PRADA CHRISTMAS RACE - RACE 1 SUMMARY
Race terminated due to time limit
Start: 1512
Port: INEOS TEAM UK
Starboard: Emirates Team New Zealand
Course: 6
Axis: 035
Length: 1.5nm
Current: 0.5 knots @ 003
Winner: Time limit expired
The opening race in the PRADA Christmas Cup seemed over before it had even started. Both INEOS TEAM UK (GBR) and Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) entered the starting box on foils and did their best to remain on them throughout the pre-start. In order to do this, neither team seemed keen to lock horns for fear of dropping down into the water.
As the start gun went Emirates Team New Zealand were able to cross the start line at the pin end. In order to keep on their foils INEOS TEAM UK were unable to lay the start line, forced to sail low to keep flying. When it came to the tack onto port to cross the line the British team dropped off their foils and never recovered.
Meanwhile, the Kiwis were able to fly and kept their boat on their foils sailing at double the speed of the British.
After 2min 30sec the distance between the two was 1,300m but the news got far worse for INEOS TEAM UK. Twenty minutes after the start they were lapped by Emirates Team New Zealand before INEOS TEAM UK had even completed the first leg. As they did so the Kiwis were travelling at almost three times the speed of British.
On the approach into gate 3 Emirates Team New Zealand also dropped off their foils as they struggled to make the top mark, but with two legs in hand surely they had an unbeatable margin.
At this point, in displacement mode, the boats were doing the same speed, Emirates Team New Zealand heading downwind (for the second time), INEOS TEAM UK still trying to make gate 1.
When Sir Ben Ainslie did round the gate they were 16min 5sec behind.
But as the breeze dropped Peter Burling's team remained unable to foil downwind themselves as the clock counted down. The question now was whether Emirates Team New Zealand would make the time limit of 45 mins.
But, even with such a big distance between the two boats and the prospect of a thumping win in for the Kiwis, the Defenders missed taking victory by around 1min as the clock ran out.
The race would be re-sailed.