It’s the video that every America’s Cup and nascent AC40 team around the world will be poring over, offering a glimpse into the challenge that the world’s greatest sailors are going to face in Barcelona in September and October 2024.
The swell came in today for Alinghi Red Bull Racing aligned with a thermal Garbi afternoon breeze, making the team’s AC40 perform like a bucking bronco at times as the crew worked on co-ordination to try and find the optimum ride height both upwind and down. Ride too low and the bow dug in but fly too high, and the boat was immediately dancing on the knife edge of control. It’s the conundrum that all the teams are going to face and whilst every team has mentioned the swell in Barcelona in recent interviews, for now it’s only Alinghi Red Bull Racing that has the experience at the actual venue. It could be a crucial point of difference when the action starts in earnest.
For the Swiss, the week has been a very positive one. Not only did the team celebrate the 20-year anniversary of their fantastic lifting of the America’s Cup in 2003 but also revealed a heavily updated BoatZero with cyclor stations that has been under the technicians spotlight ahead of sailing at the weekend. Looking back on the Cup winning team of 2003 and the synergies with today’s sailors, Pierre-Yves Jorand, the co-General Manager of Sports and Sailing Operations at Alinghi Red Bull Racing and part of the Swiss ‘family’ back in 2003 was the perfect person to interview and he said: “It’s very unilateral. We obviously have a very strong Design Team bringing lots of knowledge from AC36, we have a very experienced Shore Team bringing knowledge and giving expertise and we have a very talented Sailing Team not that much on the America’s Cup side, but on foiling. So, it’s very unilateral, every team member is invited to speak up, to share ideas and then it’s up to the Head of Department in discussion to make the best of it.”
Section 41. Reconnaissance
a) As a campaign cost reduction measure, COR/D has mutually agreed to cooperatively implement a centralised reconnaissance programme for all teams for the reconnaissance of all Competitors’ AC75 Yachts, AC40 Yachts and LEQ12 yachts including both on-land and on-water imagery (the “Joint Recon Programme”).
b) Each team is assigned a two-person Recon Unit to follow their every on-water move, but it’s not that simple. The cameras are supplied and identical for all Recon Units. Drones are not allowed, and they can’t get that close, plus following a boat and keeping a camera steady at 45 knots isn’t that easy to begin with.
c) A three minute interview follows each on water day, and teams must answer the Recon Unit’s questions while trying not to give too much away. It’s a raw, unedited view of the never before seen behind-the-scenes development of a team and their boat to win the oldest trophy in international sports.
#AC37Recon #AmericasCup #Barcelona2024
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