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trim, but of course also rudder and hull design are closely linked. The rudder elevator surface is also now regulated, where previously it was free – now it must have a minimum area of 0.3m2. Never- theless, this is pretty close to the average area of the rudder elevators that we saw in Auckland last year. SH:Does it affect you a lot that in Barcelona there are more waves than in Auckland and Bermuda? NB: Logically it should, but it is not a special problem since we adapt the design of the foils accordingly, just as we also take into account the expected wind conditions. Waves and wind affect the entire design, not just the foils and rudders as the hull and sails are also conceived according to the wind and wave statistics we expect to find on the Barcelona racecourse. SH: What about the interactions with the sailors? NB:Our group does not work on the control program for the foils, but we do speak to the sailors to explain how they have to use the foil and how to stay within its optimal parameters so they get the most out of it. Other departments are responsible for delivering the infor- mation that we generate and which they monitor onboard via electronic displays – within what the rule allows. They can see the angle of the flap but when racing they cannot have all of the related information on the dynamic state of the boat. But with a lot of training they learn to assimilate this information themselves and respond correctly.
Lady Data Andrea Emone was a child when she was able to experience the 2007 America’s Cup in Valencia – in the city where she was born. But it was in the Deed of Gift edition three years later that she devel- oped an incurable attraction to this competition. What had most impressed the scientific mind of the emerging young champion windsurfer was the dramatic design contrasts between the two gigantic DoG multihulls. Utterly different solutions to the same ques- tion. She was hooked. In 2022 Andrea Emone is making her debut in the America’s Cup as a data specialist with the Alinghi team. Seahorse: How did the America’s Cup seduce you! Andrea Emone: As a native Valencian I supported the Swiss team in 2010 which made me very frustrated; I felt it was a clear victory for the American design team. It surprised me and changed the way I see it, for the first time I understood that there was this huge highly educated design team behind everything. I began to see everything differently. I became interested in science, in engineering, and constantly asked questions. I considered studying naval engi- neering, but when I saw the topics I thought that it did not fit my ideas; then someone told me that my answer lay in aerospace engi- neering and I quickly decided that was what I wanted to study. SH: How were the studies? AE: It was difficult for me to get into the university because aeronautics required a very high grade average from school. Then fate steered me to Italy to compete in a European Techno Class windsurfing competition where I achieved a good result. This allowed me to enter a programme for young elite athletes… but with good facilities to study. In this way I could bump up my high school grades to enrol in the University of Valencia, where I could also continue sailing! But it was still difficult because I was now switched to the RSX class
which requires a lot more training, plus this new aerospace career required a lot more learning! Eventually the situation overwhelmed me and I decided to stop sailing. I was 18 and I thought I had completely given up on a sports career, an ‘everything is over’ moment. Shortly afterwards, in the third year of university, I ‘woke up’ and decided that instead of always sailing I should use my spare time to earn money! SH: And so? AE: I looked for companies related to sailing in the Valencia area and found KND Performance, who are of course dedicated to data analysis and performance and CFD modelling of elite racing boats, also collaborating with the many TP52 teams based in Valencia. I sent them my CV and they hired me. And there I learned everything I know about data analysis… I discovered what for me was an exciting world. I thought that this whole area was really just starting out and I saw very clearly that the path could be infinite.
30 SEAHORSE In addition to the TPs, we also work with several of the top Imocas,
so all the while I was discovering the world of professional sailing, meeting sailors and even working with some of my ‘idols’ from the 2007 America’s Cup. When they first asked me, ‘Andrea, what do you think?’ I had to rub my eyes. Somehow I had also recovered my enthusiasm to compete again. Soon a chance arose to work with the Spanish SailGP team; since they too came from an Olympic sailing background I could easily share and apply what I had learnt. But while I was excited to be back ‘racing’ in a team I made it very clear that my main contribution would be data analysis. SH: And suddenly the America’s Cup. AE: The Alinghi team called me… I didn’t hesitate for even a second! With my background as an Alinghi fan, even before their call it was the AC37 team that I most wanted to work for. It was an amazing surprise, because honestly I didn’t know any of the sailors or anyone from the design team. At first I was scared and didn’t know if my personal way of working would fit in. Also, with much faster boats, data analysis is more critical and the sailors have to trust the data more. It is a role that is both more protagonist and more complicated. When a sailboat flies it increases the problem and the solution
needed is more complicated. Fortunately the team veterans imme- diately knew that, moving the data analysis role from a single dedicated expert to a cohesive group effort. I don’t even know if I can tell you the exact number of people on our data analysis team! SH: Have you found in an AC team what you supposed a priori? AE: It is very different! Your mind always interprets and pre-judges but here I am discovering what an AC team really is. That said, in many ways it does resemble what I imagined, but reality always surpasses fiction and this time it has also surpassed that (laughs). SH: What about the endless complex interactions inside a team? AE: I was particularly struck by the difference between cultures, how each of them interprets a problem. The different ways of thinking, how differently each one of us communicates. Because of the number of people involved the inertia of the whole project has also surprised me, I couldn’t imagine it. SH: Could you ever see yourself sailing in the Women’s AC? AE: Obviously not in this edition. But what I would like much more is to sail an AC75 as a member of an America’s Cup team. Enter a selection process where they evaluate all the people, and if I am the best for a position then I will be chosen regardless of sex. SH: A dream… or do you think it’s feasible? AE: I believe that the AC75 is learnt by sailing the boats and really learning the technology – graduating from the Olympic classes or other categories as before is no longer enough. I believe I have ambition and a lot of perseverance. I am very
stubborn, nobody beats me working, and I think that these boats require a lot of work capacity from the sailors. The experience of this edition will allow me to get to know these boats very well, and if I have the opportunity to jump onboard in the future it will be very useful. I think I might be quite a good foil controller… Carlos Pich
GREAT BRITAIN Need for speed With foiling now ubiquitous – you know it’s gone mainstream when you have to tack your Laser Radial for a capsized Waszp before holding your breath as they come flying into the port layline on your Sunday race – things at the grassroots are getting faster all round. The ‘yoof’ of today eye life above the waves probably in the same manner that those of us of a certain age eyed the Contender or the low-rider Moth and then marvelled at the Seahorse cover-shot of L’Hydroptère and wondered how on earth it worked. ‘That’ll never catch on,’ we said collectively. But it did. Today Russell Coutts is nigh on determined to break the 100km/h
barrier consistently in SailGP by fitting new, improved rudders to the F50s. And we’ve already seen the pocket-rocket AC40 of Team New
Zealand hitting ‘high 40s out of the box,’ to quote Josh Junior. Heaven knows what speeds the next-gen AC75s will run at but ‘solid
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