INEOS TEAM UK has been pushing hard to test and develop BRITANNIA ahead of the PRADA Cup (Image Credit: C Gregory)
Ahead of the PRADA Challenger Selection Series Stevie Morrison kicks off former British Olympics and world champion sailor, reflecting on the changes teams have made since December and giving his predictions for the upcoming events.
On Friday, live on Sky Sports, INEOS TEAM UK, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team and New York Yacht Club American Magic, take to the water and put years of hard work to the test.
He is just one to come out of the PRADA Challenger Selection Series and take on the New Zealand Emirates Team in the 36th American Cup match. The other two are left empty handed and have to see the final competition from the shore.
Morrison, who competed in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in the 49er category, is among many sailors around the world whose eyes are based on New Zealand and the foothold monohulls 75 feet apart who race against each other.
Challenger PRADA Selection Series – Opening race days
| Day One | Friday, January 15th | Live at 2am on Sky Sports Mix with 9am repeat |
| Day Two | Saturday, January 16th | Live at 2am on Sky Sports Mix with 9am repeat |
| Day Three | Sunday, January 17th | Live at 2am on Sky Sports Mix with 9am repeat |
Since the end of the PRADA Christmas Race on December 20, the three rival teams have been working night and day to prepare for these races. Morrison understands that everyone has only had two days – Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
INEOS TEAM UK is leading Britain’s spending in this tournament and it is fair to say that the Auckland America PRADA World Cup Series and the PRADA Christmas Race were not entirely planned for them.
They were getting into technical issues, they were looking smarter on the water than they would have asked for and especially in lighter winds, they seemed to be a little behind their competitors.
“Since December, it is clear that INEOS TEAM UK has been working hard,” said Morrison Sky Sports.
“We’ll see that they now have a new mast, a new mast, and a new ruler. In addition, they have changed the wings on their boat; the division that will help build the boat -out of the water.
“The last two weeks have seen them experiment with two completely different wing designs, and on the first day of the race we will see which one they chose to start the competition.
“It’s clear that they’ve been working on their in-boat controls, because from the film we’re seeing now, it shows them sailing with a lot more sustainability.
INEOS TEAM UK has two shield types and separates the use of one ahead of race day (Top Image – C Gregory and Bottom Image – Carlo Borlenghi)
“The New York Yacht Club American Magic has also made changes to their boat with an expanded skeg.
“The Italians Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have clearly been very focused on their aerodynamics with new cockpit shows. We are still waiting to see their new set of wings as well. “
The PRADA Challenger Selection Series kicks off with a set of round robin races, from the six race days of one winner appearing who advance straight into the PRADA Cup final.
After that, the other two teams will battle it out in a winning semi-final match before the final takes it down to one opponent who will take on the New Zealand Emirates Team in 36th American Cup game.
36th American Cup: All eyes on the PRADA Cup
This week, the road to building the Auld Mug continues as three teams head to Auckland waters in a bid to be New Zealand’s Emirates Team opponents in the 36th American Cup match .
“Right now, before the race starts, I would have the Emirates of New Zealand as their favorite to win the American Cup overall,” said Morrison.
“Thinking about it, I would say that the New York Yacht Club is the most likely to win the American Magic Club PRADA Cup, because during the World Series we saw a fairly consistent pace, movement and tactics over the widest range of winds – the kind winds we expect to see through January and February.
“However, if the winds become lighter and as we see Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli ‘s new wings, they could be a real threat as well.
0:43 Stevie Morrison admits he was influenced by New York Yacht Club American Magic performances in December.
“Really, the British team is the dark horse in everything. We’ve seen that they’ve worked hard and I think they’ve got the ability to be really big. in the mix with their competitors.
“We’ve already seen this in the latest practice races, where Ainslie was in control first!
“Now, because of the changes they’ve made, they’ve shown they’re fast in windier weather and I think they can win races. If they start on, they are confident to stay ahead.
“They are happy to be aggressive and engage with other boats. However, in the lighter winds, I would still say that it is a work in progress and they need to continue to improve.
“If I speak openly, I would suspect that they would be preparing to be in the semi-finals of the PRADA Cup, as I personally will not see them win the stage against the other two teams. .
“If that’s true their D-Day will come on January 29 and I think by then, they’ll have had two more weeks of continuous development and improvement.”
- For all the teams, the weather makes a big difference on race day and with the weather we are watching the wind!
- All crews must announce their boat in advance and have to anticipate the conditions on the day of the race.
- With the potential for light, medium or heavy winds, teams also need to make decisions about their strategies for making the most of – have they decided to create real strength in one type position or be a steady Eddie across all three?
- A lot of pressure lies on their meteorology teams a few days out, when the decisions about the configuration of their ship have to be made and named.
With the PRADA Cup requiring only the three opponents and the defender – the New Zealand Emirates Team – to take part, it opens up another question as to which path to a Cup match. America’s Most Beneficial?
“The PRADA CUP provides a good opportunity for the final opponent to sharpen their teeth and cut the cloth further in ethnic situations,” he said.
“They are able to further develop elements such as their mid-race communications, run pre-launch strategies and click longer as a team under pressure.
“The flip side of getting so many competitive races is that you always get the attention of the races themselves and arrange your boat for them. It’s a lot harder to keep the development process going. go backwards. “
Without the PRADA Cup ‘draw’, the New Zealand Emirates Team has plenty of time to test different elements, upgrade and move on.
“In theory, their extra development time should mean they can take their boat to places that the opponent can’t,” said Morrison.
“It is often said in the American Cup that you need to have the fastest boat to win and with extra development time, the defenders have time to try and make sure they do.
“However, if an opponent is able to reach an American Cup match as quickly as their competitors, then a ‘match fit’ from the PRADA Cup could be very beneficial indeed.”
Watch every minute of the American Cup challenge, live on Sky Sports. Coverage will continue with the PRADA Challenger Selection Series on Friday at 2am on Sky Sports Mix, which is again at 9am.