Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC40-4 Day 38 Summary

Alinghi Red Bull Racing continued their relentless training programme on Friday, launching their LEQ12 AC40 with a clear test-plan to dig into the relative performance of their new starboard-hanging Tubercle delta foil. Arnaud Psarofaghis and Nicolas Charbonnier put the boat into uncomfortable ride heights and bow-up stalling modes to find the flow detachment points after the team had taken the opportunity of flat water early in the day to affix an industrial looking camera on the underside of the Tubercle and tow-testing for almost an hour at various ride heights. With the camera neatly removed via a sharp thwack with a hammer, the LEQ12 returned to base, loaded sails and waited for the Garbi breeze to fill before heading out and smashing in another big afternoon, covering 58 nautical miles and a total of 50 manoeuvres with high percentage rates foil-to-foil. This Bull is charging now and whilst others are arriving in Barcelona, theit programme continues. Nicolas Charbonnier came to the recon interview and gave a thorough account of the day, as always, and spoke about the modes the sailors were running and the data results they were seeking from the session. Always worth listening to, Nico offered an interesting insight into the angles out of the gybes and the variances that just a few extra knots of breeze cause on this crucial metric. Another great day for the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Team. 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