Opposite: happier times for American Magic and Patriot – the only team to beat the New Zealand Defender during the World Series racing before Christmas when the New York YC team also came within a whisker of winning the series overall. A few weeks later and the US team were in all sorts of trouble trying to rediscover their speed before the catastrophic capsize racing Luna Rossa. Dean Barker is steering to leeward here and so unsighted to windward – just as he was when Patriot later on got slammed by the gust that capsized her during a bearaway. American Magic skipper Terry Hutchinson was widely praised for his impressive leadership after the team’s setback, carrying the can and sheltering the rest of his team from any criticism. A few weeks earlier Ben Ainslie was pulling off some impressive leadership of his own (left), putting a brave face on the string of dismal performances being delivered by Britannia. And then…
bowsprits? That’s a lot of weight and windage. Through the AC racing, the holidays, the pandemic and the
ing line and I am not sure the team know how to play a posi- tioning game the way Hutchinson, Scott and Bruni/Spithill do. They have managed their campaign shrewdly, investing their money carefully. Burling/Tuke are of a younger generation than the Italians, Brits or Americans, one that grew up foiling. Their strength is in their instinct. They need to school up on match racing to give the programme insurance. They are easily in the technical game and their team are gifted so their development is sure to yield more speed.
One puzzling element of these boats exposed itself in the race sailed in the very light winds of the Christmas Cup race between ENTZ and Ineos on day 2 of the Prada Cup. In each case the race started above the 6.5kt limit but dropped below soon thereafter and the boats sank into the water and were not able to generate the power required to foil. Boat speed is reduced savagely when in displacement mode. Did they not have the Code 0s onboard? If you are not going to use a Code 0 in a race like that, when are you going to use it? It’s not the weight because competitors have to either take the zero package or the equivalent weight while racing. If they are not planning on using them, will they/can they remove the
IF IT CAN SLIDE BETTER, ROLL BETTER
OR FLY BETTER…
anarchy in the USA, the guys and gals are still sailing around the world alone! Yannick Bestaven finished up the Southern Ocean portion very strong and stretched out to a comfortable lead as he passed the Falklands. However, Bestaven sailed too far west as he worked his way north, maybe a problem of being too far ahead and dealing with different weather. As the pack closed in on him from the southeast he couldn’t reposi- tion quickly enough and got overhauled. Charlie Dalin is now back in the lead, closely followed by a very tight pack as they cross the Equator.
After 70 days of racing seven boats are within 100 miles of the leader. That is racing!! The jet stream seems to be push- ing the lows south so it could be a quick ride up to the finish if the group can hook onto the southern edge of a system. We have to remember that Jean Le Cam (16:15hrs), Bestaven (10:15hrs) and Boris Herrmann (6:00hrs) will get time credits for looking after Kevin Escoffier earlier in the race. For me, this edition of the Vendée proved more compelling than in the past with good battles through the Southern Ocean and the tight race up the Atlantic on the way home. Really, anyone in the top 10 could win this race with 3,000 miles to go! I am in awe and have huge respect for these sailors… all of them!
BETTER
IT. SEAHORSE 35
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