America's Cup, controlled Kiwis apply the pressure uprange

It is, perhaps, some of the most impressive footage of the AC40 ever captured, with Emirates Team New Zealand today docking-out into a summer howler of a Hauraki Gulf with a mean of 17-23 knots but gusts way up into the high twenties. In those conditions it’s all about control and communication and on both accounts the sailors passed the test of outright seamanship with flying colours.

These are the days where, time and again, we’ve seen the Kiwis excel with an almost nonchalant brilliance born from deep experience and a very tight-knit group of sailors who just instinctively know when, where and how to push. However, the added uncertainty of effectively two completely new foils, you would have thought would have weighed on that innate confidence as gusts of 28 knots rifled down the harbour waterways. Not a bit of it.

This was a masterclass of control and accuracy with Pete Burling and Nathan Outteridge driving deep lines downwind and executing some of the smoothest transitions to date. Blair Tuke, the seemingly beating heart of the crew, and Andy Maloney kept the ride height low and the trim on point with as much focus on the aero as the hydro, leaving the foils to do their work at the command of their helms, deeply immersed – no wing tip riding today - and concentrating on high traveller control and mainsheet ease. The J-3 jib was pretty much a sharp blade all day with high forestay tension whilst the conundrum of the double skinned mainsail was addressed with huge cunningham loads despite the result still being over-powered for much of the session.

Certainly not a day for throwing the LEQ12 moded AC40 around – the team only executed 17 manoeuvres over the two-hour session more out of necessity that practice – it was long straight lines with the pressure put firmly down on the foils to extract the data that the Emirates Team New Zealand Performance Analysts both on the Chase Boat and ashore will have been craving. At times that Chase Boat came alongside with the team photographer arched over the RIB sidewalls to get as close a shot as possible of the foils under load and in action. All round it was a team performance of the highest quality.

Speaking afterwards, Blair Tuke spoke about the day saying; “Epic day down on the Hauraki Gulf, out nice and early, it was going to keep building throughout the day so even then it was right at the top end, but the boat was going good, nice to test both the foils up range and yeah came away with a lot of good takeaways.”

Specifically talking about the foil and aero test schedule, Blair added: “It's just good to see the foils over a big range and you want to jump on these days when you can, especially now we're feeling pretty comfy in those conditions so pushing up range and really just seeing what they can do, what the boat can do, also some good stuff for the sails so it's not all just about the foils so yeah all in all a good day we had Bobby (Bobby Kleinschmit – foil designer for ETNZ) jump onboard for a bit which was cool to get him out and see something of the foil stuff first hand.”

And the healthy, friendly banter between Blair and Andy Maloney continued with Blair claiming the speed record today: “Well I heard Andy bagged me out the other day after New Year so would have to be on our side I think, we would probably have had a few knots on them!” Unlikely but good to hear...

Impressive performance today from the Defenders of the 37th America’s Cup, proving once again what a potent sailing force they are in the upper wind ranges no matter whether it’s an AC40 or the AC75 - as they proved on the final windy days in Barcelona last summer. How they develop both in technique and tech over the coming weeks and months will be an interesting watch. (Magnus Wheatley)