| ne Design Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GOLD Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. |  |
USA 2 | Helly Hansen | Tim Healy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 8 | 2 | [13] | 28.0 | ||||||||||
| 2. | |
USA 187 | Catapult | Joel Ronning | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 6 | [14] | 39.0 | ||||||||||
| 3. | |
USA 96 | Savasana | Brian Keane | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 1 | [25] | 61.0 | ||||||||||
| 4. | |
USA 246 | New Wave | Martin Kullman | 6 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 14 | [28] | 83.0 | ||||||||||
| 5. | |
USA 95 | MUSE | Heather/Joe Gregg Earl/Bardenheier | 23 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 5 | [23] | 83.0 | ||||||||||
| 6. | |
USA 86 | Stampede//Pour Judgement Racing | Patrick Wilson | 7 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 4 | [19] | 96.0 | ||||||||||
| 7. | |
USA 55 | Joust | Tim Molony | 16 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 37 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 3 | [37] | 105.0 | ||||||||||
| 8. |  |
BRA 403 | Bruschetta | Mauricio Santa Cruz | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 31 | 24 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 10 | [31] | 129.0 | ||||||||||
| 9. | |
USA 179 | Africa | Jud Smith | 14 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 1 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 35 | [35] | 131.0 | ||||||||||
| 10. |  |
NED 69 | Bliksem | Pieter Taselaar | 8 | 14 | 33 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 18 | 2 | 26 | 15 | 16 | 7 | [33] | 132.0 | ||||||||||
| 11. | |
USA 353 | Heartbreaker | Robert Hughes | 7 | 20 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 36 | 33 | [36] | 139.0 | ||||||||||
| 12. | |
USA 45 | Wild Child | Henry Filter | 17/SCP | 1 | 7/SCP | 6 | 4 | 19 | 27 | 9 | 14 | 24 | 39 | 18 | [39] | 146.0 | ||||||||||
| 13. | |
USA 85 | Dazzler | Allan Terhune, Jr | 28 | 35 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 29 | 20 | 10 | 11 | [35] | 146.0 | ||||||||||
| 14. | |
USA 209 | Trouble | Peter McChesney | 5 | 29 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 33 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 9 | 17 | [33] | 151.0 | ||||||||||
| 15. | |
USA 217 | Joint Custody | Jenn & Ray Wulff | 6 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 36 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 28 | 20 | [36] | 157.0 | ||||||||||
| 16. |  |
GBR 123 | Team RAFBF Spitfire | Simon Ling | 2 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 28 | 39 | 6 | 16 | 35 | 25 | [39] | 167.0 | ||||||||||
| 17. | |
USA 482 | X | Dan Cheresh | 4 | 17 | 27 | 6 | 28 | 35 | 17 | 35 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 8 | [35] | 170.0 | ||||||||||
| 18. | |
USA 69 | USA 69 | Joseph Colling / Lee Sackett | 3 | 21 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 13 | 34 | 17 | 23 | 19 | [34] | 172.0 | ||||||||||
| 19. | |
USA 326 | Aquaholiks | Martin Johnsson | 28 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 17 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 41 | 26 | [41] | 173.0 | ||||||||||
| 20. | |
USA 94 | Lifted | Jim Cunningham | 10 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 22 | 33/SCP | 12 | 43 | 23 | 37 | 22/ZFP | [43] | 190.0 | ||||||||||
| 21. | |
USA 49 | Relative Obscurity | Peter Duncan | 25 | 8 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 38 | 33 | 7 | 37 | 8 | 29 | 9 | [38] | 192.0 | ||||||||||
| 22. | |
USA 48 | Rascal | Will Welles | 3 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 40 | 24 | 5 | 8 | 31 | 29 | 13 | 16 | [40] | 195.0 | ||||||||||
| 23. | |
USA 34 | Perseverance | Bennet Greenwald | 24 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 38 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 24 | 2 | 43 | 23 | [43] | 198.0 | ||||||||||
| 24. | |
USA 390 | 20/20 | John Arendshorst | 12 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 43 | 15 | 36 | 25 | 36 | 12 | 28 | [43] | 207.0 | ||||||||||
| 25. | |
GBR 557 | Boats.com | Ian Atkins | 4 | 23 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 32 | 40 | 23 | 16 | 25 | 31 | 22 | [40] | 208.0 | ||||||||||
| 26. | |
USA 51 | Black River Racing | Doug Strebel | 9 | 42/ZFP | 26 | 15 | 6 | 23 | 12 | 44/OCS | 18 | 5 | 24 | 31 | [44] | 211.0 | ||||||||||
| 27. | |
USA 171 | Running Wild | Peter Vessella | 13 | 3 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 30 | 12 | 31 | 42 | 39 | [42] | 221.0 | ||||||||||
| 28. |  |
CHI 680 | Flecha | Felipe Robles | 26 | 8 | 14 | 25 | 10 | 26 | 34 | 17 | 36 | 32 | 3 | 27 | [36] | 222.0 | ||||||||||
| 29. | |
USA 157 | Spring | Dave Franzel | 15 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 29 | 42 | 34 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 12 | [42] | 222.0 | ||||||||||
| 30. | |
USA 375 | Lickity Split | Stanley Edwards | 8 | 18 | 27 | 10 | 26 | 21 | 26 | 29 | 38 | 27 | 5 | 29 | [38] | 226.0 | ||||||||||
| 31. |  |
MEX 690 | Vincitore | Erik Brockmann | 18 | 16 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 36 | 21 | 38 | 15 | 35 | 40 | 24 | [40] | 233.0 | ||||||||||
| 32. | |
USA 340 | Rimette | John Brim | 22 | 15 | 8 | 25 | 22 | 27 | 8 | 41 | 22 | 18 | 33 | 38 | [41] | 238.0 | ||||||||||
| 33. | |
USA 40 | B Squared | Bryan Cameron & Brian Elliott | 12 | 5 | 20 | 24 | 22 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 40 | 17 | 40 | [40] | 242.0 | ||||||||||
| 34. | |
USA 397 | Hot Mess | Rob Britts | 13 | 11 | 24 | 13 | 15 | 34 | 30 | 19 | 42 | 38 | 7 | 41 | [42] | 245.0 | ||||||||||
| 35. | |
USA 167 | Kraken | Gary Tisdale / Adam Burns | 20 | 31 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 30 | 39 | 22 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 34 | [39] | 249.0 | ||||||||||
| 36. | |
USA 11 | Menace | Kerry Klingler | 11 | 44/ZFP | 36 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 37 | 35 | 34 | 26 | 15 | [44] | 249.0 | ||||||||||
| 37. |  |
SWE 601 | Rocad Racing | Mikael Lindqvist | 26 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 39 | 29 | 32 | 40 | 28 | 27 | 30 | [40] | 254.0 | ||||||||||
| 38. | |
USA 26 | Jungleland | Chris and Carolyn Groobey | 17 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 38 | 27 | 33 | 42 | 34 | 44/SCP | [44] | 259.0 | ||||||||||
| 39. | |
USA 159 | Torqeedo | Chris Carroll | 16 | 24 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 37 | 43 | 21 | 7 | 39 | 38 | 36 | [43] | 266.0 | ||||||||||
| 40. | |
USA 389 | Hooligan: Flat Stanley Racing | Trey Sheehan | 11 | 34 | 8 | 9 | 36 | 41 | 23 | 31 | 39 | 33 | 21 | 37 | [41] | 282.0 | ||||||||||
| 41. | |
CHI 687 | Windmade | Juan Reid | 17 | 6 | 16 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 37 | 25 | 41 | 41 | 18 | 32 | [41] | 283.0 | ||||||||||
| 42. | |
MEX 526 | Lampuga | Roberto Escalante | 14 | 35/ZFP | 10 | 29 | 18 | 42 | 41 | 42 | 27 | 43 | 19 | 21 | [43] | 298.0 | ||||||||||
Blog
Snipe 2014 Western Hemispheres Regatta Report & Results
Rios steals championship with a single point
By Airwaves writer Katelyn Montero
When sailors talk about a close competition, it’s hard to imagine one that came closer than the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Orient Championship. Forty-three teams from 12 different countries competed in the biennial event hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club, and in the end it all came down to a single point.
Puerto Rican skipper Raul Rios and his crew Fernando Monllor were one of three teams going into the final day of the regatta with a shot at first. By the end of the day, they won the championship by a single point.
The California regatta featured two different courses: one inside of South Bay San Diego and the other out on the Pacific Ocean. Each location was meant to showcase a different skill set for Snipe sailors, and the two courses proved essential in differentiating the top pack of the fleet from the rest of the scoreboard.
The majority of competitors came into the regatta with more experience in bay sailing, and the relatively flat waters on both bay days made speed a top priority. With more chop and slightly bigger breezes, the ocean course required smart, tactical handling in order for boats to get the top scores.
In order to do well in this regatta, competitors needed to demonstrate mastery on both courses, as well as extremely consistent scores across the board. Champions Raul Rios and Fernando Monllor, the sole entrants from Puerto Rico, knew that coming away with first place wouldn’t be easy.
“We knew it was going to be a tough day, but we just had to focus on one boat at a time, one leg at a time,” said Rios. The skipper knew the boat to watch would be the Argentina team of Luis Soubie and his crew Diego Mini Lipszyc. After a poor performance on day four, Rios lost his top spot and fell down to third place. Soubie and Lipszyc held the lead going into day five, but couldn’t hold on to No. 1 during the last two races of the regatta.
“Today was a disaster,” Soubie said of Race 9 and Race 10. “We ended the day feeling like we didn’t do much racing at all today. We were constantly in an emergency or getting away from trouble.” Both races ended up being throw out scores, but Soubie’s consistent campaign in the first four race days left them well poised for a podium finished.
No surprise to the podium’s third place spot was the Brazilian team of Breno Bianchi and Flavio de Castro. While the top two teams each had their own bad day, the Brazilians sailed evenly across the five-day regatta, with their throw-out scores just barely making double digits.
This regatta also functioned as a qualifier for Toronto’s Pan American games in 2015. Many coaches made the far trek across international waters to insure that their country could qualify in time to compete in PanAms to be held in Canada. Puerto Rico, USA, Cuba, Ecuador and Colombia have all qualified during this regatta, while the Bahamas and Mexico remain unqualified.
At the end of the day, Soubie decided that if he was going to lose to anyone, he was happy it was Raul Rios. “He’s the future of the Snipe Class,” Soubie said. “He’s only 20 years old. He’s going to make this class proud.”
Snipe (43 boats) (top)
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2014 Viper 640 North American Championship Final Results
Brad Boston (Sarnia, Ont.), sailing with Curtis Florence (Cleveland, OH) and Chad Corning (New Rochelle, NY) sat in third place after 11 races over three days of sailing from Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. That trio executed a classic come-from-behind finish on the fourth and final day to claim the 2014 Viper 640 North American Championship. Boston presided over a sailmakers’ boat handling seminar Friday night and was overheard commenting how it was unusual for him to be only four points off the lead without having won any of the 11 races sailed over the first three days. That quickly changed as the fleet of 35 Viper 640s headed out through the breakwater for the final day of racing.
ABYC PRO Steve Kuritz wrapped-up his successful regatta with the following overview: “In the end, it was four great days of racing, and it was really interesting to see how the positions of the top six boats changed from race to race. In the end, Brad Boston “thanked” me for calling him OCS on the day’s first start as it allowed him to quickly restart at the favored boat end and take off to the right side and win his first race.”
Boston’s middle crew, Chad Corning, commented that “It was good going into today with only four points separating the top three boats. We were able to play the favored right side all day and it paid off (line scores 1-1-3). In the end, Brad showed how he can be cool under pressure, keeping the mood on the boat light, and we made our moves to put us into the lead after today’s first race. From there, as the wind continued to build, we just tried to sail in the same neighborhood as Kevin Taugher and Jeff Grange.”
After the third day, Taugher and Boston were tied at 30 points just four points behind Grange who had lead in the scoring from the very first race. In the end, however, it was Taugher who finished second and Grange in third.
This year’s win is Boston’s fourth North American Championship (’09, ’10, ’11) and Corning was the middle crew for Jason Carroll’s NA victory last year in Houston.
The members and staff of the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club put on a spectacular four days of racing and shore-side hospitality. Tim Carter, ABYC Event Chairman, said “I’m glad it’s over…from an event task perspective; but I’m sorry to see all these great competitors leaving ABYC for their home ports across the country and across oceans, too.” All the competitors expressed their gratitude and appreciation for “Timbo’s” as, without all his efforts, the Championship would not have been such a glowing success.
Results of the Championship can be found at: http://www.abyc.org/upload/2014_Viper_NA3.htm. Photos from Bronny Daniels and Peter Howson are available to view at www.joysailing.com and www.yachtracing.us, respectively.
Next year’s Viper 640 North American Championship will be hosted by Larchmont (NY) Yacht Club in October 2015. Final results can be found on the ABYC website.
The Viper 640 North American Championship is a qualifier regatta for the EFG Viper Pan-American Championship. Also helping make this regatta a success are Ullman Sails, Doyle Sailmakers, North Sails, Quantum Sails, Goslings Rum, the Belmont Brewing Company, Rondar Sailboats USA, Sailing Pro Shop, and Rooster.
Final Results: http://www.abyc.org/upload/2014_Viper_NA7.htm
Lido 14: A Class of its Own
By Airwaves writer Tyler Colvin 
Hand building boats is an art overlooked by many. Many of today’s sailing dinghies were originally hand crafted in garages, barns and basements before they hit high volume assembly lines. The Lido 14 is no exception. Originally built by legendary boat builder Bill Schock, the Lido 14 came to life out of his Newport Beach shop in early 1958. A year later, over 600 hulls had been cast and the one design class, as we know it today, started. There are currently over 6000 hulls with more on the way.
The Boat: A Local Legend
There are many boats who’s popularity is solely location based. How many Cape Cod Mercuries do you suppose are sailing around Penobscot Bay? Likewise, the intensely Southern California concentration of Lido 14s is most likely due to the locality of the designer and boat yard, Newport Beach.
The Lido 14 stands a stately 14’ long with a 6’ beam at the widest point. Dry hull weight is 310lbs, making it downright portly compared to the C420 or CFJ. Not designed as a racing boat, the Lido 14 gained popularity amongst racers in California, Oregon and Washington State as well as several other smaller groups spread across the country. It has a total sail area of 111 square feet between main and jib.
Designed for cruising, the Lido 14 comfortably sits 6 on its wide bench seats in a roomy cockpit. Races are a two person affair however, similar to many other small sailing dinghies of its size and vintage. Beamy and very difficult to capsize, it cruises comfortably and is very easy to set up.
In 1995 the Lido 14 was updated to reflect the progress in technology and update the pre-1960s hardware. These new Lidos, referred to as the 6000 series boats (as to that date, approximately 6000 hulls had been cast), were designed to be as similar as possible to the now “Classic Lido” with only updates to the construction and hardware on the boat. Because of the effort to keep the boats as similar as possible, both Classic and 6000 series boats are still very competitive on the racecourse. In fact, one of the first of the Classic Lido hulls won Lido 14 Nationals in 2014 (hull #2506, Cal State Long Beach Sailing Team standout Mark Ryan and crew Sarah Shaupeter).
Set Up and Sailing
The set up is straightforward and intentionally easy on the Lido 14. Designed to span many age groups and abilities, it comes together quickly and can either be disassembled after use or stored on a dock, mooring, or cradle. The deck-stepped mast is easily erected and stayed into place by two or more people. On Classic Lidos, the boom slides into a track on the mast and should be fixed in place by either a stopper inside the mast track, or a pin through the front of the mast. 6000 series boats have a fixed gooseneck that is fairly straightforward.
Tuning the Lido is also not complicated. Mast rake is the most easily adjusted mechanism and controls the power and helm of the boat. A reliable tuning guide from Ullman Sails can be found here (http://www.lido14.org/). Once your rig is set to the proper settings, the boat can be launched, sails raised and centerboard lowered.
Sailing upwind the Lido 14 has what is known as “weather helm”. Weather helm refers to the phenomenon where when sailing in a straight line on close-hauled, the tiller will tend to want to pull down and boat to head up. This is completely normal for many boats including the J24. As breeze increases however, this weather helm may become too strong and the boat should be depowered to decrease this pull.
Downwind the Lido 14 is sailed wing on wing when breeze allows. In racing conditions the centerboard can be raised slightly to help reduce drag on the hull. The jib is put on a whisker pole to allow it to fly out and catch more wind like a spinnaker would in the same situation. It is fast to heel the boat to windward slightly in order to rotate the main up higher and power up more.
Class Association
The Lido 14 class association (http://www.lido14.com) is an organized and helpful organization for such a relatively small racing community. Class championships are popular and provide a mix of Classic and 6000 series boats, as well as sailors young and old. The current Lido 14 National Champions, Mark Ryan and Sarah Shaupeter are perfect examples of a Classic boat with a young crew. Mark and Sarah sailed the oldest boat in the fleet #2506, previously owned by their grandfather. A recent graduate and Cal State Long Beach Sailing Team standout, Mark has a passion for Lidos and it is great to see a young skipper taking such interest in an older boat.
Why Sail?
Young, old, new or veteran, the Lido 14 has possessed the ability to maintain its status as one of the classic small dinghies in the United States. Competitive fleets on the West Coast keep racing alive; while countless others are cruised on lakes, rivers and ponds across the Midwest. Easily set up and easily sailed, the Lido 14 offers accessible sailing to many ability levels and age groups all over the country.
Viper 640 North Americans Day 1 Report
Jeff Grange Takes Control of Viper 640 North Americans After First Day
September 3, 2014 Long Beach, CA – Some championship regattas fall into the trope of “it’s never like this here.” In Long Beach, California, this was not true thankfully for the Viper 640 fleet. Despite dire forecasts, several days of light winds during practice, and an hour on-shore postponement, the Viper 640 North American Championship enjoyed Chamber of Commerce conditions with a classic Long Beach seabreeze for the 34 boats in attendance. Sailing the inside course, the fleet sailed briskly through the relatively flat seas where hard hiking proved key for the day.
In the first race, the fleet split evenly going upwind with both sides of the fleet converging at the first mark. Blasting downwind the boats were hitting speeds in the low teens as boathandling proved a critical asset. In the end, Jeff Grange (Santa Barbara, CA) was first across the line. That statistic would repeat itself. Grange would go on to win all four races on the day, returning to shore with an eight-point lead over 3-time North American champion Brad Boston (Sarnia, ON), who holds a slim, one-point lead over local Kevin Taugher. “Everything was perfect here today,” said Boston. “The yellow boat just sailed better through the water than us today.”
ABYC PRO Steve Kuritz commented “The caliber of the racing among the Viper 640s today was as competitive as any racing I’ve ever been part of. The boats are so quick and responsive that watching the competitors race these sport boats was a thrill. We’re expecting the next three days to provide the same ideal racing conditions.”
Event Chairman, Tim Carter, was on the water racing his Viper after having organized a world-class regatta. The previous night, after the Viper 640’s Annual General Meeting, Carter arranged for gourmet food trucks to feed and entertain the sailors. “It was a load of fun with everyone milling around the food trucks and eating on the decks of the boats on their trailers.” At the AGM, the class elected new officers, with local sailor Jim Sears assuming the role of Class President.
This is the first Viper North Americans sailed on the west coast. Thursday’s racing is scheduled to be in the ocean outside the Long Beach breakwater, with the first warning at 1155 with a sea breeze forecast to be from the southwest in the 12-15 knot range, building throughout the day.
The Viper 640 North American Championship is a qualifier regatta for the EFG Viper Pan-American Championship. Also helping make this regatta a success are Ullman Sails, Doyle Sailmakers, North Sails, Quantum Sails, Goslings Rum, the Belmont Brewing Company, Rondar Sailboats USA, Sailing Pro Shop, and Rooster. Event website: http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/6130
Lessons From the Sting of Defeat: The 34th America’s Cup from the Kiwi Perspective
Editors Note: Ahh, sailboat racing. No matter how talented, prepared, and invested you are into any particular boat or regatta, this sport, it seems more than most, can offer up bitter and cruel defeats. I personally have had my share of those, losing a major regatta by 1/4 of a point (back when 1st place was 3/4 of a point!), winning 3 of 4 races in a 70-boat J/24 regatta, then learning one was a dreaded OCS, and more. It can be hard to take, and much credit should go to those that keep at it, letting bad things go, and savoring the great moments. Someone once said “I never lose, I either win or get better.” This attitude, or some similar form of it, is what drives the best to the pinnacle. For example, Mike Holt has been at 505 sailing now for 30 years, and just won his first World Championship.
I must be getting old, but the old ABC Sports television intro comes to mind:
At what some see as the pinnacle of our sport, the sailing world watched one of the greatest, or one of the worst, dramas unfold in San Francisco at the 34th America’s Cup. The most improbable of all comebacks, or thrilling victories, and also one of the the most agonizing of all defeats, played out on the waters of SF Bay, narrated by American commentators, triumphal at the end, and Kiwi analysts, shocked at the crushing defeat. Our New Zealand correspondent, Sara Morgan Watters, got a chance to catch up with Peter Montgomery, the voice of NZL Yachting, and get his thoughts on what happened, and why.
By Airwaves Kiwi Correspondent, Sara Morgan Watters
Race 8 is what Peter Montgomery, New Zealand’s voice of yachting, will most remember of the 34th America’s Cup. Known by most as PJ, avid sports fans remember him best for his iconic call in 1995 “America’s Cup is now New Zealand’s Cup!” But broadcasting in 2013, those words, for a brief moment were only sweet memories for fans watching, during what became one of sport’s greatest comebacks.
Although PJ wasn’t able to repeat those famous words during his coverage in San Francisco, he did get an insiders view of the Cup that he recently shared at an evening presentation I attended at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in Wellington. In an attempt to better understand how Emirates Team New Zealand lost their lead to go on to lose the Cup, PJ broke it down into three main mistakes, holding ETNZ players both on and off the water responsible.
1. Kiwis made a mistake on the water
According to PJ, the beginning of the end was in Race 8 when Team New Zealand nearly capsized, after a last minute decision to tack because of a questionable port/starboard crossing. Problems with the hydraulics during the tack caused the one hull to lift out of the water, making the boat heel to a 44.8 degree angle. Only .2 degrees away from capsizing, at the time it was a victory that the team managed to recover with out any damage, but according to PJ, this was the first of three costly mistakes that lead to their defeat.
Eager to gain some insider knowledge and a better understanding of how this important crossing unfolded, PJ re-played this painful moment to the audience. I could feel the tension in the room rise as the footage revealed that in fact the Kiwis would have crossed on port cleanly with on-board audio between Oracle’s Ben Ainslie and skipper Jimmy Spithill confirming this as they discussed having to sail behind the Kiwi team. Instead, in a moment of hesitation, the Kiwis decided to tack, causing a near disaster. The icing on the cake was the American announcers, Gary Jobson and Ken Read (broadcasters that didn’t appear on Kiwi coverage) saying “airplane tickets are being changed from Monday to Tuesday”, as Team Oracle took the lead to go on and win the race and prolong the series.
2. The Kiwis made a mistake off the water
According to PJ, the second mistake came on Friday 13th, when Team New Zealand officially decided they didn’t need to use the reserve day and that the team would be better off resting. This extra day gave Oracle time to go out on the water and practice, exactly what they needed, according to PJ. In addition to Team New Zealand giving up their momentum, Oracle was able to work on their speed, angles sailing upwind, and foiling through jibes and tacks. This extra practice gave Oracle the speed they needed to be more competitive.
PJ wasn’t shy to attribute the decision to take the lay-day to rest as a political error in judgment. Waving paper up in the air in front of the audience, PJ explained that they were copies of the email from Grant Dalton explaining to race organizers the team’s decision to take the day off the water, when in fact it was really only the team owner’s choice.
3. Kiwis didn’t play the mental game
Although PJ never suggested anyone cheated, his third point was that the Kiwis missed the opportunity to pursue clarification with the rules on how the hydraulic system should work. From his point of view, it was clear the hydraulic system that controlled the foils was simplified on the Team USA boat, making it easier to use.
Having watched sailors prepare for major events like the Olympics and other high stress world championships, PJ recognized the importance of understanding and playing the mental game of sailing and he felt there was a missed opportunity to play the game. The mistake being that, the Kiwis should have addressed this issue earlier, so to distract Oracle away from the racing.
The theme of the evening presentation certainly wasn’t how Team USA won the America’s Cup, but rather how Team New Zealand lost it. The speech directed neither negativity nor cause for defeat towards Team USA, but instead focused on the mistakes the Kiwis made that eventually led to their loss.
When asked his thoughts on the event, Wellington Ocean Sports Project Manager, organizer of the evening’s event, and local Kiwi, Matt Wood gave his own perspective on the matter…
“Although in the end Oracle clearly was the fastest boat in the 34th Americas Cup, it will go down as New Zealand’s biggest missed opportunity to win. After initial dominance there was a period of several days where the Cup was within our grasp, but lost due to some basic errors. Given everything Team New Zealand had in its favour heading into the regatta against Oracle (a jump on foiling and a significant speed advantage) it begs the question, can this team in its current configuration actually win? We can only hope this result has strengthened the teams resolve to solve the Americas Cup equation.”
As the speech was coming to a finish, the audience longing for those iconic words declared 18 years ago only to be cast as hallow echoes in 2013, PJ gave them the bitter sweet satisfaction of ending the night by reenacting those famous words one last time. And so the audience was left that evening with the memory of what could have been met alongside with slight optimism for what the future could hold.
