2017 America's Cup Racing:
Louis Vuitton Qualifiers,
Round Robin 1, Race Day 1

It's on! Four years of waiting and now the serious match racing returns to the America's Cup with the opening of the challenger selection regatta series.  Phase one begins today, the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers, a sponsor-friendly mouthful for two rounds robin among the 5 challengers and the defender (yes, the defender, we'll get to that later).  The teams will match race each other twice over the next eight days, eliminating one challenger, with the top four proceeding to the "Best of 9" format semi-finals series.

There's a lot of speculation to be finally answered on how these frighteningly fast ACC catamarans will fare in match racing, what tactics will prevail for boats that can remaining foiling through gybes and tacks, and how the crews will deal with the demands of keeping these new yachts going in the right direction while also match racing on a narrow course.  There have been practice races in recent weeks, but now the competitors will have to start showing their hand.

Weather looks good. winds west at 9-12 knots, skies clear, air temp 75d F. 

Conditions: Windguru Dockyard | Wunderground Somerset

Saturday Race Pairings:
First race 2:00 pm.
Approximately 30 minutes between starts.

R1: USA beats FRA
R2: SWE beats JPN
R3: NZL beats FRA
R4: GBR beats SWE
R5: USA beats NZL
R6: JPN beats GBR

Race 1: USA vs. FRA
Underway at 2:08 pm. Oracle Team USA out to early lead, 15 seconds over Groupama Team France at the first mark, 400m upwind, then 900m downwind, continuing to extend. USA will go on to a sizable margin of victory, finishing before FRA starts the last leg. Finish margin of victory (delta) is 2:11.

Race 2: SWE vs. JPN
Underway at 2:37 pm local time.  Close match with SoftBank Team Japan leading by 60-80m on the first upwind leg, extending to 165m by the time they reach the starboard layline, but then Artemis Racing starts reeling them in as they head for the gate.  Both round to the left, delta is 11 seconds. Downwind, Japan is faster except when SWE gets the puffs first, lead out to 260m.  Both hit the port layline and gybe. JPN round to the right, SWE turns left, wind appears to be swinging.  JPN comes back across the course on port, maybe looking to cover, but the lead has shrunk, 120m as they cross, and SWE still coming.  Artemis just has more speed on starboard and hits the left side of the course, taking the lead.  It's now neck and neck trading tacks up the leg.  Nathan Outteridge on Artemis is saving tacks against Japan, and building to a 120m lead as they approach the starboard layline. 19 second delta for SWE as they both turn left. A quick downwind and they gybe for the finish leg, SWE pulling ahead, same number of gybes for each team, but Artemis accelerating a bit quicker. Artemis Racing will win Race 2.

Race 3: NZL vs. FRA
Underway at 3:06 local time.  New Zealand screams out to an instant lead against France.  It's only 21 seconds at the second mark, but FRA looks slow and Emirates Team New Zealand is already 300m ahead and pulling away.  NZL is sailing much better angles on both tacks, takes the left gate, already leading by close to 600m, 1:13 delta at Gate 3. By the time France rounds, NZL is over a kilometer away.  The trend continues, huge lead for NZL, who win Race 3.

Close action in Race 5 on Day 1 between USA and NZL. Image ©2017 ACEA/Photo: Ricardo Pinto

Race 4: GBR vs. SWE.
Start at 3:35 pm. Time on distance attempt with both boats late, screaming side by side at 40knots until Artemis, getting gassed, falls off slightly. 2 second margin at the first mark. At the first downwind gate, GBR turns left, Artemis turns right, 9 seconds behind. Maybe Outteridge has learned something in his first race? GBR slow to get out of the corner of the course, SWE comes across, passing 100m behind. Artemis tacks on ahead, makes a brief gain, but then the wind comes back for GBR and Ainslie is out to over 200m lead. Coming into Gate 3 GBR on the port layline turns right, SWE on the starboard layline turns left. Delta is 16 seconds.  GBR on the far left is sailing a great angle downwind, lead increasing to over 300m until the have to gybe back to the center. 

The lead shrinks briefly, but then Ainslie again gets a good angle coming into the port layline and stays out in front.  Outteridge from the left side will take the right hand gate.  GBR has taken the left. Margin is 19 seconds as they head upwind again. Again, better angles for GBR, and lead is over 300m.  BAR overstands a bit on the left, while SWE tacks on the starboard layline, consolidating some gains. GBR turns right, SWE turns left, 17 second margin. But on the sort downwind leg, SWE gains on a better course, round 5 seconds behind, and a drag race to the finish, both touching 38 knots or more, but the lead not diminishing.  Land Rover BAR will win Race 4.

Despite success in the practice races, Groupama Team France, seen in submergence mode above, was off the pace on Day 1 of the Qualifiers. Image ©2017 ACEA/Photo: Ricardo Pinto

 

Race 5: NZL vs. USA.
Start at 4:05 pm.   Even start, NZL to windward, USA bears off and pulls slightly ahead, will get inside at the first mark, delta 2 seconds.  Emirates chasing to Mark 2, about 50m behind, but right one USA's tail. Both will turn left, lead is 5 seconds.  They head to the corner, NZL to ww and slightly behind tacking away before the boundary comes to avoid catching a penalty. 

Upwind it's dead even, just a matter of meters, before USA gets out a length or two.  USA tack early this time, both head up the course on port, NZL edges ahead, then USA falls off and the lead shoots to over 100m.  USA catches a lift coming off the righthand boundary, NZL crosses them, also tacking at the boundary, and Emirates keeps a 65m lead as they come to the port layline.  USA tacks, but NZL can lay the gate.  A big jump for the New Zealand team, Burling bears away, turning left, and Spithill will take the right, behind now by 20 seconds at the mark.

Downwind it's 300m for NZL, both will be able to do the leg in just 2 gybes. Emirates can lay the righthand gate, turning right. USA makes the left. Delta is again 20 seconds. New Zealand does poorly coming out of the gate as the wind veers and Oracle Team USA is within 100m, then 30, then even after they cross.  NZL tacks back, starts to gain from the left on starboard tack.  NZL is tacking better, USA not foiling as well as NZL through the tacks. Both tack short of the layline, but will try to make it work.  USA coming right can make the left gate, NZL can't make the right and has to tack.  USA shoots underneath, tries a luff and a protest.  Green flag, but USA gets an overlap at the circle, and will round inside, taking the lead. 

Seven second margin as they head onto the short final downwind leg.  65 meters slipping to 175 or more.  USA has to gybe, NZL might save the gybe, still is a bit far back.  USA rounds the mark wide, NZL just makes it, three second delta, but onto the final leg, reaching for the finish, USA is 140m out in front and though NZL is actually sailing a couple knots faster there won't be room to catch them. USA wins Race 5 by six seconds.

Race 6: GBR vs. JPN.
Start at 4:34 pm.  Damage to both boats from contact in the pre-start. Penalty to Land Rover/BAR gives SoftBank Team Japan gets the jump at the start, land JPN leads by 8 seconds at Mark 1. Lead is 8 seconds at the first downwind gate.  Both turn left.  GBR tacks first, JPN tacks at the boundary. 140m lead. They stay close the whole way up the leg, both turning right, JPN leading by 13 seconds. Barker adds 2 seconds on the downwind leg, Ainslie still following him upwind.  Little changes, Japan extends slowly, and Softbank Team Japan will win Race 6, their first of the regatta. Delta was 48 seconds.

Match Races Provide Some Close Action on Round Robin Day 1

(May 27) Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, Great Britain, and USA all won races on the opening day of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers. Oracle Team USA was the only team to win both of their races, the rest splitting, except for France who lost both contests.

Land Rover/BAR and SoftBank Team Japan are assessing the aftermath of pre-start contact in their race Saturday. A preliminary report from the Jury characterizes BAR's damage as "serious" while a determination on Japan is still coming in. GBR was penalized on the course for the incident. However, the new rules allow only very limited redress, meaning that any serious damage sustained in the collision could be a big threat to a team's overall chances for the entire regatta, even if they were not at fault.

The Jury can allow Japan to postpone their Day 2 races in order to make repairs.  Since GBR was at fault in the collision, they will not receive additional time.

Richy O'Farrell, Shore Team Lead, Land Rover/BAR:
"We had a coming together with Japan in the pre-start, it looks like we had a bit of a side-slip and landed on top of them. So they punctured our hull from underneath, and we have done quite a lot of damage to the hull. Over the next hour or so we'll make a plan as to what we are going to do to fix it, and see how long it is going to take us. It's quite a lot of damage. A long night ahead, I'd say."

Ben Ainslie, Skipper and Team Principal, Land Rover/BAR:
"The boat is pretty badly damaged, with a sizeable hole in the port hull. It was a great effort by the team to get the boat around the course in the state that it was in. We were better off foiling with the hull out of the water, and we tried to keep the boat on the foils right into the harbor.

"We were lucky we did, by the time we got to the dock she was on her way down. It was all hands to the pumps and bailing. It's been about 30 years since I was bailing out Optimist dinghies, and it wasn't something I was expecting to do.

"The collision was unfortunate, we had a sideways slip just as Dean came in and got the leeward overlap. No one wants that, certainly in our position as we picked up a penalty and the damage. Thankfully, the most important thing is that no one got hurt."

Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers: Race Day 2

Sunday's Pairings - Race Day 2:
First Race start at 2:08 pm local time.
Racing Complete

R7: FRA beat SWE ∆ :03 sec.
R8: USA beat GBR ∆ :39 sec.
R9: NZL beat JPN ∆ :33 sec.
R10: SWE beat USA ∆ :39 sec.
R11: NZL beat GBR ∆ 1:28 sec.
R12: USA beat JPN ∆ :54 sec.

See RR1 Standings and Results

Weather:
Winds SW 8-10 knots (WindGuru). Wind 13-14 knots WSW (Wunderground)

Day 2 Preview:
Land Rover/BAR and SoftBank Team Japan will be back on the water, after repairs for damage sustained yesterday in a pre-start collision.

Both team showed good speed in their debuts on Saturday, a welcome performance especially for the British team which had looked remarkably slow compared to the field during practice racing.

Oracle Team USA comes off of Day 1 leading in wins, but not in points, thanks to the bonus that GBR earned for winning the 2015-2016 America's Cup World Series.  Though skipper Jimmy Spithill was quick to say his team needed to do better, they still must be enjoying the way they saved a tack at the upwind gate and got under Emirates Team New Zealand to snatch the lead away for good, in what was Saturday's most exciting race.

ETNZ looked exceptionally fast at times, though sometimes their opponents made gains on windshifts and position.  Artemis Racing showed again how tough they can sail, with smart tactics and competitive speed, but gave up ground to GBR in their match getting caught on the wrong side of headers.  A course where the wind often seemed to go right put several teams at a disadvantage throughout the day, particularly if they chose a right turn coming out of the downwind gate.

Groupama Team France, who looked solid in the practice races, has found themselves well off the pace in their first two races. Will they have made significant adjustments for today's races?

A quirk of the schedule, which originally listed Race 5-8 for Sunday and now will see Race 7-12 is that though most teams will race twice, Groupama Team France will race only once (facing SWE) while Oracle Team USA will race three times (GBR, SWE, and JPN). Oracle's compensation is that this is the end of their RR1 schedule and they will have Monday off before RR2 begins on Tuesday.  France will be the only team racing twice on Monday.

See Standings and Results

See Regatta Schedule

Race 7: SWE vs. FRA
Start on time.  FRA ahead, SWE trailing at the gun.  SWE accelerates and tries to pass to WW, but FRA eventually responds and holds them off, protecting the inside to lead by 2 seconds at mark 1.  SWE gybes better for the downwind gate and passes, taking a 12 second lead and turning left while FRA turns right.  Up the leg SWE quickly extends to 150m, then 200 and growing.  Again the breeze favors the starboard tacks. 

FRA's turn on starboard cuts the lead to under 40m before the boundary comes up for SWE. Then with both on starboard, FRA keeps edging up to leeward of Artemis and takes the lead by 40m before hitting the port tack layline.  Coming off the layline however, FRA has to duck an oncoming Sweden still on starboard tack to avoid a dial-down situation, loses the lead briefly, but keeps her speed up and carries it to the starboard layline, tacking now for the left gate.  Artemis, downspeed a bit, needs another tack, too, and gives up a lot of ground to the French.  Groupama rounds 22 seconds ahead at Mark 3. 

Downwind a 200m lead is holding steady for Team France.  Lead holding at 19 seconds at the final downwind gate, both turn right.  France tacks awkwardly by the boundary and SWE closes the gap. Artemis is chasing up the leg, in phase with the leader, lead 50-100m.

Both go to the port layline, France pinches to get around saving a tack.  Sweden overstood a bit though, so no change. After turning right, SWE gybes first, FRA stays with them, defending a 100m lead.  FRA sails slightly deeper angles, extending a bit as they approach the port layline for the final turn for the finish. France leads by 4 seconds with the last dash coming up.  SWE is showing slightly more speed, reeling them in, lead down to 70m, 60m, 50m, 45m, but then the finish line arrives.  Groupama Team France wins Race 7 by 3 seconds!

 

Race 8: USA vs. GBR
Land Rover BAR leads to first mark and downwind gate, they split, GBR left, USA right.  Oracle makes small gains up the leg, building just a 9 second lead. They split again at the upwind gate, USA right, GBR left.  Oracle extends while BAR is struggling after their bearaway. BAR again having trouble as they approach the downwind gate, sailing bad angles, giving away distance to USA. Now 33 second delta at Gate 4. Upwind, USA is sitting on a 175-200m lead, the boats mostly in phase. They both tack at the port layline, GBR downspeed, Oracle heading for the hills and gone. 32 seconds at the final upwind gate, but USA has a 400m lead and growing, with only the turn to the finish remaining. Oracle Team USA wins Race 8.

Race 9: JPN vs. NZL
Start 3:06 pm.  Drag race start, JPN just leading around first and second marks. Both turn left at Mark 2 and head up the leg on starboard tack. JPN a little higher, a little faster.  Three-quarters of the way up, Burling tacks early to get out of phase. Barker goes past the layline.  NZL isn't gaining much on the gamble yet.  Both need one more tack near the gate. NZL executes better and the lead is down to 3 seconds.  JPN turns right, NZL left.  Team New Zealand is slow on their bearaway and gives up a slight lead now to SoftBank Team Japan.

A slow gybe by NZL at the bottom of the leg gives JPN a 13 second lead to JPN. They split again at the bottom gate. Out of phase now on the final upwind leg, the lead goes back and forth, a matter of just a few meters. NZL finds gains on both tacks in the upper half of the course, and takes a lead of 100m/14 seconds around the final upwind gate.  NZL left, JPN right.  Good bearaways for both, but JPN is finding a much deeper angle and cutting the lead. NZL will round the mark without gybing, while JPN is slightly behind and will have to gybe themselves, leaving the New Zealand team too far ahead on the last leg for Japan to catch.  Emirates Team New Zealand wins Race 9.

Race 10: USA vs. SWE
Start 3:35.  Artemis Racing out to a small lead on Oracle Team USA, which they defend around Mark 1, MArk2, and upwind on Leg 3. USA trails about 100m in advantage, out of phase.  SWE makes a good gain on a lifted starboard tack at the top of the course, out to about 250m, overstands the port layline slightly, but lays the right-hand gate and rounds well ahead. 19 second delta at Gate 3.  SWE leads by 24 seconds at the bottom gate. SWE turns right, USA sets up for a close rounding turning left. 

Upwind, despite being on port tack when the starboard has been paying, NZL is extending the lead a bit. USA sees this and tacks back to port in the middle of the course, not waiting for the boundary.  The right is clearly favored a bit and SWE comes back, too.  The lead has evaporated, barely 30 m with a cross threatening, but USA is a bit slow out of the tack and SWE is well past.  SWE tacks and both now on starboard with probably one more tack coming at the layline.  Artemis trying to lay the mark, USA tacks, looking like they drew a header on port, and SWE rounds first, turning left. USA goes for the righthand mark, bearing away and rounding 15 seconds behind now. 

It didn't look like much, but Sweden is instantly out to a 400m lead on the final downwind leg, game over.  Sweden's Artemis Racing will win Race 10. Final delta is 39 seconds.

Race 11: NZL vs. GBR
Start time 4:05 pm. ETNZ penalized for entering the start box too early. GBR to the wing mark first on the penalty, but NZL barely leads around Mark 2, 2 seconds ahead. Starboard tack is heavily favored and both try to maximize it. Halfway up leg 3, the wind clock further right, both boats can lay the upwind gate after only a second tack. NZL leads by 9 seconds.  Difficulty gybing by GBR after the rounding and NZL is out to a 400m lead downwind. Great angle DW for NZL and they might make the downwind gate without a second gybe, nearly 500m ahead. 49 seconds at Mark 4. NZL left, GBR right. By the final downwind leg the lead is over 1000m.  Emirates Team New Zealand wins Race 11. This will be GBR's second loss of the day.

Race 12: JPN vs. USA
Start time 4:34 pm. Time and distance start, even at the line, USA to windward. Both turn right at the bottom gate, 7 second lead to USA. JPN tacks first. Port tack is really headed. JPN tacks at the boundary. USA tacks in their path, about 90m ahead.  JPN tacks away once up to speed, and though USA has a better angle on starboard, they tack to cover.  Both bounce off the righthand boundary again, USA slightly ahead.

Oracle seems to be steadily outpointing JPN now on starboard. Lead goes from barely 30m to over 250m.  JPN tacks before the port layline, USA tacks just on it, looks headed, but can barely make it, saving the tack, and getting a massive lead for their efforts.  JPN is struggling, USA sails off with the race. Oracle Team USA wins Race 12. Final margin is 54 seconds.

Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers: Race Day 3

Monday's Pairings - Race Day 3:
First Race start signal at 2:08 pm local time.
Three Matches

R13: FRA beats GBR (2:08 pm start)
R14: NZL beats SWE (2:37 pm start)
R15: JPN beats FRA (3:06 pm start)
Round Robin 1 Ends

See RR1 Standings and Results

Weather:
Wind WSW 11-13kts, gusts to 19 knots.  77d F, partly sunny (ACEA).  Winds WSW 13 kts, gusts to 19 knots (WindGuru). Wind 19 knots WSW (Wunderground).

Race 13:
Land Rover/BAR (GBR) vs. Groupama Team France (FRA).
Start ontime. In the pre-start GBR gets the hook, forces FRA to tack early, controlling the start.  France trailing across the starting line, GBR leads by 15 seconds at the downwind gate. Both turn left, to set up a long tack ont he favored starboard. France trail in BAR's wake, their track slightly to windward of the Brits. France steadily makes gains, pulling even after GBR tacks to port at the boundary.  Approaching the upwind gate, GBR on the port layline, a near even FRA on the starboard tack, GBR can't get across to the righthand mark for a bearaway rounding with FRA coming on starboard.  GBR tacks in the left circle, dead slow, and France rolls over them, rounding on the outside and in the lead. 

Downwind on port, GBR slow cuts into the 125m margin, making a big gain on a better gybe than FRA at the boundary. But FRA can lay the gate, GBR cannot and has to take one more gybe. France turns right, GBR turns left, delta was 10 seconds.  Upwind, France is again faster than GBR. Their lead grows, 200m, 300m, more.  44 seconds at the second windward gate. On the final downwind, France leads by over 700m.  Groupama Team France wins Race 13, their first of two races today. Finish delta was 53 seconds.

 

Race 14:
Artemis Racing (SWE) vs. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)
Start at 2:37 pm. The boats approach the line from upwind as the clock counts down, SWE leading, NZL trailing, but OCS penalty on Artemis and NZL passes them at the first mark, leads to the downwind gate. NZL turn left, SWE right, 9 seconds apart. Tight race up the windward leg. Artemis has to duck at a cross nearing the gate. The next cross is practically in the gate, SWE just clear ahead on starboard turns left, NZL takes the right without ducking, margin is 3 seconds.  NZL finding more wind, more speed, and gybing better, turns that into a 30m lead, just enough to get their choice of gate at the bottom of the course, turning left, with Artemis taking the right, delta is zero, dead even. The battle continues, Artemis cops another penalty at the last mark for not leaving NZL room,  Emirates Team New Zealand gets past them to win Race 14.

Race 15:
Groupama Team France (FRA) vs. SoftBank Team Japan (JPN)
Even start, FRA well to windward, but JPN accelerates faster, sails up and in front of FRA, and rounds the wing mark first.  Into the downwind gate, FRA follows JPN, both turning left, delta 7 seconds. Upwind, Japan is crisper in the tacks and faster in a straight line, pulling ahead to a 300m+ lead. Japan keeps extending around the course, into a huge lead, and wins Race 15, the last race of Round Robin 1.