30.04.2007
Sail-World.com America's Cup 2007Newsletter....
Welcome to Sail-World.Com's America's Cup newsletter for Day 14 of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Today should have been the start of Round Robin 2, and it was for some.
Racing got underway on the northern course after the start was delayed waiting for the breeze to fill in.
On the southern course, racing was called off for the day at around 5.30pm Valencian time.
The delay means that those scheduled to race on the southern course will race two races tomorrow, while those who have completed a race today will be back to just one race.
So tomorrow's program currently looks like this:
Louis Vuitton Cup - Round Robin 2 - Flight 2
Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - United Internet Team Germany (GER 89)
BMW Oracle Racing (USA 98) - China Team (CHN 95)
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 94) - Victory Challenge (SWE 96)
+39 Challenge (ITA 85) - Desafio Espanol 2007 (ESP 97)
AREVA Challenge (FRA 93) - Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team (ITA 99)
Bye Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92)
Louis Vuitton Cup - Round Robin 2 - Flight 1
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92) - Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team (ITA 99)
AREVA Challenge (FRA 93) - +39 Challenge (ITA 85)
The process from here is that if a match is not sailed on one day it will be held over to the next until the schedule is back on track for one race per day. For our Emirates Team NZ fans, please note that although NZL-92 is one race behind, they will be sailing only the last race tomorrow, as the have a bye in Flight 2.
For Round Robin 2, the points are the same as for Round Robin 1 - 2 points for a win. However the courses have been lengthened to 3nm miles per leg. The wind limits of seven to 23 knots remain. The leg time limit is extended to 40 minutes.
The major drama of today's racing occurred as Victory Challenge and Team Shosholoza neared the leeward mark ready for the takedown, with the South Africans well in control of the race. RSA's spinnaker pole was allowed to touch the forestay under full load breaking the pole immediately. Although they made a slight gain on the Swedes on the beat, for the final run they elected to set the spinnaker off their bowsprit.
They hung on very well, only to be rolled the Victory Challenge after two miles of the three mile leg, and thereafter it was game set and match.
The other matches when fairly much as predicted, the only other action point being when Team China did a very spectacular trawl with their spinnaker around the leeward mark.
Hopefully we will see more breeze in Valencia tomorrow.
Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor
|
