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America's Cup, race 2

12 October 2024, race 2, an eight-leg race, in a first-to-seven wins regatta

ETNZ 1: Ineos Britannia 0

 

Ineos Britannia does not want to go two-down in this race. Or be late to the start box.

Rosco, my Man on the Ground in Barcelona: ‘Boat end start, early tack onto port, I reckon.’ Both teams agree. Ineos comes in on port and does its standard circle move. They come down to cross in front of ETNZ, one minute to go. ETNZ does a wheelie and potentially gets locked out. Yikes.

Nah, it’s ok. The Kiwis have nailed it. They’ve got the boat end.

‘I called it,’ says Rosco. He’s smarter now that he’s in Barcelona.

Yes, but Ineos has the early advantage. Here comes the first cross. NZ has got in front. Ineos is on port and has to dip; it was too close for the Kiwis to tack on their face.

The advantage is only 4m and here is another cross. This is what we came for. ETNZ has picked up a lift and crosses ahead, on port. Just. Ineos tries a protest but it doesn't stick.

According to Ineos’ post-race report, there were six lead changes in this leg, but I missed some of them, either busy typing or maybe I just couldn't look.

Coming into gate one: ETNZ is 2m ahead. They avoid the extra manoeuvre involved in protecting the right and whizz around the left hand gate, 11 seconds ahead.

Leg 2: Ineos is on its favourite downwind mode and they use starboard advantage to cross in front by 50m. Oops, ETNZ, you should have taken the right… Well, maybe, but it would have cost them the lead at the mark.

Oh, the Kiwis have got better pressure and got the lead back. Good boys. The lead changes twice more but the Kiwis are under pressure. They lead into gate 2 at a shocking angle and execute a downspeed, two-board rounding that may have sent a lesser team to splashdown. They are 9 seconds ahead. Ineos emerge with a 5-knot speed advantage but ETNZ has found breeze on the left.

Oh, but don’t relax because now Ineos has found breeze on the right. Kiwis are on port; they tack on the face of Ineos. Rosco doesn't agree; he wanted them to keep going and take the right.

Coming into gate 3: ETNZ decides the viewers need another low-speed, low pressure rounding. Again, they survive which helps my confidence in their fancy-pants new rudder which would be good for flossing teeth. Ineos is 14 seconds behind and takes the left, hoping their bigger jib will give them a bigger advantage

The Kiwis cross in front by about 30m. The true wind is only about 8 knots, well, in some places.

Gate 4: Ineos is on the charge, only 50m behind. ETNZ is on another down-speed gybe to the left as Ineos take the right and exit at a faster speed.

ETNZ coach Ray Davies: ‘This is a real tough race.’

Coming into gate 5, Nathan Outteridge and Pete Burling are discussing whether they are happy with a left mark exit. They hold the biggest lead of the race so far, and Nathan feels the breeze has built that side. It’s a pity that Ben can’t hear their onboard comms because Pete does admit the last two mark roundings have been ‘a little bit stressful’. Yeah, well if you think it’s bad for you, Pete, you should try watching it.

Gate 6: ETNZ exits the gate and tacks immediately to ensure it will be in phase with Ineos. Peter Lester calls it the move of the match so far.

The commentators decide to torture the Ineos coach boat and ask what Ineos can do to win the race. The coach says they are waiting for an error on ETNZ.

It’s a strategy but not one that works. ETNZ continues to retain control and leads to the finish to post a score of two:nil.

Ineos has to win the next three races to take the lead in this first-to-seven-wins series. At least now they know what they’re up against.


© Rebecca Hayter



Photo credit: Ricardo Pinto, America's Cup





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