© K. Urtz 2013
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
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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.