Gary Jobson's America's Cup Report - Race 4
Dateline: Valencia, Spain
June 27, 2007
The subtle changes in yacht races that make the difference between victory and defeat are often hard to detect. In the 4th race of the 32nd America's Cup Alinghi's helmsman, Ed Baird, accelerated for speed 18 seconds before the start, while Emirates Team New Zealand's helmsman, Dean Barker, was slowed down by a monster wave just before crossing the line. The next 4 seconds set the stage for the rest of the race. Alinghi was fast and NZ struggled to regain speed.
At the starting gun NZ was one knot slower allowing Alinghi to grab a small, but significant one boatlength lead. From that moment NZ was in a catch up mode. It was a painful day for Kiwi fans. There was one good opportunity for NZ to catch up, but the crew let it slip away.
Alinghi drove NZ out to the lay line on leg one and rounded 20 seconds ahead at the first mark. On leg two NZ blew a jibe, and wrapped their spinnaker around the headstay. This kind of mistake is usually caused by the helmsman not turning in sync with the position of the sail. Error charged to Dean Barker. Alinghi stretched out to a 34 second advantage. On the 3rd leg NZ sailed to the left side of the course while Alinghi headed to the right. Every Swiss fan on our ship, Silver Whisper, was screaming for Alinghi to tack and cover. They were mindful how Alinghi let NZ off the hook in Race 3 on the final leg by not covering. NZ went on to win a thriller yesterday. Would Alinghi's tactician Brad Butterworth repeat the mistake?
Finally, Alinghi tacked. NZ had the left side of the course to work with. The wind was forecasted to go right so NZ was on a wing and a prayer. But then half way to the windward mark Alinghi's wind dropped and their boat slowed. NZ got a heading puff of wind. Suddenly NZ was even. Surely NZ would tack back toward Alinghi. This was the big moment. But NZ continued on. Now the Kiwis fans were urging their team to tack. I felt like I was at a Redskin vs. Cowboys game where spectators scream for their team to cover an open downfield receiver.
Alinghi's owner, Ernesto Bartarelli, watched intensely from the leeward side of his boat. You could see by the expression on Bartarelli's face that he was hoping NZ would not tack. After about a minute the wind returned and Alinghi started gaining. NZ blew it. They had the opportunity to draw even. Throughout the rest of the race NZ tried tacking duels and then jibing duels to pass. Alinghi matched every move. Butterworth was sailing right out of the text book. In the end the margin was 30 seconds to Alinghi.
The score now stands 2-2 in this best of nine series. Here is what we have learned to date: Alinghi has a slight edge upwind. Under 11 knots NZ is about the same speed. Both crews have made a few small, but costly, mistakes. The margin of error is tiny. For this reason there will be a lot more theatrics in the rest of this regatta.
