For the first time in the 37th America’s Cup, Challenger of Record INEOS Britannia faced Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in their AC75 race boats. It wasn’t the result the British team, racing for the Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd, was hoping for – with the Kiwis taking the win after INEOS Britannia fell off the foils in the action packed pre-start.
INEOS Britannia Team Principal and Skipper Ben Ainslie said the crash down happened as the team tried out a new pre-start tactic.
“We tried something a little bit different and it didn’t work out for us,” he said.
“But it’s better that we tried it now and learned from it rather than doing it next week when the event starts.”
The Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta does not count towards the main America’s Cup event, but it does offer teams a chance to race their AC75s against each other for the first time and make any changes.
On the second day of the Preliminary Regatta, Barcelona once again produced steady conditions with 10 knots of wind speed from the south-southwest and flat water – and it meant that the teams could really push the pre-start battle. The first three races of the day were all settled on the start line.
Ben Ainslie and his team have been working hard with their start coach, Ian Williams, on what is and isn’t possible in these new AC75s, as the teams battle to gain an edge at the start gun. The settled conditions meant that winning the start was even more of a priority — as we saw yesterday, there are few passing lanes on this race course in these conditions.
Today it wasn’t to be for the British boat though, as the team gybed inside the New Zealand boat to lead back to the start line, the Kiwis gained control. The British tried a difficult “double-tack” move to break clear, but dropped off the foils on the second of the manoeuvres, and that was the end of the race as a contest. The leg and lap splits told the rest of the story. The New Zealand boat had a slight edge upwind, with the British holding, or coming back to them on the downwind legs.
Elsewhere, the first race of the day was settled when Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI) were late at the start and New York Yacht Club American Magic gained an advantage they held to the finish. The day’s third race was decided after Luna Ross Prada Pirelli (ITA) trapped American Magic above the line and led comfortably from there. While the fourth and final race of the day was over before it even began, as Orient Express Racing Team retired before the start of their race with Emirates Team New Zealand due to a “technical issue”.
INEOS Britannia Team Principal and Skipper Ben Ainslie said that although the team’s result was “tough”, he felt positive that the team could build on their performance.
“We will take a lot from that race,” he said
“We can learn from that and have a debrief with Ian Williams, our start coach, and come back stronger.”
The Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta continues tomorrow from 13:00 BST (14:00 CET). INEOS Britannia has a double race day, facing Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. UK viewers can watch all the action live on TNT Sports. The Preliminary Regatta culminates on Sunday 25 August and the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selections Series) then begins on 29 August. The series will determine which of the five Challenging teams will take on Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match.
