Am Cup Replay: The America's Cup is New Zealand's Cup, again
by Richard Gladwell 26 Jun 2018 15:50 BST
27 June 2018
Emirates Team New Zealand crosses the finish line to win the 35th Match for the America's Cup - America's Cup 35th Match - Match Day 5 - Regatta Day 21, June 26, 2017 (ADT) © Richard Gladwell
Following is the Sail-World coverage of Day 5 of the 35th America's Cup, along with the report from America's Cup Media and and as much video as we can find - including Emirates Team New Zealand's Dock-In and Dock-Out shows plus other video from the team.
There's also the full Liveline Feed that shows detailed race management data including mark rounding times, wind information, key events and penalties
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron created sailing history to become the first club to regain the America's Cup, after Emirates Team New Zealand won Race 9 of the 35th Match on the Great Sound, Bermuda.
Two races were scheduled, but only the first was required with the New Zealand team, trailing at Mark 1, but passing the Defender on the second leg and then sailing away to a series win by a margin of 54secs.
The outcome of the race was never in doubt, once Emirates Team New Zealand gybed first and was able to sail a faster angle to the second mark.
Despite the changes made to Oracle Team USA, they started with a bigger jib than the New Zealand team who looked to be rigged more for conditions in the 9-12kt range That was an ambitious call as it turned out, with the breeze never getting above 9kts.
Once again Emirates Team New Zealand looked to have the better of the start again taking up the leeward position allowing Jimmy Spithill to take the windward slot at the start. The US team seemed to be rigged for a fast first leg and despite having to sail the longer distance they shot over the top of the New Zealanders and had a 4 second lead at the first mark.
Normally that should have set the stage for a race win, which would have got the Americans back on the Comeback trail, but it was not to be. Emirates Team New Zealand put 22 seconds on OTUSA on the next beat and then kept a loose cover to seal the race and wrest the America's Cup from the Golden Gate Yacht Club.
Ashore the fans celebrated a mix of joy and relief.
The joy was for the outstanding performance and indeed survival of the team, which had withstood attack after attack off the water since losing to Oracle Team USA in 2013 in a series that spanned three weeks and ran across 19 races.
Add to that the one second loss in the seventh race of the 2007 America's Cup in Valencia, the ignominy of the 2003 defeat and loss of the America's Cup on the Hauraki Gulf in the second defence.
Further back is the break up of the then Team New Zealand following the luring of key sailors to Swiss Challenger Alinghi.
There were plenty of lurking demons in the Kiwi America's Cup kitbag, which have been exorcised by today's win.
At the winner's media conference Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton set the agenda for a new era in the America's Cup but also in the sailing world noted for its fractured events - which work well in their own right - but don't work as a co-ordinated sport.
Having been involved in the sharp end of Whitbread, Volvo Ocean Race, and America's Cup campaigns, Dalton is well-placed to sort a practical solution to create viable competition without overarching agendas.
It seemed that there had been some discussions about the shape of the new America's Cup world to come, but little in the way of specifics that could be announced.
No surprise was the announcement of the next Challenger of Record, Circolo della Vela Sicilia (CVS) and its team Luna Rossa, which has a long and close association with New Zealand extending back to 2000.
The Italian team are on the same page in most respects to the new Defender, and the relationship is expected to be harmonious. Several members of Luna Rossa joined Emirates Team New Zealand, on loan, after the Italian Challenger of Record for the 2017 America's Cup exited following the majority decision to change the class from the AC62 to the AC50 -
without the unanimous support of all the teams, nine months after the AC62 had been announced.
Their departure went hand in hand with the withdrawal of the Qualifiers for the 35th America's Cup from Auckland. The Emirates Team New Zealand claim was later upheld by the Arbitration Panel for the 35th America's Cup.
Today's win hits system reset on the America's Cup as it was yesterday.
Grant Dalton also made reference to the so-called 'Framework' of which five of the teams in the 2017 America's Cup were signatories.
While he did not dismiss the document and concept entirely, and in fact commented that ETNZ (and probably Luna Rossa) supported many aspects of it, there would now be discussions as to the way ahead.
It seems likely that some direction will come out in the next two weeks or so, sparing the sailing world, the hiatus of the of the past decade or more - where six months or more would lapse before the Protocol was announced, then more delay until the boat was made known - only to be changed and tweaked. Then there was the speculation and eventual announcement over the venue and date.
The basic questions have been answered today. Transparency looks like being one of the catch-cry's of the next America's Cup.
The 36th America's Cup will be sailed in 2021 (probably February/March). It will be sailed in Auckland, New Zealand. The Challenger of Record is an established team in the America's Cup with a wealth of experience and wisdom in the Cup - and importantly the Challenger of Record comes from Europe and the northern hemisphere.
The only question unanswered is the boat. It seems hard to believe that the AC50 will not be used in some way - the issue being to find a design that is sufficiently seaworthy to stand the rigors of the Hauraki Gulf.
Although the America's Cup is a Challenger driven event - and it is the challenger's prerogative to name the boat, not the Defenders. However one key advantage with Luna Rossa is that they sailed an AC72 on the Hauraki Gulf in early 2013, and are familiar with the issues. Obviously Emirates Team New Zealand will have a lot of input, but a workable outcome is all but certain.
Other questions to be answered are Base location Nationality, Constructed in Country, and the way the television and media package is put together - with the latter being vital to the sponsored teams.
But all in good time.
America's Cup Media:
Another dominant race win for Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand in race nine of the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton, gave the Kiwi team victory on the Great Sound in Bermuda, sparking wild celebrations on board their America’s Cup Class (ACC) boat, and the team’s support boats on the Great Sound. Burling now adds the 35th America’s Cup to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup trophy he won in San Francisco, 2013.
The Kiwi team dominated the final stage of the 35th America’s Cup, winning eight races to Oracle Team USA’s one race win, giving the New Zealanders a final winning scoreline of seven - one.
The America’s Cup was last won by a team representing New Zealand in 2000 and they are now the Defenders of the America’s Cup for the 36th installment of the competition for the oldest trophy in international sport.
In the final press conference of the 35th America’s Cup, Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand, also announced that the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has accepted the challenge of Circolo della Vela Sicilia, who will be the Challenger of Record for the 36th America's Cup and will be represented by Luna Rossa.
Selected quotes from Emirates Team New Zealand, Oracle Team USA and America’s Cup Event Authority:
Peter Burling, helmsman, Emirates Team New Zealand: “We’re just blown away. We came here to win the America’s Cup and right now we’re taking the America’s Cup back home to New Zealand.
“To be able to win eight races in Beautiful Bermuda in front of a big crowd of our own fans is overwhelming, we’re just happy to be able to share this moment with them, we’re just blown away.
“I’ve grown up watching this competition as a fan and to be a Kiwi and taking this Cup home is a dream come true.
“To be able to win this event at such a young age is an unreal feeling. However, I’m just a tiny part of a massive team and it is incredible to be able to reward the hard work of those hundreds of people who have supported us, not only here but back home in New Zealand as well.
“We’ve had to go through some incredibly tough times to get to this point. It has been an incredibly tough path to get past the rest of the challengers and then Oracle Team USA and it’s credit to every team that competed.
“It’s so unique to get to sail these boats, every day they can be different. Our incredible shore team gave us that edge and to be able to reward their hard work and bring this Cup home with us is an amazing feeling.
“It’s just sinking in really and I think that will be the same feeling for all of those Kiwi fans watching us win the America’s Cup back home.
“For me I think the reason we won was because of what happened four years ago. This team has gone through some really tough spots from San Francisco and to be able to reward this team with the America’s Cup is the best feeling, because they are such an incredible team.
“I’d like to say thank you to Bermuda. It has been an amazing venue for a sailing event and I’ve absolutely loved this place, I’d love to come back at some stage.
Glenn Ashby, Skipper, Emirates Team New Zealand: “It’s just an amazing feeling of satisfaction to have finally won the America’s Cup.
“It has been an incredibly tough journey to get here. We came across late to Bermuda from New Zealand and to be able to get the boat into good shape in such short time is all credit to our amazing team.
“I’m just so proud to be a part of this team and to be able to bring the Cup home and I want to thank the support of the whole country.
“What happened in 2013 was a brutal experience for everyone involved, to be so close was extremely disappointing and is something that will live with all of us for the rest of our lives.
“So to be able to come here a few years later and pull off an unbelievable victory has really redeemed that situation for New Zealand and it feels like justice has prevailed.
“I think we’ve seen some unbelievable advancements here with the boats and the type of races we’ve seen and it’s great for our sport. From a sailing perspective it’s going to be hard to sail anything else after what we’ve seen in these boats, the technology is just absolutely amazing.”
Grant Dalton, CEO, Emirates Team New Zealand: “We’ve done it, finally!
“We probably don’t realise how big a deal this is back in New Zealand. I’ve been told that there was traffic jams at 4am with people trying to get to work just to see the races, which is utterly incredible.
“We’ve had a phenomenal group of guys, we’ve battled some serious adversity but as a group we’ve overcome everything. There have been a lot of people behind that and none more so than Matteo De Nora, who has stuck with the team through thick and thin and believed in everything that we have done. New Zealand owes a lifetime of gratitude to him for what we have achieved.
“We thought outside of the square and we did it our way. After San Francisco we knew we couldn’t out-spend other teams here so we had to out-think everyone. One of the things to come out of San Francisco is that we were out-designed and we knew this time round that we had to push that area.
“This time round we had no restrictions on design. We just wanted to see what we could come up with and we have achieved some truly amazing things that have been revolutionary in this sport.
“After San Francisco we had a pretty tough debrief and came up with 20 points that we had to change. One of those was that we had to invest in technology and the people that provide it. We also had to get our arms around the next generation of yachtsmen that were coming through and Peter (Burling) was one of those.
“He told me he wanted to be helmsman, so it was all about investing in the right people and giving them the responsibility to go out and achieve what we knew we could.
“It is important that we make the next America’s Cup affordable but we also need to remember that it is the America’s Cup and it is one of the top sports and not a little beach regatta. It is never going to be cheap.
“It is a fine balance between not making it prohibitively expensive, but not being so cheap that it devalues the competition.
“At the core of what we believe, we have to create an event that takes a lot of the good that has happened here, because there been a lot of good here. Just because we didn’t sign the Framework Agreement, that doesn’t mean to say there weren’t elements we didn’t agree with, it was just didn’t agree with every element.
“To me it is a privilege to host the America’s Cup. It is not a right and we will put in place rules and an organisation of our own that will do everything to be good enough.”
Jimmy Spithill, Skipper, Oracle Team USA: ““On behalf of the whole of Oracle Team USA, congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand. What an incredible team. They’ve been a class above everyone in the 35th America’s Cup and we take our hats off to you. Well done.
“They sailed better than anyone else out here and so, rightly so, they are the 35th America’s Cup champions.
“The defeat hasn’t really sunk in yet and it is definitely weird looking at the trophy and knowing we won’t be taking it home.
“With hindsight there are a lot of things you would like to change but I think it’s far too early to say what might have gone wrong.
“Finally, I want to say, to Bermuda, you’ve welcomed us to your beautiful island and we’ve loved every moment of it. Thank you.”
Sir Russell Coutts, CEO, America’s Cup Event Authority, was quick to acknowledge the first New Zealand victory in the America’s Cup since 2000, saying, “I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations and praise to everyone in Emirates Team New Zealand for winning the 35th America’s Cup.
“Helmed brilliantly by Peter Burling, with the guiding influence of skipper Glenn Ashby, supported by a world class sailing, design and shore team, they performed magnificently here in Bermuda, winning in dominant fashion.
“I know just how much this victory means to the team and to the people of New Zealand. This is a remarkable achievement, one that will be rightly celebrated in Bermuda and across New Zealand and I hope those celebrations live long in the memory, much as the team’s victory in Bermuda has now written a new chapter in the history of the America’s Cup. Congratulations Emirates Team New Zealand. You deserve your victory, you deserve the accolades coming your way, and now, you deserve to enjoy it.”
America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton
Race Nine
Race nine started with both Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA enjoying clean starts and engaged in a drag race to the first mark, the US team edging just ahead but then losing ground to their rivals on the run to the second mark.
Burling was serene at the helm of the Kiwi boat, displaying no nerves as he steered his team towards glory, but Spithill and the Oracle Team USA crew were not giving up, pushing harder than ever to try and take the tie to race ten. However, it was not to be.
By the third mark the Challenge’s lead was up to 26 seconds, increasing further still at the fourth mark, up to 34 seconds, and from that point, barring mistakes by Burling and his all-conquering Emirates Team New Zealand crew, the die was cast.
Oracle Team USA managed to peg back their rivals slightly in the latter stages of the race, but New Zealand sealed their win in impressive style, crossing the finish line for the final time in the 35th America’s Cup 55 seconds ahead of the US team.
Race Results
Race Nine:
Emirates Team New Zealand beat Oracle Team USA by 55 seconds
America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton Final Standings
• Emirates Team New Zealand 7*
• Oracle Team USA 1
* Emirates Team New Zealand started the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton -1 due to Oracle Team USA’s win in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers.
Oracle Team USA Media:
Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill and his team went out to Bermuda’s Great Sound race course on Monday in a familiar but uncomfortable position – staring down multiple match points in the America’s Cup Match.
In 2013, Spithill led his team to one of the greatest comebacks in sport.
But in 2017 the New Zealand team was too fast and sailed a near-flawless regatta to take the win.
In Monday’s race, Oracle Team USA won the start and led at the first mark, but the Kiwis made a pass on the first downwind leg and covered closely from there to win the race and claim the America’s Cup by a seven - one scoreline.
Oracle Team USA offers its sincere congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand. The team is a worthy champion.
“On behalf of Oracle Team USA I want to congratulate Emirates Team New Zealand,” said skipper Jimmy Spithill.
“They were the complete package and fully deserving of the win.
'Thank you to our families, friends, partners and supporters. You've been with us every step of the way.
“I’d also like to thank Bermuda for hosting a fantastic America’s Cup. What you saw here was some of the best racing in the history of the event and you have to credit the vision of Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts for passing the event over in such a strong position.”
Team founder Larry Ellison addressed the team after racing, saying: 'I am very proud to be a part of this team. We gave it everything.
'When you compete against the very best in the world, you aren't going to win every time. We did it Valencia in 2010 and in San Francisco in 2013. But this was New Zealand's time and we congratulate them for a great win.'
America’s Cup Match – Race Nine Report
Oracle Team USA was set up for light conditions on Monday, in the six to nine knot range. Winds were stronger in the morning, forecast to ease over the course of the afternoon, but the timing would be critical. If the wind didn’t ease in time, the boat would have too much drag and not enough speed.
The wind was near 10 knots when skipper Jimmy Spithill pulled the trigger on the startline perfectly on this prestart, gapped off to windward and hitting the line with speed. Spithill led at mark one by four-seconds.
But on the first gybe, Team New Zealand took up the inside track above Oracle Team USA and made a pass to lead into the first gate by five-seconds. Spithill and Slingsby made a call for a difficult double gybe at the end of the leg to get a split on the upwind but the boat was slow coming out of the maneuver and the Kiwis pushed further ahead.
Oracle Team USA attempted to split as often as possible in an effort to get passed, but it wasn’t possible. Emirates Team New Zealand win the 35th America’s Cup seven - one.
Crew list for Race Nine:
• Skipper / Helmsman -- Jimmy Spithill
• Wing Trimmer -- Kyle Langford
• Tactician / Grinder -- Tom Slingsby
• Grinder -- Louis Sinclair
• Grinder – Kinley Fowler
• Grinder -- Ky Hurst
Race Management Timeline of Events - America's Cup Match Day 5, Races 1 & 2
Liveline Chatter Feed
8:19:56 TIM Good morning from Bermuda! It's Monday 26 June 2017
8:20:37 TIM Race 9 of the 35th America's Cup starts at 14:12 ADT
13:42:49 WND Wind 182 at 9.9 kn, 10.5 kn peak
14:00:00 WND Wind 179 at 10.1 kn, 11.4 kn peak
14:02:00 WND Wind 180 at 9.8 kn, 10.4 kn peak
14:03:28 PRO USA port
14:03:37 PRO NZL stbd
14:03:39 PRO Course 6-F
14:06:00 WND Wind 179 at 9.4 kn, 10.3 kn peak
14:09:00 Race 9 (USA,NZL): Warning, 3:00 until start
14:09:00 WND Wind 177 at 9.7 kn, 11.3 kn peak
14:09:57 USA Began Entry
14:09:59 USA Completed Entry
14:10:03 NZL Began Entry
14:10:05 NZL Completed Entry
14:11:31 WND Wind 187 at 9.1 kn, 9.6 kn peak
14:12:00 Race 9 (USA,NZL): Started
14:12:00 NZL Crossed Start Line
14:12:00 USA Crossed Start Line
14:12:53 USA Rounded Mark 1, 0:53.6 after start
14:12:57 NZL Rounded Mark 1, 0:04.2 behind leader
14:15:01 WND Wind 193 at 8.4 kn, 9.8 kn peak
14:15:22 NZL Rounded Mark 2, 3:22.1 after start
14:15:27 USA Rounded Mark 2, 0:04.9 behind leader
14:18:01 WND Wind 188 at 8.4 kn, 9.1 kn peak
14:21:00 NZL Rounded Mark 3, 9:00.0 after start
14:21:01 WND Wind 186 at 8.9 kn, 10.8 kn peak
14:21:26 USA Rounded Mark 3, 0:26.2 behind leader
14:22:23 PRO WG -
14:24:01 WND Wind 181 at 9.1 kn, 10.0 kn peak
14:24:22 NZL Rounded Mark 4, 12:22.5 after start
14:24:57 USA Rounded Mark 4, 0:34.7 behind leader
14:27:01 WND Wind 183 at 8.8 kn, 9.3 kn peak
14:29:50 NZL Rounded Mark 5, 17:50.3 after start
14:30:01 WND Wind 182 at 8.3 kn, 9.0 kn peak
14:30:14 USA Rounded Mark 5, 0:23.7 behind leader
14:32:43 NZL Rounded Mark 6, 20:43.7 after start
14:33:01 WND Wind 187 at 8.7 kn, 9.6 kn peak
14:33:22 USA Rounded Mark 6, 0:39.1 behind leader
14:33:23 NZL Crossed Finish Line
14:33:27 PRO NZL Finished: time 14:33:23.776, 21:23.776 after start
14:34:18 USA Crossed Finish Line, 0:54.4 behind leader
14:34:23 PRO USA Finished: time 14:34:18.190, 22:18.190 after start
14:34:25 PRO Race 9 Terminated
14:35:26 TIM NZL takes race 9 to win the 35th America's Cup
14:36:45 TIM It's been an honor to be here. Thanks and congratulations to all!
14:37:00 TIM Chatter out.