Super Saturday? What we learnt from bumper race day on Louis Vuitton Cup Day 3

America's Cup organisers maxed out the schedule for the third day of the Louis Vuitton Cup, while Emirates Team New Zealand were back on the race course. Here's what we learnt:

After the upset to the schedule caused by Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand’s dramatic crash of its boat down onto the cradle during lift-out after racing on Day 1, and light winds resulting in just one full race held on Day 2, America’s Cup organisers tried to max out the schedule for the third day of the Louis Vuitton Cup. After an impressive turnaround by the shore team, Emirates Team New Zealand were back on the race course, pitting all six teams against one another with a bumper six-race programme – though only four true races were completed. Here’s what we learnt from day 3 of AC75 racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup:

Key takeaways from Louis Vuitton Day 3

• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli dominate the day to build overall lead in the Round Robin
• Light airs pre-start tactics are key, and light airs foiling consistency has improved across the fleet – but races can still be decided by a single touch down
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing struggling to match the more experienced teams in the pre-start
• Little clues as to whether Emirates Team New Zealand will suffer any ill effects from Day 1’s damage, but early indications are that the Kiwis are back up to speed
• And we have some match racing… pre-start tactics and place changes are back. Hitting one side of the course is not going to be all it takes to win (phew!)

Race 7 Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Vs American Magic

Skippers
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

Starting in the best breeze of the day, this start was an exercise in time on distance, the two boats splitting on the line. American Magic crossed on the ‘B of the Bang’ at 30-plus knots, carrying that speed into the first tack to build a 100m lead in the very early stages.

Approaching the first cross, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli had reduced the deficit, so American Magic bounced them off to the right hand side of the course. But when they came back together at the top gate, the boats rounded opposite marks in symmetry, the Italians taking the advantage.

Again the two boats split to opposite sides of the course – in contrast to previous days, there did not seem to be one side which offered a repeatable advantage. Halfway down the first downwind leg, the Italians ducked the Americans – the second lead change of the race, making this one of the most engaged and engaging races so far.

After ducking right in the Americans’ wake with just a boat length between the two – the Italians continued on to the right-hand side of the course once again. This time they picked up a major right-hand shift, pulling away for yet another lead change and a 100m lead at the top mark, which they were able to solidify over the remainder of the race.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 7?

These two boats are clearly extremely evenly matched. Once any boatspeed advantage was removed, this race largely came down to conventional tactics – finding pressure, staying in phase with the shifts, and well-placed manoeuvres. And when it comes to light winds handling, the silver Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli seems to be marginally more forgiving, leaving the Italian crew free to focus on strategy and tactics. The Italian challenge is are starting to look like a very complete package.

Race 8 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Orient Express Racing

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

This should have been a chance to see whether Emirates Team New Zealand’s 24-hour repair had impacted on reliability or speed, but the French team didn’t enter the start box and swiftly retired.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 8?

Very little. On first appearances the Kiwi AC75 looks good as new, but with France’s retirement and the cancellation of today’s final race the recently fixed boat was never put under pressure.

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Race 9 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs INEOS Britannia

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

In a fading breeze, Alinghi’s fate was sealed before the start, the Brits utilising their wind shadow to devastating effect, leaving the Swiss boat down speed and down hull in the water while INEOS Britannia hit the line at pace.

From here, it was all about keeping the big girl flying for INEOS Britannia, with a few tense moments for the British squad working hard to stay on the foil as boat speed hovered in the high-20s in just 6-7 knots of windspeed – despite having built up a nearly 1000m lead. Once boat speeds dip to around 25 knots or below, staying on the foils becomes a battle, so finding pressure on the race course became the driving factor. By the close of the final leg, wind speeds were down to just 5-6 knots – right on the edge of flight for the AC75s.

Halfway down the final leg, Britannia came off the foils in a low speed gybe – the boat wallowing at less than 18 knots of boat speed while Alinghi Red Bull Racing munched down their lead at 33+ knots, taking huge chunks out of their advantage. A huge effort by the cyclors and flight controllers on INEOS Britannia saw the boat get back up just in time, crossing the finish line over 1m 20s ahead of the Swiss.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 9?

This is what the second generation AC75s were designed to do: maintain flight in sub-7 knot breezes, combined with the Barcelona swell. And it was impressive to see just how low windspeed these boats can foil in – and to see that INEOS Britannia’s powerful design seems to have a ‘get out of jail’ mode in marginal conditions. The calm comms on the British boat were also revealing, despite the high tension onboard, skipper Ben Ainslie called for patience, and that patience was rewarded with another well-earned point.

But it also shows how the biggest lead changes in this competition are likely to come in the lowest speeds, not the highest. It might not be the highest performance racing the AC75s are capable of, but it certainly adds tension. “It’s a great example of why you can’t take any of these races for granted,” commented Ainslie afterwards.

Race 10 Orient Express Racing Vs American Magic

Skippers
Orient Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

Light wind technique and match racing strategy dominated the start again – both boats sailing far wide of the startline in order to minimise manoeuvres and stay on the foils before crossing via a ‘dip’ start. It might not’ve been pretty, but it did the job. American Magic crossed well ahead of the French, but the Orient Express Racing team showed impressive light airs skills to stay within 500m of the US team.

As the race progressed, the French sailed a smart, direct course, halving that advantage downwind – it looked, briefly, as if the US team might have a real race on their hands. Unfortunately, approaching the penultimate mark rounding, as they sailed through the dirty air of American Magic, the French boat plunged off the foils, boat speed dropping to sub-10 knots – the howls of frustration audible onboard. The US team pulled relentlessly away, over 2500m ahead by the finish while Orient Express picked up a DNF.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 10?

While high-speed close-quarters manoeuvres might be what we’re waiting to see, slow speed match racing on foils is a skillset all of its own, and using the AC75s’ considerable wind shadow effects is likely to be a key weapon for any team to have in its pre-start armoury.

Thought the French will be deeply frustrated by how they lost this race, in the early stages they demonstrated great coolness of head, as well as boat handling skills – this team were always on a steep learning curve, and they certainly seem to have made big strides since the Preliminary Regatta. However, American Magic demonstrated great control of this race from start to finish.

“It’s very tough conditions out here. You’re just always on edge that you’re going to fall off the foils and lose a big lead,” said Slingsby afterwards.

Race 11 INEOS Britannia Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

This was a big one for INEOS Britannia – despite being unbeaten in the Round Robins so far, of those three race wins, two against American Magic and Alinghi both came after the opposing boats came off their foils in the early stages, while their third was a discounted ‘ghost race’ sail-over with ETNZ not able to start. This was likely to be the first race of the event which would see the Brits having to sail against one of the most feared Challengers. To add to the tension, the Italians decided to request a 15-minute delay to change jibs, while the racing was also postponed waiting for wind.

In the pre-start INEOS Britannia had the advantage, out-smarting Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli to maintain clear air and pace, crossing the line ahead. The Brits maintained the advantage at the first cross, but a slow tack put them 150m behind at the second.

The Italians were able to consolidate, steadily building their lead both upwind and downwind, until the Brits disastrously crashed off their foils approaching the bottom mark. From there, there was no coming back for INEOS Britannia.

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Race 11?

Jimmy Spithill is known for being one of the most gladiatorial match racing helms in the business, but he’s not unbeatable, and the new Ben Ainslie/Dylan Fletcher British co-helm partnership confidently saw the Italians off in the pre-start.

Yet once the Italians had the advantage, they never looked in danger of losing it – the Brits may have lost this one with a couple of key manoeuvres, but – doubly concerning for them – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s boat speed had already built them a good lead.

The only chink in the Italian’s armour seems to be their rudder control – yet again we heard Spithill and Bruni discussing that they had ‘lost’ rudder, likely due to cavitation. In higher speed racing it will be interesting to see whether this problem continues.

Race 12 Alinghi Red Bull Racing Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge

This race was cancelled.

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