Episode 4 Sailing: America's Cup

San Francisco weights and wonders, what can the Americans do? So far it

has been one-way traffic. Race five seems different, team USA had a

great start. Oracle will be ahead at Mach one. The defender, searching

for a second wind. It is windy out there and Oracle is really showing

some jets. Everything was going to plan until a handbrake turn almost

ground them to a halt. This is really interesting tactics, I don't

really know what they are doing. New Zealand swept past to win by over a

minute. Race number five goes in the book, Emirates team New Zealand is

your winner. Team USA trailing by five races, time for a rethink. We

need to regroup, we are going to play the card strategically and

hopefully improve in time for the next race. It looked a poor return

for the Americans after a multi-million dollar investment. New

Zealand looked like a team who had come here to win. It was a crucial

day in the 34th America's Cup. With softer wind conditions and sun

burning through the cloud, San Francisco was buzzing. Dean Barker

and his crew, enjoying the celebratory atmosphere. But once on

board, the game face was on. Speculation was rife, Oracle team

USA were about to make a change. It doesn't happen often in this event.

With one of the last remaining Americans on the boat about to make

way for the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Britain's sur

Ben Ainslie. Always talk about doing rotation and making changes and we

have brought an oncoming is a sailor. He and John have been

working together in the past couple of days -- we have brought Ben on,

he is a great sailor. He is five-time Olympic medallist, four of

them gold, the last one coming at London 2012. Although he has

America's Cup experience, this is the first time in the final. Could

the Knights come to the Americans' rescue. My role has been to help the

sailing team develop and prepare the America's Cup finals. I have had a

few experiences with the America's Cup. The first time was the world

challenge in 2003 with another Cup. The first time was the world

American team. And then with Cup. The first time was the world

Emirates team New Zealand in 2007. We started a British team for the

2010 America's Cup but unfortunately that fell apart. This team is a

different to the other teams I have been involved with. It is quite a

corporate team, it is quite an old team now. I suppose there is a

greater family but also it is a very big team. Not only are they hugely

powered monsters tearing around at ridiculous speeds, there are also 11

guys on the boat so it is much more about teamwork and learning the

skills of this new design of boat. The start will be supercritical.

Oracle team USA first up on the The start will be supercritical.

foils and pulling forward just a little bit. Crucial part of this

race, boat speed contest, who can reach fastest to this mark. If you

make a bad gibe you can lose a couple of hundred metres. If one

team makes a mistake, another team will pounce. I expect to see close

racing. You can use certain strategies. If someone has an

advantage, I would expect the other boat to start getting stuck in and

if it is the case then Oracle need to be more aggressive. Time to join

our commentary team. The wind is good, but it is very

shifty. It is going to put a lot of pressure on the tacticians. Ben

Ainslie hasn't been racing. He has an intellectual challenge ahead of

him. He is the first Englishman to sail in the America's Cup finals

since Peter Scott in 1964. Pressure on him today. No question. Here is

the course from the aerial view. Those small arrows indicate a

smaller flood tide. That's right and it should be an advantage to Oracle,

there is not the big change from side on it is fairly consistent.

That means Oracle doesn't have to get into these tight attacking

situations up the left side of the racecourse. -- tacking situations.

It will be more about wind shift than the tide. As always it is five

legs. A quick reach to the first mark, a crucial first mark. Oracle

has to be ahead to have a chance of winning these races. Up and down one

and a half laps, and then a quick reach into the finish. John Kostecki

on the left-hand side, the man on the right is sur Russell Coutts,

probably the man who made the decision to change course techie.

For Ben Ainslie -- to change John Kostecki for Ben Ainslie. I imagine

he's going to put the pressure on his boys today. All three of them

look comfortable and casual but I am guessing they are churning inside.

This is do or die for a call. They have got to hope that this change to

the tacticians spot pays off or things will go bad really fast. You

will get the greatest views and sounds on board. We are two minutes

from the start and it will be team USA that gets port entry. That means

they get a ten second advantage going into the start blocks and then

it is up to them to dictate or force the hand of New Zealand. We will

really look for communication today. the hand of New Zealand. We will

A lot of this rests on the young strategist Tom Slingsby coming as

got to be the lank -- he has got to be the link. I think he is a key

buyer. -- player. Very aggressive move for New

Zealand. This is the cat and mouse game as they try to get themselves

into position, forcing the hand of the other team. They cannot cross

the start line until it hit zero. The breeze is much more out of the

left than we have seen in the past. It was typical for Oracle to get

across New Zealand because of the angle of the wind. This has set them

up to be in a tough spot than usual. We have a 1.8 not flood current.

Being on the Windward side at the start would be helpful.

He sounds pretty comfortable but this will be a tough spot, there is

a lot of pushing and blocking, a long time to go before the start.

New Zealand is in a reasonably comfortable spot, they are getting

close to the line. We are racing, full speed. He has

got them down to the yellow line, a really good strategy if you are

early for the line. I think it could be in complete control by the start.

Ten seconds away, this is race number six, Day four of the 41st

America's Cup. The American have the advantage with sur Ben Ainslie as

the tactician, will it pay off ? We are clear to go racing.

As they crossed the line, you have got to like what you are seeing if

you are a fan of Oracle. Oracle played it perfectly, New Zealand

were little too aggressive, too far from the line. As a result they are

four boat lengths behind, a big mistake. Ben Ainslie on the far

right-hand side, normally a helmsman, playing the role tactician

today. It is defenders of the cup, USA, who have the biggest lead so

far in the America's Cup. That was all about Jimmy Spithill, it was the

instincts of the driver. I came back early to the start line but he did a

really nice job of getting down to the lay line and making no place for

really nice job of getting down to the Kiwis to get around, a perfect

blocking scenario. Jimmy Spithill decides now is the

time to gibe. It looks like they are much closer than they are but the

Americans still maintain about a 70 metre lead but it is dropping

quickly because the Kiwis gibe much faster. A marginal gibe by Oracle.

All of a sudden they have gone from a nice lead to a really tough spot.

They are going to need jets to get out from underneath the wing wash of

team New Zealand. The Americans with a small lead. It

was nine seconds around number one. The big game out here is getting the

winter. If you get it first, and that is where New Zealand is, you

are going to accelerate and have a big advantage. The wing on the cross

on Oracle seems to be slow where the New Zealand boat in contrast pops

through and will accelerate faster. Big moments in this race, this is

very close. Oracle have done what they needed to do and have gotten

out from underneath the potential wing wash of emirates but these

jibes have to be smooth, you see how much you can gain or lose with a bad

gibe. That is on-board Oracle. A big decision coming up, which Gates do

you take? -- which gate? We will see what that when washed us

to the Kiwis, still travelling at over 29 knots, it translates to 33

mph. They have a deficit behind the Americans but it looks like it is

down to two seconds. It has been rumoured that Oracle is a little

quicker and we have seen this on the run. They are a little bit faster

going downwind. This is what the sailors feel as well, talking to

them yesterday in between races. The pressure is OK. It is soft in

there. Very interesting, Todd, you are

seeing Tom Slingsby, the strategist, being far more vocal than he has

been in the past with John Kostecki in the boat.

There is a different tone in the in the boat.

back of the boat. Number ten is Ray Davies, the

tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand, in conversation with his

skipper and helmsman, Dean Barker. He just said, good chance for a

piece, that means when the jibe there are going to be on mark, he

thinks there may be a port-starboard situation coming up with Oracle.

Once again, the Kiwis able to stay almost completely on the foils as

they make that jibe close to the boundary. It is tougher in this

light air, though, they will be manoeuvring really close in this

cross. If you are the Americans, are you

going to jibe right on top of them? No, you are going to extend, make

sure you leave the mark, make sure you only have to do one more jibe

into the gate and only have to do one more money over.

Just minimise your manoeuvres, make it simple, that is what you are

going to have to be thinking. -- only have to do one more manoeuvre.

And a little better jibe that time. How do you like Oracle's set up on

gate number two? I like Oracle's position, on starboard, they are

doing a good job jibing. This whole race will come down to

which tactician will do better on the next leg going to windward. For

Oracle Team USA, would you head the next leg going to windward. For

closer to the shore or head out and try to take advantage of possible

corn situation beyond Alcatraz. I would take the corn situation, 1.8

knots is a lot of current tenure. They are set up for a split here,

though, Emirates Team New Zealand forced to split here, likely Oracle

will round on the left side of our screen, team New Zealand around the

right one. This will force a split right out of

the box. Gate number two, it is Oracle Team

USA -- Oracle Team USA with the lead, they look as if they will try

to take advantage of the current behind Alcatraz Island. I think

Oracle will be thrown into attack here soon trying to take advantage

Oracle will be thrown into attack of the cone.

Amazingly the Americans increased the lead to three seconds. This has

been the kryptonite for Oracle Team USA, leg three of these races going

back up wind, we're the Kiwis have taken advantage in almost every race

and retaking the lead if they have trailed. Oracle is coming back, they

will play the inside edge of the cone. Keep in mind, this is a really

close race and New Zealand will have right of way when the boats come

together again. From our perspective on the water, New Zealand has more

wind, more pressure, and they are going faster, good opportunity for

them to advance. Standing by in three, two, one...

Tack. It is almost a dead Standing by in three, two, one...

now with the Americans trying to maintain the lead, but as the tack

comes from the Kiwis they get it back by just about three or four

metres. Another incredibly tight cross by these two. Amazing match

racing between high-speed catamaran is here in San Francisco bay. You

can see those arrows, that gives you an idea of how strong the flood

current is coming from underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. It looks

like Oracle are dipping. How close can it get? !

After the duck, both bows nosedive and slow the boat stone. The

Americans have filed up protest against the Kiwis. I have to be

honest, Todd, I have no idea why. And the umpires say no penalty, sail

on. Now they are out of the current come Oracle is in the better part of

the cone now, the road of the current, they might be able to have

a piece of Emirates Team New Zealand on the way back on starboard tack,

but they have to be agile. This entire event there downfall has been

tacking. And they get the lead back. The cone

is dominant at this stage. The current in there must be almost

going in the other direction, a back Eddie to Alcatraz Island. Yes, not

only is the current advantageous, for some reason there is a little

bit more wind under there helping the right side of the course get

these boats into the lead. Right now, New Zealand is going to the

better place. The wind is no up to 13.5 knots. I agree with Oracle, at

this stage they could have done to more tacks, gotten more current

release, but that is where they have got into trouble, they try to do too

much. Now it is try to -- they have to try to leg it out and let the

boat do it's thing. So, the Americans with the lead

holding at 48 metres, we go back on board Emirates Team New Zealand,

both boats travelling at about 19 knots, roughly about 29 miles --

21.9 mph, and they are heading back up towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

We are a little lower, a little faster.

This is OK. Square for 250. We have them in a good lock down here, Dean.

He is setting up to take a look too leeward. There you go, they don't

think Oracle is going to cross here. They don't think they are going to

cross, we are about to see yet another pass. Tactician Ray Davies

on the left side of the boat, number ten. Team New Zealand is doing a

dial down, they are reaching off and heading straight at Oracle to force

Oracle to do a worse dock than they normally would. Really addressing --

aggressive match racing moved normally would. Really addressing --

Dean Barker. And a protest coming from the Americans. They think they

went too far on the dial down, we will see what the umpire strength.

You are about -- allowed to dial down to about 60 degrees, beyond

that you could be in trouble. The action on the San Francisco bay, it

is they fought, race and six of the America's Cup. The Americans with

only one win, the Kiwis with four. This was moments ago on the cross

between the Kiwis and Americans. Ray Davies set this up early, he thought

they were not going to cross and they just pointed at them, they made

them do an overly aggressive turn down to avoid the right of way,

Emirates Team and, really good match racing, aggressive move by Dean

Barker as Michael Dean Barker. Is this sailing's version of chicken? I

think that is it exactly, in fact. The Kiwis have the lead, 28 metres

and growing, but the Americans are in a better position. If they don't

have a cross year, all of a sudden it is the normal Kiwis stretch. They

have them into a tacking contest upon the left-hand side. I don't

think they had a choice, they had to tack anyway, all of this -- all of a

sudden the Kiwis are showing their dominance when it comes to the tack.

Disturbed air coming off that big wing of the Kiwis back to the

Americans. Interesting that Emirates Team New Zealand decided not to

cover in that situation and allowed for a bit of a split. I think they

wanted out of the current. One of the things we are learning is that

the whole shape of New Zealand is that the unable to do a better job

going through the tacks, as we are watching now. The Americans are not

able to keep the momentum going through the tacks, that is the

difference we are seeing now. Aggressive racing coming from the

Kiwis, we will give you an aerial view of that last cross. What

exactly are they trying to force the Americans to do two the dial down by

Emirates Team New Zealand, they went from a beam to reach, which means

they sailed away from the breeze from a beam to reach, which means

little bit, forced Oracle to do a much wider turn to avoid them. Watch

New Zealand, they will take a left-hand turn and plate chicken,

they will force Oracle up high to do a radical turn down that typically

gains you about another boat length during the manoeuvre and that is

about how much they crossed by. The million-dollar question, Kenny -

what can Oracle do to get a sequence to find some pressure, to find

anything to get back into this race? I need to hand that one off to our

tactician on the water, because they have been forced into the narrow

side of the racecourse, again, completely playing into the strategy

of Emirates Team New Zealand, which is the better manoeuvring boat. New

Zealand have done exactly what they needed to do. Oracle is tacking a

little better than we have seen in needed to do. Oracle is tacking a

the past, when they are not losing needed to do. Oracle is tacking a

quite as much as they have in the past. One of the reasons is the wind

is so light. If you are Oracle, you have to stop tacking. Do two quick

tacks and that is it. Let's not forget, there is a warm downward

leg. The whole game right now is to keep it close.

Through the beauty of virtual eye, here you can see the number of

tacks, and that is a nightmare for the grinders. A nightmare for the

grinders and a nightmare for Oracle, to be honest, this is exactly the

strategy they did not want to have. They did not choose it, they have

been masterfully bridged into this position by team New Zealand. --

pushed into this position by Emirates Team New Zealand. New

Zealand's game is to either somehow sit on Oracle's wind or make them

add two extra tacks before them mark. There you can see the lead on

add two extra tacks before them the course, almost 200m, as they get

ready to hit the next mark. The grinders are earning their pay

cheque today, Todd. This is where

the Coffin, Gary, this is that last tack. If Emirates Team New Zealand

can make it in one and force Oracle to do two more tacks, the lead will

can make it in one and force Oracle double, may be trouble. Either way,

it is a big game for the Kiwis. Yes, the tough thing here for the

USA is they have not made any tactical mistakes, it is just bought

handling, going through manoeuvres and a little slower speed. --

sailboard handling. -- sailboard handling.

38-year-old Rob Wynne Dell, number 11, and that is 56-year-old general

manager Grant Dalton, out there doing work. Two-time gold medallist

Rob, that man rock -- won every single rowing medal in the world for

about ten years and he appears desperate to believe. That is an

indication they are tired after so many tacks. Todd, this is the

punishment team New Zealand was looking for. They set this whether

mark up about ten minutes ago. -- weather.

And in the light air, here comes the payoff pitch, as Emirates Team New

Zealand hits mark number three first and they have pushed the lead to

over 200m over the Americans. Look and they have pushed the lead to

for the acceleration by the Kiwis. That last tack, that last set up

really got on top of Oracle gained them another 200m plus, just I

cannot emphasise enough, great job by Ray Davies, setting this whole

thing up to really put the nail on the coffin at the last minute. Let's

not forget, the Americans had a 12 second lead at the last gate. They

are right gate number three second lead at the last gate. They

lead has gone up to over 44 seconds for the Kiwis.

With a lead of more than 400 metres, the Kiwis bring it around the next

mark and they will head for the home line and another victory. It has

been an impressive race for Dean Barker and his crews. I just want to

remark about the start. One of the reasons New Zealand might be so

conservative, they don't want a collision. Their second boat is a

long way from being able to sail and it is not that fast. The Oracle boat

is ready to sail and it is fast at -- close at speed. You can't afford

any collisions out here. As the Americans get to mark number four,

still over 35 seconds behind the Kiwis. Barring a major mistake by

Dean Barker, which we have not seen in this entire campaign, the Kiwis

will strike again. The good news bad news scenario is that they get about

30 minutes and then they get to do it all over again.

The day so far belongs to the Kiwis as they pick up their fifth win in

The day so far belongs to the Kiwis this regatta.

As they crossed the line, the deficit will be 47 seconds behind

the Kiwis, and the Americans, unable to capitalise on the lead.

A little tap on the shoulder from Jimmy Spithill to Ben Ainslie, nice

job. I am not sure if there is anything Ben Ainslie could do much

better, except for maybe stick a anything Ben Ainslie could do much

couple of big engines on the back of Oracle.

Then did a great job. They were just able to get ahead of us. That is

racing, we have got to regroup. -- Ben did a great job. Although there

is room for improvement, Team New Zealand have impressed with boat

handling and speed. Even with the most successful Olympic sailor on

board, the cup defenders have no riposte. Back to the water and

commentary team. Both crews are not exactly shipshape for the start of

race seven. Spit Hill, a little bit late getting

in, does not fully utilise the ten seconds but the Kiwis are late as

well. It seems so obvious but it is really difficult to nail these

things, exactly at the time you want to be there.

90 seconds from the start as we check in on the water. I like the

fact that New Zealand is giving it a bit more separation this time

around. That should help them out. Only 15 to kill for the line

according to Ray Davies on Team New Zealand. You could see where

sometimes the tactician's comments are very different. I like New

Zealand's position, being windward will be very helpful on this first

leg. Coming up on 35 seconds and the will be very helpful on this first

Americans are much deeper, lower in the box. Have they given up a prime

position to the Kiwis? It is time and distance now, this will be a

relatively even start. There is no way they can hook from this

position. It is going to be an even start, something Oracle have shown

they have boat speed, they can make it stick. With ten seconds to go,

both of them point towards the line for race number seven, Day number

four of the America's Cup. Perfect start for Emirates Team New

Zealand, exactly on the gun. The Kiwis get the better start but not

by much and the disturbed air heads the way of Team USA. Can the Kiwis

get over the top of Oracle and give them wing wash like in race one? It

looks like they have done it. It is Team New Zealand, the first to mark

number one, they have the advantage. What will the Americans

do to try to counter the speed of Emirates Team New Zealand?

The Americans have seen that Dean Barker was setting up for the early

gybe and they decide to go fast, was it a smart move? It is OK, setting a

little spirit. You want to get out of the way of the boat if you think

you are faster. They had a good gybe on Oracle so let's see if they can

set themselves up into position and get over the top.

A fantastic boat speed contest. Let's hope that Oracle Team USA is a

A fantastic boat speed contest. little quicker on this run. That is

what all their supporters are thinking. Travelling at about 36

knots, 41.4 mph. The yellow line is the direct line to the next mark.

This is leg two of five and it is not good news for Team USA. The

Kiwis have the lead not good news for Team USA. The

strongest leg has been the one not good news for Team USA. The

coming up. The wind picking up to 20 knots,

holding steady at 18.7 at eight number two. It will be Emirates Team

New Zealand, the challengers. Which way will they go? They opt to go to

the right and head closer to shore. It looks like the Americans will

follow. Let's see if the Americans try one of these foiling attacks

that they tried to pull off yesterday. It is a position where it

could work, roll right into a tack. On leg number three, the Americans

are the first to tack, can they work out their problems and turn things

around against the Kiwis? 66 seconds behind, the answer was an

emphatic no. Leg three always seems to be the problem for the defender.

As far as the Americans are concerned it is a recurring

nightmare. New Zealand have dominated six of the seven races.

At this point, you would have to say that clearly they are the faster

boat. They are better on downwind, better on our point, they have the

starts as a 50-50 but when you are this fast they can split the start

-- they are better our point that Gary brought up a great point, the

amount of volume in the hulls and Gary brought up a great point, the

that has clearly allowed the Kiwis to tack better, it could be the

fatal flaw of the design team. The Americans have yet to make it to

mark number four. They have closed begat but they are still trailing by

mark number four. They have closed 800 metres. -- they have closed the

gap. After four days of racing, it is an

absolute Kiwi whitewash. They lead it 6-1 as they pick up their second

win on the day. Dean Barker and company,

congratulations on a masterful job. This time they did get the start,

never trails for all five legs and their lead, ballooning up 2-over

1000 metres. Even though they won today, you saw a disgusted look.

These guys are perfectionists. It was kind of a humiliating start in

the first race. He sure made up for it in the second race.

Jimmy Spithill is talking about the flyby, they will wave to the crowd

but the Americans will finish in the second place for the second time

today, more than one minute behind Emirates Team New Zealand.

New Zealand only need three more wins to lift the America's Cup, Team

USA still not on the scoreboard after being docked two points before

the event for illegal modifications. It feels great. It fills nice to

have won six races. It is only... It is only two thirds of the way to

winning the America's Cup. You have to win nine points. Three more

races, although it doesn't sound a lot, is still a lot of hard work and

we know that it is far from over. If you have one bad day, things can be

quite different. We are under no illusion that we have still got a

very hard road ahead. The good thing for us is that we are very happy

with the boat, very confident in the way it is going. The more racing we

do, the more we learn and it is giving us a lot of confidence for

the weekend ahead. I think the question is, imagine if these guys

lost from here. What an upset that would be. I mean, they have almost

got it in the bag. That is my motivation. That would be one hell

of a story. That would be one hell motivation. That would be one hell

of a comeback. That is the kind of thing that I would like to be a part

of. We are in a tough situation, there is no hiding from that. I'm

sure all the viewers and everyone here watching the racing knows we

have a bit of a speed disadvantage, especially on the upwind legs. It

makes them very difficult to race against. Having said that, this

event is by no means over yet. In sports, a lot can happen. A lot can

event is by no means over yet. In happen to both teams. From this

point onwards. We just have to try to stay as positive as we can and

look to make whatever gains we can, and as a sailing team, absolutely,

we have to stay positive and race the best that we can. In my Olympic

experience I have had plenty of times when I have been on the back

experience I have had plenty of foot. In 2012 that was the case and

I had to claw the points back to win. This is a similar situation

here. I suppose the big difference is that the America's Cup is very

much a design race. In the Olympics the performance difference between

much a design race. In the Olympics the boat 's is much closer. I think

the guys were very positive, we enjoyed the racing. Whilst it is no

fundraising, we enjoy the racing and felt we worked really well as Tim --

while it is no fun losing. The situation we are in is very strong.

We absolutely can go out their positive that as a sailing team we

are working well, making good decisions. There is a slight change

with the conditions coming up, with the tides and currents in the bay,

which might suit us more. We have the improve the performance of the

boat in any way that we can, go and race well. No such thing as a rest

day for Jimmy Spithill's crew as they go in search of a winning

formula. New Zealand know they are very close to victory. With wind

forecast -- wind changes forecast, there could be another rheumatic

twist. We are here on Sunday to see if the Americans can avoid a

whitewash.