America's Cup: Oracle ramp up the psychological warfare

Emirates Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling, right, looks on as the team brings the boat back to the dock after a sailing training on the Great Sound. Photo / AP.

Oracle Team USA have ramped up the psychological warfare ahead of this weekend's opening races in America's Cup match.

After a fairly quiet build-up to their grudge match with Emirates Team New Zealand, which pits the victors and the vanquished from San Francisco against one another once more, Oracle stepped up the mind games in Bermuda yesterday.

Two shiny red bows were seen being carried across the courtyard from Oracle's base to Team Japan's neighbouring boat shed, suggesting the Cup defenders may be working on a second boat.

Under the Cup rules, Oracle are allowed to build two boats, but up until this point there has been no sign of a second America's Cup Class catamaran.

They have instead effectively been running a two-boat testing programme through their close working relationship with Dean Barker's Japanese syndicate. Today's developments suggest Oracle may cannibalise the Team Japan boat, by taking its hulls and fitting it with new bows to meet the (very loose) constructed in country of origin rule.

It's unclear if this will serve as a back-up boat if USA-17 sustains damage during the Cup match, or if it is a move-on from their first boat.

Equally, it could be Oracle throwing out a red herring to mess with the Kiwi camp on the eve of the big showdown.

Regardless of whether they are genuinely building a second boat to race in the Cup match, the decision to transport the hulls between bases in plain sight of the Team NZ compound was a calculated one designed to rattle the challenger.

There could be more antics to come in today's traditional pre-America's Cup press conference when Oracle skipper and renowned Kiwi-baiter Jimmy Spithill takes to the podium.

The two-time America's Cup-winning skipper set the tone in his appearances early on in the regatta, firing a few shots across the bows of Team NZ management and, later listing the litany of errors the Kiwi crew made during their two losses to Oracle in round robin.

Team NZ cyclor Andy Maloney said the crew aren't too bothered by what Spithill has to say for the cameras.

"They're always going to try and play mind games with us, they can say what they want - we just think it's pretty funny to be honest, it doesn't really get to us young guys on the boat," said Maloney, one of the four core members on board the New Zealand boat.

"We think it's a bit of a laugh, he's a bit of a joker and he puts on a tough act, but when you meet him outside of competition, that's not actually really who he is - it's just an act he puts on for the cameras. So we don't take it to heart, we just think it's pretty funny."

Some members of two crews have been involved in some light-hearted social media banter during the week, after Spithill posted a cartoon depicting an American bald eagle swooping in and seizing upon a helpless Kiwi.