Sir Ben & the Americas Cup

[Fishtigua]

Interesting to see that Team BAR racing to launch the team a day after Adrian Newey has signed his 'Consultant' deal with Red Bull.

If GB is to have half a chance at going for the Auld Mug, we're going to need some fine minds and deep pockets to battle against the billionaires.

Is it possible?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/saili...

[Burrow01]

Ben Ainslie and Adrian Newey with Red Bull backing is about as close to a dream team as the UK could field, they must be in with a pretty good chance of doing something spectacular

Interesting that he mentions it as something he has been working on for 3 years - I wonder if they knew that when they took him on at Oracle

[perdu]

Considering they were in dire straits at Oracle before he came aboard I suspect it was his prior 'engagement' with the sport's technicalities that made him number one choice.



He and Newey and Red Bull in the background give me hope that I've found a new sporting interest for my declining years.

[V41LEY]

I lost interest in the AC when it moved from 'yachts' to these super composite maxi things. It is just not the done thing !

[anonymous-user]

V41LEY said:

I lost interest in the AC when it moved from 'yachts' to these super composite maxi things. It is just not the done thing !

They do look great though.

[Simpo Two]

'celabreate'

Who writes the Telegraph these days?

[Simpo Two]

Because F1 is perhaps seen as a superior/more complex sport?

[Huntsman]

I didn't realise Britain had never won it.

Let's hope the team can bring the pot home.

[b14]

PW said:

Why is everyone frothing at the mouth about Newey being involved?

If Ben Ainslie announced he was stepping back from sailing and had an interest in F1, no one would be saying he'd be designing the next Red Bull would they.

AC sailing these days is 99% about boat/wing design, and hugely reliant on aerodynamics and wing dynamics. Newey is renowned as one of the finest engineers in the aero space and could bring a significant amount of new ideas into a sport dominated by a small number of marine designers. He's also a massive name in one of the biggest sports in the world, putting his weight behind a UK campaign for a cup we've never won.

Combine most successful F1 designer ever with most decorated Olympic sailor ever and you've got a good story for a British cup campaign.

[rhinochopig]

Simpo Two said:

'celabreate'

Who writes the Telegraph these days?

It's a real word. It's where you get drunk but don't manage to pull at the end of the night.

[Ayahuasca]

b14 said:

AC sailing these days is 99% about boat/wing design

Not sure I agree with that, it is also hugely dependent on team pyschology and tactics. How do you think BA turned it around in the Oracle vs New Zealand AC? Sure as hell it was not by redesigning the boat and wing.

[HenryJM]

Ayahuasca said:

Not sure I agree with that, it is also hugely dependent on team pyschology and tactics. How do you think BA turned it around in the Oracle vs New Zealand AC? Sure as hell it was not by redesigning the boat and wing.

Are you sure of that? They did a number of changes part way through

[sassthathoopie]

HenryJM said:

Ayahuasca said:

Not sure I agree with that, it is also hugely dependent on team pyschology and tactics. How do you think BA turned it around in the Oracle vs New Zealand AC? Sure as hell it was not by redesigning the boat and wing.

Are you sure of that? They did a number of changes part way through

Plenty was changed. The British media like to play up Ben's part in the turnaround from 8-1 to 9-8, and yes he did have an influence. However NZ ran out of money and Larry threw the kitchen sink at optimising the boat when it became obvious they weren't competitive, and he has some pretty serious computing power at his disposal.

What was changed on Oracle

The last America Cup was such a massive step change for the sport that Newey has been attracted by the opportunity for stunning design innovation. Modern F1 is so restricted design wise that mostly you just play around with winglets etc. By joining a well funded British Americas cup team, Newey gets inspired because he can offer the sailing equivalent of Williams active suspension, the first rear wings, slick tyres, or rear engine layout.

Ben has been very cunning in luring Dirk Kramers (6 time AC winning designer) from Oracle, and many other top designers. They can focus on delivering a stable, capable boat, allowing Newey to focus on the blue sky stuff that yacht designers have never thought of or had the budget to experiment with.

[HenryJM]

Yes, he came in on race six and it was not until a few races later they started winning.

I'm not knocking him, I have great respect for what he has achieved but I suspect that he's a little embarrassed to be given quite the credit he has.

[Simpo Two]

sassthathoopie said:

allowing Newey to focus on the blue sky stuff that yacht designers have never thought of or had the budget to experiment with.

Energy recovery from the downwind leg perhaps!

[Disastrous]

I am, from between my fingers!

Not looking great for BAR but let's hope today is a sign of things to come. He's a fighter anyway, so won't just roll over for Spithill.

[Ayahuasca]

Come on Ben !!

It is practically treason that Iain Percy should be competing against the British boat. No knighthood for you, Iain!

[Phud]

Two races today really need to both be won I feel.

Good racing format mind you and the speeds are, well staggering.

Teams are very close to foiling the complete course too.

[anonymous-user]

Is this only on BT sports? I can't really stomach yet another subscription, just for watching the Americas Cup.

[Ayahuasca]

Today the Kiwis slaughtered us, we apparently suffered some kind of gear failure, but we managed to beat the French due to a penalty. The French were faster than us on the water.

Qualified for the semis, but unless BAR can address the boatspeed problem we need others to fail (penalties or gear failure) if we are to win. Sir Ben will need to emulate his Laser performance at the Sydney 2000 Olympics to win this.

Edited by Ayahuasca on Thursday 1st June 22:31