Image:©2013 ACEA/Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget
 

It was a matter of "what can go wrong, will go wrong" today, as both Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand experienced  dramatic incidents in race one of the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals.

Luna Rossa was grateful for the race committee’s postponement of the start in unstable breeze, as their starboard dagger board pulley system broke just moments before the race countdown began.  Shore crew came onto the boat to attempt a repair, but the board failed again on Leg One, leaving the team to limp around the course. 

With Luna Rossa not officially retiring from the race, Emirates Team New Zealand was forced to complete the entire track with increasing breeze and an ebb tide.  That nearly paid off for the Italians when the Kiwis buried their port bow rounding Mark Three while foiling at nearly 40 knots.  Skipper Dean Barker barely had time to shout “big puff” before the boat pitched forward and the bow slammed into the water, tossing grinders Chris Ward and Rob Waddell overboard as the boat came to an abrupt halt.  The team was attempting to make repairs (sewing netting into the hole left by the removal of damaged fairing) but the Race Committee saved both teams from difficult decisions by calling race two when the wind exceeded the pre-determined upper limit.

Dean Barker, Skipper, Emirates Team New Zealand

"Obviously we’re very thankful the guys are okay – a little shaken, but okay."

"The course today was very dramatic.  There was virtually no wind at the bottom mark and plenty at the top – I think we had 19 knots plus current at the top.  As we started turning down, there was quite a distinct puff on the water.  There was a good increase as we bore off and we really stuck it in.  You’re hanging on, that’s for sure, but it didn’t feel as bad as it may have looked.  First, we made sure the guys were safe, especially the two who went over the side.  Then we set about securing all our loose bits.  The guys did a very good job of getting rid of the damaged fairing and putting some trampoline on to cover the hole that was left.  We were ready to go again."

"We got what we wanted at the start, though Luna Rossa was a little late because of their board problem.  They were going okay on the first reach but obviously something happened at the first mark and they shut it down.  So we carried on with our development – there are things we want to try when we get the opportunity so we were mucking around with different things.  The top mark was supposedly going to be a routine maneuver."

Chris McAsey, Grinder, ETNZ

"There are systems to clip onto if things get really bad, but we didn’t really have much time to think about it.  We bore away in plenty of breeze, and got more as we went around the mark, but we’ve born away in big breeze before, putting the bow in a bit.  But that’s the deepest we’ve ever put it."

"I’m on the forward pedestal, behind Jeremy Lomas and we were the first guys to go under.  The first thing I was thinking about was just holding on, then the next thing I know there’s a wall of water coming at me.  I felt an arm link behind me – that was Derek Saward, who was also trying to hold onto Rob Waddell, who was on his way over.  Behind him was Chris Ward, who unfortunately no one was holding onto!  But it’s hard to know exactly what happened because now, it’s just a blur."

"Once we knew everyone was okay and the boat was sound, we just had to get back on the job and get around the track.  The damage isn’t bad – it will be a late night but it’s just fairings, nothing structural.  We’ve always had a lot of faith in the boat.  I’ve said that with the tragedy that happened here in May that you really had to look inside yourself, to see if you really wanted to get back on the boat after that.  We all felt the same, that it was good to go with our boat and this just strengthens that."

Francesco Bruni, tactician for Luna Rossa

"The line that brings the dagger board up is anchored on the front of the boat.  There is a hole in the board, with a pin.  Before the start, we had a delamination on the board and the pin went out.  We tried to fix it before the race – the fact that the race committee was postponing the race was pure luck for us.  To do a full examination would have taken two or three hours, so we did something quick with some glue, a quick fix.  During the reaches, the starboard daggerboard is up, so when we bore away, the board went down and we saw the pin coming out again.  When you have no control of the board’s up and down, it’s basically race over.  We were hoping that the wind limit was going to go over.  We would have had to play our card for the second race, because it wasn’t fixable.  But it will be fixable for tomorrow – and we’ll check the other board as well."

"My only comment [on what happened to Emirates Team New Zealand] is that I hope I never try that in my life."
 

Luna Rossa struggled to repair their board.  Image:©2013 ACEA/Photo Abner Kingman

 ETNZ support crew removing damaged fairing.  Image:©2013 ACEA/Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

-- Diane Swintal for CupInfo/©2013 CupInfo.com
 

Additional Links and Info:

Daily Race Calendar for 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup and America's Cup

Also:
Visit America's Cup website