Alinghi, Winners in Cowes: (left to right) Lorenzo Mazza (ITA), Pieter van Nieuwenhuyzen (NED), Ed Baird (USA) and Rodney Ardern (NZL). Image copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
by iSharesCup/OC Event media
Alinghi finished 2nd in the final double points race today, enough to secure victory ahead of TeamOrigin. However, Greenhalgh and crew (TeamOrigin) retain the Overall iShares Cup Extreme 40 Series title at the halfway point of the European series. Holmatro sailed brilliantly to hang on to 3rd place in Cowes today. The BMW Oracle Racing teams finished fourth (Cammas) and fifth (Spithill) at Cowes.
Alinghi win round 3 of the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week. Image copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
America’s Cup Defenders Alinghi opened today in front, but it was another America’s Cup team, the third placed BMW Oracle Racing skippered by James Spithill, which got things off to a flying start today by taking the first four race wins – was the scoreboard set for another shake up?
Alinghi were back in the pack on the first lap of races two and three, rounding mark one back in 9th position at one stage. But they kept a cool head to pick off several boats on each leg, scoring consistant fourth, fifth and sixth places to keep their nose in front overall.
TeamOrigin on the final day of racing in Cowes. Image copyright Mark Lloyd.
As expected TeamOrigin were putting in a spirited fight, splitting to the opposite sides of the racecourse to their Alinghi rivals and scoring a string of second and third places to take second overall and eat away at Alinghi’s lead — at one point there were just four points in it. Alinghi came back strongly in the penultimate race — taking a brave port tack approach to the start line they led the race from start to finish, extending their advantage on the leaderboard.
Extreme 40 fleet on the final day of racing at Cowes. Image copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
Going into the final race there were seven points in it — and with double scores available TeamOrigin could still get in front. Alinghi went for a port tack start, while TeamOrigin hit the line at speed. Alinghi chased TeamOrigin’s tail right around the course, but while TeamOrigin held on to win it was Alinghi who had done enough to take the event overall.
“We’re thrilled,” said skipper Ed Baird on the dock after racing. “These kind of conditions were a bit beyond what we’ve experienced before and so we’ve been learning in every race trying to figure it out, it was pretty hairy! All the teams were having their moments where they had a little trouble, but these guys did great and I’m really excited that we were able to hang in there and get the points we needed.
“It’s been a tough series. It’s been a lot of fun — and it’s a lot more fun when you come out in front — but we really learned a lot today. We were definitely taking it easy, trying to be as conservative as we could.“
Alinghi on the race track on the final day of racing in Cowes. Images copyright Mark Lloyd.
The windward mark took two more scalps today, with JP Morgan Asset Management first to come to grief in race two. Skippered by Paul Campbell-James for the day, as Shirley Roberson headed to Beijing for a spot of commentating, the team were right on the pace in the leading pack when they capsized dramatically during the bear away, the boat rapidly inverting and breaking the rig. On the next round of the second lap it was Franck Cammas’s turn to flip, turning over BMW Oracle Racing — for the second time in this regatta — at the bear away. This time the crew were able to quickly right the boat and rejoin the day’s racing. [See images in report below.]
“We created the iShares Cup to be something different and the ‘crash and burn’ racing we’ve seen is exactly the kind of product we hoped for!” said Event Director Gilles Chiorri of the action-packed UK regatta. “It’s designed to deliver exciting and action-packed racing to the public and take close-quarter sailing to another level. There is a very efficient pit-lane so all the boats that want to race are out there the next day, it’s part of the game. The sailors who race these boats love it exactly because it is so close and exciting, and they are more then well equipped to cope with the drama.
“The iShares Cup has attracted a whole new audience enthralled by the entertainment and intense competition the Extreme 40 fleet can deliver time and time again. The thrills and spills of this kind of racing have grabbed the attention of everyone following the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week – long may it continue!”
Video of Day 3 of the iShares Cup at Cowes, including both capsizes and the re-righting of Cammas' (borrowed) BMW Oracle Racing Extreme 40.
TeamOrigin competing in the iShares Cup at Cowes. Image copyright Ian Roman/TeamOrigin.
In the five-stage iShares Cup Sailing Series, TeamOrigin are just one point ahead overall from Alinghi, with Holmatro — who took third at the UK event — up to third overall. The next — and penultimate — event of the iShares Cup takes place at Kiel in Germany, 29th-31st August.
Results at Cowes
(final place - boat - race finish positions - total points)
1. Alinghi 2-7-3-1-2-1-2-1-1-5-5-6-4-5-1-2 171pts
2. TeamOrigin 4-5-1-DNF-3-2-1-6-2-2-2-2-3-3-4-1 166pts
3. Holmatro 3-4-4-2-6-3-5-2-4-4-3-3-5-4-7-3 156pts
4. BMW Oracle Racing Cammas 1-1-2-DNF-4-4-3-4-3-3-6-DNF-2-2-3-5 147pts
5. BMW Oracle Racing Spithill 9-2-7-DNF-1-8-8-5-5-1-1-1-1-1-2-6 144pts
6. iShares 6-6-9-5-8-7-9-8-7-6-4-4-7-6-DNF-9 98pts
7. BT 10-9-8-RtdDamaged-7-5-4-3-7-DSQ-8-7-9-8-8-7 94pts (awarded redress)
8. Volvo Ocean Race RtdAfterFinish-8-10-6-DSQ-9-6-7-6-8-9-8-8-7-5-4 90pts
9. Oman Sail 5-3-5-4-DNF-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-10-5-6-9-6-8 74pts
10. JP Morgan Asset Management 8-10-6-3-5-6-7-DNF-9-7-7-DNF-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS 62pts
11. Team Aqua 7-11-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS 8pts
12. Tommy Hilfiger DNC at Cowes 0pts
Overall Standings iShares Cup 2008
1. TeamOrigin 9-9-9 27pts
2. Alinghi 6-10-10 26pts
3. Holmatro 4-7-8 19pts
4. BT 8-5-5 18pts
5. JP Morgan Asset Management 10-4-3 17pts
6. Oman Sail 7-2-7 16pts
7. Volvo Ocean Race 2-8-4 14pts
8. iShares 5-3-6 14pts
9. Team Aqua 3-6-2 11pts
10. Tommy Hilfiger 0-1-0 1pt
iShares Cup
No comments:
Post a Comment