Where the America’s Cup will be won and lost

The boats

While they may look similar, the two boats are actually extremely different. New Zealand have pioneered a system whereby their ‘grinders’ are on static bikes rather than traditional pedestals, with one of them controlling the rake of the daggerboards. This frees up helm Peter Burling to concentrate on driving the boat and tactics. Oracle have a more traditional set-up although tactician Tom Slingsby can jump on a bike behind the helm on downwind legs.

The helmsmen

Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill is chasing his third cup win in a row. Nicknamed Pitbull, he is known for his aggressive nature. He enjoys the mind games and will try to intimidate Peter Burling, who is only 26. Burling is a world and Olympic champion in the 49er, but has never been in this situation before.

Crews

Jimmy Spithill and Tom Slingsby are viewed as the stronger pairing. The design of their boat is both New Zealand’s great strength and biggest weakness. When everything is going smoothly, they look invincible. When Burling is forced to make sudden adjustments, things can go wrong because there isn’t the time to communicate his decision to the guy pedalling the bike controlling the daggerboard.

Overall

New Zealand were not great starters in the play-offs and will need to improve. They can charge up their hydraulic systems faster and their boat handling is beautiful to watch when on song. In short, NZ have more horsepower and are excellent in manoevures, Oracle have a similarly quick boat with a more aggressive helm and an excellent tactical partnership.