RACING ABANDONED ON DAY 8 OF THE LOUIS VUITTON CUP
It’s day eight of the Round Robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup and for Orient Express Racing Team, who take on the hard-charging INEOS Britannia in the first race of the day, the deal is simple. Win and they have every chance of forcing a sail-off against Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Lose and they are eliminated from the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup.
For the Swiss, who face a dangerous Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli after their first Challenger defeat yesterday to the British, they face a tricky battle but will know their fate or exactly what they need to do with their race being the second on the schedule behind ‘Le Crunch.’ If the French secure a win, then it’s maximum pressure on Alinghi Red Bull Racing who would need a win against the Italians to avoid a winner-takes-all race-off.
Meanwhile at the top of the standings, Luna Rossa Prada and INEOS Britannia could be locked in a tie for first place if the British win against France and the Italians lose to the Swiss. That also would force a sail-off for the top spot in the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals with the winner getting a significant advantage in being able to select both their opponent and the side of entry in the opening match. Whoever tops the standings after the second Round Robin will announce their selection of opponent in the scheduled Press Conference on Friday 13 September at 11am.
For shoreside spectators in Barcelona this is a raceday not to miss. The free-to-enter Race Village and Fanzones at the Plaça del Mar and Bogatell will be open from 1515 after the postponement as fans of the Louis Vuitton 37thAmerica’s Cup secure the best viewing spots and settle down for an afternoon of pure high-octane AC75 entertainment. Barcelona truly is the epicentre of the yachting world right now.
All eyes today are on the weather with overnight distant rumbles of thunder in the hills behind Barcelona and rain showers this morning in the city, clearing by the afternoon to leave a north-easterly wind flow that various models are predicting anywhere between 6-10 knots. The sea-state should be greatly reduced from what we saw on the racecourse yesterday with Iain Murray, Race Director, expecting 0.8 metre swells from the east.
A defining day to come with variables and permutations aplenty at both the top and bottom of the Louis Vuitton Cup fleet. This is going to be fascinating.
CHECK BACK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES FROM THE RACECOURSE STARING AT 1400 CET.
UPDATE: 1345 CET
A storm front passing Barcelona has forced a postponement to today's racing schedule. Race Director Iain Murray has ordered all the teams back to the harbour and will monitor the weather over the next hour with the hope of racing taking place later in the afternoon if conditions improve.
UPDATE: 1440
The Race Director Iain Murray has invited the teams to return to the racecourse with a plan to start the first match between Orient Express Racing Team and INEOS Britannia at 1535.
UPDATE: 1615
Despite the best efforts of the Race Committee, who after conditions cleared from the previous heavy rain and low cloud, had a racecourse set up ready for racing to recommence at 1535, the hoped for 6 - 10 knots of north easterly breeze failed to materialise. After multiple wind limit failures the race Committee announced at 1611 CET that racing had been cancelled for the day, with a plan to push the schedule until tomorrow Monday September 9.