18.05.2007
Sail-World.com America's Cup 2007Newsletter....
Welcome to Sail-World.com's America's Cup newsletter for Day 4 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals.
Today was the crunch day for all teams. Two faced the prospect of going 3-1 down in a best of five. The other two were looking at a 2-2 scoreboard and a long regatta.
In the end both races were over at the start, and two teams, Desafio Espanol and BMW Oracle Racing are now at a very critical point in the regatta.
Almost 24 years ago Australia II was in a similar situation in her match against Liberty off Newport.
John Bertrand, skipper of Australia II made the now-famous comment at the Press Conference when the boat from Down Under was also down 3-1. Writing in his excellent book, 'Born to Win', Bertrand recalls:
'I then made the remark that I understand virtually silenced the Australian nation. As millions of people had been up all night sat glued to the television back home, waiting, wondering if we could still pull it off, I said, 'Basically, nothing has changed. After Sunday afternoon, we had to win three boat races. Today we still have to win three boat races. Nothing has changed.'
Going into the same Press Conference, his wife Rasa had an exchange of words with John Marshall, then head of North Sails, who clearly thought the game was all but over, and that Bertrand should have signed a contract that had been offered by North Sails before the regatta, (implying that Bertrand's importance to the US conglomerate was fast diminishing):
Rasa Bertrand made the incisive retort: ''I shouldn't count on anything if I were you John. We're not finished yet.' The feeling was only just short of outright hostility.'
Around Valencia there will be a lot of soul searching and brave faces as two crews prepare to face what now looks to be the inevitable.
However this is a race by race, leg by leg, minute by minute game. The strategy is to shorten your focus, concentrate on winning the next move and then retaining that advantage. Forget the Big Picture.
Today's racing proved that point when both matches were won at the start, and the advantage gained at that point was never really relinquished by either team. Both the winners were able to turn their small gain at the start to a useful advantage at the top mark, and then defend a small lead to score vital wins.
The breeze was very straight and fair today, offering few opportunities for the gamblers.
After trailing around the leeward mark by just 12 seconds, and not having made any impression on Luna Rossa by staying in contact with her on the first and second legs, USA-98 did a big split on the next beat.
The move could have been influenced by a broken starboard spreader flipper (which fold down and holds the genoa leech open).
After a while the move appeared to have paid the required dividend - as Dickson opened up a 100metre advantage over Spithill on Luna Rossa, With a separation at 2700 metres and close to the point of no-return on the layline, USA-98 was not able to consolidate this margin when the boats closed. And, Luna Rossa actually extended her lead on this leg.
It was similar story on Desafio Espanol, who did stay in contact with Emirates Team New Zealand, but to no avail. There were no passing lanes, no big shifts, no useful changes in windstrengths, and no crewing errors from the Kiwi crew.
With four boats that seem to be very evenly matched in terms of boatspeed, it is now a game of mental toughness, and self-belief.
They don't come much tougher mentally than Chris Dickson. And, who prevails in the next edition of this first to blink game, will be intriguing.
Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor
Fisher's View: Holy Grael!
That Jimmy Spithill and the Luna Rossa boys have done it again - taken on the might of Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle Racing and defeated the most expensive campaign in Valencia. It takes the score to 3-1 in Luna Rossa's favour and while Australia II came back from that scoreline in 1983, the fact that Luna Rossa has led around every mark in the four races does not bode well for the Chris Dickson skippered boat's chances....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33818&ntid=58
BMW Oracle Racing still confident despite loss
The Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final mountain got steeper today as BMW ORACLE Racing went 3-1 down against Luna Rossa Challenge, but the USA team remained confident about fighting back. 'We never feel good about losing and being 3-1 down is not where we wanted to be at this stage,' said BMW ORACLE Racing navigator, Peter Isler....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33815&ntid=58
NZL 92 takes a 42 sec win, to be 3-1 up
NZL 92 took another win today to lead Spain 3 -1 in their semi-final of the Louis Vuitton Cup. In today's other semi-final match, Luna Rossa beat BMW Oracle by 23 seconds....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33812&ntid=58
Luna Rossa Cuptoon: The Spanish Inquisition
Mark O'Brien who was a feature of the Louis Vuitton and America's Cups in Auckland, with his Monsta series, is in Valencia as part of the Luna Rossa team. We will be presenting Mark's latest Cup carton when available, either as a separate feature of as part of the Luna Rossa story of the day....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33825&ntid=58
From the Blogs: SailJuice - BMW Oracle eclipsed by Luna Rossa again
A month or so ago, we media types were talking about how there was not one - but two places up for grabs in the Semi Finals, such was the perceived weakness of Luna Rossa at the time. Word on the street was that the Italians were struggling in pre-Act 13 training against the likes of Areva Challenge. The question was which of the 2nd tier teams would be joining the dead certs - BMW Oracle and New Zealand - as the other two teams in the Semis....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33823&ntid=58
Luna Rossa and Emirates Team NZL take control
Luna Rossa Challenge has jumped out to a 3-1 series lead over BMW ORACLE Racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup. In the other pairing, Emirates Team New Zealand started ahead of Desafio Espanol 2007 and extended the rest of the way around the race track. Emirates NZL and Luna Rossa now both enjoy a 3-1 series lead...
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33820&ntid=58
From the Blogs: Tack by Tack - Mark Chisnell
Nice to see some partisan emails at last, you've all been very restrained so far... There were a lot of people that thought today was a turning point for Luna Rossa and Oracle, and I wasn't so sure. But the style of the Italian win might be the key - they just nailed the first cross - again. But you've got to have concerns about a team that will allow a 3km separation...
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33824&ntid=58
Cup Questions: Did ESP-97 hit the leeward mark?
'Why is the Spanish hitting of mark 2 in race 2 not being reported and why did they not re round or get DSQ? It was reported on the TV commentary and I confidently expected some retribution but no.'...
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33827&ntid=58
Timing Sheets and Race Summaries: Semi-Final Race 4
After a tightly fought match up to this point, Luna Rossa allowed BMW ORACLE to break away unchallenged to the left, Torben Grael keeping faith in the right. By the time Dickson tacked back, the separation between the boats was 2700 metres across the race course. Everything would now come down to who found the better wind. For a time it looked like USA 98 had the advantage...
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33819&ntid=58
Quotes of the Day - Semi Finals Race Day 4
'Today was much better for us - we weren't so worried about being left. The emphasis was on being first off the start line and we put a little pressure on Dean to pull one out of the bag, and he did for us today.' Ray Davies, Strategist, Emirates Team New Zealand....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33816&ntid=58
From the Blogs: - Mark Chisnell: Painfully Plain Sailing?
For the fourth time in the four races sailed in this semi-final, Luna Rossa led BMW Oracle around every mark. And this time there were no errors on the final run to let the Americans back into it. The split at the finish was just 23 seconds - despite the fact that at one point the boats had been almost three kilometers apart - but that matters little....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33822&ntid=58
Luna Rossa defeats BMW Oracle Racing
Luna Rossa wins the fourth race with a final delta of 23 seconds over BMW Oracle Racing with a final delta of 23 seconds and the provisional score is now 3-1. Down the first run Luna Rossa's afterguard mirrors every move USA 98 makes keeping her in check and at the leeward gate has gained one additional second....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33814&ntid=58
Desafio Espanol down to Emirates Team New Zealand
Desafio Espanol 2007 moved towards the right side of the regatta course, whilst the New Zealand team took the left in a clean start in which the New Zealanders obtained a slight advantage. Desafio Espanol 2007 loses in the fourth regatta against Emirates Team New Zealand....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33813&ntid=58
Interpretation and Diagrams on 'Canting Keel'
In the first week of May the America's Cup Measurement Committee released their latest decision relating to the use of a canting keel in the 2007 America's Cup....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33778&ntid=58
Luna Rossa Cuptoon: One up after the first race
Mark O'Brien who was a feature of the Louis Vuitton and America's Cups in Auckland, with his Monsta series, is in Valencia as part of the Luna Rossa team. We will be presenting Mark's latest Cup carton when available, either as a separate feature of as part of the Luna Rossa story of the day....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=33801&ntid=58
MAJOR EVENTS
Magnetic Island Race Week
This event will offer four classes of racing over three days in this initial year, with an expanded program planned in future years.
http://www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
World Match Racing Tour
The world's leading professional sailing series, featuring America's Cup teams, skippers, Olympic Gold medalists and World Champions in the ultimate one-on-one test.
http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com
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