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Louis Vuitton Cup Day 4: American Magic Challenges New Zealand in Thrilling Race

NYYC American Magic faced off against Team New Zealand, the current holder of the America’s Cup, on the fourth day of the Louis Vuitton Cup, a critical stage in the 37th America’s Cup challenger elimination series. This race concluded the team’s four-match schedule.

Competing in around 10 knots of northeasterly wind along with an offset easterly running sea, the conditions posed a challenge for both AC75 crews. The American boat “Patriot” surged into the start box at the port end, hitting speeds of over 40 knots, while the Kiwis approached from the right at about 38 knots.

In an effort to control the starting line, NYYC American Magic pressed hard against Team New Zealand, who attempted to push them into an early start. Ultimately, the Kiwis opted to tack away and started on port, allowing American Magic to execute a swift start at the pin end.

As the boats raced towards the midpoint of the course, the Kiwis were slightly ahead by 80 meters and managed a covering tack in front of “Patriot,” forcing the Americans to veer left. However, during the second convergence, American Magic made a significant gain on the left side of the course. When Team New Zealand attempted another covering tack, the US crew skillfully rolled over them, taking the lead.

At the windward gate, NYYC American Magic rounded the left-hand marker a commendable 10 seconds ahead of the chasing Kiwis. The Americans maintained their lead during the first downwind leg, smoothly rounding the left-hand leeward gate mark, still maintaining a nine-second lead. While keeping a vigilant eye on their rivals, the “Patriot” crew focused on optimizing their strategies. However, at the second windward gate, the lead narrowed to five seconds following a narrow cross on port at the lay line to the right mark.

During the final downwind leg, NYYC American Magic had to cede position to Team New Zealand, who rounded the last leeward gate first, establishing an eight-second lead. As they embarked on the final upwind leg, the American crew worked diligently to gain ground, but a wide rounding of the final windward gate due to a rudder issue cost them valuable distance, ultimately ending their hopes for a final downwind attack. Team New Zealand crossed the finish line with a decisive margin of 29 seconds.

With the first round-robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup now complete, NYYC American Magic remains in third place in the Challenger-only rankings. The second round-robin stage is set to commence on Tuesday, September 3, when the Americans will go head-to-head with the British Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia.

After the race, Terry Hutchinson reflected on the team’s performance: “If there’s a time to be inconsistent, it’s now because we have to keep looking forward, push forward, and ask ourselves hard questions. We can’t overlook anything. We’re identifying areas for improvement, and while we all desire to win, we’re seeing positive aspects from our team. We need to remain patient, knowing we have great opportunities ahead in the second round-robin to gauge ourselves against other challengers.”

Tom Slingsby, the starboard helm on NYYC American Magic, spoke about their experience: “We had a solid first lap; despite being behind initially, we regained the lead at the top mark and had a nice run around the bottom mark. However, during the second beat, it seemed like they were maneuvering better than us. I decided to focus on our strategy and try to pick the shifts, but I chose the wrong moment to do that.”

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