TEAMS ON THE BRINK ON DAY THREE OF THE LOUIS VUITTON CUP SEMI-FINALS

The Société Nautique de Genève, that won the Cup in 2003 and defended in 2007, and the New York Yacht Club that famously still holds the record for the longest winning sporting streak in sports history, having defended the trophy for 132 years, know that any defeat today and their challenges will be extinguished by the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, respectively.

The teams, Alinghi Red Bull Racing and NYYC American Magic both stand on the brink of elimination at 4-0 down in this first-to-five series and, with no room for error, it’s a considerable challenge to stage a come back. That’s not to say that it hasn’t been done before or can’t be done this time – the America’s Cup has a tradition of noble fightbacks from the cliff-edge of elimination, but with INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli both performing at a very high level, it’s a tough ask.

Mother Nature often has her say in sailing competitions and today the conditions look tricky. After a morning of bright sunshine with the wind draining off from the north, as the afternoon progresses the forecasters are suggesting a six to nine-knot southerly ‘Migjorn.’ Recent days have seen more, much more, than expected as the velocity of southerly airflow is dictated by a number of variables, including offshore wind patterns and the effects of the mistral to the north.

The Port Vell is a busy place at the moment with an armada of yachts of all sizes in harbour, matched by the crowds at the free-to-enter Fanzones at Bogatell and Plaça del Mar whilst the Official Race Village along the Moll de la Fusta has been thronged with engaged fans thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of the Louis Vuitton Cup on a daily basis.

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Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Port Entry) vs. INEOS Britannia

Now or never for the Swiss, this is do-or-die as they stand on the brink of elimination. Lose and their campaign ends abruptly. Win and it’s game on. Conditions are light and tricky so both boats are on their biggest J1 jibs. After a short delay due to failing the wind-limit, the race got underway with both boats struggling to maintain flight and keeping a very notable distance between each other to avoid the effects of wing-wash.

On the lead back to the line, Britannia gybe on the face of Alinghi Red Bull Racing and set up to start to leeward, forcing the Swiss above the start line. As both boats ducked back behind the line for the final approaches at the port end, the pair wound up and the Swiss were called over the line by just 4 metres and the subsequent 75 metre get-behind penalty could be telling. Long race to come though, and plenty of jeopardy. Britannia holds the initial advantage and up the first windward leg it is all about pressure spotting and keeping manoeuvres to a minimum.

At the top gate, INEOS Britannia leads by 17 seconds and the Swiss split tactics initially down the first run, but at the first cross the British are ahead and gybe to cover. It’s close down this first run, and at the end both boats are sailing high angles to stay on the foils with the Swiss struggling to stay airborne. Britannia round the first leeward gate with the margin up to one minute and 10 seconds but on the first tack at the boundary, the British fall off the foils and the Swiss take full advantage, riding high on their foils through their first tack to seize the lead. The British manage to get up again before the right boundary but then fall off again through the tack. The Swiss build a lead out to over 500 metres as the Race Committee shortened the course legs to a distance of one nautical mile. By the second windward mark, Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s lead was up to a full leg ahead as the British fell off the foils again, copped a boundary penalty and look to be really struggling in the conditions.

For Alinghi Red Bull Racing, welcome news came over the headset that the Race Committee were shortening the course to just five legs but on the next gybe, with the leeward gate in sight, they fell off the foils themselves and now both boats are in displacement mode with the British struggling to get to the second windward mark.

Now it’s a race against the race time-limit of 45 minutes as the wind shuts down across the course with the Swiss less than a nautical mile from the finish. Slowly they ghosted up the final windward leg, sailing super-wide angles to try and build speed. It was looking touch & go as to whether the sailors could will ‘BoatOne’ across the line within the time-limit, but in the final quarter the zephyrs filtered down just enough and the Swiss have a lifeline. It’s 4-1 in this side of the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final.   

Alinghi Red Bull Racing bt. INEOS Britannia
INEOS Britannia lead 4-1

NYYC American Magic (Port Entry) vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

After a short delay for the wind to build in, racing got underway with Magic entering the pre-start box bang on cue to make the cross but both boats are being super-careful to avoid wing-wash and keeping a wide separation.

On the lead back to the line, Magic goes very early and attempts to catch the Italians on a port/starboard which is avoided and at the start both boats dip in from the windward side of the the line with Luna Rossa to windward. Immediately Luna Rossa goes into a high mode with more speed and all the pressure is on Magic on the drag race to the boundary.

Both boats tack in sync but it’s the Italians with the crucial boat position to windward and Magic losing ground before being forced to tack mid-course to clear their wind. Italy and ignores the move and heads straight to the port layline whilst Magic sets up on the starboard layline. The delta is 17 seconds to Luna Rossa and Magic split the tactics downwind. As the boats come together mid-course, neither boat has gained or lost and the helms are looking for the pressure patches further down the course.

Luna Rossa executes the downwind well, keeping manoeuvres to a minimum and rounds with the lead still at 17 seconds. Crucially Magic splits the course and heads right initially on the second upwind which brings them back in contention as they come back on starboard tack and force Luna Rossa to make a huge dip to avoid, during which the Italians get a penalty for a boat boundary infringement that is easily washed off as the boats split sides of the course.

It’s all about the pressure up at the top end of the course now and again there’s a port/starboard incident with Italy getting another penalty for crossing too close ahead. Again the penalty is expunged easily, but at the top mark Magic has the lead with a three second advantage whilst Luna Rossa raises a protest for another close port/starboard incident in the final approaches to the gate. No penalty.

Thrilling race, downwind at the first cross, Magic holds the starboard advantage and cross ahead but give the right side up to the Italians as both boats go to either side of the course before coming back for another cross. This time, Magic has gained a boatlength and crosses ahead to get to the right for the final approaches on the port layline.

Luna Rossa come inside at the same starboard marker attempting to force an incident within the two-boat circle around the buoy and it’s a call that simply doesn’t work. American Magic take the appropriate avoiding action and sail around the outside as the Italians fall off the foils. In these conditions and on a boundary course it becomes almost impossible for Luna Rossa to build speed to re-attain flight and Magic builds an impressive lead of well over 1500 metres. All American Magic have to do is stay on the foils and this race is theirs.

Down the final run, Tom Slingsby and Lucas Calabrese make no mistakes, converting the opportunity with great flight control from Andrew Campbell and Mike Menninger, scoring a brilliant win to keep their Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final hopes alive and take the scoreline to 4-1. This has been coming for a while. Great execution by NYYC American Magic.

NYYC American Magic bt. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 4-1