INEOS Britannia T6 Day 15 Summary

INEOS Britannia broke out their new, smaller mainsail - the one that they first displayed last week on a sail-fit just outside the harbour - for a demonstration of high-speed data gathering aboard the ‘Silver Bullet’ T6 in gusty, blustery conditions that deteriorated through the afternoon. Two baffling initial tows across the Bay of Palma at speeds just below 20 knots were explained by Bleddyn Mon, one of the team’s key cross-over links between the design and sailing teams, as: “still trying to gather some data for the designers and there's some quite specific tests that they want to do under tow.” But with the tests done, the team went for a ‘fruity’ side tow, one of the trickiest and diciest states for these boats, to get the new mainsail onboard and hoisted, complemented by the J3 sensibly as the clouds amassed ominously on the hills around them. 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