No score when light winds hit time limit

Barcelona, Spain (September 28, 2024) – After a day off yesterday, the America’s Cup challengers met again today with the score tied 1-1, which is the score INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli still have when light winds derailed a different result.

After a near two-hour delay waiting for a southerly ‘Migjorn’ thermal breeze to eke its way above the wind-limit of 6.5 knots, a race got underway just after 1600 CET in the first-to-seven-points Louis Vuitton Cup Final series. With the Brits leading through out, and the wind not building, both teams fell off the foils and watched the race exceed the time limit with the Brits on the final leg of the six-leg course.

Questions, though, were answered today with INEOS Britannia showing impressive light-air speed, coming off the line to windward and holding a mighty high-mode all the way to the left boundary, creating enough gauge to cross and cover Luna Rossa’s first tack.

From there, the British helming duo Sir Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher created big problems for the Italians with wing-wash and then clicking into a right shift as the first leg came to an end.

Rounding the port gate marker with a 19-second lead, a rare tactical error saw the British caught in a wind hole that gave away their lead almost immediately to the hard-charging Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni on Luna Rossa.

However, an equally spirited fightback was on midway down that leg as Britannia’s deep angle sailing off the wind came to their rescue. After powering over the top of the Italians and forcing them to gybe away, the British were back in the lead and it was one they built on steadily over the next two-and-a-half legs – until Mother Nature intervened.

On the final windward leg the breeze closed down at the top of the course to some three to four knots putting both boats on the knife edge of falling off the foils. After a scary moment for the British that they just managed to recover from, it was the Italians who fell into displacement after tacking off the left boundary.

Soon after, INEOS Britannia suffered the same fate after tacking at the right boundary. Both crews kept calm and tried to build the speed required for the foils to ‘bite’ and get flying, but the reality was that the race now was against the clock as the 45-minute time-limit ticked away.

Frustratingly for the British, who had looked good for the win today before the wind shut down, time ran out while both boats were sailing slowly down the final leg and the race was stopped. Shortly afterwards the Race Committee sent the yachts home for the day.

“I guess just a frustrating day in terms of waiting around for that breeze and it was flirting with us the whole time at the wind limit,” said Fletcher. “Obviously we then got the green light, but I think it dipped below the limit pretty quickly [afterwards].

“We take good confidence about our performance over the Italians, but a different day tomorrow in different conditions. It feels like we’re making really nice gains with the yacht and finding more performance like in tacking, and in that way it’s all good, but I think you can never rest on anything in this Cup. I think we’ll be okay and we’re looking forward to tomorrow already.”

Francesco Bruni, the port helm for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, came ashore grateful for the race timing out, plus plenty of take-aways for the Italian team: “Between the boats today it was hard to pick up on any difference between performance profile because the wind was so puffy and shifty.

“We didn’t have a great start, but we managed to stay close and to find our moments. But it was not an easy race. Today was actually a lot of learning for free because we could’ve lost a point, but we will take the luck.”

Asked whether he was surprised at the performance gain that INEOS Britannia have made through the competition, Bruni was not: “I knew it was going to happen. We all knew that they were going to improve, and they did improve. I still think that we can definitely sail better than what we did today, and it’s going to be a tough final, there’s going to be a lot of hard moments and good moments.”

A better forecast for tomorrow suggests the breezes are expected to be in the 12-14 knot range.

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup begins October 12, 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series*
August 29-September 9: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

*Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, but the results of their races were not included in the challenger leaderboard.

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-27: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the Youth America’s Cup and Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: ACE, Scuttlebutt