America's Cup: Do Oracle Team USA have an unfair advantage?

Oracle Team USA. Photo / www.photosport.co.nz

Jimmy Spithill's admission he has been paying close attention to the audio coming off the Team New Zealand boat has led to questions over whether Oracle Team USA have an unfair advantage over their competitors.

In one of his multiple swipes at his Kiwi rivals at today's press conference, Spithill suggested Emirates Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling was not getting much in the way of tactical input from his crew.

"One thing that is pretty powerful - certainly in the set-up on our boat is we have a dedicated tactician in Tom Slingsby and [wing trimmer] Kyle Langford is also involved," said Spithill.

"Obviously in the other boat they don't have any of that. You can hear that in the communication."

Asked to clarify how he had an insight into Team NZ's on-board communication, Spithill said he picked up on things from the television coverage of the races. Part of the coverage provided by America's Cup TV - the broadcast arm of the America's Cup Events Authority - includes on-board audio, with two crew members fitted with microphones.

"The beauty of television and technology out there is that - obviously we are recording the races like the other teams - we can go back and watch it, watch the different crew manoeuvres."

"What's really fascinating is what is being said on board. That's clearly something we've been listening to."

But while the likes of Peter Burling and Glenn Ashby aboard Team NZ are mic-ed up for the entire race, that audio is only used at a time when the director believes it is relevant, or adds drama, to the proceedings.

Spithill's apparent intimate knowledge of what is going on board Team NZ has raised questions as to whether ACTV is supplying Oracle with a clean audio feed from the New Zealand boat.

An official from Team NZ told the Herald they may "ask the question of" race management as to whether Oracle have special access to the on-board audio feeds, and if so, whether the US team's audio should also be shared with the competitors.

However, a spokesman for ACEA said the teams all have the same level of access to on-board audio.

"All the teams have precisely the same access to the same audio feeds that are freely available to anyone via the America's Cup app. None of the teams have any more or less access to audio than any others, or to any more of the feeds than any other," he said.

The Kiwi team are also said to be frustrated at the way the on-board cameras have been used to zoom in on the boat's appendages and control systems. Viewers and rivals alike have been able to get a good glimpse at the tablet fitted to trimmer Blair Tuke's bike, from which he controls the rake on the daggerboards - the mechanism to keep the boats flying.

The hand held system wing trimmer Glenn Ashby uses to control the angle and twist in the wing has also had the full zoom treatment.