TEAMORIGIN beats Luna Rossa Challenge by 4 seconds at the finishing line. Image copyright Ian Roman/TEAMORIGIN.
by Louis Vuitton Pacific Series media
Race 1: BMW ORACLE Racing beat Damiani Italia Challenge, 26s
Italian skipper/tactician Vasco Vascotto and his helmsman Francesco Bruni hit the port side of the startline at the five minute gun wuth speed and flair. They sailed across the bow of BMW ORACLE Racing whose skipper Russell Coutts turned and gave chase, both boats reaching down to the leeward of the committee boat and outside the starboard tack layline.
Two circles later Coutts broke away and turned back to the line, with the Italians slow to follow. Without enough speed to hook the US boat and control it, the Italians could only follow the BMW ORACLE Racing team, starting 60 metres in their wake.
Damiani Italia Challenge and BMW ORACLE Racing. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:10 BMW ORACLE Racing
Mark 2 - 0:18 BMW ORACLE Racing
Mark 3 - 0:47 BMW ORACLE Racing
Finish - 0:26 BMW ORACLE Racing
Race 2: Greek Challenge beat Team Shosholoza, 1m 26s
The rookie Greek Challenge gained some redemption with a virtually flawless victory of Team Shosholoza in their final appearance in the Silver Fleet. In an 8 knot sea breeze, the Greek and South African boats came together in the startbox and then drifted backwards for two minutes before finally heading in the direction of the start line. Both boats crossed the line on starboard tack, but the Greeks, with Gavin Brady at the helm, got more of a lift from the left side and simply sailed away from Paolo Cian and the South African crew.
Shosholoza lost more graound with two unnecessary tacks near the top mark, trailing by 35s going into the first rin, and even as they tried to engage the Greek Challenge in a gybing duel, the chase only grew. The Greeks gave one of their best performances yet, spotting the shifts and covering their opponents, to win by 1m26s. Both teams are now out of the running to win the challenger title, but will race each other again next week for 9th and 10th places in the final standings.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:35 Greek Challenge
Mark 2 - 0:39 Greek Challenge
Mark 3 - 0:59 Greek Challenge
Finish - 1:26 Greek Challenge
Matt Cornwell (left) and Julien Cressant during testing conditions on board TEAMORIGIN on leg 3 of their race against Luna Rossa Challenge. Image copyright Ian Roman/TEAMORIGIN.
Race 3: TEAMORIGIN beat Luna Rossa, 04s
A taut and tense battle between Italy's Luna Rossa and the newcomer British team TEAMORIGIN went to the wire in a fresh southerly breeze. After one attempt abandoned in light air when the time limit ran out, the race committee moved to a new course as the southerly filled in. Spectators crowding North Head were treated to a battle royal as Cup veteran Peter Holmberg steering the Italian boat swapped tacsk and gybes with three-time Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie. After a pre-start that included a high-speed reach into the spectator fleet, the pair split at the gun with the Italians going right and the Britons going left.
After a couple of tacks a big left shift under North Head put the Italians just ahead at the weather mark. The boats tore down the run, side by side, but despite his efforts Ainslie's team trailed by 16 seconds as they split at the leeward gate. Another challenging beat ended when Luna Rossa carried the British boat past the mark. Both boats wheeled into crash gybe sets around the buoy with the Italians just in front. The Britons split away on the run and moved out to an 80 metre lead as they closed the finish line on opposite gybes. The gun sounded for TEAMORIGIN with the Italian boat only a boat length, or four seconds, astern.
TEAMORIGIN flying the Union Jack. Image copyright Ian Roman/TEAMORIGIN.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:08 Luna Rossa Challenge
Mark 2 - 0:16 Luna Rossa Challenge
Mark 3 - 0:14 Luna Rossa Challenge
Finish - 0:04 TEAMORIGIN
Race 4: China Team beat Pataugas by K-Challenge, 57s
China Team leads Pataugas by K-Challenge in their match. Image copyright Franck Socha.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:22 China Team
Mark 2 - 0:04 China Team
Mark 3 - 0:24 China Team
Finish - 0:57 China Team
Race 5: Emirates Team New Zealand beat Alinghi (DNS)
The Kiwi team sailed the course without Alinghi after the Swiss boat forfeited the race.
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
No comments:
Post a Comment