PROSPECT OF FULL PROGRAMME AT UNICREDIT YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP

After the opening two races of the day, we will have our first semi-finalists as the top three teams progress. Stand-out leader, ‘Swedish Challenge powered by Artemis Technologies’ will be looking for two quick fire results to ensure their safe passage whilst Andoo Team Australia, the hard-driving, never-say-die sensations of the tournament will have to sail fast and smart to consolidate their second place. Local heroes, Sail Team BCN, who are currently in third overall will be cheered on by fans at the free-to-enter Race Village on the Moll de la Fusta and out at the Fanzones of Bogatell and Plaça del Mar – if successful, expect wild shoreside celebrations.   

For the America’s Cup Teams, the rivalry between Marco Gradoni for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Harry Melges for NYYC American Magic will resume but the Athena Pathway Team, led by Nick Robins, who are currently in third overall, they will be looking to push on and secure their semi-final spot with more consistency. Emirates Team New Zealand meanwhile, will be looking to prove their potential and improve from fourth overall. Everything to play for in the white-hot America’s Cup Teams group.

At the Race Director briefing this morning, Iain Murray indicated that for all racing, once again, we will see two laps with a target duration of between 13-15 minutes each race. In the current wind strength that would suggest leg lengths of between one nautical mile to up to 1.3 nautical miles. After the conclusion of the first two races, there will be a short delay as Group A swaps into the yachts and the AC40s will need to be adapted with crew correctors and decals on the sails and hulls.

CHECK BACK HERE AT 14:10 CET FOR LIVE UPDATES FROM THE RACECOURSE OF THE UNICREDIT YOUTH AMERICA’S CUP

Group B Race 7

The penultimate race in the Invited Teams, Group B, series, with all the teams desperate to make it through to the Semi-Final stage by being in the top three overall. After a small delay as Sail Team BCN played their delay card for an unspecified issue, racing got underway in a decent 9-11 knot breeze. Off the line, Australia and the Netherlands make great starts at the port end of the line whilst Sweden stays mid-course and cross the Australians on the first cross. A split sees the majority of the fleet go to the right and it’s Australia who are the big beneficiaries rounding just ahead of the Spanish.

Australia bounce off the right boundary downwind to cover the fleet that is spread right across the course. Sweden lose distance going to the left boundary as Australia show their boatspeed to round the first leeward gate with a handy lead of over 130 metres. Cole Tapper and Jack Ferguson on the Australian boat sailing well but are looking over their shoulder at the Spanish and Swedish, giving chase. The Swedish go to the right boundary, Australian and Spain come in from the left.

Australia gain by sailing from the left boundary to hard right and call a brilliant starboard layline, followed by the Spanish, to round the final windward mark with a decent lead. Spain in second, Sweden third. All boats take the port marker. Sweden first to gybe, looking for clear air, covered ahead by Australia and Spain. Sweden lose distance and are overtaken mid-way down the run by Canada.

Australia nail another brilliant layline, this time the port layline and cross to secure the 10 points. Spain take second and 7 points. Canada manage to keep ahead of Sweden to take third and Sweden settle for fourth after a photo-finish with the Dutch. Very tight racing.

Group B Qualifying - Race 7 Results
1. AUS 
2. ESP 
3. CAN 
4. SWE 
5. NED 
6. GER 

Group B Race 8

Final race and it’s confirmed that Sweden and Australia are through to the semi-finals so the race is all for third with Sail Team BCN sitting pretty and just need a clean race whilst the Dutch could sneak in if catastrophe strikes the Spanish.

At the start, both Canada and Germany are called OCS and penalised at the port end of the line. At the starboard end of the line, a huge tussle ensued with Sweden and Australia fighting for boat position. Australia marginally gets the better position but it’s really tight with Spain and Sweden. In the final quarter, Spain emerge as the leader, paralleling with Sweden to the right boundary as a big right shift comes in.

At the first windward gate it’s Spain, Sweden and Canada who round the port marker in a line, crossing the port tackers coming in - desperately close racing. Spain pick up some good breeze ahead and can VMG run on deep angles with the Swedish so that by the first leeward gate, with the next windward leg lengthened to 1.2 nautical miles, Spain maintain their lead.

Super rounding from the Spanish on one-board at the starboard marker, the Swedish elect to take the port marker and split the tactics up the final windward leg. Spain come back to cover and make the cross comfortably on Sweden. Canada and the Dutch are fighting hard for the third place.

Big split in the final quarter of the upwind with the Spanish letting Sweden go to the right as they hit the port layline. It’s a brilliant call from the Spanish who make big gains and round with over a 200 metre lead. After a gybe at the left boundary, Spain cover Sweden hard down to the middle of the course with the sailors looking for the breeze patches down the course. Gybing on the starboard layline, Spain have sailed brilliantly here to secure their place in the Semi-Finals, crossing the line and taking a fantastic 10 points. That’s the way to do it. Sweden second and Canada third.

Group B Qualifying - Race 8 Results
1. ESP 
2. SWE 
3. CAN 
4. NED 
5. GER 
6. AUS 

 

UPDATE 1510: At the conclusion of the 8 race series for Group B, Sweden, Australia and Spain advance to the semi-finals. Group A, America’s Cup teams, will now swap into the AC40s and there will be a small delay to change crew correctors and decals.

Group A Race 5

Game on now for the America’s Cup teams with four races coming up, and it’s a quick turnaround for the teams of under 15 minutes. At the start, it’s desperately close with five boats hitting it bang on time and too close to call as everyone hangs tough to the left boundary. On the first tack, GBR get a penalty for not giving room to the port tackers coming off the boundary and it’s tight at the top between France and Italy with USA in touch.

France look fast today and they lead around the first windward gate, closely followed by Italy and USA with NZ in fourth. British team now out of the back of the fleet. Down the first run, Italy put the pressure on France, attempting to roll them toward the middle of the course which the French are alive to and just stay ahead. America nails a brilliant starboard layline and gatecrash the starboard tack alignment of Italy and France to snatch second place. It’s Italy who benefitted from a poor final gybe by the French but it’s all very close.

Good tactics from the Italians who go boundary to boundary, coming in from the left to cover the fleet, followed by USA and these two are clear ahead. Italy clicks the wind phases in the final quarter and are bossing this battle to the final windward mark but USA gains, coming in from the left boundary and these two bear away at 43 knots for the final downwind leg.

USA gybe first and Italy cover hard. From nowhere, NZL come in from the left boundary having made a huge gain and overtake USA but a poor gybe undoes their effort and USA and France are quick to overtake. Italy wins and secures 10 points, USA confirm their overall standings in second with a second in this race and France take third - this is going to get very interesting for the podium places.

Group A Race 5 Results
1. ⁠ITA 
2. USA 
3. FRA 
4. SUI 
5. NZL 
6. ⁠GBR 

Goup A Race 6

With the wind in at a solid 12-14 knots, the fleet again got away as a tight bunch with NZ down at the port end looking strong and France copping an OCS and a further penalty. USA start at the starboard end and look strong whilst Italy tack over to the right and go as far as they dare to the boundary. USA cross Italy over by the boundary on port tack and are then crossed closely by GBR who are given a penalty for being too close.

An all action beat finally ends with NZL nailing a brilliant starboard layline from the right boundary who bear-away just in the lead from Italy and USA. The Americans are the first to gybe away to the middle of the course from the left boundary, coming down at 40 knots with the Italians in tow on starboard gybe. NZL cop a penalty on the Italians for crossing on port gybe too close and Italy takes the lead.

A harem-scarem round up by Italy closes things down and NZL, having expended their penalty are pushing hard up the final beat up the left hand side. Italy though, stay true to form and hold the right, extending in a beautiful right shift in the first quarter. NZL start to show some real speed and are into second place again, closing in on the Italians with USA resolute in third.

At the final windward gate, Italy are just ahead, tacking on the bow of the port layline approaching NZL with USA in third who are again the first to gybe down the run, aiming for the middle right of the course. Italy and NZL cover each other and it’s hard to see any changes unless the final two gybes aren’t clean.

Sailing across to the starboard layline for the finish, Italy make no mistakes and cross at 40 knots+ to take the win ahead of NZL and USA. Crucially behind, France secure 4th and all the boats finished within 19 seconds of each other. Incredible.

Group A Race 6 Results
1. ⁠ITA 
2. NZL 
3. USA 
4. FRA 
5. ⁠GBR 
6. SUI 

Group A Race 7

Rinse and repeat for race seven in the series and with third place up for grabs when the cut comes at the end of the day, it’s all on for GBR, NZL and France. Another tight-packed start that sees a broach on the line by the Italians and near capsize but it’s France who have a glamour start at the port end of the line and make a brilliant cross of the oncoming starboard tackers after the first tack.

France leads a drag race to the far right boundary as the wind becks left, closely followed by USA and NZL. The French call a brilliant starboard layline and round the port marker just ahead of USA with GBR crossing behind on port tack and taking the starboard marker to split tactics. USA got loose on the downwind with a big touchdown after a hobby-horse to fall out of contention and back in the pack.

GBR are the big gainers of USA’s travails but have their own headache with NZL on their heels. At the final leeward gate, FRA are clear ahead, executing a stunning one-board rounding at the starboard marker to head left up the final beat. GBR and NZL fast round at the port marker and go right. Interesting tactics but as FRA cover, they are clear ahead and sailing brilliantly. The race is all for the other podium places and GBR go far left to make a big gain in the final quarter and overtake NZL and stay ahead of USA.

At the final windward gate, FRA round clear ahead of the fast-charging GBR who are now match-racing with NZL to the starboard marker and with NZL to leeward, it’s the Kiwis who gain and overtake right on the mark. The final run is key for GBR who are desperate to overtake NZL as both boats fly down towards the starboard layline to the finish.

A brilliant final gybe by the French on the port layline sees them secure the win but it’s disaster for GBR who splash down on their final gybe, allowing NZL to secure a safe second with the British in third. Crucial results in the overall standings. All on for the final race of the day.

Group A Race 7 Results
1. FRA 
2. NZL 
3. ⁠GBR 
4. USA 
5. SUI 
6. ⁠ITA 

Group A Race 8

Plenty of permutations here for the qualifying podium with all to play for. At the start, once again it’s tight but with some very different executions. ITA get a penalty for crossing GBR too close on port tack but it’s USA who get a clean start and lead the fleet. ITA wash off their penalty quickly and sneak up into second whilst France and GBR are match racing in the middle of the course.

A very tight pack, anyone can pop out and in the final quarter the Fremch were looking good until a fall off the foils and are left in catch-up mode. GBR benefit and get into third behind USA and ITA and these three round just ahead of NZL who are right on the tail of the British. France are forced to retire from the race and their chances of making the semi-final have evaporated leaving GBR and NZL to fight for the third spot on the podium.

GBR gybe cover NZL off the left boundary but NZL has speed and is doing everything to roll the British. Up front USA are comfortable in the lead as ITA splashdown and both GBR and NZL get into second and third spot. Two legs left and it’s war on the water between GBR and NZL. in the first quarter, GBR allow NZL to go left whilst they bounce off the right boundary and at the cross back, the British are looking good having made a few boat lengths.

This could all come down to manoeuvre execution now and at the final gate, USA bears-away at 42 knots in the lead after a killer starboard layline call from the right boundary. GBR made big gains from sailing smart up the middle of the course and are clear in second whilst ITA come through into third. A small splashdown from USA makes it desperately close as GBR go to the starboard layline and USA to the port layline.

USA just scores the win after a desoperate final gybe on the bow of GBR but it’s GBR who finish second right when it matters and make the Semi-Finals. Your Semi-Finalists are Italy, USA and Great Britain. What a day of racing.

Group A Race 8 Results
1. USA 
2. ⁠GBR 
3. ⁠ITA 
4. SUI 
5. NZL
DNF FRA