America’s Cup youth regatta: Andoo Australia bow out on semi-finals in Barcelona

Australia’s dream of pulling off an Australia II style shock win is over at the America’s Cup youth regatta in Barcelona. Latest news.

The Australian team racing in Barcelona. Picture: Supplied/America’s Cup.

Australia’s dream of pulling off an Australia II style shock win is over at the America’s Cup youth regatta.

The team of Cole Tapper, Jack Ferguson, Tom Needham and Max Paul failed to advance out of the semi-final raced in Barcelona overnight.

It was a disappointing end to Andoo Australia’s regatta after the crew showed plenty of grit and fight in the initial stages of the regatta with a number of wins and memorable comebacks.

But when pitted against Italy, the USA, Spain, Great Britain and Sweden in the six-boat semi-final, handling errors and multiple penalties proved costly.

The Australians finished last in the first two races of the semi-finals, fifth in the third and then broke through for a pride-salvaging win in the final.

Italy and the USA will now fight for the youth title in a match-racing battle.

Andoo Australia AC40 being raced ahead of Australia's first appearance at the Youth America's Cup in Barcelona. Picture: Ricardo Pinto / America's Cup

An Australian crew will compete in the women’s regatta starting late next week.

This crew comprises Paris Olympian Olivia Price, Laura Harding, Annie Wilmont and Lisa Darmanin.

The AC40s racing have two helms on the port and starboard side of the super-fast foiling machine and a trimmer behind both drivers in a small pod.

Price will be on one helm with former Rio and Tokyo Olympian Lisa Darmanin her trimmer in the pod behind with Harding and Wilmot on the other side of the boat.

Andoo Australia racing on day one of their regatta. Picture: Ricardo Pinto/America's Cup

DAY THREE AT THE AMERICA’S CUP YOUTH REGATTA

Australia has survived a minor altercation with a piece of bamboo pre-start to record their second win in the invitees pool and book their spot in the finals series of the America’s Cup Youth regatta in Barcelona.

The four-man Aussie crew confirmed they will race on at the regatta with their race seven win in moderate conditions and flat seas and aboard the foiling AC40 flying machines late Monday night AEST.

It was a “cool” victory for the Aussie quartet of helmsman Cole Tapper and Jack Ferguson and trimmers Tom Needham and Max Paul.

Prior to the race Sweden had also booked themselves a spot in the next round.

The next stage of the youth regatta will be raced between three boats from Pool A which contains teams associated with America’s Cup Challenges and the top three from Australia’s invitee pool.

DAY TWO AT THE AMERICA’S CUP YOUTH REGATTA

Australia has survived a day of bash and crash to mount a memorable comeback for their first race win of the America’s Cup Youth regatta in Barcelona while surviving a showstopping crash.

The four-man Aussie crew came from last in the fleet of invited teams racing foiling AC40 boats to power their way back through the fleet for their victory in race two of the invitees teams racing.

The Australian crew of Cole Tapper, fellow helmsman Jack Ferguson and trimmers Tom Needham and Max Paul hit speeds in excess of 28 knots in a comeback which helped put them back in the race for a spot in the semi-final of the youth regatta.

They then survived a massive nosedive before the final race of the day, forced to drain tons of water from the cockpit before being able to race on.

But at the end of the dramatic second day of their regatta, Australia is in second place overall with two races to sail before the top three advance into the semi-finals.

The semis will be raced with three boats from Pool A which contains teams associated with America’s Cup Challenges.

RACE TWO SNAPSHOT

The Australians won the start of the second race but fell off the foils in a tack in a nasty and costly stall.

Sweden copped a boundary penalty to concede their early lead while Germany also incurred a double penalty for going out of bounds.

The Australias were 40 seconds behind at the first gate rounding in fifth place but powered their way back through the fleet to be in second place by the third leg and then in first place on the final leg.

Results Race 2 Australia, Sweden, The Netherlands, Spain, Canada, Germany

YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP RACE 3 SNAPSHOT

Australia won the start of the third race and led early before hitting nasty seaway.

A touch down off their foils and a boat full of water cost the Australians dearly as did a bad manoeuvre in a tack.

The Aussies fought on to make their way back from fourth to third before another issue in a gybe saw them finish fourth.

This left the Australians in third place overall and needing to stay top three to make the semi-finals.

Race 3 results: Sweden, Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Germany

YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP RACE 4 SNAPSHOT

Australia were again a standout at the start where The Netherlands copped a boundary penalty.

Australia led the fleet round the first gate before briefly engaging in a close battle with the Swedes.

Their time in the sun was ended by two touch downs in gybes in the rough seas which dropped them down to fifth place in the six-strong fleet.

But again the Australians made up vital ground to crucially finish third and retain third place overall.

Results race 4: Sweden, Spain, Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada

September 20, 2024. UniCredit Youth America's Cup, Race Day 3 – Group B.

YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP RACE 5 SNAPSHOT

Canada had an issue inverting the mast and were late to start as Sweden grabbed bragging rights at the start of race five.

The Australian’s took the lead until, once again, they ventilated their AC 40 and fell off the foils while gybing.

A touchdown by Sweden saw Australia retake the lead briefly before a touchdown dropped the Aussies back into second place.

This allowed Sweden to take their third race win in a row while Australia moved up into second overall.

Race results: Sweden, Australia, Spain, Germany, Canada

YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP RACE 6 SNAPSHOT

Australia nosedived at high speed just before the start of race and had to drain the cockpit in a hurry to be able to race.

It was an accident which caused major drama for the Australians who had to get across the start line within a time limit to officially start but had to empty the water before doing so.

Incredibly the Australians managed to work their way back through the fleet for a third place.

This consolidated their second overall behind Sweden.

Race 6 result: Sweden, The Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain

DAY ONE AT THE AMERICA’S CUP YOUTH REGATTA

Australia has finally raced in anger at the America’s Cup Youth regatta after days of weather delays and in terrible conditions off Barcelona.

The team of helmsmen Cole Tapper and Jack Ferguson and trimmers Tom Needham and Max Paul went into the fleet racing for the six invited teams with confidence from a series of wins in practice racing.

Their Swedish rivals, however, took to the water with the mantle of favourites, thanks to the extra amount of time they had preparing on the AC foiling boats being raced in Spain.

But as often happens in sailing, very little went to plan on the opening day of the invitees regatta raced in ultra light winds and with storm clouds above and around.

And, thanks to the marginal conditions, there were shocks, upsets and plenty of heartbreak for a number of crews.

Emirates Team New Zealand Youth Team are in the Challenger fleet.

YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP RACE 1 SNAPSHOT

Impressively, Australia was the only team without a penalty to perform at the start of the first race of the Invited teams racing but fell off the foils and lost the lead soon after in ultra light winds.

With the Netherlands failing to start and race officials shortening the course from four to three legs, Sweden’s Artemis Racing took control of the opening race in the marginal conditions.

As the Australians, sporting their biggest J1 jib, struggled to find breeze and get out of displacement mode, Sweden foiled away to lead the fleet round the course before disaster struck.

Falling off their foils on the final leg, the Spanish team helmed by Martin Wizner and Conrad Konitzer, overtook to claim the upwind win.

Canada then overtook Sweden for second place with Germany fourth and Australia last.

Results: Spain, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Australia. DNS: the Netherlands.

Race officials tried in vain to get another of the planned four races underway but eventually gave up due to the light conditions and sent the fleet home with just one race in the bag.

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Originally published as America’s Cup youth regatta: Andoo Australia bow out on semi-finals in Barcelona