced to sail mid-course looking for options toward the middle left.
Emirates Team New Zealand enjoyed their largest lead on this penultimate leg of the race and were in total control as the final gate neared. They sailed towards the right side of the course as the gate came into view, executing a quick tack on the port layline to take the starboard marker for the run to the finish. Their delta increased to 24 seconds.
Emirates Team New Zealand initially veered left down the run, while INEOS Britannia took a risk by going right. Once more, Emirates Team New Zealand executed a skilled gybe before the left boundary, subsequently covering INEOS Britannia who gybed on the right boundary. At the cross, Emirates Team New Zealand had established a clear lead of nearly 400 meters. They gybed to cover midway to mirror INEOS Britannia on port, clearly positioning themselves for the port layline to the finish line, followed by one final gybe.
No errors were made as Emirates Team New Zealand performed a flawless gybe onto starboard and aimed for the line. With a victorious delta of 23 seconds, the score stands at 4-0 in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match in favor of Emirates Team New Zealand.
Emirates Team New Zealand defeated INEOS Britannia (23 seconds).
Helmsman Nathan Outteridge expressed his satisfaction with the hard-fought victory in the tightest race to date.
“It was obviously a tight start, and we had to work hard to break away from the boundary on the left side. However, when we had the chance to crossover to the right, which we felt was quite strong, we managed to gain some ground and reach the top mark with a favorable angle. That was the moment we got back into the race, and I believe we’ve taken another step forward with the boat’s performance, particularly upwind, which we’re very pleased about, but there’s still plenty more to accomplish.”
