“Time plays a crucial role in a regatta. It all depends on this factor: from the maneuvers to be done with the utmost precision in the shortest possible time to the phases that characterize the start. This remains the most important moment: everything is played on the thread of seconds ” says Blair Tuke, 31 years old ,who on board “Te Rehutai”, the Defender, plays the role of Flight controller, who has the task of managing the set-up on the New Zealand AC 75 foils.
If it is true that time is a key element in any sport, in an America’s Cup campaign it unequivocally determines its success. Indeed, there is a famous saying that best summarizes this concept: in the America’s Cup the only thing it can’t be bought is time, whatever a team’s budget. “It’s absolutely the truth” say Grant Dalton, Ceo of Emirates Team New Zealand to Sea Time by Top Yacht Design.
“No budget can rescue a campaign that runs out of time, so you must manage your time very carefully. You can never do everything you want, so you need to prioritize and allocate budget accordingly. In every room of the base, board room, design office, gym we have Omega clocks that are always synchronised to be at the correct time” says Dalton. But is not all. “They always say the America’s Cup is won by the fastest boat. And that is very true. You won’t win the America’s Cup with a slow boat. However even with the fastest boat you need to get your timing correct. The timing to the start line needs to be correct, you need to perfectly synchronize and time the manoeuvres correctly, there is a lot that needs to be synchronised on the course even if you have the fastest boat. If the boats are equal, the one that gets the timing right will win” Dalton concludes.
And speaking of time, while waiting to know the name of the winner of the 36th edition of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand has already achieved a record having created, in sailing, the longest-running partnership with a watchmaker. Omega and Team New Zealand have been together on the same route for 26 years. But Omega this time will also be the official timekeeper of the 36th America’s Cup. With its new chronograph lock-system, quick-change strap and water grip pushers, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup Chronograph is a fitting tribute to the 36th America’s Cup presented by PRADA.
Built from stainless steel, the 44 mm chronograph has a blue ceramic dial and bezel ring, which features a white enamel diving scale. To get a better handle on the watch in high swells, OMEGA has included soft-touch rubber pushers, ergonomically designed to work efficiently in the wet and stylishly picked out in red and blue. Its laser-engraved wave-pattern dial includes a ‘regatta countdown indicator ring’ in red anodized aluminium, which features an hour disc underneath the subdial, and a red anodized aluminium minute and rhodium-plated small seconds hand inspired by the shape of a boat hull.
The central seconds chronograph hand, also in red anodized aluminium, carries an America’s Cup on the counterweight. OMEGA’s exclusive CHRONO LOCK system is included to secure the chronograph functions when needed. A must when marking time on the water, as sailing at high speeds leaves no room for error. As with all great commemorative watches, the event and year is clearly marked and highlighted in bold.
On the Alveol shaped caseback, engravings filled with blue lacquer spell out “36th America’s Cup” and “Auckland 2021”. OMEGA’s Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup Chronograph has a metal bracelet and additional rubber strap, both equipped with OMEGA’s new Quick Change system. One press of a button releases the pins from the watch-head, enabling the wearer to switch easily between the bracelet and the strap without having to use tools. Unlike the boats, the America’s Cup chronograph requires no winds to push it forward. OMEGA’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9900 is more than up to the task.