03.06.2007
Sail-World.com America's Cup 2007 Newsletter....
Another day of 'If Only' for Luna Rossa
as Emirates Team New Zealand lost the start but won Race 3 to go 3-0. Ahead of the Italian team, a serious mount to conquer. Its not just Mount Cook, but Mount Everest, else they will be 'excused' before the end of the week.
Aboard Luna Ross James Spithill did his job and the Kiwis were at least a knot slower than the Italians at the gun. Soon after the start, Luna Rossa was a full boat length in front, almost two.
Had Luna Rossa's tactician Torben Grael, on the left, made the decision to tack right when Luna Rossa had that advantage then the day might have been different.
Instead the Kiwi afterguard was untroubled; the Kiwis had their weather call, on the favoured side.
Ray Davies, the ETNZ strategist said they had more wind and a right hand shift. Before the start ETNZ had thought the right hand side was a little stronger, especially at the top of the course, but it turned out to be a lot better. 'Sometimes,' he said 'it's better to be lucky than to be good.'
Not a lot of luck really, just very good sailing. Three days in a row, the New Zealanders have found the first shift on the right and lead at the top mark.
Australian meteorologist Dr Roger 'Clouds' Badham is delivering clear calls to the Emirates Team New Zealand afterguard and there is no indecision. The Kiwis are doing what they have to do, getting right, getting the shifts and not making any crew work mistakes.
Today's race. Four seconds behind at the start, they took two less tacks on the first beat, rounded 40 seconds ahead, a gybe less on the first run, another 15 seconds gained. On the second beat there was not a second it in, though again they threw one less tack and gained a cruel 43 seconds on the final run for a 98 second win. Thirty five manoeuvres - not a mistake.
Earth to Torben Grael - 'You are not going to beat them, unless Luna Rossa gets the first shift.'
A smile? Possibly, from Emirates Team New Zealand
I thought I just detected a glimmer of a smile on one of the faces of the crew of Emirates Team New Zealand as the Kiwis' boat crossed the finishing line to go 3-0 up in the Louis Vuitton Cup final. It may have just been one of self-satisfaction, and in that case it was thoroughly acceptable....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34268&ntid=58
The Kiwis Mojo Risin' www.markchisnell.blogspot.com
They lost the start but Ray Davies, the ETNZ strategist, said they had both more wind and a right hand shift. Sometimes,it's better to be lucky than to be good... ...
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34276&ntid=58
Images from Race Day 3 Louis Vuitton Cup final
Images from Race Day 3 Louis Vuitton Cup Final where Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Luna Rossa Challenge to go 3-0 in the Louis Vuitton Cup final....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34275&ntid=58
Luna Rossa lets the Kiwis escape
James Spithill and his team started four seconds ahead of NZL 92, with better boat speed. To hammer the advantage home, she should have taken advantage of this 30 metre lead by tacking immediately to get over to the right, following the presumed weather call....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34273&ntid=58
Quotes Of The Day: Louis Vuitton Cup Race Three
We certainly haven't had a hand break applied at all - we got some pressure and right hand shift there; both came through. We are very happy with the speed of the boat and were fortunate with the pressure we got, and that gave us the initial control. We managed to start on the line as best we could and as the old saying goes, 'it is sometimes better to be lucky rather than good'....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34274&ntid=58
Luna Rossa Cuptoon: Lets turn this around?
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=34271&ntid=58
Luna Rossa unable to defeat Kiwis
At the gun Luna Rossa leads by 4 seconds on NZL 92. A 12 degree wind shift to the right favors the Kiwis who at the end of a long beat to the left force Luna Rossa to cross behind them. Emirates Team New Zealand defends the right hand side of the course and increases her margin maximising the lifts and rounding the top mark with a 40 second delta....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34270&ntid=58
Lady Luck eludes Luna Rossa - SailJuice.com
The Italian dominance of the pre-start had given them a boatlength's advantage in the early stages. In some ways it was a close replica of what happened in yesterday's start but with the tables turned. The difference was that Luna Rossa never got to exert that boatlength's advantage....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34272&ntid=58
Three wins in a row for NZL 92
At the start, NZL 92 wanted wide right or tight to leeward and as the pre-start unfolded took the right. ITA 94 crossed first with good speed, NZL 92 was slower off the line but on the right. ITA 94 went to an immediate boat-length lead but NZL 92 found a little better pressure in the right and reeled in the Italian advantage, then got its bow in front....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34269&ntid=58
Win Bob Fisher's book - An Absorbing Interest
Enter the Sail-World online competition to win a copy of Bob Fisher's An Absorbing Interest. The definitive history of the America's Cup. Its two volumes covers the drama, boat design, personalities and sheer fascination of the America's Cup....
http://www.sail-world.com/newstext/pda.cfm?Nid=34211&ntid=58
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