Once Team NZ lined up in Bermuda other benefits of the widely rejected ‘cyclor’ started revealing themselves. Power delivery looked less ‘manic’ than frantically spinning handles with hands freed up for other jobs. Counterintuitively the greater division of tasks with smooth – and generous – power delivery allowed a more ‘tricksy’ NZ hydro package to deliver steadier foiling than rivals managed using more forgiving underwater surfaces. Another benefit was the peloton arrangement – instead of conventionally separated crew torturing platform airflow with the lumps and bumps of humanity, the cyclor allowed a single nicely profiled mass of sailors tapering to a recessed helmsman at the ‘trailing edge’. Note Blair Tuke (second right) clearly locked onto his control screen. The most visible benefit of the Kiwi package was the smoother, finer wing movements Glenn Ashby could achieve using his ropeless hand controller
ETNZ overcame four Challenger rivals – and a dramatic pre-start capsize – to claim the right to confront their nemesis once more in the battle for the America’s Cup. ‘Two of the best teams in the world going head to head,’ said Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill. ‘It’s going to be a hell of a fight.’ Watching from the sidelines Bruno
Troublé, who for three decades was the flamboyant narrator of the Cup saga, cast New Zealand as ‘the tiny David against a “space age” Goliath’. And this time David’s aim was true. The
giant was slain. A new story was written in the 166-year-old saga and New Zealand’s name was once again carved on the Auld Mug. As the smallest nation ever to compete in the Cup arena, New Zealand’s history of punching above its weight was underscored once more. Out of nine Cups since 1988 New Zealand had competed in the final seven times and won three times. ‘A few years ago it was absolutely brutal
for this team,’ said skipper Glenn Ashby. ‘This time round it is a great redemption and relief to right the wrongs of the last campaign. There will be a lot of proud Kiwis today.’ Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill shed his
‘Pitbull’ persona and, clearly struggling to control his emotions, was gracious in defeat. Saluting the victors, he said they were a class above at this America’s Cup. ‘They outsailed us. They had a great boat and all we can do is take our hats off and congratulate them.’ And so, with dignity and due ceremony, the historic trophy changed hands once
34 SEAHORSE
more. The America’s Cup was New Zealand’s Cup again and a new episode in the saga was about to be written. As ever there were many stories and
sub-plots to this 35th America’s Cup, but in the end it all distills down to two boats duelling on the water and New Zealand, helmed by unflappable 49er ace Peter Burl- ing, prevailed with a convincing scoreline of 7-1. To his many sailing achievements including two Olympic medals, 26-year- old Burling also became the youngest helmsman to win the America’s Cup. American commentator Ken Read put it
down to three Ss – ‘starts, smarts and speed and New Zealand had them all…’ ‘Fearless, Flawless and Fast’ was the
assessment on national TV. If the climax was compelling drama the
lead-up was marked by serious misgivings. Mid-cycle rule changes, breaks with tradi- tion – if not the Deed of Gift, secret tribunals, choosing to defend outside home waters, injecting the Defender into the Challenger selection series – were among the features that troubled afficionados. But one of the early misgivings could be
firmly set aside from Day 1. Critics had fretted that the action would be marked by boring drag races, devoid of passing oppor- tunities and bearing little or no resem- blance to match racing. In contrast, the opening shots of the
event witnessed lead changes, luffing battles, close crosses, protests, penalties and a major pre-start collision – all in one day. ‘Everybody got to see what Bermuda can offer,’ said Spithill. ‘There are lots of
opportunities out there.’ And so it pro- gressed as the event played out. The early encounters were littered with
errors and races were often lost rather than won. The Bermuda breeze was proving shifty and, adding to the demands of keep- ing the boats airborne and the hydraulic systems fed, tacticians had to work hard to negotiate a minefield of shifts and pressure variants on the track. By the end of the series, however, the
teams revealed how quickly they were able to expand their skill levels and push their boats and tactics harder and harder. Their ambitions extended beyond avoiding mis- takes and into the more positive endeavour of winning races. Some onlookers missed the spectacle
and artistry of spinnakers and found these winged machines on stilts with their PlayStation controls and oil-pumpers some - how alien and clinical. Yet it was hard to argue with Artemis manager Iain Percy’s assertion that ‘the racing has been some of the best sport we have watched in 20 years – fast spectacular boats that can turn on a sixpence and keep the tactics tight.’ John Bertrand, who earned lasting fame
as the Australian skipper who broke the New York YC’s 132-year winning streak in 1983, talked of pilots in fighter jets engaged in mortal combat. ‘It is very sexy.’ ‘If you sail well, manage the course well
and do your manoeuvres well you make massive gains,’ said Glenn Ashby. With tacks and gybes costly in terms of
speed and hydraulic demand, the preferred option was to sail to the boundaries and
w
INGRID ABERY
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