The 37th America’s Cup got underway in Vilanova i La Geltru, Spain where six of the brand new AC40s raced against each other in the first official event of the new America’s Cup cycle.
And while there were no points at stake for the America’s Cup itself, there was no getting away from the fact that there was a tension and a buzz around the opening event.
For PlanetSail’s Matt Sheahan this was not an event to miss as he spent the week watching the races and talking to the teams face to face.
As any Cup expert will confirm, the start of any Cup cycle frequently shapes the course of the competition as teams feel their way towards a shot at the oldest sporting trophy in international sport – What happened in Vilanova won’t stay in Vilanova.
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38 Comments
Anyone who lives and sails here near Vilanova would know that the wind is crap in September… So why didn't AC care?
Great summary Matt, thank you!
So it didn’t take long for this second cup cycle with foiling monohulls to provide us with the frustration of watching these speed machines dump down and try and force themselves through the waves at snails pace.
Whilst some might argue it adds some intrigue when a boat dumps and foiling competitors zip past, it undermines the spectacle considerably for the majority.
Yet it seems it’s a feature we’re going to have to endure for some time so we’d better get used to it.
Aside to the physical size between the AC40 & 75 there’s another key differential in that the AC40s series is an all battery event, since both foil manoeuvres AND sail handling are battery powered, whereas AC75 is partial battery power: foils moving by DC, sails moving by the hydraulic power generated physically by the crew ‘grinding’ onboard.
When you look back over the Americas Cup it had until relatively recently, long been the birthing pool for much innovation in sailing: sailboat design and sailboat equipment. That’s purposefully had a trickle down effect where the technology is refined, made economic and thereby accessible to the regular 30-40 footers within the decade or so following.
Increasingly, we are moving away from such a formula and as the technology gap widens, the trickle effect diminishes.
Power generation on regular sailboats is an area where significant innovation is still lacking. We need to rid our sailboats of fossil fuel engines and generators as soon as we’re able.
I’d like to see a cup where the rules dictate that you can start with batteries on board but they must be flat and where ALL power used during the race must be generated during the race and only from renewable sources.
Solar, wind and in particular hydro-generation, sail regeneration or “regen” could all be harnessed.
Thus, each race starts in displacement mode using manual controls and the first boat to create enough boat speed and energy from renewable sources would be up on the foils and away.
That would surely invigorate the kind of r&d and investment necessary to innovate the kind of new technologies for the sailboat industry that’s truly meaningful, whilst providing elite racing that’s just if not more intriguing in its displacement / foil combination.
All those crew peoples that no longer have jobs due to technology.
Musique lamentable
Hi Matt – Chris Freer – why do we get lots of talking heads yet we never see any RACING. No starts or coverage of tactics on the course – if Grand Prix were covered like this there would be outcry – let's see some RACING without the stupid background 'music. Complete sequences of manouvers and course tactics without cutaways at the moment when something happens. Go back and watch the Perth 1987 AC coverage when they got it right. Sorry old friend but this is meaningless.
In the minds of supporters and particularly 'sponsors' it also really matters…
My god that is a confusing way to run an event, thanks for the explanation, I'd be totally lost without it.
This event was the worst possible prequel to next years AC. Poor race management decisions and it shows how bad these boats are if they don’t get perfect conditions. What a joke. Even as a super interested long time sailor and AC fan, I lost interest halfway thru the first day….now have pretty low expectations for the future AC 40 events and the AC itself. Shame.
For all the efforts made for the AC to make sailing more exciting for the masses, it's ever more confusing and weird. Seems like things have just gotten odder and odder since the original winged keel situation when US lost to Aus.
it was a dismal flop!!
Brought to Europe for money bro don’t get it twisted
That was fucking awful. And the 3 types of boats bullshit helps no one except nz get cash for their mandatory buyers. Hope US or UK win it and they go back to a basic set of protocols and a summer of sailing.
It's so amusing that the America's Cup is now copying the successful formula of SailGP. Fleet racing in one designs, followed by a "final". This is SO much better racing than the full AC designs where there is very rarely good racing. The teams with tech and/or money advantages sail away from the rest. It's boring. I'd rather watch SailGP all day long. The AC should have stuck with the foiling cats and allowed teams to keep perfecting their boats to narrow design gaps.
Great job Matt! You are the best sailing channel out there, bar none.
great
can we go back to 12m boats now ?…
Off topic, but what would the Phoenicians have thought if they saw one of these whiz by? Surely it would be labeled a god.
What city is it in?
Today's America's Cup races are sprints using high technology stuff. I think that the organizers have lost sight of the original concept. I miss the monohull racing that required numerous tacks, strategy, etc. Sorry, I turn 73 this week and am old school. As the expression says "time marches on". Cheers all
This is hydrofoiling. To sail the hull needs to be in the water.
Hmmm A cup not in NZ. Boring – who cares. . . .
37th America's Cup? I am confused?!
Drop the name…this ain't no 'merica's Cup.
"Towed up on their foils", Cheese and crackers got all muddy, this ain't sailing, soap box derby on water.
I doubt Capt. W.H. Brown would approve.
May New Zealand team lost this time as wasting New Zealand Tax Payer money. May New Zealand Americas Cup fail dismally this time Traitors.
Bring back to 12 Meter Boats or better yet the J Boats. This race has gone downhill since it left Newport, RI.
Americas Cup isn’t worth watching in the new techno sailing era. J Boats were majestic to watch and Sail.
Got to love a landlocked country participating.
These videos would be more interesting if they'd cut away from the talking heads and show the boats instead. These boats are very unusual and you want to study them in detail, not look at some guys face you don't know. Sorry, it's about the boats, not the people.
Boring just like the last AC event, can't even see the sailors. Now they just steer and let the batteries do all the work. Heck the boats aren't even that fast. At least with SailGP you get to see the sailors work together as a team, and sailors still grind, etc. And I might add the F50 cats are way faster.
America's Cup has no relevance to sailing generally. Unlike either Fastnet or Sydney – Hobart (which have various classes). Who gives a sh** about America's Cup?
Let’s see passports and who’s paying taxes in what country. If you’re an Auzie , NZ or Quazi and driving an American boat, win or lose you better be pledging allegiance to the American flag. I say, no crew members race under any flag, except their home country.
Ah those with the most money get to take part.
They look like race vehicles, but you guys have really gotten so far away from what this was really supposed to be, sail boats..
What we are looking at is, who has the most money wins!!!
This is NOT sailing as we know it!
STOP THAT SHITTY MUSIC THANKS TO THE MUTE BUTTON
I miss Dennis Connor and the 12 meters.
They do look like stupid R/C toys
Oh really it's still on water on thie planet? Thought with all the miney and tech that goes into sailing it's not off planet on the sand dunes of X73YB 😊
Interviews could be shown as inset box in upper corner while the main screen could be continuous footage of racing action. Unless, moderator and crew are looking to up their celebrity creds.
I agree
They lost the history of dealing with mother nature
With there hands and minds