ROYAL PRESENCE FOR THE LOUIS VUITTON CUP OPENING ROUND ROBIN

His Majesty King Felipe VI, himself a keen sailor having raced in the Soling Class at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and where he was also the country's Flag Bearer at the Opening Ceremony, will be in attendance and watching the first two races of the day.

We have a tantalising day in store, with so many sub-plots and approaches, not least in the opening race where Alinghi Red Bull Racing takes on Orient Express Racing. Both teams will want a statement win whilst in the second flight, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Emirates Team New Zealand face down again. Will we see the fireworks of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta Final? Perhaps not, but it’s a fascinating speed test all the same.

In the third race of the day, NYYC American Magic meets the Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia where both teams will be looking to capitalise on the momentum they gained at the end of the Preliminary Regatta and chalk a first win. The final race sees Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Orient Express Racing square off with both boats looking at inherent speeds in their AC75 platforms and slick manoeuvre execution.

Cat’s paws were licking over the harbour this morning with some overnight cloud cover draining up to the hills. Race Director Iain Murray is expecting the resultant left-over breeze to be coming from the east-south-east at between 7-10 knots and a very slight sea-state. Much talk about the changing weather patterns here in Barcelona. Will Mother Nature have the ultimate say in the outcome?

Racing is scheduled to start at 1400 CET, so make sure to check back here as we bring you blow by blow race coverage, live from the racecourse of the Louis Vuitton Cup opening Round Robin:

Orient Express Racing Team (Port Entry) vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing

Two teams who are more than keen to score points early in the Louis Vuitton Cup, this could be a fascinating match. The Swiss bounced back strongly from their dismasting before the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta whilst Orient Express showed a huge improvement in their last race against the British.

After a wind delay, racing got underway at with Kevin Peponnet in the port pod of Orient Express steering into the pre-start box four seconds shy but easily made the cross on port gybe and headed out to the right of the box. Alinghi Red Bull Racing gybed and trailed the French. Both teams minimising manoeuvres. Orient Express are first to gybe and the Swiss gybe on their bow. In the final approaches after several ducks and hikes, the Swiss tack off to the starboard end of the line, leaving Orient Express to nail the port end, starting with power and at least 3 knots of extra boatspeed.

Early advantage to the French who tack on the port boundary and come back over to the right where the Swiss also tack on the boundary. At the first cross, it’s a clear advantage to the French who are up to 150 metres in the lead. The French like the left and bounce off again to the boundary, whilst the Swiss tack back to the right boundary – split tactics in a breeze just above the 6.5 knot wind limit. Orient Express extends, entering into the final quarter of the first windward leg with a lead out to in excess of 250 metres so that at the first windward mark, they round the starboard marker with a 27 second lead. Brilliant sailing from the French.

The Swiss are the first to gybe onto starboard, which the French cover, and with the pressure building down the course into the far-right quadrant, both boats head that way and hope to click into the new breeze first. The Swiss are sailing far lower downwind and begin to close the gap. A gybe at the right boundary (looking downwind) by both boats, again sees Alinghi Red Bull Racing gain – the French are struggling down this first run and the leeward mark can’t come quick enough. Both boats gybe on the port layline and sail into starboard marker to head upwind and go left. Orient Express are still in the lead, but the delta is now just 13 seconds.

With the wind softening, both boats tack close to the left boundary, desperate to stay on the foils and then play the middle left on the second windward leg. The French look rapid upwind with the lead extending to in excess of 200 metres and then 300 metres as they play the left side resolutely. At the second windward mark, Orient Express bore away at the starboard marker, hitting 38.5 knots and with a huge lead of some 46 seconds. All the pressure is on Alinghi Red Bull Racing, and they elect to exit at the port marker as Orient Express keep a loose gybe cover on the Swiss, far down the course. Manoeuvre execution is everything and it’s touch and go gybes for both teams down this the fourth leg of six.

Orient Express does a great job, keeping a bit of leeward heel and ‘standing’ on the immersed foil and at the final leeward mark elect to take the starboard marker again, and round up as the Race Committee shorten the windward leg to just 1.35 nautical miles. The delta was down to 33 seconds with the Swiss making a nice gain on the downwind through excellent, deep VMG angle sailing.

The final windward leg again saw Orient Express start left and then come back to cover the Swiss out in the middle of the course and by tacking on their wind, forcing them over to the unfavoured right side. A long starboard tack out to the left boundary by both boats was more costly for Alinghi Red Bull Racing but all the pressure was coming from the left and the Swiss had little option but to follow and then split which the French covered tenaciously. Into the final windward mark and the lead was up to over 400 metres that translated into a leading delta of some 48 seconds as the French bore-away around the port marker for the final leg to the finish.

The Swiss elected to split tactics and rounded the starboard marker which the French gybed across to cover off whilst playing the pressure patches and keeping manoeuvres to a minimum. For the French it was all about boatspeed and execution and on both accounts they were exceptional, bringing Orient Express home after a final gybe at the right boundary with a winning margin of 24 seconds.

Outstanding first win for Orient Express Racing Team. Expect the unexpected. That was brilliant.

Orient Express Racing Team bt Alinghi Red Bull Racing (24 seconds)

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Port Entry) vs. Emirates Team New Zealand

Can the blockbuster be repeated? That’s the question as these two evenly matched boats square up. Francesco Bruni drives Luna Rossa in hard at 2 minutes 10 into the start box and easily makes the cross on port. The Kiwis come in and immediately gybe onto their stern and both boats head to the right with Emirates Team New Zealand taking a leeward position on port and then ignoring the gybe from Luna Rossa, preferring a tack around at the boundary and a high final approach. With 20 seconds to go, the Kiwis bear away from above the line and join Luna Rossa as they parallel down the line with the Italians to leeward and the Kiwis to windward at the start.

Early advantage to the Italians who go into super-high mode and force the Kiwis to tack first. Luna Rossa tacks on the boundary to come back to the middle and at the first cross, they have a clear advantage from which to build of around 50 metres. Ignoring the tight cover and allowing the Kiwis to get to the left, Luna Rossa looks to prefer playing the right side of the course and heads over hard to the right boundary to try and make the final layline. The Kiwis come back from the left trying to squeeze up to the starboard marker layline but when the Italians nail a perfect tack and bear away to lead by 11 seconds, the Kiwis are forced to tack over to the port marker to round clear astern.

Downwind, the Kiwis are forced to play the right boundary initially, and the delta is narrowing as they come back together mid-course with Emirates Team New Zealand clicked into a nice puff. Again, the Italians prefer to sail their own race and head to the right side (looking downwind), gybing on the port layline and making the port marker with ease. The delta however, with both boats exiting from alternative leeward marks was just 5 seconds and the second windward leg sees split tactics in the initial stages. 

At the first cross back with the Italians coming in with starboard tack advantage, it’s a small gain to Luna Rossa who make no mistake about tacking directly onto the Kiwi’s bow, bouncing them off left. The Italians like the right, want the right and are protecting the right. A tack on the boundary again brings the boats back together and it’s more of the same tactics-wise with the Italians attempting the lee-bow tack but just timing it slightly wrong, allowing the Kiwis to go into high mode and eke out above. At the boundary tack from port onto starboard tack, it’s advantage to the Kiwis who now have the perfect leebow and emerge bow ahead to lead around the port marker with a six second lead that translates into an on-water distance of almost 150 metres.

Bouncing off the right boundary (looking downwind), Emirates Team New Zealand slaps a tight gybe cover on the Italians and look to have superb speed downwind. A gybe on the starboard layline brings the Kiwis into the final leeward mark at pace and they elect for a gybe and round up at the starboard marker with a 22 second lead. The Italians take the port marker to split the final windward leg tactics which Emirates Team New Zealand are alive to and cover off immediately in the middle of the course. With no option, Luna Rossa tacks over to the right-side boundary which the Kiwis ignore as they find new breeze out left and take a big gain, stretching the lead to almost 300 metres in the final quarter.

Rounding the final windward mark, and with the sea breeze now in across the course, it was one way traffic. The Kiwis exited the starboard marker at 45 knots with a 21 second leading delta and headed off down the left side of the course initially whilst the Italians rolled the dice out to the right. At the gybe back, mid-way down the course, Luna Rossa looks to have made a small gain, so the Kiwis gybe covered to leeward post-cross and sailed hard for the left boundary. The Italians split away again to try the right but with Emirates Team New Zealand nailing the layline to the finish, it was a 12 second winning delta.

Tight racing from two top-class teams. Blockbuster repeated!

Emirates Team New Zealand bt NYYC American Magic (12 seconds)

INEOS Britannia (Port Entry) vs. NYYC American Magic

A super-interesting match-up between Britain and America, Dylan Fletcher brings Britannia into the pre-start box almost 10 seconds late but the Americans fall off the foils and fail to get into the box until just before one minute to go. Still off the foils, it’s desperate for American Magic who simply cannot speed-build enough and with Britannia ripping around on the foils, they start clear at the starboard end of the line, hitting 30 knots. The Americans manage to get back on the foils but are penalised for being over the line and are forced to gybe at the right boundary and come back to the line to start.

INEOS Britannia is away, over a quarter of a leg ahead but for both teams it’s all about now sailing clean, keeping the manoeuvres smooth and getting 100% flight time all around the course. Tough day for the flight controllers but INEOS Britannia are sailing brilliantly and getting into the new breeze coming down from the top of the course. American Magic is giving chase but there are stern faces onboard in the afterguard.

At the first windward mark, Britannia nails a good port layline to exit at the starboard marker at 38.1 knots on the bear-away and head off downwind in good pressure on the left-hand side of the course (looking downwind). Great comms onboard INEOS Britannia as they enjoy a lead of some one minute and six seconds. American Magic rounds the port marker and plays the right side initially of the downwind leg, bouncing off the right and playing the puffs down that side of the course. Britannia loosely covers from afar, safe in the knowledge that only a splash-down off the foils will allow the Americans back into the race. The British are sailing really well.

At the first leeward mark, Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher elect to take the starboard marker and round up to sensibly play the left side of the beat with the wind seemingly more consistent out to that side. American Magic elect to round the port marker and head right upwind, playing the wind casino to try and force a split. Britannia covers form up the course with the distance delta now around 500 metres. American Magic certainly hasn’t given up, splitting tactics, playing the right and trying to take any gains they can, metre by metre. At the second windward mark, the Race Committee announced that the course is shortening to 1.3 nautical miles and Britannia bears away at the port marker with a big lead as American Magic almost touches down on its final tack into the starboard marker. Luckily, it’s not a terminal touchdown but the aces are all with the British down the run and the Americans are praying for a mistake.

Into the final quarter and Britannia comes into the final leeward mark, electing to take the port marker (looking downwind) and exits to take the right side of the course on the final windward leg. The leading delta is just 39 seconds but passing lanes are tough today in Barcelona and for American Magic it is a case of just hanging in, sailing fast and being ready to take advantage of any change in breeze or error from the British.

INEOS Britannia keeps a loose cover with the lead down to 300 metres up the final beat, but no panic from the British and they bear-away around the starboard marker for the final downwind leg to the finish with a 41 second lead. Magic splits at the top mark and takes the port marker to split the tactics downwind initially. For Britannia it’s all about gybe cover and picking the puffs down the right side of the course whilst keeping the manoeuvres smooth. A pressure build, spotted first by the Americans down the middle of the course, allows Magic to VMG run deeper, to close things up, but at the finish it’s INEOS Britannia who takes the winning gun, with a 14 second delta.

First points on the board for INEOS Britannia who will be more than pleased with that win.

INEOS Britannia bt NYYC American Magic (14 seconds)

Orient Express Racing Team (Port Entry) vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

More than pleased with their opening showing against the Swiss, Orient Express Racing are keen to test their potential and speed against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and at the start, Kevin Peponnet brings Orient Express in, bang on time at two minutes and 10 seconds to easily cross Luna Rossa. The French immediately head to the far right, Luna Rossa gybes smartly around and gives chase. Both boats are on their biggest J1 jibs and it’s Orient Express that gybes first with a minute to go whilst the Italians go for a tack at the boundary and stay high on the final approach to the line. The French look to want a leeward position and nail their time on distance, winning the start to leeward. 

Off the line though, as we’ve seen before, Luna Rossa goes into a super-high mode to windward and almost immediately start to gain. At the boundary tack, it’s all Luna Rossa as they set up just off the bow and begin to ‘gas’ the French who drop speed dramatically and at that speed, fall off the foils momentarily to give a huge advantage to the Italians. Luna Rossa keeps it smooth with Umberto Molineris and Andrea Tesei doing a great job on flight control, sail over to the right, tack back and set up to round the starboard marker at the first windward mark with a handy 27 second delta.

Orient Express come into the port marker and bear away to initially split the downwind tactics but gybe off the right boundary to avoid a dead pressure patch and head to the middle of the course which the Italians are alive to and gybe cover further down the course. Keeping the manoeuvres to a minimum, the Italians elect to take the port marker at the first leeward mark, which the French copy, 34 seconds adrift and go into an immediate tack. Luna Rossa cover hard, not wanting to let the rapid French get any sort of course side leverage or split and both boats end up bouncing off the right side of the course, tack for tack.

At the second windward mark, the French were still very much in touch as the Italians rounded at the starboard marker with a lead that had narrowed to 26 seconds. The French took the port marker and tried their luck on the second downwind off the right boundary (looking downwind). A good gybe on the boundary for the French brought them back across the middle of the course and out to the left boundary which Luna Rossa covered and hit the port layline into the final leeward mark. Taking the starboard marker, Luna Rossa’s lead into the final windward leg was up to 56 seconds after a very good downwind leg for the Italians.

With the race in the bag and a big on-water lead, Luna Rossa could pick the pressure patches out to the right-hand side of the course whilst keeping tacks to a minimum and an effective loose cover on Orient Express. Textbook stuff from Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni, they bore away at the top mark for the final downwind, knowing that only a splashdown could stop them from scoring their first point of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

No dramas on the final downwind having rounded the last windward mark with a lead of 51 seconds, Luna Rossa played the middle-left of the course to keep a loose gybe cover on the French and hit the layline before a smart gybe onto port to cross the finish line and record a win by 1 minute 24 seconds.

A clean race for the Italians.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli bt Orient Express Racing Team (84 seconds)