A month away from competitive racing hasn't harmed Team New Zealand.
The holders have started their defence of the America's Cup in emphatic style - beating Britannia in both races on Day One, the first by 41 seconds, the second by 27 seconds.
Sailing commentator Chris Steele says this marks a tough start to the Cup for Britannia.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The America's Cup is underway and it's been a cracking
start for Team New Zealand. They've won the first two
races over nine to take a two nil lead over
Innios Pretannia in the first seven series. Saving commentator Chris
Steele was watching and here's with me now, Good morning, Chris.
How you going really good? Thank you? Probably because I
watched it as a pre record at six am this morning,
(00:34):
not at one am. A battery issue for any Britannia
sort of gifted New Zealand. Team New Zealand is sort
of a simple mission in Race one this morning, didn't they?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yeah, it was interesting. I mean, obviously, I think definitely
not the way the Bricks would have wanted to start
the America's Cup. Of being able to sort of get
on the foil in time and the pre start and
being late making enter into the studding box kind of
put them on the back foot. So I'm sure it'll
be hugely disappointed with that. But you know, they got
the boat back up and running and they managed to
(01:05):
kind of get away the start line and reasonable shape
and and I guess give us a little bit of
a tease of what's the comet in terms of where
the two boats stack up and performance. So it wasn't
all lost, but yeah, definitely not an ideal start.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
What did you make of Team New Zealand and those
two races? They seem very cool, come and collected.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah, they did, which you know you can't expect, although
I think if they were going to be on the
back foot at any point, you'd probably expect it maybe
to be in Race white or two, just because obviously
haven't had as much race practice in the cycle of
the America's Cup compared to to anyos, because you know,
(01:45):
they obviously didn't do the Bluebton Challenge series, so you know,
that was kind of a push market I guess was
hanging over their heads. But they were able to come
out of the blocks firing and get two points on
the board, which is pretty impressive statement. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
No, they don't seem too rusty at all. Do you
know What I really noticed, Chris was the communication on
what actually both boats, but especially on you know, I
was listening in particular to Emirates Team New Zealand. It
is very good, isn't it The communication between the two humpsmen.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yeah, it is, and like you said, it did seem
sort of very calm. I think it's it's becoming a
huge part of this America's Cup cycle, obviously, with all
the teams having two skippers on the on the boat
now versus in the last one where they were only
starting with just the one. So I mean, you really
do have to be the eyes for the skipper that's
(02:37):
driving on the other side when when you're not, So
you know, there is a lot a lot more chat,
probably than what you'd normally sort of hear on a
boat like that. But it's pretty cool, I guess as
a spectator to get insights and hear those conversations and
see what they're they're talking about and looking at as well.
It's yeah, it's very insightful.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It could be a little boring if we did it
only two races in. But how do you compare the boats?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah, look, I think I mean we've only seen them
in sort of one range of addition there, and I
thought they were pretty close in terms of the performance.
It's definitely too early to just sort of make any
any sort of long term calls. On whether or not
it's going to stay that sort of way with the trends,
But I think early on, I mean the key he
(03:24):
has kind of got the jump and both of those starts,
which you know was pretty impressive to see. But you know,
those conditions, it's it's so hard for the boat behind
to pass. You know, it's one thing to catch up,
but the closer you get to the boat in front,
and the harder it does actually get past them because
you start getting affected, your wind starts to get affected a
(03:45):
lot more. So I think that if the shoe was
on the other foot and the Brits were able to
come off the start line in front, I think, you know,
it would have been a pretty hard job for the
keepers get pass. They might have been slightly faster upwind
Jam Zealand from what I could see, but you know,
the Brits have been pretty strong sort of downwind against
all teams and I think there was definitely a couple
of little signs of that as well. So yeah, too
(04:07):
really to see right now, but yeah, you had to
live in one way or the other. You probably stay
slight advantage to the Kiwis, But like I said, if
they don't get off the start line in good shape.
I think it will still be very hard.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
For them to get past Chris volatile conditions today. Should
we expect the winds to be as fickilled as this
for the rest of the series, do you think?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I mean, it's a hard one to sort of put
your finger on, especially with the schedule because obviously they're
going to be sailing today and then they got a
couple of days off following that, so you know, Barcelona's
typically this time a year starts to get lighter and
lighter with the winds and saying that the Challenge series
was supposed to be similar conditions, and there was quite
(04:48):
a bit of breeze when I was over here, the
boats were you know, there's braces called off because it
was too windy. So I think it's definitely a little
bit of a mixed bag. But yeah, the light, fickle
conditions with the kind of confuscy state, yeah, makes it
very difficult to sail these boats. And I think and
the conditions will certainly play a big part in it.
(05:09):
And if you start seeing racing that's a little bit
lighter than what we saw overnight, and you know, staying
on the foil will be will be a challenge as well.
So when you start getting to those conditions and no
leads safe enough, one mistake and you know you'll struggle
to get back up on the foil for the rest
of the race. So you know, that's actually quite exciting
(05:30):
in my opinion to watch because you know that every
maneuver is super important and one slip up will cost
you across your race went straight away.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Chris, as you mentioned, you've been in Barcelona. Is it
a great location?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
It's I mean, it's a pretty cool city in general.
I think you know that it was a good vibe
on the ground when I was there, and saying that
the conditions are proving a little bit challenging. You know,
it's a little bit frustrating when you when you're waking
up at one o'clock in the morning to turn the
TV on and yeah, and then the first thing you
(06:04):
say is delay and it's kind of that kind of
been the theme for all these races. So you know,
I don't know if they need to push the start
time back an hour or something just to to stop
people tuning in and having to sit there and wait,
because I think people get bored of it. Really quickly,
especially when you don't know what time they're actually going
to get going. But you know, you could see from
the forecast last night that there was likely going to
(06:26):
be a delayed for sort of half an hour forty
five minutes, and it was bang on. So yeah, I
mean as a venue as a whole, I think it is.
It's a very tricky sailing venue and it's very different
conditions too. You know, it's very unique in that regard.
So I think we've seen that in the race is
so fast, some teams have really struggled to come to
grips with the waves stayed and trying to keep the
(06:49):
boats folling stably and stably as fast as well. So yeah,
I mean it's good to watch.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think, yeah, it should should lend to some exciting races. Chris,
thanks so much for your thoughts this morning. That was
Sailing commentator Chris Steele.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to us Talks at B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The America's Cup is underway and it's been a cracking
start for Team New Zealand. They've won the first two
races over nine to take a two nil lead over
Innios Pretannia in the first seven series. Saving commentator Chris
Steele was watching and here's with me now, Good morning, Chris.
How you going really good? Thank you? Probably because I
watched it as a pre record at six am this morning,
(00:34):
not at one am. A battery issue for any Britannia
sort of gifted New Zealand. Team New Zealand is sort
of a simple mission in Race one this morning, didn't they?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yeah, it was interesting. I mean, obviously, I think definitely
not the way the Bricks would have wanted to start
the America's Cup. Of being able to sort of get
on the foil in time and the pre start and
being late making enter into the studding box kind of
put them on the back foot. So I'm sure it'll
be hugely disappointed with that. But you know, they got
the boat back up and running and they managed to
(01:05):
kind of get away the start line and reasonable shape
and and I guess give us a little bit of
a tease of what's the comet in terms of where
the two boats stack up and performance. So it wasn't
all lost, but yeah, definitely not an ideal start.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
What did you make of Team New Zealand and those
two races? They seem very cool, come and collected.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah, they did, which you know you can't expect, although
I think if they were going to be on the
back foot at any point, you'd probably expect it maybe
to be in Race white or two, just because obviously
haven't had as much race practice in the cycle of
the America's Cup compared to to anyos, because you know,
(01:45):
they obviously didn't do the Bluebton Challenge series, so you know,
that was kind of a push market I guess was
hanging over their heads. But they were able to come
out of the blocks firing and get two points on
the board, which is pretty impressive statement. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
No, they don't seem too rusty at all. Do you
know What I really noticed, Chris was the communication on
what actually both boats, but especially on you know, I
was listening in particular to Emirates Team New Zealand. It
is very good, isn't it The communication between the two humpsmen.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yeah, it is, and like you said, it did seem
sort of very calm. I think it's it's becoming a
huge part of this America's Cup cycle, obviously, with all
the teams having two skippers on the on the boat
now versus in the last one where they were only
starting with just the one. So I mean, you really
do have to be the eyes for the skipper that's
(02:37):
driving on the other side when when you're not, So
you know, there is a lot a lot more chat,
probably than what you'd normally sort of hear on a
boat like that. But it's pretty cool, I guess as
a spectator to get insights and hear those conversations and
see what they're they're talking about and looking at as well.
It's yeah, it's very insightful.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It could be a little boring if we did it
only two races in. But how do you compare the boats?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah, look, I think I mean we've only seen them
in sort of one range of addition there, and I
thought they were pretty close in terms of the performance.
It's definitely too early to just sort of make any
any sort of long term calls. On whether or not
it's going to stay that sort of way with the trends,
But I think early on, I mean the key he
(03:24):
has kind of got the jump and both of those starts,
which you know was pretty impressive to see. But you know,
those conditions, it's it's so hard for the boat behind
to pass. You know, it's one thing to catch up,
but the closer you get to the boat in front,
and the harder it does actually get past them because
you start getting affected, your wind starts to get affected a
(03:45):
lot more. So I think that if the shoe was
on the other foot and the Brits were able to
come off the start line in front, I think, you know,
it would have been a pretty hard job for the
keepers get pass. They might have been slightly faster upwind
Jam Zealand from what I could see, but you know,
the Brits have been pretty strong sort of downwind against
all teams and I think there was definitely a couple
of little signs of that as well. So yeah, too
(04:07):
really to see right now, but yeah, you had to
live in one way or the other. You probably stay
slight advantage to the Kiwis, But like I said, if
they don't get off the start line in good shape.
I think it will still be very hard.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
For them to get past Chris volatile conditions today. Should
we expect the winds to be as fickilled as this
for the rest of the series, do you think?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I mean, it's a hard one to sort of put
your finger on, especially with the schedule because obviously they're
going to be sailing today and then they got a
couple of days off following that, so you know, Barcelona's
typically this time a year starts to get lighter and
lighter with the winds and saying that the Challenge series
was supposed to be similar conditions, and there was quite
(04:48):
a bit of breeze when I was over here, the
boats were you know, there's braces called off because it
was too windy. So I think it's definitely a little
bit of a mixed bag. But yeah, the light, fickle
conditions with the kind of confuscy state, yeah, makes it
very difficult to sail these boats. And I think and
the conditions will certainly play a big part in it.
(05:09):
And if you start seeing racing that's a little bit
lighter than what we saw overnight, and you know, staying
on the foil will be will be a challenge as well.
So when you start getting to those conditions and no
leads safe enough, one mistake and you know you'll struggle
to get back up on the foil for the rest
of the race. So you know, that's actually quite exciting
(05:30):
in my opinion to watch because you know that every
maneuver is super important and one slip up will cost
you across your race went straight away.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Chris, as you mentioned, you've been in Barcelona. Is it
a great location?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
It's I mean, it's a pretty cool city in general.
I think you know that it was a good vibe
on the ground when I was there, and saying that
the conditions are proving a little bit challenging. You know,
it's a little bit frustrating when you when you're waking
up at one o'clock in the morning to turn the
TV on and yeah, and then the first thing you
(06:04):
say is delay and it's kind of that kind of
been the theme for all these races. So you know,
I don't know if they need to push the start
time back an hour or something just to to stop
people tuning in and having to sit there and wait,
because I think people get bored of it. Really quickly,
especially when you don't know what time they're actually going
to get going. But you know, you could see from
the forecast last night that there was likely going to
(06:26):
be a delayed for sort of half an hour forty
five minutes, and it was bang on. So yeah, I
mean as a venue as a whole, I think it is.
It's a very tricky sailing venue and it's very different
conditions too. You know, it's very unique in that regard.
So I think we've seen that in the race is
so fast, some teams have really struggled to come to
grips with the waves stayed and trying to keep the
(06:49):
boats folling stably and stably as fast as well. So yeah,
I mean it's good to watch.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think, yeah, it should should lend to some exciting races. Chris,
thanks so much for your thoughts this morning. That was
Sailing commentator Chris Steele.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to us Talks at B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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