700 days ago, on the 15th of December, 2004, Desafío Español 2007, the Spanish challenge for the 32nd America’s Cup was announced, ending weeks of speculation. That day marked the beginning of a project that today sits fourth in the Louis Vuitton Ranking (for challengers), and is awaiting delivery of its second new boat, ESP 97. Over the past two years, the Spanish team has grown to become one of stronger aspirants for the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals.
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"Our problem now is that we feel the pressure of the seven teams behind."
Agustín Zulueta
The 2006 ACC Louis Vuitton Championship showed a Desafío Español that was a tough opponent for any team. The local challenger earned a win against Luna Rossa (ITA 86) in Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10, sailing the old ESP 65 and eventually lost two races that it had been leading, to Alinghi and BMW ORACLE Racing. On the negative side of the ledger, the team suffered losses to Shosholoza and Areva Challenge, the French sailing a boat two generations removed from the current America’s Cup.
Agustín Zulueta
The performance of the team in 2006 brings up two questions for the founder and Sporting and Technical Director of Desafío Español 2007, Agustín Zulueta: What does his team need to do to beat the bigger teams and how do they stop losing races they are favoured to win?
“There are two main differences between Desafío Español and the three at the top - the budget and the continuity of the projects, they’ve all have been sailing together for years,” Zulueta says.
About the losses, Zulueta is candid: “There were moments when we didn’t sail well, but even though this would be a tragedy in the Louis Vuitton Cup, during the Acts these defeats make you think that teams like Shosholoza, +39 Challenge or Areva aren’t so weak, that they can give you a hard time and that we must always be ready.”
Qualifying for the semi finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup is the immediate goal for the three top challengers and most of the others, including Desafío Español. The challengers may share the same goal, but not the same chances for achieving it. Based on performance to date, Desafío Español must be considered a favourite to make the final four.
“Our problem now is that we feel the pressure of the seven teams behind. In theory, three places are already covered by BMW ORACLE Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa, who are considerably advanced on the rest of us. Then, there are seven other teams wanting to get the fourth position from us, so to I think that to say that we want to make the semi-finals for the Louis Vuitton Cup is an extremely ambitious goal,” Zulueta says.
Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10
The season began well for Desafío Español; fifth position overall and its first win over one of the ‘Big Four’. Additionally, the Spanish collected their first win against Victory Challenge their main rival for fourth place among the challengers, even though both teams again finished equal on points. In the fleet races of the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 11 both teams showed a similar performance, but this time they were well down the table. Desafío Español was ninth and the Swedes tenth with Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team, Shosholoza, Areva Challenge and +39 Challenge all finishing ahead of them.
New boat, new challenges
Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 12
Following Act 11, the home team focused on sailing and preparing the new ESP 88. The Spanish wanted to be able to race the new boat in Louis Vuitton Act 12, a goal they managed to achieve. It was soon apparent that this was a step up for the team. After just 20 days of sailing, Desafío Español, racing ESP 88, earned its best ever winning percentage in an Act and consolidated its position as the fourth challenger. “That was the best moment of the season, it was a true success for us,” confirms Zulueta.
Now the team is finishing construction of ESP 97 which is scheduled to be ready by the end of January and sailing early in February. The team plans to have 30 days of sailing in it in order to make it ‘race-ready’ for the Louis Vuitton Cup.
“I don’t think (that it is a ‘breakthrough’ boat), but until we sail it we don’t know its full potential. Right now we need to enhance our designs and boats to sail in lighter conditions but it is also very risky to prepare a boat exclusively to sail in eight knots of wind,” says Zulueta.
Time will reveal the true potential of this challenge, but it is undeniable that never in its three previous Cup challenges has Spain been is as strong a position. In 2006, the team achieved its goals; will it do the same in 2007?
Statistics
Desafío Español earned its first victory over one of the ‘Big Four’ against Luna Rossa Challenge in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10 on May 12 2006. It came on the same day HM King Juan Carlos was at the team base to witness the christening of the new ESP 88.
Desafío Español has won two races where their opponent didn’t finish, both during Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10; China Team had gear failure while Victory Challenge rossed the finish line without completing their penalty turn, and were scored as not finishing.
ESP 88, the new Spanish boat, only competed in Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 12 and compiled a better winning percentage, at 69% than ESP 65 and ESP 67, at 50%.
Desafío Español 2007 has held the lead in matches against Alinghi, Emirates Team New Zealand, BMW ORACLE Racing and Luna Rossa, but in the end has only beaten the Italians.
The maximum winning delta for the team in 2006 is 1:30 against Areva Challenge in Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 12.
The minimum winning delta was 19-seconds over Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team in Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 12.
The maximum losing delta was 1:52 against Alinghi in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10.
Desafío Español 2007 is in fourth position in the Louis Vuitton Ranking with 85 points. If it holds that position it would earn three bonus points at the beginning of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
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