Slaughters: So Many America’s Cub Races

If you look back at America’s Cup races since 1851, you’ll notice that a significant number of these match racing events (more than 20) were totally one-sided affairs. The DEFENDER won ALL of the races; the CHALLENGER didn’t win a single one. None.

How can this be? Were the Challenger boats THAT AWFUL, or were the winning boats so much better?

It could be argued either way, but let’s consider:

There’s a rule of thumb in sporting events that winners tend to get better each round (more confident, rise to higher levels, make things “click” more often) while losers tend to get discouraged or demoralized faster, take bigger chances, go for that long-shot tack, and compete so hard that the team begins making (silly or basic) mistakes or just implodes internally, making failure almost inevitable. (You’ll see them out there: They’re the ones touching mark, by rounding too close, bending the rules a bit hoping no one saw them, tacking and jibing too aggressively, taking unnecessary chances.)
While it’s not IMPOSSIBLE to come back from a series of losses, several things must occur: A shake-up of the team, an investment of money, careful study of one’s competitor(s) and some L U C K. Really looking at their boat sometimes helps: How are sails set? What adjustments are they making and when? Where’s everyone sitting or standing? What are they doing when their boat surges ahead?
But sailing is a little different than other sports. Here’s why:

Sailors, by nature, tend to be VERY INDEPENDENT SORTS. Even on a boat filled with crew, only one person calls the shots, after consulting, or not, with teammates. One person. Very few sports allow this much independent thought and action by an individual. Others frequently intrude.

America’s Cup boats at the highest levels tend to be somewhat similar in speed. In fact, if you took the winning crew off and put them on the losing boat: They might still win, most of the time.

Naturally, racing sailors like winning (which for most comes inconsistently, since there can be only ONE winner in a sailing regatta and a score of ALMOST WINNERS). The great ones earn respect from their crews by calling race strategy correctly, beating other boats and winning races, consistently.

Yet, how is it that these sailing experts seemingly lose all momentum and “throw” so many America’s Cup match races?

For some, their boat designers just didn’t do their jobs: Their boats sail slowly and there isn’t much sailors can do about it. They might be able to “out-think” their competitors, but when it comes to boat-on-boat races, they’ll lose most times.

For others, their practice sessions may have focused on the wrong things, and their team just couldn’t survive the grueling conditions of the racing.

Finally, for some, their boat’s equipment may have failed at a critical moment - - a spinnaker shredds, a halyard breaks, a winch freezes, a line snaps, etc., making winning races less likely.

However, some sailors have successfully OVERCOME some or all of these failings and gone on to win regattas. How’d they do it? Probably by getting great starts, grinding down the competition, passing boat(s) at every mark, and never, ever, every giving up until the final few feet of the final leg. It is absolutely AMAZING how many races are won or lost in the lasts few hundred yards (or feet) of a regatta.

Great sailors have discovered these tricks, which take HEART, SKILL, PERSISTANCE, STAMINA and some LUCK.

(Of course, knowing the racing rules backwards and forwards helps, as well as completing thousands of races in dozens of different types of boats. And pretty much as in any other sports, participation in sailing and racing seminars can’t hurt, and teaching some now and then can pay big dividends.)

Finally, much as anything else in life, the best sailors have made all the mistakes, but they never make them again. Ever. (Or at least they try not to.)

Why do so many America’s Cup yachts score so poorly when push comes to shove on race day? Perhaps some need the equivalent of a “sailing psychiatrist” to help them save the day. Or maybe it’s something else…..?