America's Cup: First anniversary of AC36 win - a look back at a successful Defence
by Richard Gladwell 17 Mar 2022 11:09 NZDT
17 March 2022
Emirates Team New Zealand cross the finish to successfully defend the America's Cup - AC36 - Race 10 - March 17, , Auckland, New Zealand © Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com / nz
Today, March 17, marks the first anniversary of Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's successful defence of the America's Cup in the 36th Match for the most prestigious trophy in sailing.
Here's a look at how that final day unfolded.
To borrow a Rugby cliché the 36th America's Cup was very much a game of two halves.
After five days of racing Emirates Team New Zealand had six wins, and were on Match Point.
With four races remaining on the race schedule, the Kiwi team only had to win one more to successfully defend the trophy won in Bermuda on June 26, 2017.
The Challenger Circolo della Vela Sicilia represented by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, with three wins to its credit, had to win all four remaining races in the best of 13 race series.
A forecast of funky winds again made course selection a somewhat vexed exercise, and Race 10 was no different. The choice was for Course A which overlapped the course used 20 years previously, for RNZYS's Defences of the 2000 and 2003 America's Cup.
When the teams arrived at the designated race area there was no wind, however at the entrance to the Hauraki Gulf winds of 20-25kts were being reported. Eventually some of that made its way to the race area, creeping slowly down the course and building to an excellent sailing breeze of 10-12kts.
The glassy conditions initially caused some consternation for the teams. Luna Rossa was towed onto her foils and released sailing in her own apparent wind on the glassy sea. But that display came to grief when they tacked to avoid the massive spectator fleet, and Luna Rossa fell off her foils.
When the breeze arrived, both AC75's remained bareheaded and tethered to their chase boats, as the rapidly rising breeze kicked in. Correct jib choice was critical.
After an initial flurry the breeze settled, prompting the Regatta Director to delay the start three times, as crews pondered their jib options.
The wind settled and racing got under way after a delay of 30 minutes, with both teams opting for their #2jibs - anticipating a building seabreeze.
Luna Rossa was first to enter from the port (left) side of the start box with Emirates entering from the right a few seconds later, and both hitting 42kts in just 10kts of breeze.
Despite the entry speed, it was a sedate start, without close combat and with both Challenger and Defender having different first leg agendas.
Emirates Team NZ's was to take the right hand side of the course dominated by Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands and they tacked in that direction as they crossed the start line. Luna Rossa sailed almost all the way to the left hand boundary before tacking and following the Kiwis, 60secs after the start and already 100 metres in arrears.
When they got going, and in their high mode, Luna Rossa cut that deficit to 60 metres. But got bounced out to the left again after the Kiwis employed a classic match racing defence to protect the favourable breeze and tactical position on the right.
When they next lined up to cross tacks it was the Italians who initially gained and were 25 metres ahead.
But on the intersection, as the give way boat, Luna Rossa opted to duck Emirates Team NZ's transom and tried out the right hand side. But unfortunately the breeze swung left allowing the Kiwis to lay through without needing to tack to make the first mark. They came in slightly high of the mark, allowing helmsman Burling to sail a freer course, hitting 46kts in just 12kts of breeze.
On Leg 2, the Kiwis downwind lead rapidly extended from an initial 100 metres after rounding the first mark to 250 metres as they sailed down opposite course boundaries. The Italians chased hard, made some good tactical calls, and helped by a slightly stronger breeze, closed the race up again getting to within 30 metres, at Mark 2, the end of the first downwind leg.
However at the start of the second of the three lap course, instead of going to the left as they had on the previous windward Leg 1, Luna Rossa elected to follow Te Rehutai to the right. According to the wind data from each boat, Peter Burling and friends sailed 8kts faster all the way to the right hand boundary in a stronger breeze.
Luna Rossa missed what the Italians call "a Kiwi puff", and to compound the damage, Luna Rossa were also affected by the Kiwi's sail turbulence. The Kiwis applied a loose cover when Luna Rossa tacked on the right hand boundary.
That 90 second period was the turning point of the race.
Emirates Team NZ lead extended to almost 300 metres halfway up the leg and it was game over.
The New Zealand team were never seriously challenged over the remaining three and a half legs to complete a successful Defence of the most prestigious trophy in sailing.
The series win was the second successful consecutive defense by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, following on the back of the 30th America's Cup won in March 2000.
Turmoil followed that 30th America's Cup, when the team broke up a month later with skipper Russell Coutts enticing the "Tight Five" to join the fledging Swiss domiciled Alinghi.
The celebrations were short-lived.
Hostilities resumed as the Challenger generously applauded the Defender. Off the water the NZ Government issued a media release, congratulating the team and offering an inducement of $5million, conditional on the 37th Match in New Zealand waters. The stunt threw a dampener on celebrations as mainstream media zeroed in on the latest controversy, and downplayed the significance of the win.
The bribe was formally declined by the America's Cup champions a couple of days later, as they entered into a three month exclusive but fruitless negotiation period with the Government and Auckland Council.