The bid by Britain to win the America's Cup, the first in the 173-year-old history of the event, has not been cheap. But all the latest technology would be useless without an age-old skill: meteorology.

One of the key players of the world class team assembled by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe at great cost will not be present on the boat when the first-to-7 series begins against New Zealand off the coast of Barcelona on Saturday.

The meteorologist Miguel Sanchez Cuenca (known in the industry as "Capi") will be watching the action unfold from a chase boat, hoping that the many hours spent analysing the wind patterns and preparing the weather forecasts has paid off.

The 59-year old Sanchez Cuenca is a meteorologist and CEO at Metwind sailing predictions. He has been a successful international yachtsman and a Metwind sailing forecasts.

The weather in Barcelona has been more challenging than expected for the America's Cup. Models have failed to perform as they should. It's all about intuition and a bigger picture.

It's thrilling and satisfying to make a decision at the last minute in difficult conditions.

The wind can be a sailer's best friend but it is also fickle. What is expected to be an exciting battle between Ben Ainslie and Pete Burling could be decided by the choice of sail on the AC75 foiling boat.

Both crews will have to decide on the size of the mainsail 40 minutes prior to the start and hoist the sail. The smaller jib can be decided around 20 minutes prior to the race.

These decisions will be based on the current wind strength, and whether or not it is expected to increase during racing hours. This is where Sanchez Cuenca’s input is vital.

MEETING METICULOUS PLANNING

Ineos Britannia approached Sanchez Cuenca two years ago after he had been the weatherman for Luna Rossa 2021, when the Italian boat was defeated by New Zealand.

He says that while he is a local expert on Barcelona, the Mediterranean is unpredictable at this time of the year. The prospects for the first weekend are "not promising", with forecasts of light winds and unstable conditions -- not conducive to Formula 1 on the water.

His planning is meticulous. He has been downloading weather data from Barcelona every day for the last two years. For the past two month, he has worked for INEOS Britannia full-time.

The day starts at 5am with a weather report, which is updated at the mid-morning meeting of coaches and Ainslie's crew.

He said, "The most important thing is to choose the right sail. We have to know the forecast weather an hour in advance."

"The most important thing to do is match the weather that we are experiencing now, and then look at the trend. Will there be an increase or decrease in the wind (as a result of the trend)?" We will match the outfits of our rivals if we are not certain.

If we are sure, we will go with our confidence.

Capi's job is finished once racing begins. It will be up to the crews competing.

He said, "These are some of the best sailors on the planet. I believe we are ready for anything." "Whatever the situation, they'll sail it."

(source: Reuters)