AC37 - The Americas Cup Match GB vs NZ

[dunedin]

So I didn’t expect we would need to open a thread for the AC Match Race between Britannia vs NZ, but delighted to do so.

The previous thread served well for the LV cup to select the defender. And now has diversified into a fascinating side track on AC history.
But this historic event, the first time the Uk has been involved in an AC Match for 60 years makes it worth a thread of its own.

Good luck to team Britannia.

I guess we will learn in the first couple of races whether the boats are closely matched (like the various challengers) or whether NZ had left something in the bag during the first round of the LV series.

Race on ….

 

[14K478]

Good idea to start this thread.

We cannot say much more for the moment. It’s always been a feature of the Cup that nobody has any idea of how well the challenger will do against the defender until the start of the first race.

Sadly, it has often become all too clear in the next few minutes () but maybe this time we will have a race….

 

[bedouin]

I think Britannia at the end of the LV cup final was sailing better than TNZ in the round robin. But this series has been all about boats making significant progress so I expect TNZ to be better than when we last saw them.

 

[dunedin]

Big day today - good luck to the team …

 

[MoodySabre]

Nobody mentions the Women’s races. Fab job by GB there too.

 

[bedouin]

The forecast from the Met Office doesn't look to good wind wise today - probably in for another frustrating after noon

"This is the race committee - we have failed wind monitoring..."

 

[Laser310]

AC You Tube feed is live

wind stations on shore are light and variable

 

[Buck Turgidson]

My guess is Tuesday for race 1

 

[bedouin]

Looks as if we are going to get a race

 

[SaltIre]

Race 1 underway.

 

[14K478]

That’s that.

Lost the start, behind at first mark, NZ have the faster boat.

It’s all over.

Wonder if Ratcliffe will pay for another attempt?

 

[Laser310]

That’s that.

Wonder if Ratcliffe will pay for another attempt?

well at the dock, he said that he had got his money's worth just by winning LVC

 

[Buck Turgidson]

.7 kt down on VMG and sailing more distance that's not good news. ETNZ much closer winded which makes it very difficult even if INEOS get's in front they will struggle to win.

 

[bedouin]

That’s that.

Lost the start, behind at first mark, NZ have the faster boat.

It’s all over.

Wonder if Ratcliffe will pay for another attempt?

You do know it is the first to seven don't you - plenty of time yet.

Difficult to say in variable conditions but it terms of boat speed they seem very close - but INEOS suffered from being behind and lost a bit in manoeuvres.

Plenty of time for things to change

 

[14K478]

NZ have a faster boat upwind. We are almost competitive downwind.

The only question remaining is whether we lose 7-0 or 7-1.

 

[dunedin]

2:0 down, but a closer race.

And runner up for the ladies - a great result but also must be a slight disappointment for Hannah and her team.

 

[Chris 249]

Lots of talk on SA and the commentary about how close the racing has been, but when one takes into account how short the races are they aren't close at all. The average margin of about 30s in 18 minutes is 2.8%, which is pretty normal for the 1887-1970 period of AC matches which included a bunch of one-sided walkovers but also a bunch of tight events.

During the IACC period the average margin was about 1.1% - in fact the actual margin in the last two IACC series was around 25 seconds, so the finishes were far closer despite the fact that the races took over six times as long.

The first race this time around had a far wider time gap, proportionately, than those in the Sceptre and Soveriegn challenges which were widely criticised as being totally one-sided - ie Sov lost her first race by 1.03%.

I'd like to see a British win and I think it can get a lot more competitive, but it's always interesting to assess the hype about the "close" racing against reality. I tend to think that most of those claiming the racing is particularly close have never sailed fast boats.

 

[dunedin]

Setting a challenge to overcome - 3:0 down, but some strong fightback after a penalty at the start

 

[flaming]

Lots of talk on SA and the commentary about how close the racing has been, but when one takes into account how short the races are they aren't close at all. The average margin of about 30s in 18 minutes is 2.8%, which is pretty normal for the 1887-1970 period of AC matches which included a bunch of one-sided walkovers but also a bunch of tight events.

During the IACC period the average margin was about 1.1% - in fact the actual margin in the last two IACC series was around 25 seconds, so the finishes were far closer despite the fact that the races took over six times as long.

The first race this time around had a far wider time gap, proportionately, than those in the Sceptre and Soveriegn challenges which were widely criticised as being totally one-sided - ie Sov lost her first race by 1.03%.

I'd like to see a British win and I think it can get a lot more competitive, but it's always interesting to assess the hype about the "close" racing against reality. I tend to think that most of those claiming the racing is particularly close have never sailed fast boats.

When you have a downwind finish in traditional match racing boats you expect the delta to reduce on the final leg - assuming the boats are in any way close at the last mark- as the lead boat either gets blanketed or sails extra distance to avoid being blanketed.
Doesn't happen in foiling boats.

I agree that the racing isn't as close as the hype makes out on a race by race, delta by delta, basis. But I think the point is more that for most of the racing it's felt like either boat was in with a shot if they got off the start better than their opponent. Even yesterday when the Brits made that silly error in the pre start and gifted the Kiwis control, they didn't really sail away. Which for a lot of the IACC period was not the case. So whilst the delta might have been closer, the result felt more nailed on in the IACC days, until the last cup in 2007, when it was all far too close so the rules had to be changed....

What that says about the quality of the event as a spectacle is another matter entirely.

 

[SaltIre]

4:0