BMW Oracle Racing Spithill sails in front of a cruise liner on the Solent on Day 2 of iShares Cup racing. Image copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
by SailRaceWin and iSharesCup/OC Event media
Newcomer to Cowes, James Spithill and his BMW Oracle Racing team crew seem to have found their feet towards the end of the competition. With mixed results on the first two days, they finished Day Two with a win and haven't given up 1st place since. They won both the first two races on Monday on the Solent, to make it three bullets in succession. Spithill appears to have got used to the short, steep chop and sailing an Extreme 40, bringing it all together to make a late challenge for an overall podium position. Undoubtedly the sunshine will have helped cheer the Australian's spirits, after two days of grey British skies.
The iShares Cup fleet are enjoying a sparkling Solent on Day 3, with all to play for halfway through the iShares Cup European series at Skandia Cowes Week — and the fleet can expect another challenging day with big conditions forecast – 15-18 knots forecast but likely to be more punchy with sea breeze affect, and again difficult lumpy waves that can so easily trip up these 40ft catamarans.
JP Morgan Asset Management capsize sequence on Day 3. Note the person falling backwards from the uppermost hull. Images copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
Capsize sequence of BMW Oracle Racing Cammas. Images copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
Again, on Day 3, the capsizes and other damage are back. In the second race on Monday both JPMorgan Asset Management (helmed by 49er sailor Paul Campbell-James today, as Shirley Robertson is en route for commentating at the Beijing Olympics) and BMW Oracle Racing Cammas capsized. The rig of JPMorgan has been broken. Cammas and crew have righted their boat with rig intact.
JP Morgan Asset Management on Day 2 with Shirley Robertson at the helm. Image copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
TeamOrigin moved into 3rd overall after the first race on Day 3, and the door of opportunity is widening. With the final race counting for double points it's still all to play for!
After 12 races, Alinghi lead with a total of 120 points, Holmatro and TeamOrigin are tied on 113 points, BMW Oracle Racing Cammas has 99 points and BMW Oracle Racing Spithill has 95 points.
“I’m just really excited about how my team is doing, they’re just so strong and it’s a pleasure to have them on board. Every time you need something extra they seem to keep finding it, so that’s fantastic,” said Alinghi skipper Ed Baird. “Being in the lead is definitely a nice place to be, and I wouldn’t trade with anybody right now!”
“We’re pretty happy to be between the America’s Cup teams at the moment,” said Holmatro skipper Andreas Hagara. The Dutch team survived a hair-raising near capsize yesterday, but they it all to play for today they won’t be reining back. “If you want to compete at the front of the fleet at this level, then you have to really push,” he said.
“There’s a lot at stake today but we can still get back in it with potentially up to eight races and a double points race for the last one,” said skipper Rob Greenhalgh, of TeamOrigin.
TeamOrigin ahead of BMW Oracle Racing Spithill on Day 2. Image copyright OnEdition/OC Events.
Before racing began off Cowes, Rob Greenhalgh warned that whoever won the UK regatta could win the iShares Cup series. So if Alinghi hold on here they could take control of the overall iShares Cup, and TeamOrigin can only cling to the top if they finish in the top two here at the UK round.
iShares Cup
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