Is it me or did the leading boat in each of the first two races just tack away, and leave the trailing boat, to find better wind, but in each case, the trailling boat got a nice lift and passed the lead boat because of it?? What was the reason for that "tactic"??

I have always read that in a match race, if you are in front, you should closely cover your opponant so that sort of thing does not happen. What were they trying to prove by tacking away and giving the boat behind an opportunity to catch a shift alone? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

When a boat falls behind to windward in a match, it tries to choose the "wrong" side of the course and tack in the layline to gain the most when approachingin the windward mark. This forces the leader to choose between covering the oponent and accepting a tough approach to the mark or leaving the oponent by himself and going to the "right" side of the course.
The decision will depend on the confidence in the wind prediction. But this is just my guess, there might be more.

In race 1, TNZ was clearly ahead and to windward heading out to the port tack layline. Instead of pressing on, and pushing Alinghi past the lay line to follow TNZ to the mark in bad air, TNZ tacked away. Alinghi got the left shift they were hoping for while TNZ was far away, when they finally did tack to cover again, Alinghi was now close enough to lee bow them, and eventually pass.

In race 2, the Swiss boat made just about the same mistake, and the Kiwi's were able to pass and go on to win. Too much separation is not a smart thing when you are only racing one other boat. You must stay between your opponant and the mark. Tacking off, looking for more wind, only opens the door for the boat behind to get a lucky shift, which was proven twice in these first two races.

Here's what I really think they are up to, they want to go the whole 9 races to create some "made for TV Drama" and keep the spectators in town, spending money! A quick 5 race sweep does not increase the cash flow, sponsor's visibility or popularity for anyone, except the 17 man crew on the winning boat. I think they will keep it even until there are only 3 races remaining, then the real racing will begin, and it will go the whole 9 races, which will be great for promoting the next America's Cup event. You don't suppose anyone over there who is investing $Millions on this event has thought about that, do you?

In the first race the Swiss got a shift and NZ fell back into bad air and tacked. Game over.
Today Alingi made the mistake of going across to the right into bad air but much morse than that they did not cross having had enough time to assess that side and see NZ catching up to compouund that they did a crap tack and did not leave NZ in dirty air.
NZ will be VERY aware they can win if they get the weather call right.
Also, the word is that NZ carried the wrong jenniker first day..
Whatever..great racing.
Bring on the cats.

Our egos get in our way on occasions. Don't worry about it we got boat speed on them.

Who's we? It is the Kiwis on board who had 16 strait AC wins and interesting to know you would have to rely on boat speed and not sailing skill.
As far as NZ not being able to win...tell it to the hand.

I buy it. Makes business sense.
As the historian used to teach, in order to find the reasons for any event, one necessarily starts analysing economic issues, then political issues and then social issues.

So the last three 5-zip AC events were not money orientated....?? ...oh, and Brad Butterwirth is happy to lose his sailing status for someone elses money gain.
A Fiat Uno forced Princess Dis two ton Merc off the road.
no planes crashed....
nuttiness is a kind word for it.

Race 3 is 5:00 to 7:00 CST on Channel 40 VS on Comcast.

Doug

Well, that was weird.

Very. 'Lotery' conditions happen, but if it goes on like this the next AC will be sailed in Vegas.

I was far out of town Monday and Tuesday, and missed the whole thing on Tuesday, did they race or not? And if they did, who won? Thanks.

By weird I mean...why did NZ not cover on the second beat?.....and why did Alingi not cover on the run home?
It is ESPECIALLY important to cover in flukey conditions and neither team did. Both lost the lead because of that.
Alingis behaviour on day 2 was pathetic for professionals and now they are both at it.
Fatty Conner lost the cup in the first place by not covering. Several cups later Lesley Egnot lost the LV on Proud Mary because the MAN that was put aboard for the last race as tactitian did not cover and lost OVER three minutes on the last run home!
I would like to say that NZ deserved the win but the truth is that neither team deserved to win this last race.

http://americascup.com/en/

Click the magnifying glass icon for Day 3 detail - you'll get some idea of what a wacky race this was. And I agree with Warbird about the weird tactics. I wish I had been able to see the press conference to see if either of them were pressed to explain what they thought they were doing.

Mark.

NZ thought they'd rip their spinnaker after that crappy mark rounding at the downwind mark is the reason they probably didn't cover. The spin was hung up in the jib block and half the crew was out of position trying to fix the problem..........

By the time they got things straightened out, " Butterball" and company had hit that really nice shift.

Well they finally got it right today, win the start, get ahead, cover closely, leave no openings. And the comentators agreed with my initial assesment that the "tactics" of the first 3 races were very strange indeed (ie. completely wrong!).
I really don't care which team wins, both teams have lots of Kiwi's and Americans on board, which in my not-humble opinion is just plain WRONG!!. I just hate to see "stupid" moves at this level. It's not rocket science. Oh and I hope who ever wins it overall brings back the Nationality Rules. This is just free agency.

AAAARRRRGGGG! I haven't seen it yet. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Warn me before you spoil it....

Jake, I was purposely vage just for you, JC and Ding, nowhere did I mention who won. Who do you think won?? You don't know from my post. And if you really don't want to know untill you watch it on Tevo, why are you risking it at all by reading this thread? Your tacticks are just as bad as the two AC teams! There were still a few questionable moves that had us all scratching our heads, so you will still enjoy watching it tonight. What else is there on TV anyway? Reruns?

Agreed. What could possibly make the best paid pros in the world sail so weirdly (besides the funny but unlikely conspiracy theory)?
Lottery conditions.

Here's my explanation for why the "Best of the Best" are doing such a poor job in what should be a simple match race: Too much information. They are getting inputs from all over the place before the race, "Right looks favored, first shift will be from the left, then it will go right..." etc. The aftergaurd on both boats seems confused as to what they want to do. From my rocking chair it seems pretty simple, get in front and stay there. But I don't have 3 people talking in my ear telling me I need to tack, there's more wind over there, he's hurting us with his lee bow, we are too close to the layline, we need the right, change the spinnaker, the jib is too small, you're pinching...

It's all too much. I think that's why we have seen some questionable moves. Of course, when I'm sitting in my rocking chair watching the whole thing on Sail Track, it's pretty easy to figure it out. But I know on the water, it's a whole different ball game.