TEAMORIGIN win their third race at the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. Image copyright Ian Roman/TEAMORIGIN.
by Louis Vuitton Pacific Series media
Race 1: Emirates Team New Zealand beat China Team - 59s
The breeze finally settled from the north and racing started in about 8 knots of wind. Ian Williams at the helm of China Team appeared reluctant to tangle with the Kiwis and bore off down the middle of the line, hitting it at speed. The chinese boat was a fraction too early as it came on the wind and was recalled whie ETNZ made a perfect start at the committee boat. The New Zealanders were in their comfort zone on their home waters at the edge of the Hauraki Gulf and maintain a loose cover as they extended away. The winning margin for the New Zealand boat was 240 metres.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:45 ETNZ
Mark 2 - 0:54 ETNZ
Mark 3 - 0:53 ETNZ
Finish - 0:59 ETNZ
Race 2: Luna Rossa beat Greek Challenge - 54s
Gavin Brady, skipper of the Greek team, mixed it up with Peter Holmberg, steering Luna Rossa, before the start. As the seconds ticked down Holmberg hooked his opponent, forcing him to tack away, then appealed for a penalty. The umpires waved their green flag to deny the request.
Brady headed for the middle of the line, but then tacked at the last minute, crossing behind the Italian boat to tack again and start late at the committee boat. His two extra tacks gave him nominal control of the right but the Greek boat never had the boatspeed to enforce it. By now the northerly breeze was steady at 12 knots and the sea conditions flat. A long starboard tack by both boats, almost out to the port tacl layline, saw Luna Rossa compfortably tack and cross ahead. The Italians were never seriously challenge and finished almost a minute ahead.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:27 Luna Rossa
Mark 2 - 0:29 Luna Rossa
Mark 3 - 0:46 Luna Rossa
Finish - 0:54 Luna Rossa
Race 3: BMW ORACLE Racing beat Pataugas by K-Challenge - 54s
BMW ORACLE Racing leads Pataugas by K-Challenge. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
With the northerly breeze steady at 14 knots and the tide ebbing in the Ragitoto CHannel, the French and US boats fought for the right but it was Russell Coutts on BMW ORACLE Racing in control as they approached the start line. Sebastien Col started at speed on starboard in the middle of the line, while Coutts tacked and split left.
The French looked good and enjoyed the lead for the first half of the leg as they separated for over 1,000 metres, but as the boats closed it was obvious that Coutts had the upper hand. The French were still in attacking range at the top mark, just 13 seconds behind the American boat, but Coutts kept the pressure on and sailed steadily away to win by nearly a minute.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:13 BMW ORACLE Racing
Mark 2 - 0:27 BMW ORACLE Racing
Mark 3 - 0:37 BMW ORACLE Racing
Finish - 0:54 BMW ORACLE Racing
Race 4: TEAMORIGIN beat Shosholoza - 48s
TEAMORIGIN racing against Team Shosholoza. Image copyright Ian Roman/TEAMORIGIN.
The fourth race of the day, starting at 1700 hours local time, resulted in the most original tussle for the right side of the course. British skipper Ben Ainslie got control of Shosholoza's Paolo Cian early and chased him out above the committee boat and out to the right before returning to protect his right advantage.
Cian came reaching back at speed down the line to cross narrowly in front of the British boat. The move gave the Italian skipper the lead for the first two thirds of the first leg but as they came together on their fourth tack, he was forced to take the Briton's stern. It was another close race at the first mark with Alinghi just 15 seconds ahead but the Olympic gold medallist was able to open out and extend for subsequent legs and win by 48 seconds.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:15 TEAMORIGIN
Mark 2 - 0:30 TEAMORIGIN
Mark 3 - 0:39 TEAMORIGIN
Finish - 0:48 TEAMORIGIN
TEAMORIGIN. Image copyright Ian Roman/TEAMORIGIN.
Race 5: Luna Rossa beat Shosholoza - 1m 9s
The Italian team Luna Rossa, skippered by Peter Holmberg, prevailed in a trail by fire initiated by Paolo Cian at the helm of Shosholoza in the South Afrucan boat's second race in a row. The incident-packed competition was the re-sail of a race abandoned yesterday. After a tense pre-start battle, the boats split.
Luna Rossa had won the right but when they closed for the first time the two boats were still even. Cian kept the pressure on and led around the top mark only to be penalised on the run during a series of side-by-side gybes. Holmberg was just five seconds ahead at the leeward mark. But not for long. It was the South African boat's tunr to lead again at the second windward mark, following a series of defensive downspeed tacks as Cian carried him above the mark.
The race took a bizarre turn on the run as Cian continued under jib and tried to position himself to penalise Holmberg and thereby wipe off his own penalty. The first half of the run was a series of slow, jerky S-turns as the two boats fought for position. Eventually Cian was penalised a second time, forcing him under the rules to take his first penalty turn immediately. The Italians sailed away to win by 1m 9s.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:11 Shosholoza
Mark 2 - 0:05 Luna Rossa
Mark 3 - 0:18 Shosholoza
Finish - 1:09 Luna Rossa
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
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