Episode 13 Sailing: America's Cup

The America's Cup has a tradition producing dramatic moments as

sailors compete to be crowned the best. 162 years ago the schooner

America won the first race around the Isle of Wight. The Cup was Chris

enned there and then. Three years ago Oracle won the Cup.

The campaign was bank rolled by billionaire Mr Ellison. As the

defender they get to make the rules, choose the venue and choose design

the boats for the next event. It is a real test for the crew on board.

The boats for this Cup are 72-metres long. The space age cat marans are

known as AC72s. Foils lift them out of the water, abouting sell ng them

to 50 miles per hour. It has produced some of the most exciting

racing ever seen. Two boats hurtling towards each

other, with no brakes. Very close, racing on the very edge and

sometimes over. New Zealand are what's known as "the

challenger. Oo I "the Kiwis won the right to face the Americans when

they saw off competition from Sweden and Italy. So, at the start of this

regatta, they were definitely match-fit.

The Americans, on the other hand, had no warm-up event, so they made

up their own, building two identical boats, racing against each other.

One skippered by Jimmy Spithill, the other by Sir Ben Ainslie. More on

him later. After three years of development,

both teams were very evenly matched. It was too close to call. Just days

before the start, Team USA found themselves two points behind. An

international jury decided the team had broken the rules in an earlier

competition. That put them at minus two on the score board.

Nevertheless, the most eagerly anticipated America's Cup began.

It is Oracle Team USA... They approach the line for the start of

race number one of the 34th America's Cup.

The first race went New Zealand's way. In fact, they won three out of

the first four. By the fifth, America looked

second-best. This is really interesting tactics by Oracle. I

don't know what they are doing right now, to be honest.

The situation looked critical. It had come to a head. With no points

on board, they took an unprecedented step and substituted their tactician

for Sir Ben Ainslie. Could a British knight rescue an American Cup

campaign? Really it is like taking over somebody's science project the

day before the exam, and you know, have to do a lot of swopping to get

up to speed with the different software we have and the course

management. With the most decorated Olympic

sailor ever on board, it was set up for a fairytale comeback. No-one

told Dean Barker and his crew. USA lost the next two races and trialled

6-0 on the score board. You can be a rooster one day and a feather duster

the next, mate! By race eight, the Kiwis were sailing on the crest of a

wave, but were in for a massive shock. New Zealand almost capsized!

Oh, my gosh! New Zealand have the right of way

there. Oh, my goodness! By race nine, Team

USA had cleared their penalty points and could chase into New Zealand's

lead. Impressive from start to finish w the most impressive race

time of the series. Day number six of the America's Cup belongs to the

Americans. Too much wind and too much tide had

already caused chaos to the race schedule. With a comfortable 7-1

lead, New Zealand seemed to sail through it. In race 11 Dean Barker's

crew passed the Americans upwind and moved within one point of winning

the regatta. I think the question is; imagine if these guys lost from

here - what an upset that would be! Race 13 proved unlucky for New

Zealand as they looked to wrap up the series - no wind, no speed, it

was like racing in slow motion. Agonisingly in sight of the finish

line, Cup success was two minutes away.

The race has been abandoned! The rule is the race must be

completed in 40 minutes. The Kiwis have not won a race since.

Team USA's fight back from 8-1 down has piled the pressure on New

Zealand, who have to bear the weight of an expectant nation. It is

outrating the All Blacks, which is something. Yesterday the cracks were

really beginning to show. Come on!

The Americans levelled the series. Their seventh race win in a row is a

new record and this 34th edition of Their seventh race win in a row is a

the Cup is only the third time there's been a win-takes-all

showdown. One of the mysteries of this

America's Cup is how Team USA have turned their boat from slug to

slippery. Their incredible comeback has ignited a global audience. Glim

ping the future of match racing at has ignited a global audience. Glim

its highest level. That is what Larry Ellison wanted. It is a huge

race when it comes to the history of sailing and the America's Cup. Such

a long build-up and such an amazing series of racing. Both teams must be

hugely excited about what is ahead. We'll not leave anything in the

tank. I mean the boys, every single day, find another level to go to.

Today, I am going to ask for everything. Of course they will

deliver and find something else. Having never been behind New Zealand

have been stuck on match point for seven days. It's not just the 8-1

lead they lost, they are Government-backed and there the

taxpayer might not fund another campaign if they lose. I have

complete belief. Our team, our guys and I know we can win the race

today. You know, it is obviously a big ask the way the Oracle guys have

been sailing. It will be very difficult. They have improved a huge

amount. They are not unbeatable. We know that if we put together a solid

performance then we can win the race. Lo hat has been made -- A lot

has been made about today. It is a monumental occasion for the

America's Cup and it will be remembered for a long, long time.

We go about the business of actually remembering it for the ght reasons.

There's no second place in this America's Cup. The describe the

final showdown let's go to commentary. And to update us on that

all-important win is Gary Jobson. So the current is flooding in. It makes

the waves small. It will be a premium on boat handling. You have

to push hard. This is the race of this century. Last century, 1983 -

sailors from Auckland, New Zealand, San Francisco and all the way to New

Jersey are on the edge of their seats today! More from Gary today.

We have a flood tide coming into the bay. It is not as strong as we have

seen in the past. It will smooth the course out a bit. It will. New

Zealand think the smooth water is to their benefit. They think that is

when they go well against Oracle. They don't like the chop. This makes

a difference in the start-box. The weather towards the end of the

Golden Gate Bridge becomes more favoured when there is a current

like this. It is because it is a better angle to mark number one. It

is a subtle little difference. But you can make a case that the leader

at mark one goes on to win this case. The boats are that equal in

speed. Obviously up and down and a case. The boats are that equal in

half times, to huge crowds along the city today. And then the region to

the famous - somebody has to finally win the America's Cup here, Todd!

So there you see the current. They have been talking about their

tactics. I think it will be high. You're not

going to go to the shoreline and go all the way... I am saying like we

don't want to let them cross over and let them get on this side of us,

do we? No. If they go to the left, then surely we build light pressure

and attack... I am saying we are not rolling straight away. No.

So, at 2. 10 - there was the right of way to the start box and the

Americans will follow. This tact has been favourable. Both skipper,

skippers on both teams think to be able to enther the box ten -- enter

the box ten seconds early is an advantage. Team New Zealand has

locked out at the beginning of today's race.

We are over! More over... Here is where the at

the tigs will feed -- the tactician will feed information to the

helmsman. He is totally in control here, using instincts, setting up,

not only to get to the line in time, but to get themselves between the

other boat and the first mark. One minute to go to the start. Team

New Zealand has set themselves up down lu in the box. -- low in the

box. It is called the gapping off - they

box. might try and use that gap if they

can get to the line at the same time to have a better angle to mark one

and roll over-the-top. 35 seconds, Jimmy Spithill shows

like he'll go for the hook and then pulls it off. Trying to keep a gap

here at this stage. He is hooked to... He has to get better time and

distance and roll over-the-top. That is their only chance at this stage.

Team New Zealand is down low. This is a dangerous spot for Emirates

Team New Zealand right now. The wind is good. We are all clear.

Race 19. Such a critical moment in this race.

A beautiful job by New Zealand. Can they hold the overlap? Huge skids,

piled in by Oracle. Emirates Team New Zealand gets the hole shot.

Oracle takes a big dip. How much will that hurt them? Both boats got

really loose there, right at that mark. This is incredible already.

Oracle, upon their foil. You heard Ben Ainslie, the tactician say, nice

recovery. The Kiwi is just off to the right.

Again, another crucial moment. Team New Zealand did not gybe right away

with Oracle, therefore it is a drag race. Oracle is not in a bad

position. The faster boat could roll the other boat right now. Oracle is

inching away at that lead. Let's check in on the water with Gary

Jobson. Oracle there really had a bad wave and went up and down and

lost it. Buoy, are they selling fast. They have gone right by us, so

from our position Oracle has a bit more speed but the big question for

Jimmy Spithill, can he block the wind of New Zealand, he is going to

go forward about two and a half lengths. They trail by 40 metres to

the Kiwis. This is the winner take all of the 34th America's Cup.

Flat out Dragon boat racing, two very even boats right now. The

boundary will be coming into play shortly. I don't think Oracle is

going to have the time to roll over the top. Actually Team New Zealand

has come out a bit ahead here recently. Almost a final 20th gybe

is both boats decide to make the term with the boundary on the left

-- simultaneous gybe. 41 knots of boat speed going into that shot.

When you are behind, you put a lot of pressure to make the leading boat

nervous. These are sights and sounds that nobody in sailing ever dreamt

we would see. This is just a new sport that we are witnessing here,

in a 34th America's Cup. They are travelling about 40 knots, which is

46 miles an hour, downwind here on leg number two of five. This is

going to be a very fast race, the wind is blowing around, 18 to 19

knots. Emirates on the left, Oracle Team

USA on the right as they approach Mark Liberty. What are the options

for the Kiwis? For the Kiwis you are trying to stay in thing. You learn

the hard way at this stage yesterday they were ahead, in the second race,

and they allowed Oracle to split and get to the other Mark of the two on

the gate. Don't let the split happen. Go with them, match here at

this stage. Tom Slingsby calling up the times.

They go almost to the lay line and it remains about 65 metre lead for

the Kiwis on the left of your screen. The Kiwis have done a great

job of staying in sequence with these guys the whole way down and

job of staying in sequence with holding a really, really small lead

right to the gate. I think Oracle is going to go for a split here. At

gate number two, the Americans will split the course yet again.

Man, is this setting up exactly like the second race yesterday. Team New

Zealand will come out of the right-hand side and they are going

to start using that code to their advantage. Let's see what Oracle

does at this stage. At this point on the racecourse the Americans have

taken the lead by 20 metres. But they are down one tack, so still a

lot to play for. As the American league grows up to

69 metres, Gary Jobson, who has the right spot and where is the sweet

spot on this course as they had up wind? Position wise, Emirates Team

New Zealand have to start with the advantage but they are sailing slow

slow right now, they have to pick it up a notch if they want to hold on.

Here comes the moment of truth. This is the moment of truth. Port start

board. Oracle will be likely dipping at this stage then they will

board. Oracle will be likely dipping the port starboard advantage. This

is the race we only dreamt of. And on the cross the Kiwis take the lead

back. With the starboard tack right away, the Kiwis are allowed to head

-- and are allowed to cross ahead of Oracle at that stage.

Oracle is heading for less current, New Zealand is heading for more.

Is the Kiwis tack on the far left side of the course, the Americans

stay on course with good speed and this will close the gap

substantially. This is where Oracle turned on the

afterburners yesterday. It was speed that we have never seen out of AC72

up wind. Let's see if they have it in them again today. Another moment

of truth. Starboard tack advantage now to Oracle, as they -- was the

cross comes yet again. They are almost dead even on the water Oswego

on-board Oracle Team USA. -- Oswego on-board.

A big cross, the Americans having the right of way and they will make

the cross. I don't think Team New Zealand had to look at that stage,

that means that is about three boat length game over the last minute and

a half, a big number, a big jump for Oracle. We will learn a lot about

a half, a big number, a big jump for boats here, if New Zealand go to the

right, the speeds are even, if the USA continues the game, they are a

lot faster boat. Leg three of five approaching the halfway point of

this race and this is one for all of the models, the 34th America's Cup

this race and this is one for all of will go to the winner of this race.

That is the voice of Tom Slingsby, the strategist on Oracle. He says

they are crossing if he tacks. Yet others are huge moment. -- yet

another huge moment. Wow! Not just across, another couple of boat

lengths, a couple of boat lengths for Oracle. This is looking awfully

familiar. The question is, what are the Americans doing right? What are

the Kiwis doing wrong? Boat speed, boat speed, boat speed, a

tactician's best friend. Dig into this one a little. Don't be afraid

to be a little faster I think, guys. Set-up here. Here, as we take a look

overhead at Emirates Team New Set-up here. Here, as we take a look

Zealand, what is their strategy now with less than a race to go question

might Well if you are slower than Oracle right now, if you are New

Zealand, you have to keep the other boat tacking and manoeuvre and try

to make them make a mistake. If your speed is even, go straight, if you

are slower, make them manoeuvre. You can see the flood tide coming in

from the Pacific into the San Francisco Bay. Emirates holding up

25 knots. This is it, this is it. Is commentated by Mr Ben Ainslie.

They continue. These guys are smoking right now. They are foiling

almost all the time. Something that we rarely saw at the beginning of

this event. Every single race they have been out of the water is

foiling more and more up wind, they are using it to their advantage.

The lead is now 162 metres. Keep working, keep working. Holloway. --

Hall away. Go! Come on! The wind continues but not overly mid-. There

is no wind limit after the top mark. Pics moments ago at 20.7 knots. Our

wind limit is 20.74. As Gary Jobson pointed out, if they get through

Mach number three the wind is waved off and that has to be advantaged

Team USA. These guys are down the road, is it getting windier? It is

getting a bit windy, particularly at the top end of the course. It is

hard to see that because of the top -- the strong flood tide, which

keeps the waves down. These guys have done everything right in this

race except they just don't have the pace.

Oh, nice move by Oracle to push them back. Well done. Ben Ainslie, the

tactician on-board Oracle Team USA, the man on the far right of your

screen, is a four time Olympic gold medallist.

And with every metre sails, you've got to imagine the pressure that is

being applied on-board Emirates Team New Zealand. One week ago they had a

lead of 8-1. It is now 8-8 and the winner of this race will take the

Cup. What a show for the people on the shoreline in San Francisco Bay.

And for sailors and non-sailors alike around the world, this is a

comeback like international sport may have never seen before. Oracle

has pace. Folks, this is a complete role

reversal of what we saw seven or eight days ago. It was the Kiwis

putting it to the Americans. They could go wherever and whenever they

wanted on the course and now the role is reversed. The lead, 260

metres to the Americans. Look at the boat speeds, almost 30 knots for

Oracle and 25 or 26 for Emirates Team New Zealand. Give the design

team a lot of credit. The shore team. An incredible amount of credit

for sticking with these guys and giving them a faster boat at this

stage. Let's not forget Emirates Team New

Zealand, three or four times over the last couple of days, have been

able to close the race down one leg for, to less than 100 metres -- lead

four. If the Americans think this is wrapped up, give them a pep talk

because it will be thrown at them when they turn to home. There is

zero quitting in these guys but holy Smoke, look at that, talk about

demoralising. Just gone, right now. If you are Oracle, just gone. Gary,

every time they lead the docks, they seem faster. They made some

improvements since yesterday. It is impressive sight, seeing them foil

up wind as they are right now. Get on the foil and then we will do

it. Really big wind out of the gate, Oracle has to be very careful

making that rounding. It can't make a mistake at that point. As we saw

during the Louis Vuitton Cup, almost taking the thing over and losing two

crewmember over the side during the race. No harm, no foul, but with

that big a wind under 13 story wing, you have to be pretty careful.

Team New Zealand is going 27 or 28 knots of wind, that is almost 30%

more faster than they went in the Louis Vuitton Cup. Unbelievable

speed gains. Maybe there were a little Conservative on the start,

knowing they were fast rolling to New Zealand.

I am not sure Jimmy Spithill has ever been conservative about

anything, Gary. There is the track, showing Howard

far -- showing you how far out the Americans are in front. That is the

41 Kiwi acting as tactician. Well, it is miracle time for

Emirates. They have to darn near flip this boat over at this stage,

it is such a big lead. And at gate number three, we will

bring them home uninterrupted. Oracle team USA with a huge lead.

The Americans will retain the cup and for Team New Zealand they have

to find wind and speed if they want to take the Cup to New Zealand.

The boat just about takes off at the top gate.

They went for it! The Kiwis split the course. They are

looking for in Iing to get them -- for anything to get them back in

touch. They are dealt a 26-seconds behind the defenders. They are

almost going to have to gib immediately here.

-- gybe immediately here. The lead is almost 500 metres. The

Kiwis way over on the boundary. At this stage of the game, nothing

Kiwis way over on the boundary. to lose!

All kinds of records will be talked about when this is p done -- when

this is done, whichever way it goes. The fastest Cup. Oracle Team USA is

this is done, whichever way it goes. ahead of the record by about 30

seconds. Let's not forget it was four days ago that Emirates Team New

Zealand had the lead. They made the turn on the last leg, literally four

minutes away from winning the Cup and the whistle was blown. A time

limit of 40 minutes had expired and the race was wiped clean.

One thing in common with this Cup, there was a Kirby on board. His

father on board in 1992. You talk about the speed of the

Kiwis, they certainly had it when they won the vit vit vit -- Luois

Vitton Cup. Where has the speed gone? They put the jets on. A lot of

time and effort has gone into designing the technology. Vertical

learning curves have been talked about all the time. They get better

every day. Oracle has happened to get better, faster.

Do you think we'll ever see these boats again? These AC72s are the

vision of Larry Ellison and Russell, after they put these together after

winning the last America's Cup. They had the right to decide where it

would be contested and these AC72s were they drier. Their dream.

Here we are, breaking down barriers into the history of the America's

Cup. Never have we seen anything like that - the epic combat

continues! Was that a smile? Very close. Jimmy

Spithill, the skipper and helmsman on Oracle USA, Australian by birth,

married to an American woman. As he is bringing this home, he can see

gate four in the distance. It's not bad to have five Olympic

gold medals behind you and give you information. Not bad at all!

There's a smile. CREW: SLOWLY GET SOFTER FROM HERE?

Don't smile yet, Jimmy! For more than ten days Jimmy

Spithill sat down at press conference after press conference

and said, "We can still with this." At 8-1, he said, "I believe we can

win this again." We had the conversation that said, what is

wrong with him - you have to know when you are beat! He never knew it!

They had incredible winning and losing streaks, Dean Barker and

Jimmy Spithill. Not the best gybe on Oracle there by the way. They

handled their press conferences, the pressure, with incredible poise and

we have to take our hats off to both of them. If you go out here, New

Zealand did a really good race. Got to lead at the second gate. What

else could they have done? They are a little slower. At tend of the day,

it is always the faster boat that will win and tacticians aside, over

the past races it has been Oracle Team USA. If this stands the way it

is, this will definitely hurt for Emirates Team New Zealand and a

nation. I will say this, Dean Barker, Davies and the crew are some

of the classiest you have ever come across. Oracle, Team USA makes the

turn for home. I never thought I would say this,

but Oracle is going to win the America's Cup. This is incredible!

What was dubbed as a rates for redemption for Dean Barker and New

Zealand looked like it was on course as they led a week ago. They were

sitting on a match-point. One more victory and the Cup was being

shipped off to Auckland, New Zealand. Here we are a week later

and it is Oracle Team USA that is just moments away from keeping the

Cup. The Stars and Stripes say it all!

The comeback is complete! America's Cup will stay in America.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE And as the celebration commences on

the shores here, in San Francisco, Emirates Team New Zealand comes

across, one short for more than a week, their final delta in excess of

438 seconds -- 43 seconds. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

A fly-by like no other! A defence for the record books. America's Cup

will stay with Oracle Team USA. Oh, just had anything - a little bit

of spray, as you can see. We almost lost you! I am still here. Jimmy

Spithill, two-times America's Cup skipper. How does this feel? It

really is about the team. On your own, you are nothing. When you have

a team like this around you, that I can make you look great and they did

all of that today and the whole series - just so proud of the boys.

Just a fantastic team effort! Heartbreak for Dean Barker, who with

his team couldn't compete with the blistering speeds and skill of the

USA. blistering speeds and skill of the

Very frustrating. You think back two weeks, the

opposite was true. The gains they have made is phenomenal. A great

credit to those guys, they have really done an amazing job to sort

their boat out and probably a good thing for us they didn't do it

earlier. I am incredibly proud of our team and what they have

achieved. I am gutted that we didn't get the

last one that we needed to take this Cup back to New Zealand. It's very

hard to swallow! A triumphant win for Jimmy Spithill,

completes one of -- completing one of the most exhilarating comebacks

in the sport. I will tell you one thing, it is an

incredible team standing behind me. We faced a lot of adversity, a lot

of challenges. We dug a big hole. We came together as a team. There is

of challenges. We dug a big hole. We one ingredient we could not have

done it without - your support. Thank you very much. This is a team

that never, ever gives up. We fought all the way to the end. Every single

day we were winning races, all you guys were coming supporting us. All

the good messages got through. It really affected the guys. We are in

debt to you guys. The defender of really affected the guys. We are in

the America's cup... Oracle Team USA!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE It was an amazing feeling to. Be a

part of that really creating history w this American team - it is a real

privilege. The Olympics is mainly about individuals or small teams and

the America's Cup is about big teams. To be sure, these are the two

the America's Cup is about big best in the world - Emirates and

Oracle Team USA. Hats off to the Kiwis. They have been a standout

team all the way through. At one point it looked like they were

walking away with the America's Cup. Somehow we managed to pull the hat

out of the bag and get ourselves back in the competition. It is one

of the biggest comebacks I have ever seen in any sport. It has been an

hon tore be a -- honour to be a part of the team. This could have done

more for sailing than anything other. The messagesvy had from home

is -- the messages I have had from home is people who never really

watch sailing before, they suddenly get it. They think the raw speed -

they really are taken away by it. And the closeness of this

competition, this comeback from Oracle Team USA, from 8-1 down, it

has captured the public's imagination. There is no secret I

would love to see a British team's success. It is where it started. We

have a proud maritime history. We have incredibly talented sailor,

designers. If the Aussies and the Kiwis can be top of this game, then

surely the Brits can too. No-one could see this comeback. Full credit

to Jimmy Spithill and his crew. The team boss has transformed this

event. There was a revolutionary team boss has transformed this

gain in boat speed, reducing an on-water speckal that produced

heart-spotting excitement. -- heart-stopping excitement. They

are expensive - a winning campaign can cost at least $100 million. That

limits the challengers. Will we see the AC72s again? Back to the

Americans and Spithill, but a first for Britain's Ben Ainslie who has

added the America's Cup glory to his Olympic titles.