By HELEN TUNNAH
When Young America buckled and almost sank in America's Cup racing three years ago, the weather on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf was reasonably calm.
The winds were just 20 knots, with a 1m swell.
Even though this year's challenger series has been plagued by wind-disrupted race days, there has
been little damage to boats on the water.
NIWA climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said that this spring the predominant winds were coming from the west, or southwest, but for the past three years the wind pattern at this time of year had been from the north or northeast.
Either way, she said, racing fans should just get used to the fickle gulf weather upsetting the official race schedule.
"That's just life," Mrs Griffiths said yesterday.
"Traditionally, especially in September and October, it would be tough for them to get racing in every day because typically at this time of the year it's windy out on the gulf."
Even with increased wind limits for racing, 18 out of 30 race days have been disrupted since the Louis Vuitton challenger series began on October 1.
There were also weather problems last cup, but Mrs Griffiths said one difference this spring was the switch in wind direction.
"October and November 1999, 2000 and 2001 all had northerly or northeast, or easterly sector winds more than normal,"Mrs Griffiths said.
"Then we've seen this big change to enhanced westerlies or southwesterlies which has made life tricky for them.
"Every year we get unsettled weather before Christmas, that's standard.
"We're just going for a little more sou'westerlies or westerlies than is the long-term normal.
"There's always a big change after Christmas."
Mrs Griffiths said wind levels during the America's Cup races in February should be similar to those of three years ago, when Team New Zealand beat Prada 5-0 to hold the cup. Winds then tended to even out between northerly sea breezes and southwesters.
"We would anticipate a lot more settled climate in the New Year, and the El Nino impact would be much, much reduced.
"Remember last time we were waiting for racing quite a lot."
NIWA, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, is again selling data from its Gulf weather buoy, despite its being attacked by vandals during the last Louis Vuitton challenger finals between AmericaOne and Prada.
AmericaOne had paid US$110,000 ($220,000) for exclusive rights to the weather information.
Mrs Griffiths said that this time information from the buoy has been sold to all the challengers - and to Team New Zealand.
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule, results and standings
By HELEN TUNNAH
When Young America buckled and almost sank in America's Cup racing three years ago, the weather on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf was reasonably calm.
The winds were just 20 knots, with a 1m swell.
Even though this year's challenger series has been plagued by wind-disrupted race days, there has
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