ACWS Skippers First Impressions on Racing in San Francisco
Winds, Tides, Currents, and Tactics

August 21, 2012

Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Dean Barker, Emirates Team New Zealand:
"It�s been quite interesting.  A lot of us have sailed here in the past in different boats but never in catamarans.  Your recollection of what the bay has to offer can be a little different.  It�s been real eye opener in the past few days � we�ve had three days of practice so far in relatively strong winds at the end of each day, which keeps you on your toes.  You understand the game pretty quickly � knowledge of the currents and understanding the geographical influences of the bay is key.  We all have our work cut out for us."

"But the current is no stranger for us, we deal with it at home a lot.  In a lot of ways, Auckland harbor is similar to here.  So I think we�ll be fortunate in a way; that we�ll be able to do a lot of our practicing in an environment that�s similar, though it�s never completely the same.  I think everyone�s enjoyed the sailing we�ve done here so far, though 11 boats charging into the first gate is going to be quite a challenge."

 
Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Phil Robertson, China Team:
"The waves are probably the hardest part to deal with.  I think this week during the racing might be a little better, since we�ve got a flood tide.  The current will be coming in all day with the wind, so it should be a lot flatter and easier to sail the boats - which is good, because it means we can push it a little harder.  It�s going to be exciting.  We�ve had a blast out there, it�s been windy every day and we haven�t capsized yet!"

"But I imagine the racing is going to be like something we�ve never seen before.  You�ve got to be a little careful, I think, a little bit wary and keep your eyes open.  I�ve been around a mark in 20 knots sailing these boats once with three boats wide, but now with 11 boats wide it�s going to be a different story.  It�s going to be very exciting; I won�t be surprised if we have a few crashes there.  It�s a really challenging boat to sail, but if you put one foot wrong, it can go really bad.  We�ve experienced that a little bit in the past and we know that you�ve got to nail everything.  It�s got to be really fluid and really smooth, so it�s definitely a challenge.  As the day goes on, the crew gets more tired, and that�s when mistakes start to happen a little bit more, so that�s probably the challenge, to be fit enough and strong enough to sail them."

Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

James Spithill, Oracle Team USA:
"I think it will look awesome with all 11 boats out there � I can�t wait.  I think a lot of teams have put in some big hours training and have come to grips with the conditions.  There have been a lot of capsizes already and a lot of damage out there, but I think it will be an incredible racetrack."

"But the cool thing about San Francisco Bay is I don�t think you ever fully come to grips with it � and that�s why it�s exciting as athletes to sail here, because it�s challenging.  You�re pushed here every single day; the currents are always a little bit different, wind speed, fog, wind direction changes.  And the boats are just so physical in these sorts of conditions.  I really do think that this bay is one of the best places to race in the world and I think the people of San Francisco will really enjoy this racing."

Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget 

  Terry Hutchinson, Artemis Racing:
"Eleven boats racing on this racetrack is going to be crazy.  Our goal is to get through the early parts of the regatta so we have an opportunity Sunday to put forward a good race, since the points are skewed toward that last race.  So that means avoiding the big mistakes and avoiding the capsizes.  We�ve done those in the past � in two of the six events last year, we flipped over during the early parts of the regatta, and that has a pretty big impact on the overall result." 

"I�ve done a lot of Big Boat Series and other racing here and all the same theories apply � when you�re in the flood ,you want to get along the shore and if you�re in an ebb, you want to be as far out as you can.  We�ve worked hard to develop current playbooks and to understand that element of it, but this is a tricky little spot, along the wall here.  Along the St. Francis Yacht Club, you can get the occasional lefty, so if you�re in a worse tide but you have a good angle, it�s not that bad.  But being heads up � and we all have our own on the boat � that�s where we really have to do a good job."

 
Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Nathan Outteridge, Team Korea:
"It�s a very difficult venue but I think it�s a great place to sail.  I�ve sailed here a couple of time here before and I know that off the city front here, there�s quite a bit of current  and you need to know what direction it�s going, how fast and where it spins around.  I�m slowly getting an idea of that, but obviously the Oracle boys have a huge advantage on the whole fleet, they�ve been doing it for a long time.  But it�s not just the current, it�s the wind strength, the chop and the shifts and it�s going to be difficult for everyone."

 
Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Max Sirena, Luna Rossa Challenge 2013:
"The main problem here is actually the chop more than the breeze, because when the tide is against the wind, we have a pretty short, high chop.  So it�s a little hard, especially when you are around the reaching marks.  But we need to get used to this condition because this is what we�ll race the America�s Cup in."

"We came here a couple of days early to get a little bit of confidence with the race course, but we had a capsize with the boat.  I think it�s going to happen again, either to us or to another team, because the conditions are pretty tough - especially when you�re practice racing, because you�re pushing sometimes even harder than when you�re racing.  You want to know what the limit is, so we need to use the time here as much as possible to get used to the race course."

 
Photo:�2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Ben Ainslie, J.P. Morgan/Ben Ainslie Racing:
"There�s a good breeze here, so it�s great for these types of boats. We�re going to see some fantastic racing. With everyone out there, it�s going to be full on � it�s going to be some good action.  And I have to say, after only two days of sailing the boats, that they�re fantastic. They�re really amazing. It�s really enjoyable being out there and I think we�re going to see some great racing."

--Diane Swintal for CupInfo/�2012 CupInfo.com