Ineos Britannia back in contention with 2 wins on Day 4 of the 37th America’s Cup
Ineos Britannia kicked off their comeback by securing two victories on the fourth day of the 37th America’s Cup, wrapping up the day with a score of 2 to 4 against Emirates Team NZ.
In an impressive victory during the day's opening race (R5), Emirates struggled right from the start, while Ineos expertly kept them at bay. As a result, Ineos pulled ahead, creating a significant lead of 2 minutes and 26 seconds by the time they reached the first gate.
Ineos glided across the finish line effortlessly, finishing with a lead of 1 minute and 18 seconds to secure their first victory in an America’s Cup match.
In the second race (R6), with winds of 10 to 12 knots providing a pleasant breeze, the British team managed to shake off the New Zealanders who were trying to cover them before the start. They launched off the starting line at around ten knots faster and secured a six-second lead as they reached the first gate.
Ineos held onto their lead, but during the seventh leg, the loss of their rudder enabled Emirates to catch up.
In the final stretch of the race, Ineos maintained their lead, holding off the competition to secure a thrilling second victory.
Sir Ben Ainslie stepped onto the land and took a moment to think back on what had been a remarkable day for the British team, stating:
"It was a significant day for the team, and we truly needed this victory. I can't express enough how well everyone came together in the face of being four points behind. The designers, engineers, and shore team all united to identify those small improvements that boosted our performance on the racecourse, and that's exactly what we achieved today."
When asked about how Britannia's performance differed today, Ainslie responded:
It's all in the details, honestly. These boats can be quite sensitive regarding their setup and the sailing techniques used. Competing against the Kiwis highlighted certain areas where we may not be as advanced, so I have to give a lot of praise to our coaching staff and engineers for their hard work analyzing the data to help us identify ways to improve.
It's important to note that these were Britain's first victories in the America's Cup Match in 90 years, emphasizing just how long the journey to this achievement has been.
With the current score sitting at 2-4 in favor of the Kiwis, the competition is wide open again, setting the stage for an exciting finale this weekend.
The upcoming two races are scheduled for Friday, October 18th.
Latest Rankings After Six Competitions
**Day 4 Race Update:** At the beginning of Race 5, the wind was blowing at 7 knots. For Race 6, the wind picked up to 12 knots at the start.
At 13:10 BST, during Race 5 of AC37, Emirates Team New Zealand came off their foils before the start. Meanwhile, Ineos Britannia stayed on their foils and executed a dip start, allowing New Zealand to lose their foils. At Gate 1, GBR had a lead of 1600 meters and reached it in 2 minutes and 15 seconds. By Gate 2, GBR maintained a lead of 1 minute and 59 seconds. At Gate 3, they were ahead by 1 minute and 37 seconds. Gate 4 saw them leading by 1 minute and 36 seconds, and by Gate 5, they maintained a lead of 1 minute and 29 seconds. In the end, Ineos Britannia claimed their first victory, finishing 1 minute and 18 seconds ahead. The match score now stands at NZL 4, GBR 1.
14: BST – AC37 Race 6 – Right before the race began, GBR surged ahead, starting 10 knots faster than NZL as they crossed the starting line. At Gate 1, GBR had a lead of 6 seconds, covering a distance of 65 meters. By Gate 2, that lead increased to 9 seconds. The same lead of 9 seconds was maintained at Gate 3. At Gate 4, GBR’s advantage grew to 16 seconds, just as NZL made their move. At Gate 5, GBR led by 13 seconds, while NZL closed the gap to around 115 meters. Moving to Gate 6, GBR maintained a lead of 7 seconds. This was the same lead at Gate 7, with NZL trailing by nearly 60 meters. In the end, Ineos Britannia crossed the finish line first, winning by 7 seconds. The match score is now NZL 4, GBR 2.
* Endeavour 1934, led by Sir Thomas Sopwith.
