Professor Mark Orams is a former New Zealand and world champion sailor, Team New Zealand member, author, environmentalist and professor of sport and recreation at the Auckland University of Technology.
OPINION
There is a temptation to view this America’s Cup as ending in asimilar manner to the dominant 5-0 wins of Team New Zealand’s 1995 and 2000 campaigns. It seems to be playing out the same way, with the Kiwi team dominating the first half of the regatta.
However, we should not get carried away with over-confidence because this time is different. Here’s why.
In 1995 with NZL 32, and 2000 with NZL 60, the Team New Zealand boats were significantly faster than their opposition’s. Short of suffering a breakage, the boat-speed advantage the Kiwis had meant they were always going to dominate those races. And they did. All of them.
It’s different this time. Ineos Britannia’s Rita is as fast in a straight line as Emirates Team New Zealand’s Taihoro. The data shows this. In fact, some of the races show Rita is quicker at times.
Team NZ is winning because they are sailing immaculately and not making any mistakes and, crucially, they make gains against the Brits in every tack. It is about a boat-length gain every time – or around 25m. In a four-upwind-leg race consisting of around five to six tacks per leg, that equates to 400-plus metres of advantage.
Ineos Britannia chasing Emirates Team New Zealand in the pre-start of race four of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona. Photo / Photosport
It’s not only the distance gain; probably even more important is the tactical power this advantage gives the Kiwis.
For the trailing boat, as Rita has been in all but the first leg of race four, it means when the Brits try to attack or wriggle free from the cover the Kiwis place on them, they lose distance.
Conversely, when Team NZ are behind, it means they can tack to break the cover from Britannia and make gains and stage a pass.
It’s a crucial advantage.
No surprises, then, that on the first lay-day of this 37th America’s Cup on Tuesday, the Brits went out sailing – and what were they concentrating on? Tacking. Dozens and dozens of tacks.
With the ability to analyse the data and relative performance of the yachts from these first four races, they will have clearly identified the priority for improvement.
With the influential support of the performance analysis boffins from the Mercedes Formula One team back in Brackley in the UK, Sir Ben Ainslie and co will have picked apart the Kiwi settings, technique and choreography. Understanding this and practising on the lay-day has given them the opportunity to step forward and negate this key disadvantage they have.
Can they close the gap enough to beat the Kiwis? Possibly.
They are not permitted under the rules to change the equipment on their yacht so, for example, the innovative twin-mainsheet system on Taihoro is not something they can copy.
What they can do is replicate the technique the Kiwis use. It is subtly different, and can be copied.
These yachts are very close in speed. This is not going to be a walkover for Emirates Team New Zealand. To win three more races, they are going to need to be able to continue to sail at the extremely high level they have done over the first four.
Make a mistake and the Brits will be able to bank a win.
