BRITISH FINISH ROUND ROBIN STAGE OF THE LOUIS VUITTON CUP ON TOP AS FRENCH ARE ELIMINATED

The French know they need to win and after yesterday’s structural issues following a nosedive in practice before racing had begun, for sure the technicians and boatbuilders will have had a long night preparing the AC75 for action. INEOS Britannia, meanwhile, will be giving no quarter in this race as there’s an outside possibility, if they win, of finishing tied with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, should the Italians succumb to Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the second race of the day.

The concluding race of the day has its own fascination but with nothing on the line. Emirates Team New Zealand will be racing for the final time in the Louis Vuitton Cup and the next time we will see the Defenders will be in the Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup Match starting on Saturday 12 October. For their opponent today, NYYC American Magic, all eyes will again be on who they confirm as the port helm. Lucas Calabrese was nominated for yesterday's abandoned schedule.

Iain Murray, Race Director, briefed on the light conditions with the weather models showing a 6-9 knots southerly with a 0.5 metres easterly swell but the potential for up to 11 knots. The thermal breezes from the south have often proven to surprise to the upside and that’s very much the hop in order for the schedule will be completed today. Tuesday and Wednesday are designated ‘Reserve Days’ if the wind limit fails to be reached today.

Plenty to play for at both the top and bottom of the standings ahead of the knock-out semi-final stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup. One team, however, will be eliminated today if racing gets away and that’s the hardest fact of the Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup – the hardest international sporting contest to win on the planet and it has been that way for 173 years.

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INEOS Britannia (Port Entry) vs. Orient Express Racing Team

Do-or-die for the French who suffered a bear-away nosedive yesterday where they went from 29 knots to one knot in a blink of an eye and caused damage to their foredeck structure. They are hoping for better luck today and, after a small wind delay as the southerly thermal builds, at the start they survive a very close initial cross with Britannia but lead back to start at the port end of the line. The British start well to windward and immediately put the hammer down and are straight into the lead, slapping a tight cover on to the French immediately at the boundary. All about spotting the pressure patches and surviving the ever-present threat of touchdowns as the boats get to the top of the course. The British execute well, rounding the top port marker with a 25 second lead as the French drop below the layline and are forced to tack to the starboard marker.

Britannia looks alive today, full of pace, point and power upwind whilst downwind they appear to have beautiful VMG angles and round the first leeward mark one-boarded with the delta out to 47 seconds. Devastatingly good sailing from Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher. With the lead up to 500 metres and gaining, the only threat now is a fall off the foils and with just eight knots of breeze, anything is possible. At the second windward mark, Britannia survives a near splash on the final tack but round with the delta now out to one minutes and 24 seconds and both boats sailing very wide angles across the course upwind.

Three legs to go and with new breeze filling in from the left side (looking downwind) both boats head for it with the French clicking in first and narrowing the gap visually. At the final leeward mark, Britannia rounds still with a good advantage of one minute and four seconds, knowing that they just need to keep it in flight at the top end of the course.  

Orient Express bang the right side of the course, covered by Britannia and make a small gain and both boats are struggling through the tacks as the Race Committee shorten the final leg to just one nautical mile. INEOS Britannia round with a delta of 55 seconds and play the right-hand pressure and the final angles to the finish. No mistakes, beautiful gybes and super VMG gains, sees INEOS Britannia score the win that ends Orient Express Racing Team's further participation in the Louis Vuitton Cup by a delta of one minute and 11 seconds. Tough for the French but outstanding sailing from the rapid British.

INEOS Britannia bt. Orient Express Racing Team (71 seconds)

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Port Entry) vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing

With their place secured in the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final, Alinghi Red Bull Racing have nothing to lose in this race but for the Italians they will be looking to secure the point and top the standings to secure their destiny going forward.

However, with the countdown clock ticking down, Luna Rossa sail off the course and as they go far beyond the boundary and are DISQUALIFIED from the race. Onboard interviews reveal a problem with lowering the starboard foil and the technicians are swiftly onboard. This result now forces a sail-off at the top as the Italians are tied on points with INEOS Britannia.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing, after starting, are awarded the win. The next time we will see the Swiss race is in the semi-final of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing bt. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (DSQ)

Emirates Team New Zealand (Port Entry) vs. NYYC American Magic

With Lucas Calabrese onboard in the port helm pod, NYYC American Magic will be looking to build in consistency and performance ahead of the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals. Emirates Team New Zealand are keen to sign off their participation with an improved performance and at the start it’s a disaster for Magic as they fall off the foils into displacement and are further given a boundary penalty. Conditions are marginal. Magic regains flight with just over a minute to the start and it’s a split-tacker with the Kiwis claiming the port end of the line whilst Calabrese drives over on port tack and heads to the right side of the course. At the first cross, Emirates Team New Zealand are in control and head hard right, but the Americans play smart and make big gains to the left in this shifting breeze. At the first windward mark it’s super-close and the Kiwis are only 7 seconds in the lead. A smart gybe inside creates a port gybe VMG drag race that ultimately favours the Kiwis and by the leeward mark, the delta is out to 31 seconds as the Race Committee shortens the legs of the course to just 1 nautical mile. Upwind it feels closer as both boats pick their wind phases on a very tricky course.

At the second windward mark, having sailed some deep angles on the final approaches, Emirates Team New Zealand bear-away with a delta of just 22 seconds. The Americans are right in this and split the tactics on the downwind. Mother Nature has her say and it’s a gain to the Kiwis as the Americans really struggle in the final gybe. The delta is out to 1 minute 21 seconds and the Magic team did a very good job staying on the foils. 

However, the race was effectively over when the Americans succumbed to displacement mid-way up the final beat and with Emirates Team New Zealand stretching away, they made no mistake in reading the breeze close to perfection to bear-away for the final run with an unassailable lead. The Kiwis crossed the finish line with pace and poise to record a win that was ultimately timed at 2 minutes 37 seconds. Fine execution from the Kiwis.

Emirates Team New Zealand bt. NYYC American Magic (157 seconds)

FIRST PLACE TIE-BREAK:

INEOS Britannia (Port Entry) vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

This is tense and it’s a race for the top spot and the best picks in the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals. In the prestart start both boats are desperate to avoid wing-wash so the circles are wide and disengaged before Luna Rossa begin the lead back and elect for the leeward set-up down at the port end of the line.

Ben Ainslie nails the windward start and both boats are into immediate high-mode with the British more than capable of living there. At the first tack, Britannia slap a wicked cover on the Italians who are ultimately forced to tack away. INEOS Britannia in real control here and stretching the lead to 150 metres. At the top mark after just 1.1 nautical miles, and having covered ruthlessly, the British bear-away with an 18 second leading delta. Down the first run, Britannia shows her impressive deep VMG angles and excellent manoeuvre execution to round with another gain and the delta out to 29 seconds.

No mistakes and a watching-brief cover slapped on the Italians, INEOS Britannia looks to be sailing pretty much their own race, able to pick shifts and pressure with Ainslie and Fletcher communicating effectively. Gains aplenty, at the second windward mark the British nail another layline to perfection and it’s a 33 second lead and just three legs left to run.

Again on the run, Britannia looks sensational and Luna Rossa just have no answer for this dominance. A smart late gybe into the port gate brings the British upwind for the final time with their lead out at 49 seconds and they sail smart up the final windward leg. Loosely covering but picking the shifts and pressure, Britannia bounces beautifully off the right boundary although they give up a small amount of distance in the final quarter to round the final windward mark with a 37 second lead.

Now it’s all about front-running and poise to hold this lead all the way to the finish and the British nail it, bringing Britannia home by 42 seconds to secure the top spot in the Louis Vuitton Cup standings and control their destiny. Outstanding sailing right from the start by the British – worthy winners and a great way to close out the second Round Robin.

INEOS Britannia bt. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (42 seconds)