Alinghi bests BMW ORACLE Racing in LVPS Challenger Finals. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
by Louis Vuitton Pacific Series media
Race 1: Alinghi beat BMW ORACLE Racing, 1m 07s
Switzerland trimuphed in a face-off between America's Cup winners Ed Baird and Russell Coutts this morning. Steering Switzerland's Alinghi, Baird slammed the gate on Coutts on the start line to start at speed as the gun sounded. Coutts could only follow slowly dead astern in his opponents' wake. The American boat was trailing by 40 metres just moments after the start and never threatened Alinghi as the margin opened out to 58 seconds at the second weather mark and over a minute at the finish.
BMW ORACLE Racing and Alinghi upwind. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
Oracle enjoyed the advantage of the right hand entry at the five minute gun and engaged Alinghi in a couple of tight circles, the boats only metres apart. With 1:30 remaining, both boats were lining up for the start inside the starboard layline with Oracle astern and to weather. As they approached the line Baird remained on starboard but pointed his bow straight at the committee boat.
Coutts had nowhere to go and went head to wind as Baird bore off at speed right close to the committee boat. With a 2-0 record, Alinghi wins the Challenger Finals. Alinghi finished flying a red flag to protest the format for the seven-race Louis Vuitton Pacific Series final which starts Friday. The protest was subsequently withdrawn.
Deltas
Mark 1 - 0:30 Alinghi
Mark 2 - 0:41 Alinghi
Mark 3 - 0:59 Alinghi
Finish - 1:07 Alinghi
Challenger Sail-Off Results board, copyright Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
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