SAILING ON THE EDGE OF CONTROL IN AUCKLAND
On many levels the block of two-boat training that Emirates Team New Zealand are relentlessly executing down in wintery Auckland, could be the key come the time when all the marbles are on the table in October 2024. What we’re seeing day-in, day-out on the Hauraki Gulf is not only the Kiwi Women & Youth Teams getting an extraordinary schooling but the sheer depth of talent in the senior squad who have very little regard for fame, reputation, or ego. It’s the Kiwi way and another thrilling two-boat session in solid breeze once again proved that there’s very little to choose between the sailors.
Josh Junior and Sam Meech are two of the finest sailors emerging through the Emirates Team New Zealand programme and despite being hampered by sailing a one-design version of the AC40 against a super-tuned AC40 in LEQ12 mode, they put up some fights today that were worthy of a Rocky movie. In the heavier air, speed differences may well be amplified between the two boats, particularly in a straight-line but in close quarters manoeuvres it’s almost negligible and today we saw the boats being thrown around right on the edge, and often over the edge, of control.
A total of twelve pre-starts were completed and it very much looked like a trap-door approach that both boats were taking with each helming partnership desperately trying to force the other into a fall off the foils. That’s the ‘game-over’ manoeuvre and, as with everything, there were several ways to skin the cat. Peter Burling is an undisputed heavyweight champion at forcing errors from opponents be that a turn too tight or a vicious luff from down below and with Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney seemingly able to respond to some downright epic changes of direction and somehow keep foiling, the options that the Kiwi ‘A’ team have are immense. Translate that to the Cup itself and we could be in for a wild ride come race time.
But Burling and Outteridge certainly didn’t have it all their own way. Junior and Meech with the huge talents of Gemma Jones and Marcus Hansen on trim were able to force foil-falls themselves and showed pretty decent time-on-distance in the final lead-in to the start-line. Races were canned at the first intersection and the clock re-set so this was rapid-fire starting practice in an area that the Kiwis are clearly targeting. Relatively smooth water off Takapuna but a healthy breeze in the upper ranges at around 18 knots at times made this one of the most electric sessions we’ve seen and for sure the intensity is ramping with Emirates Team New Zealand.
Speaking afterwards, Blair Tuke, trimmer, commented: “Another two-boat session for us so just got out and got straight into it really. It's going well, today was a bit more moderate conditions and we were out off the East Coast Bays with some waves thrown in the mix, the first time in this two-boat block, so we were pushing it, with a few more touchdowns and crashes into the water and such but all in all a good day.”
Speaking about what the team are taking out of these sessions, Blair added: “The goal for this block for us isn't to find the limit for these boats, we're not racing the America’s Cup in them so they are quite different to handle than the big boats, so the real focus for us is coordination between the crew, how are we assessing each race situation and what we're trying to achieve in them and then obviously trying to execute it the best we can. Josh and his team are doing a really good job and pushing us to the limit so it's pretty invaluable practise for us really.”
And speaking about the speed differences and the advantage that the LEQ12 has, Blair said: “I mean the main focus for us is the start, we did quite a lot of starts and then do a lap if it's a bit more even or at least the first intersection so yeah we've definitely got an advantage there but the main focus is on interaction and the start and all the jostling which is more even between the boats or if not we've got a bit more on our hands there so it's pretty good, it tests us a lot.”
Another top-class session in the bag for Emirates Team New Zealand and more time-on-the-water for the Women & Youth teams who took the one-design AC40 out early for some vital practice. All coming along nicely at the moment for the Kiwis. (Magnus Wheatley)
On-Water Recon Report – Emirates Team New Zealand: A cold and cloudy winter's day in Auckland today as the ETNZ Women's team headed out on the water for the first day of their week-long training camp. Getting sailing in the inner harbour, the team worked on all aspects of sailing the AC40 OD and made their way towards Takapuna Beach, where they spent the morning sailing. With some team members being very new to sailing the AC40, they focused mostly on straight-lining and basic boat handling, improving throughout the session. Onboard the Women's team today were Gemma Jones, Liv Mackay, Jo Aleh, and Molly Meech.
Joined just before midday by the LEQ12, the team of Josh Junior, Sam Meech, Marcus Hansen, and Gemma Jones got onboard the AC40 OD, and both boats started warm-up laps while a course was set.
Getting straight into pre-start practice, both teams pushed with fast and aggressive starting tactics, made possible by the upper-range sailing conditions. Recon observed the teams taking more risks than in lighter conditions as it was easier for the teams to regain flight after falling off the foils. While LEQ12 has an even greater speed advantage in these windier conditions, AC40 OD could use aggressive tactics and often got a favourable start. The teams completed 12 practice races before sailing back up the harbour and calling it a day.