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A simply terrific day for INEOS Britannia on Wednesday as the British team, at full strength with Sir Ben Ainslie in town, lined up T6, their LEQ12 prototype, with the team’s AC40 in the first encounter we’ve seen of these similar but oh so very different boats. Speed differences are perhaps better judged by the Mercedes Applied Science team back in Brackley, Northamptonshire, but as a spectator it was hard to take your eye off the low-riding T6, bristling with power and electric downwind on its anhedral starboard foil. Very much looking the real deal, the British are more than on to something with the development of T6, the bustle-skimming, end-plating technique that at first looked odd, now is the firm direction of every team in this America’s Cup cycle and their control on the sails is looking masterful. The Flight Controllers are now so comfortable with the array of technology onboard that they are willing and able to throw the boat about with ease. In the pre-starts they looked very controlled against the presumably lighter and, you would expect, nimbler AC40 but in reality T6 looked more than a match. Considering the light conditions, it was a devastating performance – imagine anything above 10 knots. Ben Ainslie gives a superb interview to Justin Chisholm of the recon unit after sailing, running through the day where he made the point that there were ‘no surprises…which was good’ and also hinted at the development pathway that is about to kick off in the coming weeks and months with T6. That will prick the ears and senses of the other America’s Cup teams – the British are on a charge now to Barcelona and look better and better with every day on the water. Section 41. Reconnaissance a) As a campaign cost reduction measure, COR/D has mutually agreed to cooperatively implement a centralised reconnaissance programme for all teams for the reconnaissance of all Competitors’ AC75 Yachts, AC40 Yachts and LEQ12 yachts including both on-land and on-water imagery (the “Joint Recon Programme”). b) Each team is assigned a two-person Recon Unit to follow their every on-water move, but it's not that simple. The cameras are supplied and identical for all Recon Units. Drones are not allowed, and they can't get that close, plus following a boat and keeping a camera steady at 45 knots isn't that easy to begin with. c) A three minute interview follows each on water day, and teams must answer the Recon Unit's questions while trying not to give too much away. It's a raw, unedited view of the never before seen behind-the-scenes development of a team and their boat to win the oldest trophy in international sports. #AC37Recon #AmericasCup #Barcelona2024
