Innovation Helps Emirates Team New Zealand Take 3-0 Lead In America’s Cup

“Peter Burling and Emirates Team New Zealand are threatening to sail — and cycle — away with the America’s Cup,” as reported in an article in The Guardian.

“The 26-year-old Burling calmly steered the New Zealanders’ 50-foot catamaran to two more dominating victories against Jimmy Spithill and two-time defending champion Oracle Team USA on Sunday to remain undefeated in the showdown on the Great Sound.”

“Team New Zealand need to win four more races to return the Auld Mug to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, where it resided from 1995-2003. Oracle need to win seven to keep the trophy in the hands of American software billionaire Larry Ellison,” as reported in the article.

“So far, the New Zealanders and their cycling grinding system have proven too fast for Oracle in light, shifty wind. They’ve also made the right choices on which foils to use on the ends of their daggerboards.”

The New Zealand team is using a cyclor grinding system – they’ve built four stationary cycling stations into each hull to tap leg power instead of traditional arm power from the grinders to power the hydraulic systems that control the wing mainsail and the daggerboards, reports the article.

Article Source: The Guardian, June 18, 2017

Image Source: Twitter – Emirates Team NZ