Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC40-4 Day 10 Summary

As training sessions go, today (Friday) in Barcelona was about as valuable as it can get for any team aspiring to win the America’s Cup. Alinghi Red Bull Racing launched their AC40 into a heady Catalonian swell and put on a performance in light airs that will have every other Cup team analyst poring over the footage. It was classic Barcelona chop, the kind that gives Flight Controllers sleepless nights, with a confused swell beneath an onshore breeze that rose and faded around the 6-9 knots mark all afternoon. Lucien Cujean, a double Olympian in the 49er class and one of the new breed of coming Cup superstars was sublime in interview afterwards comparing the AC75, AC40 and his own experience in the 49er dinghy class, saying: “I think the most different thing is the load, definitely the loads you have to manage and to have a look on your screen and also the shape of the sails…and that's why it's so interesting to sail on the AC40 because you can have a quick look on the data and then sailing with your feeling. It’s still a 40-foot boat so you can really sail and turn it around in Barcelona.” Section 41. Reconnaissance a) As a campaign cost reduction measure, COR/D has mutually agreed to cooperatively implement a centralised reconnaissance programme for all teams for the reconnaissance of all Competitors’ AC75 Yachts, AC40 Yachts and LEQ12 yachts including both on-land and on-water imagery (the “Joint Recon Programme”). b) Each team is assigned a two-person Recon Unit to follow their every on-water move, but it's not that simple. The cameras are supplied and identical for all Recon Units. Drones are not allowed, and they can't get that close, plus following a boat and keeping a camera steady at 45 knots isn't that easy to begin with. c) A three minute interview follows each on water day, and teams must answer the Recon Unit's questions while trying not to give too much away. It's a raw, unedited view of the never before seen behind-the-scenes development of a team and their boat to win the oldest trophy in international sports. #AC37Recon #AmericasCup #Barcelona2024