At the start of the Copa America: there is no advantage on home soil for New Zealand – a sport
America’s Cup is ten seconds old, so Jimmy Spethyl, known for his aggressiveness, immediately shows his claws. He, who has already won the Cup three times – always with different types of boats – leaves the perfect weighing line of the AC75 Racer with the marked “Krakenfoils” at the greatest speed in order to attack the New Zealanders sailing beside him. The Australian is proud of the nickname “Pitbull”.
Ahead of the first race for the Copa America on Wednesday, there was a lot of speculation about whether Italian side Luna Rossa would be able to take on the crushing Kiwi. Will the boat be fast enough? If not, and no matter how much trouble the Italian sailors have around the helmsman Francesco Bruni and Spethel, the competition for the world’s oldest sports trophy will be decided quickly.
Defenders of the trophy around helmsman Peter Burling were considered favorites due to their alleged high velocity, if not unbeatable. You could have had more money and more time to come up with a cohesive design. When they met their three opponents from Italy, the United States and Great Britain before Christmas, they lost only one out of six races. As a local team, they also know the Hauraki Bay area at the gates of Auckland better than anyone else.
The only thing that speaks out against the aura of superiority is the lack of combat experience. That’s why Spithill wants to know. Even in the pre-start phase, he pushed the opponent away in the wind and led him to the dangerous point that the kiwi boat flying on its runners would have to land in the water.
The speed loss would be so great that the other could split. Which is why the Kiwi, who know Spithill’s reputation and find it a bit “predictable,” says tactical trainer Ray Davies, have developed an effective way to escape the “meltdown.” They also allowed the second runner to slide into the water, thus gaining more stability and then launching an attack on their own by pushing the Italians to the starting line too early.
Both teams hit the track almost simultaneously, but Burling was four knots faster at this point. Spithill takes a few seconds to attack. He directed Luna Rossa to the wing of the New Zealanders, who evaded, and the attempt to file a lawsuit faded over a protest – and the Italians, who had thrown themselves out of the move, retreated.
The New Zealanders lack experience in individual combat
Since then, it’s the kind of race that gives leaders an edge in steady conditions. New Zealand clearly wins.
Whoever decides to start will win, it is a slogan that is often heard in the 36th Copa America. Because, despite the record speeds of over 90 kilometers per hour, there are few opportunities to outwit the opponent. Neither team, who is well trained, allows for major mistakes. Even for technological surprises, time is likely to be very short until March 15, the deadline in which a cup winner is determined either by seven wins or by the fact that he is ahead of the number of races he has won.
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Details matter more than ever. For example, Berling allowed himself to be on the defensive by ballet veteran Spethyl before starting, the boat was short behind the track and was unable to approach 70 meters on any of the six rounds. Which he then found a little “rusty” himself. In the end, New Zealand lost seven seconds.
That’s a little bit of nothing, but a difference. And it appears that this time things can be less clear than they were for the most part 170 years before it.
The American Cup will be held on Friday evening Race 3 and 4 She continued.