What we learned from the second day of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta

It was a day of lighter winds, smaller waves and some great pre-start action on the second day of America's Cup Preliminary Regatta racing

The second day of racing in the 37th America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta 2024 got underway in 10 knots with flat water today in Barcelona providing near-perfect conditions for the foiling AC75 monohulls.

The first day of America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta racing saw wins for Emirates Team New Zealand, American Magic, Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli with both INEOS Britannia and Orient Express Racing Team picking up losses. With lighter winds the question would be if the form from the previous day would carry over?

Key takeaways from America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Day 2

• Lots of worry for INEOS Britannia
• Luna Rossa and American Magic emerging as the top challengers
• Kiwis as strong as ever
• Gremlins that looked evident yesterday continue for Orient Express with them being forced to retire from their single race today
• Pre-starts are looking like they will be key and we should see some good battles there

Race 5 American Magic Vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Skippers
Alinghi Red Bull Racing: Arnaud Psarofaghis & Maxime Bachelin
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby

The first race of the day saw the combination of Goodison and Slingsby performing well in the startbox nailing their time on distance. This was in contrast to Alinghi who were outmanouvered – ending up to windward of the American team and got their time on distance wrong for the start. As a result, American Magic was slightly bow-forward at the start and had Alinghi off their windward hip. Unable to live there, Alinghi tacked away, quickly followed by the Americans.

At the first cross American Magic had a handy little lead and decided to carry on instead of tacking on their competition in order to protect the favoured right – this set the tone for much of the day and the right was also the favoured side of the course yesterday.

From there on Goodison and Slingsby continued to protect the right and didn’t really put a foot wrong. This impressive performance married with the clear turn of pace the American’s showed yesterday is was an easy win for the US team. “It was really good to get off the line in such good shape. It was a good launch and then we did a good job of controlling from there,” Goodison said of the race.

“We all know if you come off the startline leading, then it’s job halfway done,” agreed Alinghi’s Psarofaghis. “We tried to fight all the way but Magic closed all the doors so we tried t sail as fast as possible and hope they make a mistake.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 5?

With a clear favoured side of the course and a clear win of the startline for American Magic, it would be foolish to pin too much on the result here. However, there’s no denying that the American team looks quick. And, although the right was favoured, this race was the second race in a row that the US flagged team has been happy to let their opponents split away. To me, this implies an air of confidence about their boat speed and tactics, which all add up to a formidable team.

The one question about American Magic is their stability in manoeuvres. Yesterday the US team had a pretty big wobble during a bearaway and the trimmers could be heard calling for more power from their cyclors. To my eye they had one slightly uncertain bear away today, with some big mainsail adjustment needed. Added to this, American Magic are the only team thus far to round every leeward gate with both foils down. This is a slower, more conservative approach. Does is show a slight weakness in stability, or confidence in their position in both races to date?

As for Alinghi, they did not look as fast as American Magic, but neither were they absolutely demolished. A better start and who knows what might have been. Not a disaster.

Race 6 INEOS Britannia Vs Emirates Team New Zealand

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge 
INEOS Britannia: Ben Ainlsie & Dylan Fletcher

If the first race of this second day of America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta racing was not a disaster for Alinghi, the second race of the day was an unmitigated disaster for Ainslie’s British team, INOES Britannia. Up against the all-conquering Kiwis it was always going to be a tough match up, but a combination of ETNZ’s apparent superiority in manoeuvring and a communication error in the pre-start saw the Brits completely outsailed with the Kiwis managing to pin them to windward and force them off their foils.

After yesterday’s racing, Ainslie had expressed concern about his team’s boatspeed, but even if their boat was a rocketship recovering from a 37 second deficit at the first mark would still be essentially impossible. The team also caused headlines when they picked Dylan Fletcher Scott to partner Ainslie on the helm over Giles Scott, but this duo’s relative unfamiliarity was shown up today.

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 6?

It might be tempting to say this is another walkover for the Kiwis after yesterday’s win over a crippled Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. But, as the saying goes, you make your own luck and this boat and team continue to look first class.

As for INEOS Britannia, it seems that in addition to boatspeed, Ainslie can add manoeuvrability and crew work to his ever expanding list of woes. “It was another tough one,” Ainslie summarised. “Obviously at the start we tried something a bit different and it didn’t work out for us. But better to try now these things than later. It’s a challenge in these prestarts, we’re up against the best guys out there and Dylan is doing really well. We’ll be alright, we’ll talk to our coach and come back fighting.”

Race 7 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
American Magic: Paul Goodison & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

If we are to go by the limited racing we’ve seen so far and rumours around the sailing world, these two teams are beginning to be seen as the form teams of all the challengers. Once again we saw a pretty competitive pre-start with both boats going for each other in the start.

However, not for nothing is Luna Rossa’s Jimmy Spithill considered one of the best match racers in the world and he showed why this is his eight consecutive America’s Cup with a masterclass in pre-start tactics. Slingsby was swift to claim responsibility for their response, when American Magic bailed out of a push to get caught to windward of Luna Rossa, which set the Americans on the back foot. The Italians then just had to hold their bow up until the start and dip through the line, leaving the US team to round the windward end of the line and have to re-cross the start.

“That start’s on me, it’s my mistake,” reflected Slingsby. “I didn’t think we’d get held out at the boat [windward] end. But they did a great job of staying high and slow to hold us out, and well done to them We’ve got a bit of work to do but we’re not afraid of that.”

After that start it was a pretty easy win for Luna Rossa as they kept a lose cover on the US-flagged team for the remainder of the race. “Jimmy did a fantastic job [at the start], well the whole team did a fantastic job,” said Bruni. “I’m very proud of how we sailed the boat and very happy with the result. We know that the Americans are a tough team to beat and that was an important point today, so we’re happy.”

What did we learn from the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Race 7?

They may have been pretty thoroughly beaten in the pre-start but American Magic will probably not be too disappointed about this race. They were a fair way behind off the start and were consistently forced to the wrong side of the course but still managed to keep things close.

For their part, Luna Rossa looked very polished, the boat looks fast, Spithull and Bruni co-helmed in the 2021 America’s Cup and look like a slick team. All-in-all, the Italians will be very happy with their day on the water.

Race 8 Emirates Team New Zealand Vs Orient Express Racing Team

Skippers
Emirates Team New Zealand: Pete Burling & Nathan Outteridge 
Oreint Express Racing Team: Quentin Delapierre & Kevin Pepponet

Unfortunately the final race of the day could not be sailed with the French Orient Express Racing Tam retiring shortly before the start of the race. “We’ve got a major technical issue on board. [It’s] nothing too big for tomorrow or the next day, but we’d prefer to keep the boat in good shape to be able to race tomorrow and the day after,” said Delapierre.

For those of us who watched the struggles of the French team yesterday and have seen the impressive form of the Kiwis, you can’t help but think a technical error on the French boat was something of a mercy for them.

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