Brad Webb speaks

BMW ORACLE Racing mid-bowman Brad Webb is an OTM -- original team member, having been a staple of the team since November 2000. As bowman aboard the trimaran USA in February, he was the first team member to cross the finish line in the 33rd America's Cup. Here, he gives his account of the team's race yesterday against Synergy Russian Sailing Team at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai.

BMW ORACLE Racing continues winning ways at Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai

BMW ORACLE Racing today ran its record at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai to 10 wins in 11 starts with a 48-second victory over Synergy Russian Sailing Team on Day 6 of the two-week regatta, the start of Round 2.

The win allowed BMW ORACLE Racing, led by skipper James Spithill of Australia, to retain the top spot on the leaderboard with 11 points, 4.5 points ahead of second-placed Emirates Team New Zealand.

“We’re in a pretty solid position,” said mid-bowman Brad Webb of New Zealand, who has been with the team since its inception in 2000. “Jimmy’s been starting the boat brilliantly, and between JK (John Kostecki, tactician) and Murray (Jones, strategist), they’re putting the boat in the right place on the racecourse.”

By many accounts, the race was over before it started. With about 80 seconds to the start, Spithill lured Synergy into a trap, locking the Russian yacht on his windward aft quarter with no avenue for escape.

In full control, Spithill slowed the match down by sailing close to the wind. When the start gun sounded both boats were a couple of lengths behind the committee boat.

Then Synergy’s bow drifted to leeward and the port side grazed the starboard keep-off wand on the transoms of these 80-foot America’s Cup Class yachts. The on-water umpires penalized the Russian yacht for failing to keep clear.

Spithill entered the racecourse with a two-boatlength lead, and the race was all but over. BMW ORACLE led by 34, 37 and 50 seconds at the three mark roundings en route to the finish.

“It was an error on Synergy’s part,” said Webb, who mans the running backstays in the back of the boat during the pre-start. “With a minute to go they were locked out, and it’s one of those situations where they have to sit back and wait it out. When their bow went down I think they were trying to build speed, but fortunately for us they incurred a penalty.”

“We’re pretty confident in our boathandling,” Spithill said. “The guys are doing a good job on the winch handles and trimming the sails. At the end of the day, the penalty was a bonus. I’m happy with how the guys are sailing the boat. Everyone’s getting better and learning every day. There’s a long way to go so that’s exciting.”

Tomorrow is an off day for the regatta as the sailors have been invited to participate in a local dhow race. The regatta schedule resumes Sunday with BMW ORACLE slated to race All4One and Artemis Racing.

Webb said that in this morning’s crew meeting coach Dean Phipps of New Zealand emphasized not to get too comfortable with the early success. There are still four races to sail, each worth 2 points, before the semifinals next Friday.

“I like our chances, but we can’t get too carried away,” Webb said. “We need to keep doing what we’ve been doing and stay focused on our jobs. At any minute the wheels could fall off. We’ve seen it happen to other teams and it’s happened to us. If we keep doing what we’re doing all will be fine.”

Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai Standings

1. BMW ORACLE Racing (USA) James Spithill – 11 points (10-1)

2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) Dean Barker – 6.5 points (6-5)*

3. Artemis Racing (SWE) Cameron Appleton – 5 points (5-5)

4. All4One (FRA/GER) Sebastian Col – 4 points (4-6)

4. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team (ITA) Gavin Brady – 4 points (4-6)*

4. Synergy Russian Sailing Team (RUS) Francesco Bruni – 4 points (4-6)

(* Points deducted for collision)

The key moment: Synergy gets locked to windward with about 80 seconds to the start

BMW ORACLE Racing enters the racecourse with a two-length lead

Clear sailing up the first beat

A healthy lead on the run

On starboard jibe with bow out in clear air

Stop press!

No one knew, but BMW ORACLE Racing’s new yacht for the 34th America’s Cup arrived in Dubai today. Looking strikingly similar to a Dubai dhow, crewmembers were seen inspecting the sleek wooden craft, which is built of teak and may only be coated in varnish.

Team members Joe Newton and Dirk de Ridder inspect the dhow

In truth, the dhows are in Dubai for tomorrow’s Heritage Day regatta. Dhow owners for the first time have invited non-Arab sailors – crews competing in the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai – to race aboard the 60-foot yachts. There are no motors aboard these vessels; all power comes from human muscle, which burns when hoisting the nearly 90-foot boom fore boom to the top of the masthead.

Day 5 video recap

BMW ORACLE Racing skipper James Spithill and grinder Brian “Puck” MacInnes recap the team’s account of Round 1 at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai.

BMW ORACLE Racing wins Round 1 at Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai

BMW ORACLE Racing today wrapped up a nearly flawless performance in Round 1 of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai with two wins over Mascalzone Latino Audi Team of Italy.

Skipper James Spithill and crew won the two races on Day 5 in light winds by 41 and 45 seconds to finish the round with a 9-1 record. A 1-second loss yesterday is all that kept the 33rd America’s Cup winner from a perfect score.

“I think we sailed pretty well. We had some very, very tight racing,” said Spithill of Australia. “The big improvement has been the communication throughout the boat. John (Kostecki, tactician), Murray (Jones, strategist) and Soapy (Ian Moore, navigator) have done a nice job in the afterguard.”

The last time the team raced a Louis Vuitton event was in La Maddalena, Italy, in June. Coming a few months after February’s emotional win in the America’s Cup, which BMW ORACLE Racing won aboard the 90-foot trimaran USA, the crew wasn’t quite ready to jump back into monohulls.

“We prepared properly for this one,” said Spithill. “We’ve done a lot of work in the afterguard with our coach, Philippe Presti. And Dean Phipps has stepped up the crew work on the boat. Everyone’s been a lot more honest about where we’re at in the monohull world and the amount of work we have to do to get to this level. Everyone’s had an open mind and wants to learn and improve. We’ve just got a very, very good attitude at this event.”

Spithill’s crew has credited him with giving them a great advantage off the start line. Spithill is known as a fierce pre-start competitor, and he’s shown that killer instinct again this week. The skipper credits Presti, the coach from France, for helping him regain his focus.

“A letdown was to be expected in La Maddalena,” said Presti. “It was so soon after the America’s Cup win. I’ve worked with the team to get them to visualize the game. I try to give them options. We’ve been working to create an atmosphere of good relationships and to build everyone’s confidence.”

While communication is flowing in the back of the boat, the good vibes are flowing throughout the crew.

“Everybody’s pretty happy about the performance,” said Brian MacInnes, the port-side grinder from Canada. “Things have tightened up a lot over the past few weeks and we’re getting it done. In the past we’ve been working on other things while in different places and it’s kept our mind out of sailing. This week our mind’s in the game.”

Round 2 of the regatta is scheduled to begin tomorrow. The six crews will sail a single round robin and wins will be worth 2 points instead of 1. The top four crews after the second round advance to the semi-finals, scheduled to begin next Friday, Nov. 26.

Trimmer Ross Halcrow has his eyes on the headsail

Skipper James Spithill checks his watch during a pre-start

BMW ORACLE Racing approaches Mascalzone Latino on starboard tack

Murray Jones in a familiar spot up the rig

On starboard jibe down the run

James Spithill has his eye on the leeward mark

(Belated) Happy BD, Rosco!

Yesterday, Nov. 17, BMW ORACLE Racing trimmer Ross “Rosco” Halcrow celebrated his 44th birthday today. The two-time Cup winner (BMW ORACLE Racing, 2010, Team New Zealand, 1995) has also won the Volvo Ocean Race (2001-02). Being born in November, Rosco has celebrated many birthdays around the world, both shoreside and offshore, with his mates. He also shares the date with celebrities such as mama-throwing actor Danny De Vito, one-time Bond girl Sophie Marceau, director auteur Martin Scorsese and drag queen RuPaul.

Reliving the Kiwis

BMW ORACLE Racing's two heats against Emirates Team New Zealand were classic match races: lots of tacks, close mark roundings and the winner of the start controlling the match. Join team strategist Murray Jones as he recounts the races.

BMW ORACLE Racing holds top spot after split with Kiwis

BMW ORACLE Racing ran its winning streak at the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai to seven races before it came to a halt in a 1 second loss.

The American crew split two races with Emirates Team New Zealand on Day 4 that left both crews happy but drained after two 30-minute races on short courses with tight, physical racing.

Despite suffering its first loss in eight starts, BMW ORACLE Racing leads the standings with 7 points on a 7-1 record, good enough to assure victory in this first round of the two-week regatta with two races to sail.

“The team’s sailing well and we’re happy,” said strategist Murray Jones of New Zealand. “It would’ve been nice to beat Team New Zealand twice today, but it doesn’t always happen like that. They were good, fun races.”

In the first race, skipper James Spithill of Australia guided BMW ORACLE Racing to a 19-second win. Taking the right side of the racecourse off the start line, Spithill used his starboard-tack advantage three-quarters of the way up the beat to dial down Team New Zealand and then slam dunk the Kiwi crew, pinning them to leeward with the mark nearby.

BMW ORACLE Racing led by 9 seconds at the first and second marks, but opened a significant 21-second advantage at the second windward mark.

“We wanted to protect the right side most of the beat,” said Jones, a veteran of many close races in America’s Cup Class sloops. “The boys were tacking the boat well and towards the top we got a right-hand shift with pressure. We got that and made a little gain.”

While the first race saw the sparring partners request a flurry of penalties on their opponent at the first mark rounding, the second race was less feisty in that regard. But it hardly lacked for action, and in the end produced the closest finish of the regatta – 1 second.

Team New Zealand got the jump off the starting line, gaining the favored right side. BMW ORACLE Racing trailed at the first two mark roundings by 11 and 8 seconds, and 8 seconds beginning the .8-nautical-mile run to the finish.

“We closed it up nicely on the beat. The tacks were good and we kept grinding away. We put ourselves in position to have a chance,” said Jones.

Early on the leg tactician John Kostecki called for a jibe to starboard and halfway down the leg it looked to be a winning move.

“The pin end was favored and we were laying it,” Jones said, “but in the last two minutes we started lifting and had to put in another jibe. If that hadn’t happened, I think we would’ve got there.”

After racing, the team celebrated trimmer Ross Halcrow’s 44th birthday. Halcrow, of New Zealand, is a two-time Cup winner, with BMW ORACLE Racing last February and Team New Zealand in 1995. He has also won the Volvo Ocean Race (2001-02).

Tomorrow’s racing schedule sees BMW ORACLE Racing taking on Mascalzone Latino Audi Team of Italy, the Challenger of Record for the 34th America’s Cup. Racing isn’t scheduled to start before 12:00 pm.

Bowman Piet van Nieuwenhuyzen

Action in a crowded cockpit

Converging with Team New Zealand near the top of the second beat in Race 2

Soon after jibing to port, the finish on the horizon

A 1-second finish

About that leeward gate

BMW ORACLE Racing had its hands full. Tactician John Kostecki admittedly misjudged the layline to the leeward gate in the team's second race today against Synergy Russian Sailing Team. He said he put the crew in "no man's land" where it was difficult to decide whether to round the port or starboard mark. Watch the action as it happened with Kostecki explaining the incident.

BMW ORACLE Racing defeats Synergy, eyes showdown with Kiwis

BMW ORACLE Racing kept its winning streak intact on Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai, but only just.

Competing against Synergy Russian Sailing Team, BMW ORACLE Racing won the first race by 58 seconds. The team then had to scramble from behind in the second race to improve its record to 6-0.

“It feels good to be 6-0, but our second race was quite tight,” said tactician John Kostecki of the U.S. “Synergy got an inside overlap at the bottom mark. We managed to get them to tack away and incur a penalty, and out of that we got the starboard advantage and got ahead on the last beat. It was a good race.”

The second race was tight from the start. The two yachts came off the start line close together, with BMW ORACLE Racing to leeward and its bow slightly ahead (above). BMW ORACLE Racing led by 12 seconds at the first mark after Synergy had to complete two extra tacks.

The American yacht maintained its lead down the run, but Kostecki said they got into trouble when he misjudged the layline, the optimum course to the next mark.

“I called a bad layline and put the boat in a position we call ‘no man’s land,’” he said. “We ended up losing a lot and having to drop the spinnaker early. They carried theirs in and got the inside overlap and rounded ahead of us.”

Then the key moment of the race occurred. To leeward and outside, BMW ORACLE Racing skipper James Spithill luffed twice. After the second luff the on-water umpires penalized the Russian yacht and helmsman Francesco Bruni of Italy for failing to keep clear as a windward yacht.

“We luffed, they kept clear, but stayed there,” Kostecki said. “We luffed again and they were still there. I think the umps saw they should’ve tacked and penalized them. They tacked away and we were able to rumble out to the right and had a strong position after that.”

BMW ORACLE Racing led by 16 seconds beginning the run to the finish and pushed its record to 6-0. The team leads the standings with 6 points and is followed by Emirates Team New Zealand in second with 2.5 points on a 3-2 record.

Tomorrow sees the two teams, the two most experienced crews in the regatta, square off for two races that should provide enthralling racing. BMW ORACLE Racing won the 33rd America’s Cup in February, while Team New Zealand was a finalist in the 32nd Cup and previously won two Cups (1995, 2000). Additionally, Team New Zealand won the past two Louis Vuitton Trophy events in Italy (June) and New Zealand (March).

Looking forward to the showdown, Kostecki and the crew were happy to have a tough race against Synergy.

“I think if we would’ve won that second race [without incident] we probably would’ve come out flat tomorrow,” Kostecki said. “Behind the scenes, it was good to have a tough race like that and make some mistakes.”

Racing tomorrow isn’t scheduled to start before 12:00 pm.

BMW ORACLE Racing leads off the start line in the first race against Synergy.

BMW ORACLE and Synergy on a run of the first race.

A clean rounding at the leeward mark.

Bowman Piet van Nieuwenhuyzen and back-up mid-bow David Blanchfield.

Sailing off-wind.