Challenger Trials…

Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin One Gets Underway

So from here it’s all going to happen very quickly and a lot of people are going to be headed home from the America's Cup in Valencia very soon. The boat announcements make the news this weekend - with both Oracle and ETNZ dumping their Act 13 rides.

In a recent Seahorse interview, Marcelino Botin reckoned the two ETNZ boats were designed for different wind ranges and this might be a clue as to why they’ve switched. It’s conceivable that 83 was developed as more of an all-rounder for the Acts, with the second boat focussed on winning the semis and finals in Valencia’s sea breeze. Act 13 was hit by an unstable weather pattern, and the all-rounder was probably the better choice. Perhaps that unstable weather is now reckoned to be behind us as we move into the more predictable summer sea breeze (if it ever stops raining) – and be more to 92’s liking?

As for Oracle, the same might apply as for ETNZ… but USA 87 put in a less than world crushing performance in Act 13. And when Oracle has been deep in the dodo before, radical change did work for them - a decidedly dodgy opening to the Louis Vuitton in 2003 saw the axe wielded ruthlessly by Larry Ellison and the previously side-lined Chris Dickson brought back to centre stage. On that occasion, Oracle recovered to appear in the Louis Vuitton Cup final against Alinghi. The first few races of round robin one will tell us whether this boat switch will do the same trick.

Everyone else has stayed in the boats they used in Act 13. The very first flight has the real winners of Act 13 - Mascalzone, fast improving runners up to ETNZ – up against the team that only beat them by a point. This match will begin to tell us whether ETNZ can continue to dominate the challenger fleet and whether Mascalzone are genuine contenders for the semis – are we watching a prelude to the semi-final match-up?

Louis Vuitton and America's Cup Live Race Commentary at:

www.tackbytack.com

Mark Chisnell ©

The Final Act

Louis Vuitton Act 13 ends with a comprehensive win for the America's Cup defender

All right, I know that headline is probably being used in a dozen different places to open reports on Louis Vuitton Act 13 - the last regatta in the series of preliminary events ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup. But the coincidence of that and a comprehensive fourteen point win by America’s Cup defender Alinghi does raise the question – is it all over before it’s begun?

I asked a couple of people (who should know) before the start of Act 13 if they thought that Alinghi was likely to turn up and race with their optimal configuration of hull, foils, bulb, mast and sails – and the answer was no. It was hard to see what they might gain from showing their hand to the Challenger fleet so early. After all, only Alinghi know where the boat they used in Act 13 sits, in performance terms, relative to what else they have in that vast Valencian operations base. They could use a slower configuration and still get a measure of the challenger fleet, without revealing the full extent of their own performance gains over the winter.

Or – alternatively - they could come out fully cocked, hoping to blow the doors off everyone else and achieve a psychological victory that would still be echoing in ten weeks time.

Let’s hope it’s the latter, because if Alinghi have more speed to come, then the America's Cup match will be another whitewash. If there’s one clue that they might have chosen to race with their fastest gear, it dates back to 2003, when they sailed against OneWorld Challenge before the opening Louis Vuitton Round Robin. They thrashed us comprehensively with the new boat (although rumours were circulating that it didn’t measure), and then brought the old one out for the Round Robin - only to end up with us taking a race off them and topping the group.

Afterwards, there were stories that the result had shaken their confidence more than a little (fully restored by reversing the result in Round Robin Two and leading the challenger fleet from then on…), but the memory of that experience may have been enough to convince them that winning counts for more than guarding their hand.

But even so, back in 2003, Alinghi’s quicker pace of development during the Louis Vuitton Cup won them the challenger title. They managed that despite the distraction of racing, but this time the LV schedule is much tighter, making it difficult to see where the challengers are going to find the time to make gains in pure boat speed - rather than racing competence. They will be busy keeping the tills of Valencia ker-chinging by providing the entertainment for the next two and a half months, while Alinghi will be quietly doing more of what they’ve already established they are very good at – producing phenomenally fast boats.

Looked at like this, it’s hard to see why this wasn’t the final act….?

Louis Vuitton and America's Cup Live Race Commentary at:

www.tackbytack.com

Mark Chisnell ©

A Trip to Valencia

Esquire Photo Shoot

I've just come back from Valencia, doing some interviews for Esquire magazine - they'll accompany a photoshoot that will appear in the July issue. It was interesting to go round nine of the twelve team bases and see how they respond to a gaggle of photographer, assistant, journo, stylist and make-up all arriving en masse.

(Photo - the America's Cup Harbour before the circus came to town)

In some we had to work out how to make our own coffee, while waiting 45 minutes for the interviewee to arrive, in others we were treated to espresso, cake, and a spot in the sun on the balcony while we waited our turn to do our thing - take the picture or quiz the victim. If the facilities offered are any indication of the race course results (and three races into Act 13 there looks to be a reasonable correlation) then the fourth semi-final spot is between Mascalzone and Desafio Espanol, the Challenger spot is too close to call (although Emirates Team New Zealand was one of the bases we didn't visit) and Alinghi will win the Cup!

The interviews went better than I thought, some people are more thoughtful or more forthcoming than others, but the general standard was way above the 'game of two halves' football cliché. Let's hope the clarity and honesty continues when the pressure's on...

Louis Vuitton and America's Cup Live Race Commentary at:

www.tackbytack.com

Mark Chisnell ©