The second race of Group B in the Women’s America’s Cup brought high tension and unexpected results as teams faced challenging wind conditions on the course. Unfortunately for Sweden, they were forced to sit out due to communications and power issues. As a result, they received an average of the points available, but missed out on the chance to compete, adding an unexpected twist to the day.
Once the wind was finally blowing at an acceptable speed, the teams hit the water, but conditions were anything but stable. Australia quickly showed their intent, taking advantage of the gusts on the right-hand side of the course. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the fleet. A penalty for Spain and Australia right at the start set the tone, forcing both teams to play catch-up in the race.
As the race progressed, it became clear that the real challenge would be staying on the foils, a crucial element for speed in these high-tech AC40s. Team Germany struggled, with a misjudged manoeuvre taking them off the foils and severely impacting their race. It wasn’t just them either—Spain, caught in a penalty, were also battling to regain lost ground.
While most teams were playing catch-up, Andoo Team Australia led by the cool-headed Olivia Price managed to keep their boat fast and steady. Price, with her extensive experience, navigated her team through a series of tight manoeuvres and tricky conditions to take a commanding lead.
The Netherlands’ team, meanwhile, showed grit, bouncing back from a slow start and penalties to challenge Australia at several points during the race. However, Australia maintained their focus, powering through to claim first place and 10 valuable points, propelling them to the top of the Group B leaderboard.
As the day wore on, Spain showed resilience, finding their rhythm in the final stages of the race and securing a respectable second place. Meanwhile, the Dutch team finished third after some missteps, improving on their performance from race one.
The conditions in this second race tested all competitors, with light and variable winds making it a day of foiling mastery. The takeaway? Staying on the foils was key to success. Teams that managed to keep their AC40s skimming the surface reaped the rewards, while others were left struggling in the wake.
