34th America's Cup team budgets: 20 or 120 million euros?

How much would it cost to have a competitive challenger in the 34th America's Cup? It depends on who you ask. Sir Keith Mills, principal of the now-defunct America's Cup hopeful Team Origin, had stated that he needed 100 million pounds (120 million euros) for the British potential challenger to mount a successful campaign. Russell Coutts stated last September that the "smallest teams could operate on a budget of 40 million euros", which means the big competitive teams should have a considerably bigger budget. Finally, Iain Murray, CEO of America's Cup Race Management, told the media in Dubai on Thursday that approximately 20 million euros could be enough.

Our colleague Michele Tognozzi, editor of FareVela, talked to Silvio Arrivabene and asked him to give his expert opinion on what the costs are in this edition of the world's oldest sports trophy. Arrivabene knows what he's talking about having done two America's Cup campaigns with Mascalzone Latino, the most recent one as the operations manager, while in the 33rd America's Cup he was the construction and planning manager of Alinghi 5. If there's somebody that knows a thing or two about building big catamarans, it's Arrivabene.

Here's what Arrivabene had to say about budgets and the 34th America's Cup:

FareVela: Iain Murray talked about 20 million euros to participate in the 34th America's Cup. Does this figure seem plausible to you?
Silvio Arrivabene: First of all, we need to agree on what "participate" means. If one wants to be there without any ambition to succeed, then it could even be a conceivable figure, for one AC45, one AC72, one wing and a basic group but nothing more. Something similar to China Team in Valencia in 2007. No possibilities at all and a presence that will pass unnoticed. If, on the other hand, as it would seem logical in an event of the significance of the America's Cup, one has the ambition to win, I think it's a figure absolutely undersized and nothing remotely close to what instead we will need to spend.

FareVela: We are obviously interested in the second case, that of a team with the ambition to win. Can we enter into more details?
Silvio Arrivabene: I start by saying that I have carried out a study of the Protocol for some potential projects that had been conceived and as a result I rely on objective data. In summary, a team that wants to try to win must already have a couple of Extreme 40's for training, then a couple of AC45's (US$ 600,000 each just the boat), two AC72's and a development plan that foresees up to 8 wings (the maximum allowed by the rules), about 10 rudders and daggerboards (in a catamaran you always think in pairs) and a development of soft sails. For the aerodynamic research we assume a couple of engineers for the AC45's, a team of 3-4 engineers dedicated to the AC72's and the wings, in addition to the people directly involved in the construction.

FareVela: How much would all that cost?
Silvio Arrivabene: We suppose it's a new team with the maximum ambitions and a tested boat yard, such as Green Marine, with which I collaborated up to a couple of years ago. For the wing on USA17, 64 meters high, BMW Oracle has declared 100,000 hours of work. With a shared knowhow and an AC72 wing, 40 meters high, I think we could envisage 15,000 hours of work at an hourly rate of approximately 50 euros. I'm only referring to the boatyard cost, excluding materials, people and research. As a result, just for the construction of one piece it would be around 750,000 euros. We are talking about just one wing.

A big team needs 8 wings at 15,000 hours each, 4 hulls at 3,000 hours each, 4 rudders and 4 daggerboards. Just the hourly cost, with a calculator in hand, can reach 6 million euros, to which we need to add engineering and development, research and the people to do it. For an AC45 we would need approximately 21,000 hours of work. Just one wing corresponds to two thirds of an ACC Version 5 yacht.

In fact, it seems to me that if you aren't BMW Oracle you will find it difficult to build 8 wings, given the fact they have an advantage of at least two years in the sector in addition to unlimited resources. During AC33 they had no budget limits, now I think they also have prudent people internally, that care about that issue, for example I think of Murray Jones, but undoubtedly they are in an enormously advantageous position.

3D simulation of an AC72. Video copyright America's Cup

FareVela: Any other expenditures?
Silvio Arrivabene: We shouldn't underestimate material costs. There are pieces that need a lot of carbon, for example the daggerboards, the rudders that can cost up to 80,000 euros each. We have to keep in mind that just having the money will not be enough, but specific knowledge is also required that you either have it or you build it. To do that you need time with competent people available for two years and the possibility to test and develop. The America's Cup is not a one-design race, on multihulls speed is everything and the experienced people in that sector count for much. Such specialists are expensive.

FareVela: What about the sailing team?
Silvio Arrivabene: We have been told that the AC45's have a crew of 5 and the AC72's a crew of 11, but in order to have two AC72's you will need 22 sailors and you can't expect having the best without making a "reservation". They are called "retainer" contracts, a basic way to lock on to some sailors while you wait until you can use their services on the water, and have to be added to the 11 monthly salaries you would pay the sailors you hire right away.

In addition, on multihulls it won't be possible to have muscular neophytes fresh out of the gym or from rowing that accept a minimal 2,500 euros per month because they wish to be there. You will need experienced and skilled sailors with abilities and technical knowhow, unless you want to take some skilled kid out of the 470 and train him, but that will not be the case with our hypothetical team, that has the ambition to succeed. Between the design, sailing and shore teams, costs will rapidly increase for a 2-year campaign, the minimum if you hope to just be close to the Defender's abilities.

FareVela: What about the logistics?
Silvio Arrivabene: As far as transportation in concerned, it seems ACRM will have a ship where all equipment will travel, but every team will have to take care on its own of the international shipments and the construction of new pieces. You shouldn't think that there isn't always a new bow or rudder that has to be shipped to San Francisco or wherever the event or pre-event takes place. With two and a half years until the event, scheduled for September 2013, that's the reality, obviously excluding BMW Oracle.

FareVela: After we do all the calculations what figure do we get?
Silvio Arrivabene: I think that a plausible figure is around 100 million euros, in any case much more than the 60 million Coutts and Onorato were talking about. The 20 million euros conceived by Iain Murray are, I repeat, for a team that is only interested in participating, without any ambition.

FareVela: It goes without saying that in the America's Cup winning is the only thing that counts. Who can spend those figures?
Silvio Arrivabene: I repeat, it's not just an issue of having the money or not, it's also the experience and the people that count in order to achieve it. You may have the budget but still not be able to get through to the real challenge against BMW Oracle.

FareVela: Given the fact the strongest potential challenger, Alinghi, has just announced it won't be taking part in the America's Cup under these conditions, are we already heading towards a final between Coutts' BMW Oracle and Paul Cayard's Artemis?
Silvio Arrivabene: It's too early to say but instead of Artemis I always think it will be the Kiwis. Emirates Team New Zealand, if they ever decide to enter the America's Cup, have the right people even in the design team that has been strengthened with skilled people. Grant Dalton's own statement that ETNZ won't take part in the Cup unless they are able to win it, seems to be addressed at BMW Oracle so that, if within 6 months there are few teams taking part, they facilitate the participation of the kiwis. It counts having Emirates Team New Zealand in the event, there is no doubt.

FareVela: And the so promised show?
Silvio Arrivabene: These days we have seen in Dubai how the close encounters, the fights and the battles are the essence of match racing. We didn't miss the show in the Louis Vuitton Trophy. Speed alone doesn't bring any show, going at 25 knots all alone in the middle of the sea isn't so important, unless you are in the Volvo Ocean Race, I can assure you about that. I'm just back from a season on Esimit Europa 2, a 100-foot supermaxi. We rounded Sicily in the last Rolex Middle Sea Race fighting against the watch and giving our best, but we were all alone out there, that's the truth. If there's no fight, boredom comes quickly, can you tell me what's so spectacular in watching a Formula 1 car going at 300 kph by itself in a straight line? When I think about spectacular sailing, the Volvo Ocean Race and the TP52's come in mind, and for sure not the AC33 last February. You can go as fast as you want, even at 30 knots, but if there's no close fighting there will be no show and anyone that sails knows it.

FareVela: What are your personal plans?
Silvio Arrivabene: As I said, I sailed this season on Esimit Europa 2, as the navigator. It's a very complex boat with lots of technology and many systems so my role implied lots of work. We are now preparing the 2011 season. In addition, I'm involved with engineering consultancy in various fields. I've done three America's Cups, so I'm not interested in doing it just for the sake of it but an interesting project can always be stimulating.

Alinghi announces sailing program; not to enter America's Cup; focus on Extreme Sailing

[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi, two times winner of the America’s Cup, has today announced that it will not enter a team in the 34th edition of the prestigious sailing trophy and instead has launched a new programme that will see the Swiss team participating in the Extreme Sailing Series.

After a careful evaluation of the protocol and other initiatives taken by the American Defender and its Challenger of Record, Alinghi considers that the existing conditions make it impossible for the team to participate in the 34th America’s Cup.

Alinghi remains interested in the America’s Cup and will be closely following its developments in the coming months but for the immediate future it will concentrate its efforts in other world class challenges. The Extreme Sailing Series, a championship raced with 40-feet catamarans that is expanding geographically and commercially in 2011 whilst maintaining a truly level playfield and exciting competition, provides the perfect ground for Alinghi to develop its international sailing activity. In parallel, the team will continue to participate in the D35 series on Lake Geneva.

Alinghi won the 2008 iShares Cup. Cowes, 2 August 2008. Photo copyright onEdition

SNG and GGYC agree to end 33rd America's Cup legal dispute

[Source: Alinghi] A settlement agreement signed by representatives from Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) and Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) was filed today to the New York Supreme Court cancelling all pending litigation for the 33rd America’s Cup. Both clubs have agreed to drop their respective claims and definitively close all legal disputes surrounding the 33rd America’s Cup.

SNG vice-commodore Fred Meyer comments: “It’s very satisfactory that we can leave behind us all of the legal controversy. It has been long overdue for the America’s Cup to abandon the courts of New York. Now we can look ahead to the future where SNG will continue to support Alinghi if they decide to challenge again. For SNG the ten year adventure in the America’s Cup has been a fascinating period. We must be proud of what our team has achieved with the victories in 2003 and 2007. Being the first European club to conquer the America’s Cup is an impressive feat that will remain for ever. SNG thanks Alinghi for everything that they’ve done for our club.”

What’s next then for Alinghi? Team president Ernesto Bertarelli has not announced any plans as yet but has confirmed that Alinghi will carry on: “Ten years after the birth of our team, the Alinghi spirit is going to continue, there is no doubt to that. We have not made any decision yet as to what will be our next challenge but we are evaluating a number of different alternatives for our sailing team and even beyond sailing. We will be waiting to hear details for the 34th America’s Cup from the American defender before making any decision, but there is a broad range of exciting possibilities that Alinghi could be involved in.”

Alinghi and BMW Oracle reach agreement; all lawsuits dropped

Related PDF Documents

- Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release, as signed by SNG/Alinghi - GGYC/BOR

[Source: BMW Oracle] An agreement has been reached with the previous America’s Cup Trustee, Société Nautique de Genève, that all outstanding litigation in the New York courts concerning the recent 33rd match will be dropped by both sides.

This includes GGYC’s Breach of Fiduciary Duty (“BFD”) claim against SNG, as well as all other claims over the design and construction of yachts Alinghi 5 and USA. GGYC’s yacht USA won the 33rd Match on February 14 off Valencia, Spain.

“In place of controversy, we seek consensus. Instead of continuing argument, we are pleased to have reached agreement,” said GGYC Commodore Marcus Young.

GGYC’s representatives have started a consultative process with regard to the venue, timing, format and type of boat for the 34th America’s Cup. GGYC and the Challenger of Record, Club Nautico di Roma and its sailing team Mascalzone Latino headed by Vincenzo Onorato, are cooperating closely in this.

“Good decisions not hasty decisions – this is what the Cup community wants,” added Russell Coutts, CEO of GGYC’s sailing team BMW ORACLE Racing.

“Our focus is on looking ahead and making the 34th edition of the oldest trophy in international sports the best America’s Cup yet.”

Discussions will continue over the next six months with the details of the 34th Cup confirmed during 2010.

“We will do our best to fulfill Larry Ellison’s vision of a competition which respects the Cup’s unique tradition whilst moving forward with the latest technology to attract an even wider audience,” commented Coutts.

SNG writes to the GGYC regarding the ongoing litigation

[Source: Alinghi] Société Nautique de Genève writes to the Golden Gate Yacht Club requesting that - for the good of the sport - the GGYC agrees to end all litigation concerning the 33rd America’s Cup and all prior Cups...

The SNG reiterates that it stands ready to withdraw its challenges to the Deed compliance of GGYC’s boat, and to exchange a mutual release regarding all claims arising out of the 33rd America’s Cup and all prior Cups:

Ms. Melinda Erkelens
BMW ORACLE Racing

5 March 2010

America’s Cup

Dear Melinda,

I write to request, once again, that GGYC agree to end all litigation concerning the 33rd America’s Cup and all prior Cups. We previously made that request to you by letter dated February 18, 2010, in which we asked GGYC to covenant “that all litigation shall now end,” and affirmed our intention to “cease litigation against GGYC and to assign, transfer and deliver the Cup, and all related rights, to GGYC as soon as possible.” Similarly, by letter dated March 3, 2010, our New York counsel reached out to yours to follow up on their many attempts made on behalf of SNG “to determine whether the parties could resolve all litigation.”

To date, GGYC has not agreed to end the litigation that has now been pending for over two years. To facilitate bringing our disputes to an end and the transfer of the Cup, I reiterate that SNG stands ready to withdraw its challenges to the Deed compliance of GGYC’s boat, and to exchange a mutual release regarding all claims arising out of the 33rd America’s Cup and all prior Cups. I hope, for the good of the sport, that GGYC is prepared to do the same.

I look forward to learning your position as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Fred Meyer

Vice-Commodore

Cc: Marcus Young, Commodore GGYC
Pierre-Yves Firmenich, Commodore SNG

Report: Alinghi paid Ras al Khaimah $5 million

Now that the 33rd America's Cup is done and dusted and while we are waiting for news on its 34th edition, there was an interesting piece of information that caught our attention this morning. According to an article that appeared today in Arabian Business, Dr Khater Massaad, CEO of RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA), stated that despite his Emirate not holding the 33rd America's Cup, the $2 million spent on it were a good investment since they "put RAK on the world map".

According to the same article, Dr Massaad, also said the amount invested by the emirate to overhaul its infrastructure ahead of the race fell far short of the reported $120m, and that its partner in the bid, Swiss racing syndicate Alinghi, had refunded $5m of the state's costs.

According to what Dr Massaad had stated to us in his interview last August, "the Crown Prince is taking this event as an opportunity to make significant infrastructure investments for Ras Al Khaimah but the infrastructure for the event itself is ready. The island is ready but the government is spending around 100 million US dollars for general infrastructure in the emirate as a whole." Apparently, the Emirate spent much less than that.

Meanwhile in Valencia... Alinghi are emptying their base

That's life used to sing Frank Sinatra. You're riding high in April, shot down in May. Or better said, that's the America's Cup. One day you are the defender and two weeks later the future is uncertain. As we reported a few days ago, Alinghi are emptying their base and when we checked this morning, Alinghi 5 had already left. I suppose she was towed to the commercial port in order to be shipped to some unknown destination. Her bowsprit was also on a truck ready for transportation.

Although it is quite understandable for Alinghi to be moving somewhere else, it is puzzling to see the same activity going on at the base of the current Defender, BMW Oracle. There was plenty of activity in their base with a number of containers being taken away. Where to? San Diego, San Francisco or Newport?

Alinghi are emptying their base while the bowsprit of Alinghi 5 is ready to be shipped. Valencia, 25 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Alinghi are emptying their base. Valencia, 25 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

BMW Oracle are also emptying their base. Valencia, 25 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Video: Highlights from Race 2 of the 33rd America's Cup (extended version)

I know this is old news but so far we had only published the shorter 5-minute version of the final race's highlights. So, here you have the full 26 minutes. Enjoy it while we are waiting for any news on the 34th edition of the world's oldest sports trophy.

Highlights from Race 2 of the 33rd America's Cup (extended version). Valencia, 14 February 2010. Video copyright 33rd America's Cup

Adios Valencia !! Hola San Francisco ??

With the prospects of another America's Cup being held in Valencia getting slimmer by the day, the sight of teams packing up and leaving will, unfortunately, become more common. According to reliable information we received yesterday, the first victim of the end of this Cup cycle will be the former defender and two-time winner of the event, Alinghi. It seems the Swiss team will be definitely leaving Valencia next month, something that makes sense after the latest statements from Ernesto Bertarelli. Although he tried to sound positive by saying that "Alinghi always rebounds" it's probably difficult to justify the presence in such a big base in Valencia if the team morphs into something completely different and, most probably, smaller.

As one can see from the photos there is a lot of containers at the base while Alinghi 5 is still docked there, stripped down to the bare essentials. In what reminded the infamous pictures when some of the big-name banks failed in 2009, some team members were leaving the base with all their belongings in a couple of boxes.

By the way, we also hear that some people were let go as well from the current Defender, BMW Oracle.

End of an era at the Alinghi base? Valencia, 22 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

End of an era at the Alinghi base? Valencia, 22 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

End of an era at the Alinghi base? Valencia, 22 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Ten years of Alinghi

[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi will celebrate its ten year anniversary in September 2010 and while the Swiss team lost the America’s Cup on Valentine’s Day, it has two extraordinary wins to its count and remains proud of its achievements and what they represent.

Alinghi is the culmination of Ernesto Bertarelli's passion for sailing and since the team’s inception in 2000, its people have been its strength – the sailors, the designers and the shore crew and all those that back them up in the weather team, the media and marketing departments, administration and finance.

In 2003 Alinghi was the first European team to win the America’s Cup in its 158 year history and it went on to render the most successful Cup event of all time in 2007, including three years of lead-up pre-regattas.

The 33rd America’s Cup chapter is over but Alinghi will continue. In what shape or form is yet to be decided.

Ernesto Bertarelli talks about the past and future of Alinghi. Valencia, 16 February 2010. Video copyright Alinghi

Video: Highlights from Race 2 of the 33rd America's Cup

33rd America's Cup - Day 7 - Race 2: LIVE blogging

BMW ORACLE WINS

THE 33RD AMERICA'S CUP

IN VALENCIA

6:45pm Alinghi officially informs the race committee they will not proceed with their protest.

6:37pm Alinghi do their penalty turn and cross the finish line 5:26 behind BMW Oracle. Nevertheless, the protest flag is still flying.

6:31pm BMW Oracle crosses the finish line.

6:25pm The sun will set in 10 minutes and the 2 yahcts are in the final stretch to the finish. BMW Oracle are comfortably ahead.

6:05pm BMW Oracle sails towards victory in the final leg. Alinghi still has protest flag but there is no information on what it could be.

5:56pm Alinghi rounds gybe mark 2:44 behind BMW Oracle

5:53pm USA is first to the gybe mark.

5:40pm USA is 1,500 meters ahead of Alinghi 5

5:34pm 9 miles from mark 2 USA seems faster, topping 30 knots at moments.

5:29pm USA and Alinghi blaze at 30 knots towars mark 2.

5:24pm BMW Oracle rounds top mark 28 seconds ahead of Alinghi.

5:20pm BMW Oracle gets ahead.

5:19pm Alinghi crosses ahead of BMW Oracle. Alinghi tacks slowly.

5:10pm BMW Oracle reach port layline and tack

5:10pm Protest flag by Alinghi.

5:00pm Incredible role reversal in this race. Alinghi is the clear leader, BMW Oracle the laggard.

4:53pm Huge right shift benefits Alinghi!! The Swiss extend lead to over 500 meters.

4:48pm Great tactical call by Brad Butterwoth. The right pays for Alinghi that leads by 300 meters.

4:44pm One third up the 1st beat, Alinghi is leading by 100 meters.

4:41pm Alinghi sails into better wind and leads by 80 meters. Loïck Peyron is helming Alinghi 5.

4:33pm Alinghi tacks, we are heading towards the first crossing.

4:33pm Both boats are on port tack, USA has 500-meter advantage.

4:28pm USA tacks first.

4:26pm Alinghi struggles at the start. BMW Oracle crosses the line and goes left, Alinghi right.

4:21pm Alinghi receives penalty for not being outside the start box.

4:16pm Wind speed is between 6 and 8 knots throughout the course.

4:14pm The postponement flag is down and the race course axis is set at 100º. This is a must-win race for Alinghi!!!

4:00pm Postponement flag to go down at 4:14pm, race to start at 4:25pm.

3:45pm It's looking better by the minute and it seems we'll have a race right before limit time.

3:25pm The wind is stabilising in direction, around 150-degrees. It's still quite light but we see the TV helicopters take off!!!

2:45pm Good news, it seems we are going to have a race! Harold Bennett and the race committee are cleaning the start area.

2:10pm Unfortunately, we are still under postponement. The breeze is not there.

12:52pm The race committee boat is moving in order to set a new course. The breeze is still too light, no more than 2-3 knots.

12:50pm Nothing new to report. Racing is still postponed, waiting for the breeze.

12:10pm While we are waiting for the breeze to build up, rumors abound in the press center and the sailing media. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy's largest sports newspaper, if BMW Oracle wins the America's Cup in Valencia, Mascalzone Latino will become the Challenger of Record and the 34th America's Cup match will take place in Newport, Rhode Island in 2013.

In fact, Alessandra Pandarese, Mascalzone Latino's legal counsel, is reported to currently be aboard Larry Ellison's Rising Sun, in order to present the challenge, if and when USA crosses the finish line ahead of Alinghi 5. We are waiting for the photo of Pandarese wearing the BMW Oracle outfit, enjoying Valencia's nice sunshine.

11:54am Race committee raises the postponement flag. It's still too light over the race course. In fact, this is exactly what our MeteoSim model was forecasting for noon.

11:25am It's still light throughout the race course. The official 33rd America's Cup twitter page gives 3 to 5 knots. Here's the map with the race committee boat's position. Harold Bennett probably thinks there is better chance for the breeze to build up much closer to the coast than in the previous days.

Map of the race committee boat position for Race 2 of the 33rd America's Cup. Valencia, 14 February 2010. Copyright Valencia Sailing

10:55am Should we buy the domain name www.newportsailing.com or www.raksailing.com?

10:45am Alinghi 5 and USA are now in the start area with very light breeze. Check Alinghi's twitter page for all the latest info and photos.

Alinghi 5 and USA are now in the start area. Valencia, 14 February 2010. Photo copyright alinghi

33rd America's Cup - Day 7 - Race 2: Preview

Good morning from sunny and cold Valencia. The 2nd race of the 33rd America's Cup is scheduled to take place at noon and Harold Bennett will try to start the triangular race, positioning the committee boat some 12 nautical mile north east of Port America's Cup.

The race is scheduled to start at noon and it currently looks it is going to be a a light-breeze day. That might give Alinghi some options and as Nils Frei, Alinghi trimmer, states "it's going to be a tactical situation. We hope to do the best we can and have a good race."

Wind forecast
MeteoSim wind maps for Sunday, 12pm made on Sunday, 9pm

Team crewsBoth teams will have the exact same crew lineup they had in Race 1

Alinghi Crew List:
Piet van Nieuwenhuijzen (NED), Bow 1
Curtis Blewett (CAN), Bow 2
Jan Dekker (RSA/FRA), Bow 3
Rodney Ardern (NZL), Pitman
Simon Daubney (NZL), Trimmer upwind
Nils Frei (SUI), Trimmer downwind
Warwick Fleury (NZL), Mainsail trimmer
Pierre-Yves Jorand (SUI), Traveller
Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI), Helmsman
Brad Butterworth (NZL), Tactician
Murray Jones (NZL), Strategist
Juan Vila (ESP), Navigator
Loïck Peyron (FRA), Floater
Peter Evans (NZL), Pre-start

BMW Oracle Crew List:
Brad Webb (NZL), Bowman
Simone de Mari (ITA), Pitman
Ross Halcrow (NZL), Jib Trimmer
Dirk de Ridder (NED), Wing Sail Trimmer
Joey Newton (AUS), Wing Sail Caddy
John Kostecki (USA),Tactician
James Spithill (AUS),Skipper/Helmsman
Matteo Plazzi (ITA),Navigator
Thierry Fouchier (FRA), Aft Pit
Matthew Mason (NZL), Mast

Alinghi 5 docks out for the 2nd race of the 33rd America's Cup. Valencia, 14 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Video: Highlights from the 1st race of the 33rd America's Cup

Highlights from the 1st race of the 33rd America's Cup. Valencia, 13 February 2010. Video copyright 33rd America's Cup / Consorcio Valencia 2007

33rd America's Cup - Day 5 - Race 1: BMW Oracle scores amazing victory

It was a historic day in Valencia and it could be summed up in two sentences. Firstly, no matter how big the boats are, James Spithill is without the singlest doubt the world's greatest match racer. I was convinced about that in 2005, just as I was in 2007 and now in 2010. Secondly, BMW Oracle's wing sail proved to be light years ahead of Alinghi's conventional sails. Not only that, the opening race of the 33rd America's Cup took place in conditions that up to yesterday, conventional wisdom was calling favorable to Alinghi. Relatively flat seas and a light breeze, between 5 and 10 knots.

After a long delay of four and a half hours, Harold Bennett fired the gun under a very light breeze of 4 to 5 knots. The prestart as well flew in the face of conventional wisdom that conventional match racing tactics wouldn't work with these huge multihulls. BMW Oracle entered from the starboard side and James Spithill flew towards Alinghi 5. Apparently Ernesto Bertarelli didn't expect it and the Swiss boat got caught in a port-starboard incident. They couldn't cross ahead ,they were forced to tack and failed to keep clear. The umpires immediately penalized Alinghi 5 and the two boats went into dialup, over the starting line, one minute before the start.

BMW Oracle rounds the weather mark in the 1st race of the 33rd America's Cup 3:21 minutes ahead of Alinghi. Valencia, 12 February 2010. Photo copyright Gilles Martin -Raget / BMW Oracle

BMW Oracle's USA stalled, unable to move, while Bertarelli turned Alinghi 5 around, crossing the line at full speed. It took more than 1:30 minutes for Spithill to recross and at that time Alinghi was 660 meters ahead. The two yachts went into a long drag race to the right layline of the course that clearly showed the speed advantage USA had over Alinghi 5. Slowly but steadily, BMW Oracle ate into Alinghi's advantage and 15 minutes into the beat they were ahead.

From that point on it was a one-way race. It was impossible for Alinghi to keep up with the Americans. Their advantage kept increasing first to 500 meters, then to 1,000 while the delta at the weather mark was 3:21 minutes. The two yachts takced only twice in the beat and it seems it didn't cost them as much as initially thought.

Yet, the carnage would come downwind where USA's wing was simply unbeatable. BMW Oracle often had a 5-knot speed advantage over Alinghi and kept piling up the hundreds of meters of lead. When the Americans crossed the finish line, Alinghi 5 was 3.5 kilometers behind. By the time they offloaded their penalty, BMW Oracle had won by 15:28 minutes.

BMW Oracle racing Alinghi upwind. Valencia, 12 February 2010. Photo copyright Gilles Martin -Raget / BMW Oracle

33rd America's Cup - Day 5 - Race 1: LIVE Blogging

5:21pm Alinghi loses more than 5 minutes while offloading their penalty. BMW Oracle wins by 15:28 minutes!!!

5:05pm BMW Oracle crosses the finish line!!

4:58pm Just 5 minutes left to the finish of the 1st race of the 33rd America's Cup in Valencia. BMW Oracle is thrashing Alinghi, leading by close to 3.5 kilometers.

4:50pm Two thirds of the way down the run, BMW Oracle leads by 3,300 meters

4:22pm Alinghi is first to gybe, closely followed by BMW Oracle that seeks to cover. USA is now 3,000 meters ahead of Alinghi 5.

4:15pm BMW Oracle are flying downwind at 25 knots !!! They are now 2,200 meters ahead of Alinghi.

4:05pm Alinghi rounds the top mark, 3:21 minutes behind BMW Oracle

4:02pm BMW Oracle rounds the top mark

3:58pm Alinghi reaches port layline and tacks as well.

3:55pm BMW Oracle reaches port layline and tacks.

3:40pm With 5 miles left to the top mark, BMW Oracle is leading by 1,250 meters.

3:28pm BMW Oracle tacks as well.

3:25pm Alinghi is first to tack.

3:15pm Still on the same tack, the two yachts are heading right, USA 550 meters ahead of Alinghi 5.

3:05pm Both boats are on the same tack with a lateral separation of just 400 meters. BMW Oracle is leading by 150 meters although Alinghi has made some gains, reducing their deficit down from 450 meters.

2:49pm BMW Oracle gets ahead, leading by 80 meters!!! USA is 3-4 knots faster than Alinghi 5.

2:45pm Both boats go right, Alinghi ahead by 125 meters. USA seems faster and closes in on Alinghi 5.

2:34pm Unbelievable !!! BMW Oracle gets stuck over the line!!! Spithill really blows it. Great start for Alinghi.

2:29pm Alinghi fails to keep clear and gets a penalty!!!

2:23pm Ten minutes to start!!!!

2:18pm We do have a race!!! The postponement flag will come down at 2:24pm

2:10pm The postponement flag is still up. Wind at the race committee has dropped to 2 knots and there is still a windless hole in the middle of the race course.

1:40pm We have a race!!! Harold Bennett just advised the starting gun will be fired at 2:10pm!! The final race course is shown in the map below:

Exact positions of the race committee and weather mark for today's race. Copyright Valencia Sailing

1:30pm Still waiting for Harold Bennett to start the race. It now appears there is a big windless hole in the middle of the race course.

1:15pm Top mark at: 39°29°9789 N + 0°03´1591 W - 195° 5 knots | Race Committee Boat : 39°49´9992 N + 0°02´5676 W - 180° 6.5 knots

1:05pm We are still waiting for a race course to be set up. The Race Committee boat is moving 3 miles west to a new position, trailed by USA and Alinghi 5.

12:35pm Is it going to be an "Alinghi day"? The sea is flat all around the gulf of Valencia and it looks like we have a constant southerly breeze, 4-5 knots.

12:20pm It seems we might be getting something. There's 6 knots of wind at the committee boat and the weather mark, coming from 190-200º. As a result, our map with the approximate positions of the race course is still quite valid.

12:00pm The Race Committee raises the postponement flag.

11:50am The expected shift to south seems not to be materializing and the northwesterly breeze is still over the race course. It appears the Race Committee will raise the postponement flag.

Friday, 10:50am As we said earlier, Harold Bennett positioned the race committee boat close to the northernmost position allowed by the Notice of Race, in order to take advantage of the southerly winds that are expected to prevail during the early afternoon. According to the official 33rd America's Cup Twitter page, wind comes from 170º with an intensity of 10-12 knots at the weather mark. As a result, today's race course could approximately look like that:

Approximate positions of the race committee and weather mark for today's race. Copyright Valencia Sailing

Friday, 9:50am Good morning from sunny but cold Valencia. It seems there are chances today could be the day we finally see the two giant multihulls clash. The race committee boat docked out at 9am and according to Harold Bennett racing will be conducted in an area with the Race Committee Boat positioned at approx 39.50.000 N Latitude and 000.07.000 E Longitude.

This position is much further north than in the previous two attempts, in fact it is the northernmost boundary of the Race Area, as per the notice of race. Racing, if it takes place, shouldn't start before noon.

Thursday, 7:30pm As we mentioned earlier on Thursday afternoon, the weather forecast wasn't very promising for Friday. As a result, the race committee just advised that the warning signal tomorrow for the race will not be made before 11:54am. The two yachts will be kept onshore for 2 hours while the race committee will dock out at 9am in order to further assess the situation. Let's hope it won't be yet another long day.

Alinghi held a very interesting presentation in their base where the team's meteorologists Jon Bilger and Jack Katzfey went through the challenges of weather prediction in the 33rd America's Cup. We will have a full report together with the detailed wind maps for tomorrow, later on.

The challenges meteorologists face in the 33rd America's Cup

Jon Bilger and Jack Katzfey, Alinghi's meteorologists, talked this afternoon about the challenges they face in their every day task of giving the sailing team an accurate forecast of the winds in Valencia. Although, the 32nd and the 33rd America's Cups were held on the same waters, there are major differences.

Differences between the 32nd and 33rd America's Cups

It doesn't come as a surprise that one of the most important differences between the previous and this edition of the America's Cup is the season it takes place. While in the 32nd America's Cup match, Alinghi defended the trophy in July, in this edition the Swiss are racing in February. The weather in Valencia is much more unstable and thus unpredictable in winter, making the meteorologist's work tougher. In addition, the race course is 44 times bigger, leaping from a mere 9 square nautical miles to 400 square nautical miles.

The radical differences between the yachts used in the two races also result in a fundamental change in the approach to wind prediction. The giant multihulls reach speeds equal to three times the wind of speed. Just a couple of knots in wind speed make a significant difference in boat speed, thus making accurate prediction of wind speed a much more critical factor than wind direction. According to Bilger, when Alinghi 5 sails at 6-7 knots of wind, a mere knot of wind pressure is roughly equal to a shift of 20 degrees!!

Tacking in these yachts takes a crucial amount of time and as a result, the meteorologist's strategy is based on reducing the number of tacks and on the yachts sailing on the edges of the course.

Finally, a direct result of the speeds these yachts reach is the limited visibility ahead sailors have. A sailor on the deck of a conventional ACC yacht has a visibility of approximately 10 minutes ahead of him, which can be increased to 16 minutes from the top of the mast. On the other hand, a sailor onboard Alinghi 5 has an average visibility of just 3 minutes. Since nobody goes up the mast, sailors on Alinghi 5 are, according to Bilger, almost "blind", relying heavily on accurate weather prediction.

Available resources

Alinghi has a total of 9 weather boats as well as a number of meteorological stations. Most of them are placed on strategic locations of the Valencia coast but there is a number of them offshore, even as far as the island of Ibiza.

The great novelty this time are the two "microlight" airplanes. They are very light and small powered hang gliders, equipped with wind measurement devices. They fly up to 100 meters high and reach speeds of 40 knots. According to Bilger, their measurements are very accurate with the additional advantage of being much cheaper to acquire and operate than a traditional speed boat.

Finally, Alinghi has a wind profiler at the edge of the port. It is a radar that measures wind speed and direction up to 1,000 meters high, every 10 meters. Wit the boats having masts of 60 or even 70 meters it is very important to be able to measure wind speed at those heights since they are different from those at 10 meters.

Weather call

The weather team will make a forecast early in the morning in order for the shore crew to set the boat's configuration. The weather boats and airplanes will then be sent out according to that forecast. The teams makes two more forecasts, one starting 6 hours before the race that will decide the sails to be used and another one, a strategic call, from 3 hours before the race, up to 15 minutes before the gun.

In the case of a race start at 10am the weather boats and airplanes will be sent out at 6:45am, sail choice will be made at 8:30am while at 8:45am the weather team will give his final advice for the favored side of the race course. The very last weather call to Alinghi 5 is made 8 minutes before the start. This will give the crew 3 minutes to store all communication equipment into a waterproof case and throw it out of the yacht.

Ed Baird and Dirk Kramers talk about the day and Alinghi 5

Although in the city of Valencia and the first 2-3 miles off the breakwater conditions were considerably calm today, further offshore it was very rough. Ed Baird gives a very detailed explanation of today's "nasty" conditions. The strong westerly was causing strong westerly wind waves while the very strong north westerly offshore was causing a strong swell. Their combination forced the race committee to call off racing since both the boats and their crews would be in danger.

Ed Baird and Dirk Kramers talk about the day and Alinghi 5. Valencia, 10 February 2010. Video copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

33rd America's Cup - Day 3 - Race 1: Live blogging

1:10 pm BMW Oracle skipper and helmsman is scheduled to talk to the press at 1:30pm in his team base. We will have the video right after the end of the press conference.

12:30 pm The day's only action involving sailing yachts. Alinghi's shore crew move Alinghi 5. In the background, one of Victory Challenge's ACC yachts is ready for action. In fact, a number of teams taking part in the Louis Vuitton circuit will come to Valencia in order to start training in view of the upcoming event in Auckland. One wonders to what extent their training schedule will be altered by the delay in the America's Cup.

The day's only action involving sailing yachts. Alinghi's shore crew move Alinghi 5. Valencia, 10 February 2010. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

12:00 pm The race committee cancels all racing for the day. The 33rd America's Cup 1st race is now scheduled for Friday.

10:50am The race committee is out on the water looking for good conditions to set a fair race course. Alinghi 5 is still docked in front of the base.

8:35am There has been further postponement. Race start will not happen before 1pm.

33rd America's Cup - Day 1: No wind, no race

The 33rd America's Cup didn't start with a bang. The light and unstable winds forced the race committee to cancel Monday's races, after the two yachts had spent more than 6 hours drifting around the coast of Valencia.

As Chris Bedford, BMW Oracle meteorologist, jokingly commented, the race committee did a great job in putting them in the middle of two different breezes, pretty much assuring that nothing would happen. The main pattern today off Valencia was of a southerly breeze well offshore that was ocasionally filtering in at the start area and a westerly breeze ahsore.

The westerly breeze had puffs of up to 14 knots and was stable for a fair amount of time at the weather mark. There was pressure trying to make it up the course but the convergence of the two breezes made it impossible to build a breeze strong enough up the 20-mile course to set a proper course. In addition, despite the immense size of the race area it would have probably been impossible to set a fair course. At 10am conditions were marginally close to allow a race but they never materialized. There was a nice southweserly breeze in the southern part of the race area but it never made it to the race committee boat.

Alinghi 5 and USA drifting around, waiting for the breeze. Valencia, 8 February 2010. Photo copyright Carlo Borlenghi / Alinghi

Since no racing was held on Monday, the 1st race of the 33rd America's Cup is now scheduled for Wednesday. Unfortunately, the forecast for that day isn't very encouraging either. A low pressure area is developing over central Spain, to the northwest of Valencia and will move off the coast on Monday night. Behind that area, a very strong westerly flow will come on Monday night and last through Tuesday and probably early Wednesday. Valencia will not be much affected but Bedford expects more waves as a big swell will be coming from the norheast. So, on Wednesday we will be in a waning westerly that might turn into a seabreeze in the afternoon, according to Bedford.

The nature of this America's Cup, a Deed-of-Gift race, makes it much more difficult to set a fair course. According to Bedford, it is a big task to have a consistent wind direction over 20 miles, not only in Valencia, but in many places throughout the world, especially when we are so close to the coast. There is fairly high terrain to the south-southwest of Valencia and a valley that create two different breezes. If we were to have a 5-mile race today, there could have been different areas to hold a fair race but with 20 miles it becomes fairly complicated.

At least, for once, there was one thing the two teams agreed upon. It was Harold Bennett's, Principal Race Officer, decision to call off racing at 1:45pm, almost 3 hours before the limit time, since it was apparent there wasn't going to be any improvement in conditions.

Jack Katzfey, Alinghi meteorologist, comments on Monday's frustrating conditions. Valencia, 8 February 2010. Video copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing