There are certainly no easy answers with this stuff. I believe that following the lead boat rarely works at this level, unless the lead boat really screws up. I believe that tacking for tight covering is risky. I also believe that not applying a loose cover is foolish. These are all things I've thought (and probably posted here) as races were unfolding.
I respect every person on these boats. They are far better sailors than I will likely ever have the opportunity to become. I really just can't stand the thought of watching another leebow attempt...
Mike
If the teams agree, there will be 3 races tomorrow. My guess is they will wait for today's results and Sunday and Monday weather forecast. 8 pm deadline tonight on the team agreements.
Wind forecast 8-11 knots and shifty.
Jimmy needs to win some starts (like, seven in a row...).
Never thought I'd be saying that after watching SWE own NZL in the challenger finals.
Mike
Paul Cayard doing live over at BT Sports. JS suffered a minor wrist injury. Great coverage at BT Sports. NBC . . . nothing.
Oracle hit 40 knts in prestart
...And Harris just called NZL
The Challenger of Record.
Um, no....
...And we blow yet another start. Yikes.
Mike
we've got a race
No split, but USA tacked first after rounding. NZL higher out of their tack.
Coming to first cross USA in front, but will be on port for the next cross.
Much better race today!
Mike
Awful call
Cheap penalty against USA, they kept clear and had nowhere to go.
Mike
NZL extending, USA splits at the weather gate. Huge deficit here.
Mike
USA just stopped in the middle of a gybe. Apparently out of oil pressure.
Academic really, NZL had a much deeper angle on the run.
We need a postponement card, lol...
Mike
I'm not sure what oracle could have done to avoid that penalty with how they were up against the boundary.
NZL 4, USA 0...
Mike
They needed to plan ahead a bit more, they knew that cross was coming, probably needed to slow down and maybe tack sooner to have a better duck.
Mike
Mike
That's absurd.
What would you have done? There was no way they were going to cross ahead.
Mike
Oracle did it text book perfect. Tack earlier and you loose your boundary privileges. They re-acted to the dial down and stayed clear as good as they could coming off a boundary tack. It was just a bad call.
It has been very nice to have Chris and Nathan on commentary. Good call NBC.
What was all that talk about splits??
Wow, this is a fun one!
Surprising how the lead boats aren't covering (loosely), it's hurt them both.
Nathan did say that they've found that following around into a tack is faster than gybing going into the gate to gain a split.
Mike
Finally! NZL 4, USA 1!!!
Mike
It looked like they could have turned down more, but didn't expect NZL to hold the dial down as long. I didn't like the call at first, but it looks correct in the replays. Probably could have gone as a no-penalty, but I don't think it was a horrible call.
Mike
Surprising how the lead boats aren't covering (loosely), it's hurt them both.
Nathan did say that they've found that following around into a tack is faster than gybing going into the gate to gain a split.
Mike
Exactly! I still think that at least one time I saw them tack, it was into a header so just tacking to get a split isn't great - but the other time that was executed, it looked even and like a decent move. It's soooo hard to cover in that kind of breeze. It costs so much while maneuvering to stay on your opponent that you are likely putting yourself in jeopardy. The question is how confident you are in the patch of water you are sailing in and toward.
So, the dial down. I see two advantages but I'm lost on what it does for you otherwise. If you can force your opponent to get a penalty during the maneuver (particularly if they're just tacking away from the boundary where there doesn't appear like there is anyway to avoid getting a penalty), sure...looks great. If you can force your opponent to be much tighter on their layline, also looks great. But just executing a dial down in the middle of the course for no reason other than you're headed right at each other, what's the point? You both go equally faster and you're now distracted from what the wind is doing. I'm not a fan of the move unless one of the other scenarios is present.
Presser live here
I think the dial-down is crucial. You're right, the goal is ultimately a (rare) penalty. Remember, the stbd boat going into the dial-down will be port on the next cross. If everything else is even, they'll be behind after the next cross without a penalty.
Mike
Race 6 stats (course wind 9 kts):
Average Speed:
26.71 kts
USA
26.65 kts
NZL
NUMBER OF TACKS & GYBES:
19
USA
17
NZL
DISTANCE SAILED:
USA
4489.6 (m)
NZL
4249 (m)
Oracle has found some speed but at the sacrifice of boat handling, which could be the Achilles heal in a critical maneuver. Oracle sailed a longer course, had two more tacks than NZ, and still won. The difference was reflected in the legs with significant gains, like leg 6, and the upwind legs. Both teams were equal in speed upwind and the tactics, position, and being on the favorable side of the slightest shift paid big for Oracle.
If the racing remains tight, the team that wins the upwind legs, will likely win the cup, just like AC34.
TIME OF EACH LEG:
LEG USA NZL
1 44 secs 48.2 secs
2 89.1 secs 91.1 secs
3 308.8 secs 315.1 secs
4 213 secs 194.9 secs
5 352.2 secs 358.1 secs
6 106.5 secs 126.3 secs
7 133.3 secs 124.9 secs
On the final reaching leg NZ reduced an 18 seconds deficit down to 11 seconds.
Damon, the quick reply or the full editor will not accept consecutive spaces. I can't seem to get it to work. FYI.
26.71 kts
USA
26.65 kts
NZL
DISTANCE SAILED:
USA
4489.6 (m)
NZL
4249 (m).
Those numbers don't add up. If USA sailed 4489.6 meters at an average speed of 26.71 knots (13.74 meters per second), then they sailed for 326.8 seconds. Likewise, if NZL sailed 4249 meters at an average speed of 26.65 knots (13.71 meters per second), they sailed for 309.9 seconds.