Emirates Team New Zealand are reaping the rewards of risky innovation as they take a commanding lead over Oracle Team USA into the second weekend of racing in the 35th America’s Cup.
The Kiwis, with 26-year-old Peter Burling at the helm, swept the first four races of the match to erase a one-point deficit and take a 3-0 lead in the first-to-seven points series.
Admitting that New Zealand were simply faster, Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill vowed that all options would be explored to narrow that gap in the five-day break before racing resumes on Saturday.
But Martin Fischer, a designer for vanquished challenger Groupama Team France, said New Zealand may have already won the technological race.
New Zealand’s most obvious innovation, the decision to use cycle-style pedals to power the hydraulics system, gives them a range of options in controling their 50-foot foiling catamaran that Team USA just don’t have.
“It’s very interesting, this decision to use bicycles had such a big impact on the whole development program,” Fischer said. “It’s not only an energy thing, but it influenced the kind of foils they use.
“It influenced the way they shared the control of the boat between the different crew members.
“It was a risky move at the beginning, because nobody knew if it would work or not.”
Using leg power allows “cyclor” Blair Tuke to have his hands free to trim the hydrofoils that allow the twin hulls to rise above the water, reducing drag and increasing speed.
That leaves Burling free to concentrate on steering an optimal course as he works in concert with Tuke — his longtime partner in 49er class racing with whom he won gold in Rio last year.
On the US boat, in contrast, Spithill adjusts the foils by controls on the wheel, steering and controling the flight height himself.
New Zealand also appear to have an edge in their control system for the massive fixed-wing sail, which skipper Glenn Ashby trims by means of a joystick console.
More precise control of the wing allows him to squeeze out more speed.
Team USA can modify their foils and rudders to improve performance, but wholesale changes are prevented both by the rules and time constraints.
Changes in sailing technique could also increase their speed, and Team USA have been on the water training and testing.
“We’re looking in all areas, including how we sail the boat and how we set it up,” Oracle General Manager Grant Simmer told the team’s website.
Four years ago, Team USA were on the brink of defeat in San Francisco, trailing 1-8 before roaring back to stun New Zealand 9-8.
“In 2013 we made a lot of changes to the way we sailed the AC72 during the America’s Cup and that meant we learned how to foil upwind and that became the decisive factor,” Simmer said.
“Here, both teams are already foiling upwind and downwind and through tacks and jibes, so we have to look harder to find little areas where we can make small gains all the way around the race course in this wind range.”
New Zealand, taking nothing for granted after the bitter experience of 2013, have been on the water as well, aiming to maintain their advantage.
Burling said the Kiwis had plenty of room for improvement — although it wasn’t immediately obvious just where.
“Reliability is always an issue,” Fischer noted. “Besides that, everything looks perfect from the outside.”
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