ALL TIED UP ON DAY 3
As if it was written in the script, day 3 of the America’s Cup presented by PRADA is again locked up with Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in 3-3 tie. To lift the Auld Mug one of them need to win 7 races so the regatta is anyones.
Today’s racing have been a copy of yesterday and the day before, starts have been crucial and have played a big part in shaping the final result and light breeze made staying up on foils the priority.
In contrast to many Cup that have gone before these lightweight flying AC75 only need a small window to deliver an exciting race sailing with an average speed of 30 knots reached in less than 10 knots of wind.
Out on the water ahead of day 3 it was another spectacular scene as over 1500 spectator boats lined the race course boundaries and tomorrow at 4:15 pm is game on again.
Race 6
Start: 1715
Port: ITA
Stbd: NZL
Course: A
Axis: 015
Length: 1.61nm
Current: 0.5 knots @ 193
Wind: 8-9 knots / 010 degrees
Winner: Emirates Team New Zealand 1:41
For Race 6, the second race of the day, the breeze had remained much the same but the pressure on the defenders had increased significantly. As Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli came in on port Emirates Team New Zealand were keen to get on their tail very quickly and gybed to get onto the chase.
Both boats headed out to the right-hand boundary, Luna Rossa gybed while the Kiwis tacked. The Italian gybe wasn’t a good one as they struggled to get through a light patch and get back up to speed after the gybe. Meanwhile, Emirates Team New Zealand had good speed as they bore away from their high right-hand corner position in the pre-start zone.
As the final seconds counted down the roles had been reversed from the first race of the day with the defenders sailing 10 knots quicker through the water as they crossed the start line while the Challengers struggled for pace.
On the face of it Peter Burling had perfected his start, while Jimmy Spithill appeared to have got it wrong. Yet there was another potential issue at play, the breeze. While the average minimum wind speed had been met, the breeze was becoming patchier. It was now becoming easier to get caught out.
By Gate 1 Emirates Team New Zealand were 51 seconds ahead, a physical distance of around 800 m on the water, a huge lead for the first half of the first lap. Getting back into this race for the Italians was going to be a big ask. By Gate 2 little had changed other than the Kiwi lead had increased slightly to 1 min 7 seconds. By the end of the second lap, more of the same at 1 min 13 seconds.
By the top gate for the final time the Kiwis were 1400 m ahead, only a crisis stood between Emirates Team New Zealand and their third win. Across the line, they were 1 min 41 seconds ahead. But the time was of no interest, win or lose, that was all that mattered.
“That was a good one,” said Emirates Team New Zealand flight controller Blair Tuke. “A good way to finish another tight day.”
“We got caught in a light patch before the start and couldn’t get to the line,” said Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli co-helmsman, “after that there were not a lot of passing lanes to get back after that.”
So, three days of racing and three wins apiece, an extraordinary scoreline that few if any had predicted. The 36th America’s Cup couldn’t be any closer.