Where is the wind ?

Photo : F.Socha

• Match 1 OneWorld USA 67 wins against Stars & Stripes USA 77 (1’ 02")

OneWorld, sailing for the Seattle Yacht Club, grabbed the lead at the start and led around the six-leg course in the Hauraki Gulf despite the relentless efforts of the Stars & Stripes crew. OneWorld’s winning margin was one minute two seconds.

The score in the best-of-seven series between Stars & Stripes representing the New York Yacht Club, and the Seattle boat, is now 3-0 in OneWorld’s favor. The first boat to win four races will go forward to the Semi Finals. The loser will be eliminated.

A long wait for suitable breeze today was rewarded with ideal conditions when racing got under way just before the 4:00 PM time limit. Winds were southeast to southwest from 14 to 20 knots.

Stars & Stripes started seconds after her Seattle rival, but Read and his crew took the fight to OneWorld, tacking 19 times up the first weather leg and keeping the race close, to round the weather mark just four boat lengths astern. However OneWorld was unyielding. Helmsman James Spithill covered tightly, protecting the favored right hand side of the course and made small gains on each of the subsequent legs.

Source Team Dennis Conner

Les Class America se croisent sur le parcours Romeo

Photo : F.Socha

• Match 2 Luna Rossa ITA 74 wins against Orm SWE 73 (51")

The Race Committee is forced to delay all starts until 15:45 today due to light and fickle winds. The match between Luna Rossa ITA 74 and Orm SWE 73 starts at 16:05 in 10 knots of breeze. Rod Davis, at the helm of Luna Rossa for the start, crosses the line to leeward of Orm. The two boats sail bow to bow, then Francesco de Angelis tacks away to the left. After a few minutes he tacks back towards the Swedes who are in a powerful position to defend the right. At the first cross Luna Rossa is unable to pass ahead of Orm, who has the right of way. At the second cross ITA 74 has gained a little and is able to tack right in front of the Swedes, forcing them to bounce back to the right. Same situation at the third cross, with ITA 74 still making little gains. For the duration of the beat the two boats fight an intense tacking duel, with the Swedes aggressively defending the right without conceding anything to Luna Rossa. The wind increases to 13-14 knots. The mark rounding is very close, with Orm leading by 9 seconds.

During the first downwind leg Luna Rossa chases Orm, trying to get the overlap from astern. Halfway down the run, Jesper Bank performs a successful dummy gybe, gaining a little on Luna Rossa who has to recover from the trick of the false move. With a good series of gybes Francesco de Angelis is able to close the gap and get the overlap on Orm. At this point the afterguard on Luna Rossa decides to attack their opponent with an aggressive luffing match. The crew on Orm responds but loses control of the gennaker. SWE 73 broaches, the gennaker pole breaks in the three pieces and the big sail trawls in the water. On top of this, the Umpires inflict a penalty on the Swedes when their gennaker touches Luna Rossa and Prada’s afterguard flies the protest flag. Orm rounds the bottom mark 21 seconds behind ITA 74.

Second beat. The wind is now up to 15-17 knots. Francesco de Angelis keeps the lead and controls closely his opponent. Towards the end of the leg the wind shifts slightly and Luna Rossa overlays the mark, giving away a few metres to the Swedes, who trail by 21 seconds at the top mark.

Second downwind run. The Swedes, who are not carrying a spare, are forced to fly their spinnaker without a pole. However Orm, who sails deeper, is able to make quite a good gain closing the gap on Luna Rossa to only one boat length. At the leeward mark ITA 74 is leading by 7 seconds only.

Third and last upwind beat. Francesco de Angelis has to keep a very close control on his opponent. The racing conditions are ideal now, with a good 16-17 knots breeze. The Swedes still have to complete a penalty turn before the end of the race. At the last mark rounding Luna Rossa is leading by 31 seconds.

Final leg. The crew of Luna Rossa opts this time for a spinnaker hoist, instead of the asymmetrical gennaker, in order to be able to sail deeper in the same fashion as the Swedes did in the previous run. Francesco de Angelis defends the lead and goes to win by 51 seconds the third consecutive match over Victory Challenge.

 Francesco de Angelis, skipper of Luna Rossa : "We knew that today’s race was going to be very difficult. We had more wind than the past couple of days and the Swedish boat has always proven to be fast in these conditions. Our feeling at the end of the day is a good one : we took home another point and we fought a good battle downwind when we attacked our competitors, we passed them and put them in a vulnerable position, forcing them into a penalty. I see closer and closer races in the future. We now have new data to work with for further development of our boat and for improvment of our crew who behaved very well today."

Source Prada Luna Rossa

Orm et Luan Rossa bord à bord au départ

Photo : F.Socha

TODAY’S RESULTS

RACE 3
 Match 1 OneWorld USA 67 wins against Stars & Stripes USA 77 (1’ 02")
 Match 2 Luna Rossa ITA 74 wins against Orm SWE 73 (51")

SCOREBOARD
 OneWorld Challenge (3) - Team Dennis Conner (0)
 Prada Challenge (3) - Victory Challenge (0)