Sailing
Emirates Team New Zealand win Louis Vuitton final
Emirates Team New Zealand defeats Team Artemis and advances to challenge ORACLE TEAM USA in 35th America’s Cup.
Part of this story
The day (and the race) had finally arrived. Although Emirates Team New Zealandwas up 4-2 on the leaderboard, it really could have been anyone’s day as Team Artemis were affectionately known as “the comeback kings.” But it was the weather that ruled the day.
Team Artemis and ETNZ go head to head once more
© Ricardo Pinto / ACEA
The boats were able to get the first race started and underway as scheduled and in a somewhat healthy breeze too. That said, Team Artemis was dealt a heavy penalty right off the bat though, as they were over the start early, thus forcing them to start two boat lengths behind the wicked fast Emirates Team New Zealand. Not a great way to start an all-or-nothing race.
Close passing in LVAC finals
© Gilles Martin- Raget
ETNZ held this lead despite some extra manoeuvres though at the third gate, and then they were able to gain more traction on their lead. Meanwhile, the weather gods had other plans and the wind began to get incredibly shifty. Things got so shifty that ETNZ fell off their foils and were unable to get back up on them – putting all of their fans’ hearts in their mouths, while Team Artemis’s fans began to stand up and cheer as Artemis was able to stay up and fly. As they headed into the third gate though, everything went haywire. Not only did the wind entirely shut off but Team Artemis also fouled ETNZ –forcing Artemis to pretty much stop in no breeze to burn off the two-boat length penalty. This would be like stopping your bike on a steep up hill climb – next to impossible to restart steadily.
No wind during LVAC final match
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ ACEA
The wind continued to shut off, leaving the boats (and sailors) drifting. And, despite shortening the race to the end of the upwind leg 4, the race was abandoned because of time limit-- leaving all America’s Cup fans (and sailors) waiting for the wind to return.
ETNZ looks over their shoulder at OTUSA
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
Fortunately, to much of everyone’s surprise, the wind did return and the race organisers were able to get a race off. Right out of the gate, Emirates Team New Zealand showed up and dominate not only the the start but also the first mark that the world has watched Team Artemis do effortlessly. With this aggressive start, Burling brought the Kiwis to a healthy lead, getting all Kiwi supporters, worldwide, pretty excited.
ETNZ is miles ahead in LVAC finals
© Gilles Martin-Raget
On leg 4 of the race we saw what can only can be considered the unicorn of legs, as the wind allowed Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand to do only one gybe and head straight for the fifth gate. As more distance is gained with the least amount of manoeuvres, this leg was huge – literally (considering the wind state this lift was rare and perfect). With this long upwind run, ETNZ put more time and distance between themselves and the Swedes, so much so that on leg five they were 500 metres ahead and growing. By the final leg, it was 860m.
ETNZ advances to LVAC finals
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
And so as folks in New Zealander fans ate their breakfast, they woke their neighbours with cheers of celebration as Emirates Team New Zealand head back into the ultimate re-match against ORACLE TEAM USA.
The first round of the 35th America's Cup between Jimmy Spithill's ORACLE TEAM USA and Peter Burling's Emirates Team New Zealand will resume Saturday June 17.
It’s do or die in Louis Vuitton Challenger Finals
Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Artemis battle it out in Louis Vuitton finals with hopes to challenge ORACLE TEAM USA.
This weekend, with Soft Bank Team Japan and Land Rover BAR eliminated, Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Artemisbegan the Louis Vuitton Challenger Play Off Finals with a do-or-die, take no prisoners, mentality. In the first to five series, both teams sailed at incredible speeds and in nearly perfect races – after all it’s only perfection that will get you the Cup.
Artemis at mach speed in LVAC finals
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
For Team Artemis fans, you’d be sitting on your seat’s edge this weekend as you watched the Swedes win every single start, take off, and hold the Kiwis off for a large chunk of the races. It’s safe to say that Nathan Outteridge’s starts are ace and this is giving them a serious edge over the Kiwis. Each race, we see very aggressive starts from Outteridge and with this he’s able to hold off his long time rival, Peter Burling. By gaining the leverage at the start, Team Artemis is able to use the wing-wash and throw dirty air back on to Emirates Team New Zealand.
ETNZ sneaks ahead of Team Artemis LVAC
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
The telltale signs of a faster boat though are: when the faster boat is ahead, they extend, and when they’re behind the fast boat maintains their distance to the leader. And this is exactly the case for Emirates Team New Zealand. Although Burling’s starts have been more than questionable – and more than heart attack inducing for their supporters – he’s able to quickly make up for any speeds lost and sit on the heels waiting for Team Artemis to make an error. This, of course, works like a charm when Team Artemis does make an error, however when they sail a perfect race it’s next to impossible to pass the lightning fast boat.
Luke Parkinson at helm of Team Artemis LVAC
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Nonetheless, Team Artemis shelled out an error for the books during Saturday’s third race. Team Artemis was able to hold off Emirates Team New Zealand with a strong but narrow advantage. However, ETNZ sat waiting, covering their heels, and just as the Kiwis were about to pass them at the fifth gate, we saw the g-force speeds get the best of Outteridge on Team Artemis. In the blink of an eye, Outteridge was off the back of the boat and Emirates Team New Zealand snuck by effortlessly to notch up their second win of the series.
Team Artemis takes a wave in LVAC finals
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
On Sunday, we knew it could be anyone’s day, but we didn’t know just how it would pan out. The wind was right on the cusp, which meant two different boat set-ups – the Kiwis had their light wind set-up where as the Swedes were hoping the wind would stay strong. Ultimately, we knew the day would come down to speed vs. boat handling – Team Artemis with a strong holding on speed but quite often sailing their boat out of control.
Artemis were able to keep a lead on ETNZ in the first race. With this win, despite a nasty nosedive, they tied up the leaderboard – suddenly the series was anyone’s for the taking. But this would be the only race the Swedes would win for the day.
Peter Burling sprints across in LVAC finals
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
In both the second and third races, Emirates Team New Zealand sailed their own races and were able to pass Team Artemis rather effortlessly. Thus proving that if ETNZ is able to get ahead, they really get ahead, however if Team Artemis does sail a perfect race, it becomes next to impossible to get that extra bit of oomph needed.
That said, the weekend’s racing remained utterly nail biting up until the bitter end – and proved that it’s not over until the finish line. Once again, Team Artemis set the pace with an aggressive start out of the box, and, once again, the Kiwis made “slow” but steady gains on the Swedes until they were able to pass them at the third gate. As the tide’s turned, Burling’s match racing skills began to shine as he aggressively held off Outteridge and the blue boat.
ETNZ holds the finish by half boat in LVAC finals
© Richard Hodder/Emirates Team New Zealand
But even with a healthy lead, it came down to one mistake that nearly cost the Kiwis the victory. Just as they rounded the last mark and set up to blast into the finish, the Kiwis had a bad gybe and nearly stopped dead in the water with Team Artemis barreling down on them. Hearts in throats, the Kiwis quickly got their legs in gear and took off again. Never before have we seen such a heart-thumping finish as the Kiwis skidded across the line only a hair ahead of Team Artemis.
Emirates Team New Zealand now sit at match point in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup play off finals. They’ll go head to head with Team Artemis in the final day with the hope of becoming the challenger in the 35th America’s Cup.
Team Artemis moves to next round of America’s Cup
Soft Bank Team Japan is done and Team Artemis advance to the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Series.
Once again it came down to one mistake in the final day of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup play off semifinals to decide things. Unfortunately for Soft Bank Team Japan, it was their mistake in Leg 3 that cost them the race and, ultimately, a chance to advance further in the 35th America's Cup.
Soft Bank Team Japan looks like rocket LVAC
© Ricardo Pinto / ACEA
SBTJ easily took the start over Team Artemis, and they settled into building control and a solid lead. Nonetheless, Nathan Outteridge and Team Artemis were not going to let go without a fight, and they waited patiently for their opportunity. With this mentality we saw real match racing, a tactic generally used with smaller boats, not these lightening fast yachts that more closely resemble F1 cars.
Team Artemis takes control LVAC
© Gilles Martin-Raget / ACEA
In Leg 3, as the boats were racing neck-and-neck, a three-second late tack on SBTJ's behalf left them nearly dead in the water after finding themselves inches away from Team Artemis. This gave the Swedes the perfect opportunity to take off, and they jetted off ahead and in control.
Action on board Team Artemis LVAC
© Ricardo Pinto
With Dean Barker wanting to advance so badly and amend the 34th America's Cup, we saw Soft Bank Team Japan crawl back from a 400m deficit to 150m and then wait for Team Artemis to return the favour and make their own mistake. Alas this didn't happen and SBTJ finished 13 seconds behind Team Artemis.
It was a tough race, and we had our own battles, but we are very happy to make it to the next round.
Team Artemis will now join Emirates Team New Zealand on the race course this weekend. The boats will go head-to-head to get the chance to challenge Jimmy Spithill and ORACLE TEAM USA.
It’s not done until it’s done with America’s Cup
Land Rover BAR head home, Emirates Team New Zealand advance to finals and it’s anyone’s game with Soft Bank Team Japan and Team Artemis.
In the penultimate day of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup play off semi-finals each team sailed three incredible races with some of the event’s closest sailing yet. With a day off yesterday (too much wind), teams were able to reassess, reconfigure and literally rebuild in the case of Emirates team New Zealand. Today, each team heading back on the water was given one and only option: win.
Emirates Team New Zealand vs Land Rover BAR
Emirates Team New Zealand advance to LVAC finals
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
With bated breath ETNZ supporters waited to see just how Tuesday’s jaw-dropping crash would effect their team. Fortunately, for those fans (and the team), the story being written is one of a come back rather than a disastrous defeat. That said, Sir Ben Ainslie and Land Rover BAR did not go out without a fight.
In the day’s first race, Land Rover BAR held an incredible 400-metre lead on Emirates Team New Zealand as they whipped around the racecourse. However, as we’ve learnt from all the other days, one mistake it’s game over and that’s exactly what happened. With the Kiwis gaining inch by inch every second, BAR was unable to hold them off when they splashed into the water on leg 5. And soon the impossible lead shrank and shrank until the tides (literally) turned and the Kiwis led the race through to the finish.
Land Rover BAR sailed perfect race 2
© Gilles Martin-Raget / ACEA
But it’s not over until it’s over and Sir Ainslie, the king of comebacks, proved this has he took command of their second race against Peter Burling. In fact, BAR’s race was so impressive that it was easily his best race of the whole event. Ironically, the Kiwis sailed their worst as they looked increasingly unstable. BAR was able to capitalise upon this and really make great strides until he was able to cement a 20 second lead.
When the Kiwis went back out on the course though they went in with total determination to finish the semi-finals and give themselves a day off tomorrow. And that’s exactly what they did. They served Sir Ainslie an aggressive start and then were off for a fast paced, everything on the table race. Rumours spread quickly that BAR faced an electronics failure and the Kiwis were able to make incredible gains. Nonetheless, BAR remained right on their heals and waited for their opportunity to pass. Alas, this moment did not appear, and the Brits will have to wait a few more years for the next chance to bring the Cup home.
Team Artemis vs Soft Bank Team Japan
Team Artemis & Soft Bank Team Japan neck and neck
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ ACEA
The racing between Team Artemis and Soft Bank Team Japan was so tight you needed floss to separate the two. Going into the day, SBTJ held a lead in the series against the Swedes. However, Nathan Outteridge and his team proved that they were not going down to Dean Barker without a fight. And that’s exactly what they did.
In their first race of the day, Team Artemis covered SBTJ like they were racing in a much smaller, much more controlled racing environment, sending the guys wing wash and aggressively matching each of their moves. SBTJ attempted to get out from under the wing wash of Artemis, but even then the wind seemed to favour the Swedes as they were able to get a lift and send it forward. With this win, Team Artemis was able to put another (much needed win) on the board.
Team Artemis held a tight lead on SBTJ
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
Their win turned into a streak as skipper Outteridge was able to hold off America’s Cup veteran Dean Barker yet again in race two. We saw no mistakes coming off Team Artemis, where we saw a level of inconsistency from SBTJ that is just not acceptable in the 35th America’s Cup. Like in their first dual, match racing tactics were spot on for the Swedes and they (once again) mirrored all of Soft Bank Team Japan’s moves – covering hard and then focusing on their own race as they tacked up the Great Sound. At this point it became very obvious that Team Artemis were sailing a totally different boat today from two days ago when we saw them limping around the Sound with faring falling off their boat.
In the day’s final race, Team Artemis and Soft Bank Team Japan started neck and neck – it was all guns a blazin’ and all gloves off as SBTJ were going to do everything humanly possible to maintain a lead in the semi-finals. With this mentality, the boats crossed over and over again inches apart. And even though SBTJ held a steady lead, Team Artemis was able to eat up the metres, just waiting for the opportunity to pass. And that opportunity did arise when Artemis pushed Soft Bank Team Japan into an inside/outside foul manoeuvre – Artemis had the rights as they were inside boat and did not have enough room to round the mark. The boats were centimetres apart. With a penalty granted to Barker and the boys, they lost their healthy lead on the course as well as in the standings.
Emirates Team New Zealand buries hull and cyclors
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
Tomorrow, Emirates Team New Zealand will stay in the shed as Soft Bank Team Japan and Team Artemis will go head to head to determine who will advance to the Louis Vuitton finals.
Sobering day on water in Louis Vuitton semi-finals
Sailors defined white-knuckle sailing as winds push boats to max in America’s Cup Challenger series.
Today was one of those days folks will be talking about for a long time. The conditions of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Challenger play-off semi-finals were so insane that anyone who has sailed before would have would have had their stomachs (and hearts) in their throats.
For everyone else, you still would have had your stomachs in your throat only you’d be asking yourself ‘what the hell are these guys doing?’ These feelings and thoughts would have only been amplified as we saw the boats literally falling apart as well as a serious crash with Emirates Team New Zealand pitch polling before their second race.
These AC50s are constantly sailing on the (literal) edge whilst simultaneously dealing with wind and Mother Nature. And, today, we saw machine vs. nature in an all out showdown as the boats sailed at 22-23 knots of wind with gusts up to the max wind speed: 24 knots.
The wind must sustain an average 24 knots for 30 seconds before the starting sequence begins – after that, racing is on regardless of the wind speed.
However, despite the gnarly conditions the racing was not called off and all boats hurled off to race in heart-stopping conditions that was borderline fresh and frightening as sailors held on for dear life. “In 30 years of racing, I’ve never experienced racing conditions like this,” Sir Ben Ainslie of Land Rover BAR said.
The hope for the day was to just get around OK
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
The day’s first race pitted Soft Bank Team Japan against Team Artemis and we all watched in awe as boats literally began breaking apart much like Max Verstappen breaks apart a caravan on a F1 track. Although the Japanese took the race, but it was by the skin of their teeth as it became obvious that the only objective was to make it across the finish line intact.
Then in the day's second race, Emirates Team New Zealand went head to head with Land Rover BAR and we have to be honest, the best phrase to sum up the race was: never say die. Once the race began, despite rainsqualls and out of control sailing, we saw a game of extreme cat and mouse commence as Land Rover BAR took and held a steady lead against Emirates Team New Zealand.
Just as it was looking like it was game over for the Kiwis though, we saw them throw the brick on the pedal and send it past the Brits. They then held the lead through the finish leaving BAR to navigate themselves as safe as possible around the windy course. If Peter Burling was phased in this race he did not show it and seemed to remain a calm amongst the chaos of the day.
Today things broke in the Louis Vuitton semi-final
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
In the day’s third race, once Japan and Sweden were duct taped up they were once again out racing for another point on the leaderboard. This race seemed to max out tensions as we saw hairy situation after hairy situation unfold as the boats aggressively sailed around the course. Team Artemis were given multiple penalties (and penalties for not abiding penalties) as they attempted to navigate the course despite blinding, white water conditions. We also saw loads, g-forces and speeds hit records as the squally, feisty conditions continued throughout the race. The duct tape also began to fail and boats, once again, began to peel apart leaving sailors even more infuriated. In the end, Soft Bank Team Japan took the win.
Emirates Team New Zealand goes over in slow motion at 40-plus knots
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
ETNZ hammers into the choppy seas
© Emirates Team New Zealand
Holding on for dear life
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
A sight no one wants to see
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
It was during the last race when the excitement of the day hit its max. After an awesome first race between ETNZ and BAR we were gearing up for another thrilling, gloves off race in gnarly conditions, but, instead, we got the exact opposite. BAR dealt ETNZ an aggressive start, and as Peter Burling began the chase up to the starting line he had the boat over powered, and when he accidentally buried the bow, the boat flipped over itself and crashed into the water. Everyone was accounted for safely and the boat was righted rather quickly, however it struck a sobering chord in the hearts of everyone watching.
They’re already working on the repairs and getting us back out there. We’ll bounce back from this, and at some stage we’ll get the boat back to 100 percent. But right now we’re still assessing the damage.
It was like skiing on ice
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
In case we haven’t reiterated this enough: the sailors of the America’s Cup are pushing never before sailed boats to the max every day. Each morning as boats splashed into the water, the sailors are testing boats that have been modified overnight by designers. “We are learning as we go and the boats are so twitchy. Today was like skiing on ice – you just had to go for it,” Ainslie said.
No errors allowed during America’s Cup weekend
The round robin series ends and Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger play-offs begin.
Races 2 and 4 were neck and neck
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end, and that was ever the case this weekend at the Louis Vuitton America's Cup series.
On Saturday, June 3, we said goodbye to Oracle Team USAand Team Groupama France, however both teams were waved off for two very different reasons.
For Oracle Team USAit was because the round robin series was over and the Americans would now rest for the next two weeks whilst the challenger is confirmed. Team Groupama France, on the other hand, didn't gain enough points in the qualifying series to advance to the semifinals.
America’s Cup Challenger play-offs – day one
Race 1 was shaping up nicely between ETNZ and BAR
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Land Rover BAR broke their camber arm
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
Despite a DNS by BAR, the Kiwis went hard
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
If there's any lesson to be learned early on in the 35th America's Cup, it's to expect the unexpected. On Sunday we saw winds barely hit 5.5 knots and racing was called off for the day. On Monday however, the wind was so strong that Land Rover BARbroke their camber arm (the mechanism that controls the wing's shape) and were forced to retire from Race 1 and DNS Race 3 of the Challenger play-off semifinals against Emirates Team New Zealand.
In a contest where the first team to five points goes to the Louis Vuitton Challenger Finals, it's safe to say this set back for BAR was huge.
"This is pretty serious," BAR skipper Sir Ben Ainslie said. “We haven't had a situation like this yet with our wing, and we will ultimately have to switch wings."
In order to get racing in the third race, BAR would had to have gotten back to the dock, taken the boat out of the water, switch wings and then dock back out in just 40 minutes. Ultimately this was too tall a task and Emirates Team New Zealand started without the Brits (they had to according to the AC rules), and the Kiwis took advantage of the solo water time for a bit before sending it back to the dock. In doing so, they hit 44 knots – the fastest we have yet seen any boat go on the water in Bermuda.
Nathan Outteridge helped lead Team Artemis to win
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
In the other semifinal round, the tables continuously turned for Team Artemis and Soft Bank Team Japan, as both teams show that one tiny error and you relinquish all control in the America's Cup. In both Race 2 and Race 4, we saw incredibly close racing and Soft Bank Team Japan hold the lead for most of each race.
Nonetheless, Nathan Outteridge remained so close on Dean Barker's heals that if there was the slightest opportunity, he was able to take advantage of the situation. And that's exactly what he did in Race 4, when he got the "shift from God" and was able to eke past the Japanese team, gaining the much needed win. If there was one fact we learned from today it was not to write anyone off.
Final day of Louis Vuitton America’s Cup qualifiers
Neck and neck and flying at lightening speed
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
Over the weekend, on Saturday, Oracle Team USAsquared off against Emirates Team Zealandin one of the final races of the round robin series and it was widely discussed this could serve as a preface for the match up for the America’s Cup. We all expected a tight race of neck and neck G-force racing – and we did get that to an extent – however after a succession of errors by ETNZ it became very clear that Jimmy Spithill and his team were going to be the clear winners of this race. With this win, OTUSA gained an automatic extra point going into the America’s Cup finals at the end of June.
We got a good race against every team. But both races against Team New Zealand were pretty impressive.
Team Groupama France ends their America's Cup bid
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
The remaining races for the weekend continued to prove that it’s one-mistake-and-done kind of racing as each boat is nearly equally as fast as the other. Even though the boats resemble rocket ships more than actual sailing boats, traditional boat tactics found in match racing can often be the difference between victory and defeat.
In the final race of the round robin series, we saw Oracle Team USAget on top of Land Rover BARand use the elusive ‘wing wash’ to hold position and control. However, in the day’s second race BAR was able to use this similar tactic to hold offSoft Bank Team Japan and highlighted the aggressive and unforgiving tactics of Sir Ben Ainslie. Meanwhile, we waved ‘goodbye’ to Team Groupama France as they were unable to score enough points during the round robin series to advance.
Bittersweet day 7 of America’s Cup sees France out
Team Groupama France ends their America’s Cup bid as Emirates Team New Zealand takes the lead.
Team Groupama were unable to get another win
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
It was a tough day on the water for some and a victorious for others on Day 7 of the 35th America's Cup Qualifiers as we saw Team Groupama France lose to Emirates Team New Zealand, thus ending their 2017 America's Cup dreams.
Meanwhile, ETNZ surpassed Oracle Team USA in the standings and Team Artemis dominated on the water, upsetting both OTUSA and veteran Dean Barker on Soft Bank Team Japan.
On June 3 Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA would once again go head-to-head and prove to be a true clash of the titans. This will be the final day of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup qualifiers and the event will then move onto the semifinals.
ETNZ flies the hull for 99.6% of Race 23
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
If there's anything that all fans could agree upon, it's that regardless of wind conditions or competitor, Emirates Team New Zealand's young skipper, Peter Burling, looks more like he's driving a convertible rather than a AC50. During both of ETNZ's races (against Soft Bank Team Japan and Team Groupama France), Burling and the boys whipped around the race course with style, grace, and speed – which has proved to the recipe for success in this America's Cup.
10 and 2-- Burling drives it like he stole it
© America's Cup
Race 23 against Soft Bank Team Japan was over in the blink of an eye. It's important to note that SBTJ is supposed to be identical (to an extent) to Oracle Team USAso racing the Japanese team always proves to be interesting given the thought to what's to come. At the end of that race, everyone was left wondering if the Kiwis are unstoppable, and will they be able to fly both hulls out of the water 100 percent of the time during a race?
ETNZ flies a perfect race on day 7 of LVAC
© America's Cup
New Zealand fans had an answer to one of their questions in Race 25 when they squared off against Team Groupama France and flew both hulls around the racecourse for 100 percent of the time. This was not only impossible to do less than a year ago, but it was also the first time it was officially recorded using sensors on both hulls. More so, in achieving the ellusive 'perfect race', the Kiwis proved just how important the feat is as they finished a whopping 4m6s ahead of the French.
The race was bittersweet though as we say au revoir to Team Groupama France, who were unable to score enough wins in the Louis Vuitton Qualifiers and head for the upcoming semi-finals. The team was notably the smallest squad, with the smallest budget, who joined the race late in the game – thus proving money and time will work in your favour in the America's Cup.
Artemis and ORACLE TEAM USA neck and neck
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Team Artemis also had an incredibly impressive day. Not only did they upset the defenders Oracle Team USA for the second time, but they also proved they're a force to be reckoned with in the 13–15 knot range. "Above 14 knots everyone fears Team Artemis," Team Groupama France's Adam Minoprio said. That said, the racing was incredibly close and everyone was sitting on the edgeof their chairs as we saw Outtridge and the boys just hold off two incredibly experienced sailors.
Even then, despite holding a lead in both races from the start, it was continuously neck-and-neck for Team Artemis, and only required one mistake for the race to be out from their control. "Today we got the configuration right and it paid off," skipper Nathan Outteridge said after beating Soft Bank Team Japanand ultimately proving that Team Artemis will remain a real threat on the America's Cup racecourse.
Results from day 7 of racing in Louis Vuitton Cup
© America's Cup
Standings after day 7 of LVAC
© America's Cup
Little wind in America’s Cup means hardest day yet
Calm conditions in Bermuda on day 6 made for some epic racing that wasn’t over until the last tack.
The winds were light but the sailing was tight
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ ACEA
The AC50s need an average wind speed of six knots to race and on day 6 of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers they had an average of seven – resulting in some of the most interesting and tightest racing yet. But the race officials were still able to get all four races off the ground and there was just one retirement.
The over-arching theme for the day was that technique was as important as speed. The teams who lost can put their failures down to just one manoeuvre each, whether it was the start, a split, or a surprising crash into the calm sea.
Soft Bank Team Japan is a beast of a boat
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
In the day’s first race, Dean Barker and the boys on Soft Bank Team Japan employed a tactic that involved sailing in the wrong direction in a bid to gain speed and stay on their foils in their race against Team Groupama France. But Groupama continuously struggled to stay on their foils as they went through their manoeuvres, thus showing the difficulties of foiling in light wind.
The trouble with light wind is that once you do come off your foils, you have to start your speed build over again to pop back out of the water – and that’s a very slow process in low wind conditions. In the end, Soft Bank Team Japan easily won the race. but Barker admitted “it was the hardest day on the water yet.”
One mistake can lead to disaster in this race
© Emirates Team New Zealand
In the next race, Land Rover BAR won the start but Emirates Team New Zealand were quick to even things out. By the time they rounded the first mark it was game over to Ben Ainslie after they crashed into the sea. In one bad gybe, BAR fell off their foils and were becalmed in the seven knots of breeze while ETNZ took off at 26 knots down the leg.
From that point on it looked like the Kiwis were out for a cycle all by themselves as they held a steady leg (plus) lead on the Brits. “The Kiwis are certainly pretty impressive in this breeze,” said Oracle Team USAsailor Joey Newton. By the time the Kiwis finished, BAR were so far behind that they chose to retire early instead of limping around the rest of the course for the next six mintues and 25 seconds.
It was a nail-biting day six for ORACLE TEAM USA
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
The penultimate race of the day was pretty darn close as the two not-so-identical boats went head to head. At this point in the game, it’s no secret that Soft Bank Team Japan and Oracle Team USA share information, so it certainly made for an interesting race with little wind. OTUSA lost the start to SBTJ and for 75 percent of the race the win appeared to be in the bag for Dean Barker and his team.
But the fifth gate ended up being the deciding moment in the race as the two boats split at the mark. Jimmy Spithill, on the 17th anniversary of taking the helm in his first America’s Cup, rolled the dice with a massive gamble (the split) and, before we knew it, the lead Barker had on Spithill disappeared. Once SBTJ’s lead vanished, the control was back in OTUSA’s hands and they were able to finish the race in remarkable fashion.
Not over until the last tack for Land Rover BAR
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
Race 22 of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers was against old maritime rivals, Land Rover BAR and Team Groupama France, both of whom needed the race to stay in the standings for making the semi-finals. As we’ve seen in previous races, both BAR and Groupama are dealing with similar symptoms of getting (and staying) on their foils – especially during manoeuvres.
With the wind dying fast, both teams continuously struggled to keep both hulls out of the water and at times it felt like a race of two turtles. At one point there was even a re-start when both boats became becalmed at the second gate. “They’re struggling as much as each other so whoever gets around the cleanest will win,” said Oracle Team USA's Joey Newton.
In the end it came down to the final seconds just a few metres from the finish. The French were forced to dip below the Brits to avoid a collision and the Brits came out victorious. Regardless of who you’re supporting in this race, you’ll have to admit: this race was very impressive.
The day 6 results of the Louis Vuitton Qualifiers
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After six days of racing it is getting close
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Day 5 of America’s Cup qualifiers is a no-go
No wind means no racing on day five of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup qualifiers.
No wind, no sailing on day five
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
On day five we were supposed to see the teams start squaring off for a second time in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifier rounds. However, the wind had other plans. After four days of some of the most epic racing we’ve ever seen, the wind shut off and shifted.
“That’s the nature of a sport driven by weather,” commentator Alastair Eykyn said when the racing was finally called off by race manager Iain Murray after two hours of postponement.
The state-of-the-art AC50s need an average of 6 knots sustained over a period of 30 seconds for racing to kick off – otherwise it’s just a floating game. And on day five of racing the wind hovered at 5 knots before dropping to 3.5. Had racing kicked off, it would have been quite different from the previous days and perhaps slower than a game of curling.
Although the racing was called off, the sailors and the boats still launched and were out on the water just in case the wind did pick up – it’s never ideal to push racing back a day.
“All these sailors are good and it shouldn’t be mentally disruptive,” Oracle Team USAsailor Joey Newton said. “But it’s a very big process to get the boats on the water. All of these boats have their light air foil package and set up in, the wings had to be put in. It’s a lot of work to get on the water.”
Boats fly in second half of America’s Cup Day 4
Four words to sum up Day 4 of racing: revenge, penalties, repairs, and confidence.
This is not a spaceship, it’s a AC50
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
Generally, halfway through a competition you'd be able to start placing bets on who was going to make it through to the semi-finals. This is definitely not the case in the Louis Vuitton 35th America's Cup Qualifiers however.
With the second half of the round robin getting under way today, one thing became incredibly clear: all the boats are sailing so close to the edge in conditions so different to the previous day that any preconceptions should simply be thrown out the window.
In Day 4 of the America's Cup Qualifiers we saw Team Artemis and Emirates Team New Zealand go head-to-head (again), the Swedes seeking revenge after the previous day's controversial race. In Race 17, Team Groupama France went up against the America's Cup defenders, Oracle Team USA. And in the final race, we saw Team Artemis back on the water and up against Land Rover BAR.
The defining moment of Race 16
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
Peter Burling of Emirates Team New Zealand and Nathan Outteridge of Team Artemis go way back to their early days of match racing, which would probably explain why Burling and Outteridge are so confident sailing against each other on the water.
After a good clean start, the Swedes seemed to make very solid ground on the Kiwis. Like any great game of cat and mouse though, the trailing boat remained on the heels of the front-runners, ensuring that whatever happened they'd have an opportunity. Opportunity they had.
In the 11th hour of the final leg, ETNZ once again managed to force a protest on Team Artemis in a very clear port/ starboard situation (starboard boat always has right of way and ETNZ was on starboard in a crossing position, but were forced to divert their course when Artemis mis-judged their layline). Once again, this forced Team Artemis to stall the boat and give Emirates Team New Zealand a two-boat length lead and, ultimately, the win once more.
OTUSA leads Team Groupama on Day 4
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ ACEA
Oracle Team USA and Team Groupama France squared off for the first time since Day 1, and it was as if all of Team Groupama's successes of Day 2 and 3 had slipped away overnight. Once OTUSA won the start, Groupama failed to catch up and even acquiring a penalty by going out of the sailing boundary. Halfway through the race though, OTUSA clearly began to hold back as a zipper burst open revealing the controls for the wing.
We had an issue, a bit of a failure in the wing. But that can happen. Kyle (Langford – wing trimmer) did a good job, put a bit of a band-aid on it and we were able to get through the race. But from that point on we were kind of in delivery mode.
That said, despite the intentional limp around the course, the French were unable to catch up and left us all wondering if they're that far off pace or if OTUSA is just that fast?
Artemis and Land Rover BAR neck and neck
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
The final race of the day was guaranteed to be a tough one for whoever lost. Land Rover BAR is a team full of winners – the team's overall racing experience is second to none – however, in practice races BAR was infamously slow. Team Artemis, with another stellar team, notoriously zipped around the practice races prior to the event’'start with such speed that they were quickly considered a top competitor.
So going into Race 18, it felt like a do or die moment for both Land Rover BAR and Team Artemis, both of whom hand't been racking up the points as quickly as ETNZ and OTUSA. BAR had not scored a victory in four races – would today be number five?
In the end, the Brit's confidence shone and they managed to keep the Swedes at bay, grabbing their first win in four races. It was still a tough, close race. Nathan Outteridge and his Team Artemis failed to make to pass and BAR ended their losing streak.
With all of the boats going back into the shed tonight you can guarantee a fleet of newly developed (and untested) boats that will continue to push the sailing boundaries. "You've got very competitive teams," Jimmy Spithill said. "Coming into this competition, I said this was going to be the toughtest America's Cup to date. My view hasn't changed on that."
Louis Vuitton Americas Cup day 4 results
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Louis Vuitton Americas Cup standings after day 4
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Day 3 delivers show stoppers at the America’s Cup
Day 3 of the 35th America’s Cup Qualifiers left us wondering one thing – what just happened?
Although only three races kicked off on Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton 35th America's Cup (as opposed to the six in previous days), there was a fever of anticipation and excitement out on the water.
Would Team Groupama France be able to hold their own and continue Day 2's winning momentum against not-so-slow Land Rover BAR? How would the Kiwis on Emirates Team New Zealand handle the conditions that favored the ridiculously fast Team Artemis? Would Soft Bank Team Japan falter against Team Groupama and become one of the most unforeseen upsets of the race? All of these questions and more were answered during one of the most surprising days to date.
Groupama’s underdog victory is the story of LCVS
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
When start gun fired for Race 13, Land Rover BAR effortlessly popped up on to their foils and took off to the insane speed of 41 knots, leaving Team Groupama France in their wake. But the magical start by Sir Ben Ainslie wasn't enough to keep Frank Camas and his white boat at bay. By halfway up the first beat, the Brit was constantly looking over his shoulder at the French boat getting closer and closer to striking distance.
By the third gate, the French were coming in hot on the Brit's heels and as BAR rounded the mark, gybed, and crashed into the water, Team Groupama went effortlessly round the outside. And just like that, the French team gained control of the race. It only took a few more crashes and bad maneuvers by Land Rover BAR for the distance between the boats to grow from tens of meters to hundreds.
In what might easily become the story of the 35th America's Cup, the underdog French successfully held off the powerful Brits by an impressive margin of 53 seconds.
The boats rocketed along at 40 knots
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
A total of nine lead changes happened
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
The defining moment of race 14
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
ETNZ heads to the finish past dumbfounded Artemis
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ ACEA
Where to even begin about Race 14? The race between Team Artemis and Emirates Team New Zealand was so impressive we suggest you just watch the highlights for yourself.
It was the first time the two teams faced off against each other, and it was like watching two heavyweight boxers in the ring. The anticipation proved to be so much for Nathan Outteridge and Team Artemis that the blue-hulled boat crossed the start line before the gun fired, forcing the Swedes to take a penalty of two boat lengths.
Despite the penalty however Artemis was able to quickly catch up to Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand on the second leg.
For the next six legs it was nothing but nail-biting racing. Artemis made foiling upwind at speeds of 39 knots look effortless, while the Kiwis shelled out clean, aggressive moves one after the other. There was a whopping nine lead changes, and the boats continuously crossed each other inches apart at speeds of 40 knots. "This is one of the best yacht races I've ever seen," Christian Kamp of Team Artemis said as the boats zipped around the course.
Then a blink and you missed it moment happened. Just as the two boats screamed around the last mark and headed into the final leg, Artemis snuck over the top of ETNZ and left the Kiwis dead in the water. All appeared to be done and dusted.
Then the big 'what just happened?' moment occured when suddenly Artemis was served another penalty of two boat lengths by the race officials for not giving enough room to ETNZ – who had the right of way to gybe at the mark – which was now meters behind Artemis.
By the time the Swedes realised what was actually going on, they were within shouting distance of the finish and were forced to slow down to let the Kiwis cross the line first and obey the penalty.
We were turning the boat as hard as we could, and we were pretty lucky to not end up on our side – with these boats going at 40 knots, you need a little more room than that
It was game over from the start for Groupama
© Ricardo Pinto/ ACEA
After an incredible Race 14, it was a bit of a relief to watch Race 15 against Soft Bank Team Japan and Team Groupama France. Going into the race, SBTJ's standings were not good and the French were fresh off their against the odds double victory. The question on everyone's mind was would the French be able to carry their luck and upset another top contender?
The answer was unfortunately no. Dean Barker's decades of America's Cup experience showed as he won the start and took off around the course, barely touching the water. At the fourth gate, Groupama was one minute behind SBTJ, and by the time the black boat crossed the finish the French were a staggering 2m34s back.
Nonetheless, despite the upset, if we can bank on yesterday's surprising comeback, you can guarantee the French will be back on the water tomorrow sailing harder than they've sailed to date.
Day 3 results
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Louis Vuitton America’s Cup standings after Day 3
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Find out who dominated day 2 of the America’s Cup
Upsets and shifting conditions make for a stellar day of racing at the America’s Cup Qualifiers.
We went into day two of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers hoping we'd really begin to see the standings take shape. However, by the end of the day's racing, all of those sure-fire bets were thrown out the window.
Commentator Ken Read said, "you just can't count anyone out at this point," after we saw Oracle Team USA suffer their first loss, Team Groupama France upset one of the big guns and OTUSA's stable mate, Soft Bank Team Japan, notch up only one point on the leaderboard.
ETNZ 'cycle' past Land Rover Bar during race 11
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Emirates Team New Zealand kept their traditional Kiwi cool and smashed the foils off Soft Bank Team Japan inrace 9 and Land Rover BAR in race 11 with two of the cleanest races we've seen yet. "Our objective is to keep the hulls dry," skipper Peter Burling said after finishing with a 33-second lead over SBTJ.
Despite facing rough starts against SBTJ and BAR, the young guns managed to sneak past their elders by being on the correct sides of the wind shifts and stable, consistant tacks. Their incredible boat speed also didn't hurt. "The Kiwis are not slow," Read said as ETNZ hit 34 knots – while BAR hovered at 31 knots – and took off past the Brits during race 11.
Team Artemis upset ORACLE TEAM USA on day 2
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Oracle Team USA saw their first dramatic upset in race 10, against Team Artemis. Throughout the race we waited for one little mistake as both teams drag raced up and down Bermuda's Great Sound, however the Swedish team's victory of race 10 came down to one solitary moment when they managed to get on the right side of a shift at the fifth mark.
Quickly, Artemis went from holding a mere 10m lead to a 300m gap, which grew into more than a 700m lead over OTUSA by the time they crossed the finish.
Team Groupama France surprised everyone on day 2
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
It's safe to say though that Team Artemis had a renewed fire under their hulls after a shocking race 1.
On day one, it was clear that Team Groupama Franceweren't stacking up against the other teams. However, after a long night of studying and debriefing, the French team came back and smashed race 1 out of the park, thus proving that it's not the price tag that's attached to the team, but rather the little things that will make all the difference. It's how the tactician and skipper react to the wind shifts, as well as how many times the boat falls of its foils. The 35th America's Cup will be won with perfection and nothing less.
Land Rover BAR had a tough day of sailing day 2
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA
Both Soft Bank Team Japan and Land Rover BAR had upsetting days, as both teams came up short of winning. That said, both BAR's Sir Ben Ainslie and SBTJ's Dean Barker proved they're excellent match racers and that if the conditions are correct (they weren't today), races can be won on match racing alone.
In layman's terms, it's like racing two F1 cars on a go-kart track – tactics and machine management are everything. However, the downside of this style of racing is that you're not sailing your own race, which means you run the risk of being on the wrong side of a wind shift or, worse yet, if you make one mistake you're destined to lose a lot of distance.
Nonetheless, it should be noted how impressive it was that these two boats even managed to be on the water for day two. After yesterday's crash, SBTJ were left with a sizeable crack, while BAR were left bailing themselves out at the dock.
Day 2 of LCVS was very shifty
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
In the end, the standings didn't really start to take shape. Far from it in fact. We saw the weakest team come back from behind and dominate racing, and three of the big guns dip in the standings. There's no way to know what's going to happen tomorrow, as each day they're virtually racing new boats and becoming faster and faster. Fortunately, this is all making for great racing that turns heads and makes the America's Cup one of the greatest trophies in sport.
Day 2 Louis Vuitton America's Cup results
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Louis Vuitton America's Cup standings after day 2
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Find out who won as the 35th America’s Cup began
Day 1’s action proves that sailboat racing has changed forever at the 35th America’s Cup.
ETNZ hot on the heals of OTUSA
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA 2017
After three years, the day has finally arrived for the start of the 35th America's Cup. On day one, six teams went head to head for a chance to become the challenger to face off against defending champions Oracle Team USA later in June.
If there was one constant in day one of the qualifiers, it was to expect the unexpected. True to the America's Cup spirit, day one proved to be nail-biting, shocking and down-right insane as we saw each team race twice. Here's the skinny on each race.
Race 1: Groupama Team France vs Oracle Team USA
Winner: Oracle Team USA (Skipper Jimmy Spithill)
Falling off the foils means no speed
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA 2017
As the first race of the America's Cup semis, this race proved that in the end everything will come down to margins. We saw Team Groupama Francelose hundreds of meters of distance to Oracle Team USA each time they fell off their foils, thus proving that the boat to stay on its foils the longest will win.
Additionally, rumours were finally confirmed as we saw OTUSA's tactician, Tom Slingsby, jumping between grinding with his arms and pedaling like Emirates Team New Zealand. Leading up to racing, the rumors were thick whether he was or wasn't cycling, and now we can finally confirm that, yes, he is. What we can't confirm however is what this will do for OTUSA's game.
Race 2: Team Artemis vs Soft Bank Team Japan
Winner:Team Artemis (Skipper Nathan Outteridge)
It’s not over until the fat lady sings
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA 2017
Prior to today, one of the biggest questions on everyone's mind was could you match race the AC50s? Dean Barker of Soft Bank Team Japan proved that, yes, you can. By match racing, Barker effectively held off the competition and stuck them with disturbed wing air (in sailing, clean air is optimal). This is a risky tactic, as it's taking a small boat concept and applying it to boats that are more like rocket ships.
But it's not over until the fat lady sings and Outteridge proved how important it is to seize each opportunity. Just when we thought it was in the bag for SBTJ, Team Artemis took advantage of a wind shift, came up from behind to over take SBTJ and regained control of the race, taking the victory. Within seconds, the race dynamics changed, leaving everyone speechless.
Race 3: Emirates Team New Zealand vs Groupama Team France
Winner: Emirates Team New Zealand (Skipper Peter Burling)
Emirates Team New Zealand race Team Groupama
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA
Throughout the history of the America's Cup, the Kiwis have always done things their way, and this has ever been the case in the 35th America's Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand broke away from tradition and became the first team to harness leg power rather than the normal arm power on their boat.
We weren't exactly sure how they would stack up against another team in full-on, gloves off race mode, but within seconds the Kiwis put to rest any doubt – they were fast, powerful, and rather elegant on the racecourse. By leg 4, ETNZ had a 3,400m lead on the French, and by the time the race finished they'd built that into a 2m33s lead.
Race 4: Land Rover BAR vs Team Artemis
Winner: Land Rover BAR (Skipper Sir Ben Ainslie)
It was more of a drag race than sailing race
© Ricardo Pinto/ACEA 2017
It seems that despite rumors they were slow compared to other teams, Land Rover BAR is most definitely not slow. Everyone's jaw seemed to hit the ground when the GBR team came out of the gate on a mad dash, hitting top speeds of 41 knots within seconds of the start.
Commentator Alastair Eykyn even said, "It’' trademark Ben Ainslie to hold back in practice racing." That said, it was hard not to speculate what would have happened if Artemis had the correct daggerboards in for the day's racing conditions (each team is allowed four daggerboards for different wind conditions). Despite an all out effort from Artemis, Land Rover BAR held their ground and grabbed their first win in the America's Cup qualifiers.
Race 5: Emirates Team New Zealand vs Oracle Team USA
Winner: Oracle Team USA (Skipper Jimmy Spithill)
The sailors are hit by a wall of water in race 5
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA 2017
Perhaps the most anticipated race since the Kiwis lost to Jimmy Spithill and OTUSA in 2013, this heat was considered a 'check-in' race as it was first race between the big teams, according to commentator Ken Read. And what a race it was. It was a race about eeking out every 10th of a knot, one of tactics and forward thinking, and also one that proved how important it is to sail your own race. It was classic America's Cup racing.
The match also showed us just how quickly everything changes in the America's Cup. Within what felt like seconds, ETNZ’s 300m lead quickly dropped to 50m, before OTUSA over took the Kiwis at the top mark. However, the Kiwis kept fighting – or pedaling – and finished just six seconds behind the defender of the America's Cup title.
Race 6: Land Rover BAR vs Soft Bank Team Japan
Winner: Soft Bank Team Japan (Skipper Dean Barker)
The America’s Cup has always been very dramatic
© Gilles Martin-Raget/ACEA 2017
The final race of the day was as dramatic as they come, as Land Rover BAR crashed into Soft Bank Team Japan seconds before the race even started. The crash resulted in a penalty for the Brits, which meant they had to give SBTJ a lead of two boat lengths.
As the boats cautiously zipped around the course, SBTJ held a steady lead, but the carbon was literally peeling back from both boats to reveal sizeable cracks on their hulls. Now both shore teams will be racing againt the clock to be back on the water for day two of the America's Cup.
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