Final Letter from America's Cup #8: And just like that, it's all over. By Mark Covell
Published 13:12 on 23 Oct 2024
Photo credit Ricardo Pinto / America's Cup
As a fully signed up Ineos Britannia supporter, my fingers still ache from crossing them. The last fur rubbed off my lucky rabbit's foot as romantic optimism turned to realism. The 37th America's Cup finished when Emirates Team New Zealand foiled over the finish line to win seven victorious points. Britain's 173 year losing streak will sadly tick on for now.
The last time that a British boat won two races in the AC, King George V was on the throne and Bonnie and Clyde were robbing banks in the US. Thomas Sopwith's J Class, Endeavour had fought and lost against Harold S. Vanderbilt's Rainbow in Newport Road Island.
This horrible history lesson added to the drama that fuelled the British armada who enthusiastically descended on Barcelona. ETNZ started strongly, winning four flawless flat-water battles. The mood here for us was sombre yet still positive. The scheduled non sailing days saw the weather pattern change. With an awkward side swell from the harbour wall backwash and a fickle, patchy breeze, it was going to be a challenging day for both teams. Like a dismounted rider without a horse ETNZ fell off their foils and wallowed while the British cavalry charged up and down the starting line riding high, confusing the little stable air that was left. The jousting jesters galloped off up the course leaving the flightless Kiwi's to find a hopeful flight path and make chase.
After this uncharacteristic chink in the New Zealander's armour the plucky British team on board Britannia really did rule the waves and sailed a second masterful race to halve the overall lead on the score board that night. Too early to call it a comeback? That didn't stop us! The knowledge that we could take races off them, lit a fresh fire that was now burning bright again. Another break in the race schedule, gave time for a second influx of Ineos fans to fly in and brighten up the sea of ETNZ black shirts with a patriotic show of red, white and blue in the bars and race village.
I'm afraid the rest as they say is history and the Kiwi team have pulled off an impressive three America's Cup victories in a row, never achieved in the modern era. The best team really did win
Nonetheless I feel buoyed by Team Ineos' performance. This is the first GBR America's Cup team to win a point in the match for 90 years. This team can be proud of its achievement and can hold its collective head high. My heart bursts with pride at the dignity and grace with which they accepted their defeat they more than anyone, not only know that there is no second, they feel it. I share the disappointment but also the hope that they are closer than ever to raising the Auld Mug.
Now comes the washup and debrief. Many opinions and predictions will be thrown into the ring. Teams will crunch months of data hoping to deconstruct the answers to the questions that were asked here.
For now, the waters off Barcelona will run clearer because my futile alcoholic offerings to Neptune have stopped; and for the foreseeable future I can take a rest from explaining the idiosyncrasies of the Cup.
Popular questions are: where will it be held next? Other venues will come hunting hoping to host this magic goose that promises to lay golden luxury lifestyle eggs. Jeddah and Abu Dhabi are rumoured to have expressed an interest, keen to share in the luxury love of the Cup. Meanwhile Barcelona will be assessing how genuinely golden those eggs really were and if the fanatical wave of water that splashed their wonderful city trickled far enough out to bathe the sceptical citizens. A local told me that the city council judges the success of a visiting sporting event by how many times a day they have to empty the bins on the famous Barcelona Ramblas. And the winner is. The America's Cup with a bin bag bonus increase from 20 to 23 times a day. I love that a sport famous for high end cash input is locally measured in such low brow trash output.
What craft will the 38th AC be raced in? Before this edition started there was wide agreement that the AC75s would be chosen again. This is both sensible and wise, making it easier for new teams to join the fleet and go some way to keep these eyewatering campaign costs down.
When will the next cup be sailed? The rumour is for a quick turnaround to maintain commercial consistency and media momentum. We could be doing this all again before the next Olympics come round.
And just like that, it's all over Thank you for indulging me and reading these letters from the America's Cup. I have channelled my best BBC Radio 4 Alistair Cooke to bring you a little taste of life from the dock. Thank you to my wife Beverly for spellchecking my dyslexic smelling miss takes and editing my endless emotional adjective alliterations.
I will leave you with this final America's Cup fun fact. All the names of the fine schooners and cutters that originally raced round the Isle of Wight on the 22nd August in 1882 are engraved on the Auld Mug including the winning yacht America. All except Aurora who crossed the line in second. Let's keep the faith that very soon the name of a British yacht will join those already immortalised on the most coveted and oldest trophy in international sport