America's Cup: PJ Montgomery lifts lid on Team New Zealand's most audacious manoeuvre

PJ Montgomery lifts lid on Team New Zealand's most audacious manouevre. Photo / Photo Ricardo Pinto

The no-look pass has become a familiar move during basketball and rugby games. Now we have no-look moves in sailing, writes PJ Montgomery.

During the last race of America's Cup 35, the magnificent Emirates Team New Zealand crew pulled off an audacious move for the first time in the regatta to create a passing lane and go on to win the race and wrap up the regatta.

It's a small but important glimpse into just how sophisticated and advanced ETNZ have become.

In the "no-look gybe", the crew gives no indication that they are planning to gybe or change direction sailing downwind. ETNZ have controls on either side of the boat and were the only team able to attempt this stunning but difficult manoeuvre. Their "no-look gybe" had been extensively practiced but never used in the pressure of a race.

Oracle's brilliant tactician, Tom Slingsby, had watched ETNZ practicing out on the Bermuda Great Sound and sensed ETNZ were trying something very special.

Newstalk ZB/Radio Sport commentator PJ Montgomery in Bermuda with Phil Jameson (left) and Craig Monk. Photo / Supplied

And in the final race of the match, Oracle narrowly led around the first mark, but Slingsby suspected something was up.

Then, when he turned away briefly to make a change on Oracle, ETNZ suddenly gybed without any indication, giving Oracle no time to react.

ETNZ immediately capitalised, opening up a passing lane for themselves, to come from behind and go on to win. ETNZ also had a "no-look tack" they were ready to pull out on upwind legs.

NEW RECORDS

ETNZ's stunning America's Cup victory on the Great Sound of Bermuda added another level to the lore of the Cup. The breadth and depth of the records they set is simply astounding.

As the representative team of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, it now means ETNZ is the first team, and the RNZYS the only yacht club, in the 166-year history of the cup to successfully challenge for the America's Cup twice.

Until this victory, there have only been nine sailors who have won an Olympic sailing gold medal and the America's Cup, including New Zealander Russell Coutts. Now two more Kiwis have joined that exclusive club: Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.

And Peter Burling joins Russell Coutts and Buddy Melges as one of only three people to win an Olympic sailing gold and helm an America's Cup winner.

Joseph Sullivan becomes the second person to win Olympic rowing gold and win an America's Cup, after the USA's Conn Findlay, who won gold in Melbourne in 1956 and was on Courageous, skippered by Ted Turner, in 1977.

OUTSTANDING TEAMWORK

San Diego 1995 and Bermuda 2017. They're 22 years apart but shared many similarities. Both campaigns had outstanding helmsmen and exceptional crews, and were backed by excellent and innovative design teams, as well as magnificent leadership teams.

The 2017 win could not have been achieved without CEO Grant Dalton, who has overcome past disappointments to lead ETNZ to this stunning victory. He was supported by Matteo de Nora and the other committed directors.

During this campaign, chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge has taken over a lot of the day-to-day operations, while Dalton was away for long periods in Europe in search of funding and sponsorship.

And it's not just the sailors and management. They've all been backed by a wonderful team - from shore crew, to designers, to administrators - who are the unsung heroes who've all played their parts in this triumph.

OUTSTANDING ANALYSIS AND INSIGHTS

As Churchill once said, "no name dropping", but I am going to make an exception I hope you will excuse.

For the match in Fremantle 1987, between Kookaburra and Stars and Stripes, my wingman and expert analyst was Buddy Melges, who was fun and incisive. Since then I have commentated with some of the biggest names in sailing.

In Auckland 2000 and 2003 we had a roll call of names, including America's Cup-winning tactician Tom Whidden, Ed Baird - later the winning AC helmsman in 2007 - Chris Law and many others. Russell Coutts and Jimmy Spithill were my experts at Valencia 2007.

Over the last weeks we have had a constant stream of complimentary messages regarding our broadcasts from across New Zealand and around the world. It's been flattering and very appreciated, especially those praising our team for the insights they did not get anywhere else.

This time, for AC35, we started the Challenger elimination series with Tony Rae (seven time AC sailor, 1995 AC winner, and Trae to his mates) and Chris Steele, who is the current NZ Match Racing champion, and a face for the future. Trae's experience and sense of fun brought a special insight and energy to our broadcasts.

Then for the first two days of the match, we began with two more AC 1995 winners, Joe Allen and Brad Butterworth, plus Phil Jameson who was the Boat Captain for Artemis for this AC.

Then, for the final three days, it was a delight to be joined by Craig Monk - one of less than 20 sailors who have won an Olympic medal and won the AC (in fact he's won it twice).

Craig was my right-hand man for San Francisco 2013, and it was a pleasure to have him back, alongside Phil, to give unparalleled insights on the difficult demanding boats for this AC.

Both Craig and Phil were outstanding and it was a pleasure and honour to share the mic with them.

Because most sailors get a nickname, in the yachting world Phil is known as Blood and Craig has the moniker Chunk.

Call me old-fashioned, but I can't call them Blood or Chunk. To me, they are Craig and Phil - and like others before that I have name dropped are friends delighted to join our commentary team.

Good sailors make good people, and it is an honour to know them.

PJ Montgomery - New Zealand's voice of sailing, commentated the America's Cup series on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport