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February 8, 2016 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Bermuda AC Village at Dockyard

This week’s issue focuses on team updates – team rosters, AC Class yacht development and ACWS campaigns. On the Cup Experience website, you can always get a team overviews and updates here.

We’ll start with what’s happening for all of the teams in Bermuda – here’s a draft of team base locations in the America’s Cup Village at Dockyard. Oracle and SoftBank Team Japan are operating from the bases shown here. Artemis operates from their main base at Morgan’s Point; the base shown here will be used when racing starts in May 2017. Land Rover BAR, Groupama Team France and Emirates Team New Zealand are all operating from bases in their respective countries. They will no doubt be in the bases at Dockyard in early 2017, to launch their race boats and to prepare for the racing in May and June. The landfill for the Public Event Village is nearing completion now. Download this diagram as well as the racing calendars on the America’s Cup Guide page, here.

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Download this 1 page overview of the America’s Cup Schedule here.

January 5, 2016 By Jack Griffin 2 Comments

Franck Cammas Recovering from Training Accident

Franck Cammas recovering at home in Guidel in Brittany a week after his accident.
Franck Cammas recovering at home in Guidel in Brittany a week after his accident.

 

On 30 November 2015 Franck Cammas almost lost his right foot when he went overboard and was struck by the horizontal stabilizer on the rudder of his foiling catamaran. The accident ended his hopes of qualifying for the Olympics in Rio. He will be on crutches until late January 2016, when he will begin four to six weeks of rehab. He was in the office working at a stand-up desk with his design less than 10 days after the accident, but it seems clear that he will miss the first America’s Cup World Series event of 2016, in Oman in February.

The Accident and Rescue

The accident occurred during pre-start maneuvers between the two GC32 cats the team uses to prepare for the America’s Cup. Trying to get a better position on the start line against his teammate and sparring partner Adam Minoprio, Cammas made two sharp turns in quick succession and lost his balance.  He went overboard near the stern on the port side and suffered a compound fracture of both the tibia and fibula from the impact with the T-shaped rudder. Coach Betrand Pacé gingerly pulled Cammas into the team chase boat, Cammas’s foot attached only by tendons and arteries. Luckily the arteries were not cut, so he suffered relatively little blood loss. Pacé called for emergency medical services and a helicopter to transport Cammas to the university hospital in Nantes. During the 45 minute flight, Cammas continuously tested the feeling in his foot, reassuring himself that there was no serious nerve damage. At the hospital, waking from general anesthesia after two and a half hours of operation, he was relieved to see that he still had his foot. Professor Gouin, the surgeon, had needed plates and screws to reconnect the bones, as the foot had almost been torn off by the impact.

Safety at Speed

Training videos and this accident raise the question of safety precautions for sailing at high speed. There were no serious injuries when Oracle capsized their AC72 in October 2012, the cockpits protecting the crew. With no cockpits in their AC72, Emirates Team New Zealand lost two crew overboard during the Louis Vuitton Cup racing when they stuffed the bows while bearing away at the windward gate.  The design rule for the America’s Cup Class catamarans requires cockpits for the crew as part of the safety measures. The AC45 cats being raced in the America’s Cup World Series are dramatically faster since being modified for foiling. The 32 foot long GC32’s have been clocked at over 39 knots. Sitting on top of the hulls of a foiling cat doing 30 knots or more seems like a very risky idea. Let’s hope there are no more serious accidents. Here is a video that shows the danger. It was shot during training on board BAR’s AC45F.

October 27, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

All of the Teams Still Do “Wheelies” – AC45F Foil Controls Are Not Very Precise

America's Cup Groupama Team France

Groupama Team France

America's Cup Oracle Team USA

Oracle Team USA

America's Cup Artemis Racing and Land Rover BAR

Artemis Racing and Land Rover BAR

October 27, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

After Three Events

America's Cup World Series Leaderboard

The top line for each team shows their points. The second line is their race results. High point scoring. First place earns 10 points on Saturday, 20 points on Sunday. Last place on Sunday earns 10 points, just like first place on Saturday. Seems odd, but that’s the way it is.

October 17, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Bermuda America’s Cup World Series – October 16-18, 2015 Update

The Bermuda AC World Series got off to a great start on land but with less excitement on the water. Friday’s practice races were held in light air, and Saturday’s official racing was abandoned, with almost calm conditions at race time. Late in the day four teams put on a demonstration race in Hamilton Harbor, with Groupama Team France taking the win ahead of Softbank Team Japan and Land Rover BAR, with Oracle bringing up the rear. Team New Zealand and Artemis did not race.

On shore things have been much more lively as the photos below show. Tomorrow’s forecast calls for 10-12 knots of wind, ideal conditions. Let’s hope the forecast is right!

ACWS Bermuda, practice races. LiveLine booth. TV image, Two Rock Passage

Friday’s second practice race finished at Two Rock Passage. SoftBank Team Japan took the win. Land Rover BAR and Oracle Team USA fought for last place. The narrow course made for a confusing rules situation with Oracle and BAR both protesting each other. BAR picked got the penalty.  Image: ACTV

America's Cup Hamilton City Hall wind vane

As a sailor, you know you’re in the right place when the “clock tower” on the town hall shows wind direction instead of time!

America's Cup BDA prep rally, city hall

Bermuda is serious about fun and about welcoming the America’s Cup teams and fans. The event kicked off with a pep rally in front of City Hall, with all the local sponsors’ employees in bright T-shirts.

America's Cup BDA prep rally, city hall   Hamilton Bermuda Town Crier Ed Christopher

Town crier Ed Christopher kicked off the pep rally in style.

America's Cup ACWS Bermuda AC45's moored off Front Steet.

AC45’s moored off Front Steet.

America's Cup The Spirit of Bermuda, a three-masted Bermuda sloop, moored in front of the VIP Lounge and just to the right of Oracle

The Spirit of Bermuda, a three-masted Bermuda sloop, moored in front of the VIP Lounge and just to the right of Oracle. Front Street and the Fan Zone in the background.

America's Cup Corporate hospitality overlooking the harbor and the fireworks for the opening ceremonies on Friday night.

Corporate hospitality overlooking the harbor and the fireworks for the opening ceremonies on Friday night.

America's Cup Mike Segar enjoying the Bermudian hospitality.

Is this the best hospitality in an America’s Cup Media Center? Oysters and Dark’n’Stormy’s served at our desks by the Media Center catering team. Reuters photographer Mike Segar enjoying the Bermudian hospitality.

September 22, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Overall Series Standings after two events.

1    Emirates Team New Zealand   72
2    Land Rover BAR                       65
3    Oracle Team USA                     64
4    SoftBank Team Japan              56
5    Artemis Racing                         53
6    Groupama Team France          50

The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series runs over two years – 2015 and 2016. The winner of the series will carry two points forward into the round robin phase. Second place in the series carries one point. At the end of the round robin, any ties will be broken using these results. That means the AC World Series could determine which team receives the bonus point for the America’s Cup Match and which team is eliminated.

September 22, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Groupama Team France Defends C Class World Championship

America's Cup Groupama Team France Defends C Class World Championship

Franck Cammas and Louis Viot easily won the C Class “Little Cup” on Lake Geneva last week. The America’s Cup team with the smallest budget showed some very clever design ides with their C Class cat. They are the only team to use the C Class as their development boat. It remains to be seen if they can scale up their ideas from the C Class to the AC Class race boat they will launch at the end of 2016.

September 1, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Overall Series Standings after two events.

1    Emirates Team New Zealand   72
2    Land Rover BAR                       65
3    Oracle Team USA                     64
4    SoftBank Team Japan              56
5    Artemis Racing                         53
6    Groupama Team France          50

The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series runs over two years – 2015 and 2016. The winner of the series will carry two points forward into the round robin phase. Second place in the series carries one point. At the end of the round robin, any ties will be broken using these results. That means the AC World Series could determine which team receives the bonus point for the America’s Cup Match and which team is eliminated.

Gothenburg Results
1    Emirates Team New Zealand     54
2    ORACLE TEAM USA                 48
3    Land Rover BAR                        46
4    SoftBank Team Japan               43
5    Artemis Racing                          42
6    Groupama Team France           37

August 2, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Results and Standings

Ben Ainslie’s Land Rover BAR team won the shortened Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth event with a first and a second in Saturday’s racing. Winds over 30 knots and rough conditions caused Sunday’s racing to be abandoned.

Racing on their home waters and with more time in this type of boat than the other teams, Land Rover BAR showed sharp crew work and good tactics to win the opening race and then fight back from the middle of the pack to post a second in the day’s second race. Emirates Team New Zealand and new helmsman Peter Burling also looked impressive, winning the second race and coming in third in the first.

Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth – Results

1. Land Rover BAR (1,2)
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (3,1)
3. Oracle Team USA ( 2,4)
4. Groupama Team France (6,3)
5. Softbank Team Japan (4,5)
6. Artemis Racing (5,6)

Remember that these races count, and could even determine the winner of the America’s Cup Match in 2017! Standings in the LVACWS will be used to break ties at the end of the round robin series, and could determine which team begins the match with one point. More information on how the scoring works here.

July 27, 2015 By Jack Griffin Leave a Comment

Results: Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth

Six foiling AC45F catamarans were on the course together for racing on Saturday. Ben Ainslie’s Land Rover BAR team won the shortened Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth event with a first and a second in Saturday’s racing. Winds over 30 knots and rough conditions caused Sunday’s racing to be abandoned.

Racing on their home waters and with more time in this type of boat than the other teams, Land Rover BAR showed sharp crew work and good tactics to win the opening race and then fight back from the middle of the pack to post a second in the day’s second race. Emirates Team New Zealand and new helmsman Peter Burling also looked impressive, winning the second race and coming in third in the first.

America's Cup Fleet Racing on Foils

Results and Current Standings

  1. Land Rover BAR (1,2)
  2. Emirates Team New Zealand (3,1)
  3. Oracle Team USA ( 2,4)
  4. Groupama Team France (6,3)
  5. Softbank Team Japan (4,5)
  6. Artemis Racing (5,6)

Remember that points are totaled over two years, 2015-16 for the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series. At the end of the series, the top team carries two points into the double round robin of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers. Any ties in the qualifiers will be broken by standings in the LVACWS. So this racing could determine which team earns a bonus point to start the America’s Cup Match and it could also determine whether a challenger makes it through to the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Playoffs. I’ve summarized the competition format here.

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