AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
Despite the high estimation of Oracle’s race took a different course
than expected.
Oracle first had to "work off the minus points " that is, to win 3
times before they can book a winner-point only.
The catamaran of ETNZ was faster than Oracle in the first races,
especially windward.
The team was extremely well trained and sailed faster tacking and
jibing
The collaboration between the skipper and the tactician worked
better as well.
Both teams sailed thrilling match races that have been
missed so much in the Louis Vuitton Cup.
As Oracle lost the 5th Race with 1:04 minutes at a level of 4 :0, it
took one day “Postponement”
This 1-day (only) time-out can be taken by each team without any
justification.
In the 6th Race Oracle had replaced the tactician Kostecki by Ben
Ainsley. Also undisclosed improvements were made at the
catamaran. (Probably the weight has been shifted towards the
stern).
Visible was only the shortening of the bowsprit
The boat was considerably faster and stopped the daily double
victories of ETNZ
The America’s Cup 2013
The race
In the 8th Race the grinders of
ETNZ could not build up in time
enough pressure for the hydraulic of
the wing. This happened in a hasty,
over-cranking tacking. The wing
could not be eased and the
catamaran rose to one side in a
giant heeling steeply into the air.
But the crew could control it again
in time and the boat splashed back.
ETNZ got for obstruction of Oracle a
"penalty" and lost this race.
The 13th Race started in extremely
light wind and little current. Both
teams set downwind for the first
time their gennakers*. ETNZ led in
some routes over a mile. Since both
teams did not reach the finish line
within the 40 minutes limit, the race
was abandoned.
In the following (again 13th race)
ETNZ caused when trying without
right of way to cross in front of the
Oracle's bow a collision and was
awarded a penalty again. Oracle
won this race superior.
The times of the monohulls, which
have been pulled on the downwind
leg by their spinnakers, are almost
history with the AC72. Especially
when "foiling" the boats “outrun”
the wind which no longer fills the
gennakers and causes them to
flutter. Thus, the catamaran will
slow down and endangers eminently
its stability.
On 21 September it rained for the first time
since February. As the wind was blowing
from the wrong direction across the racing
circuit, both races were canceled.
The next day, (a mighty whale still had time
to leave the bay) Oracle won in the 14th and 15th races both starts, kept ETNZ under control and won again now a sequence of
four races.
New standing 8:5 ETNZ needs 1 point, Oracle still 4 to victory. Without the minus 2 points from the AC45 World Series, it would be
8:7, with a far greater psychological pressure on the New Zealand team
However, Oracle had increased by improvements in the catamaran especially the windward speed. By Spithill's aggressive start,
the better speed and perfect match-racing Oracle Racing won all of the following races spectacular as at a standing of 8:8.
On 25th September the Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Oracle Team USA defended in the 19th race successfully the 34th
America's Cup 9:8.