SPEED-TEST SUNDAY IN THE TOO-CLOSE-TO-CALL LOUIS VUITTON CUP FINAL

At the Race Director’s morning briefing, Iain Murray predicted a building south-west ‘Garbi’ breeze, once the morning northerly drainage has evaporated and swung, delivering wind speeds in the 11-15 knot range – with some models suggesting higher gusts coming up the Mediterranean later in the afternoon.

Aligned with a wind built sea-state of approximately 0.6 - 0.7 metre waves, today it’s almost pitch-perfect for AC75 racing but the emphasis will firmly be on fast-starting, getting the cross and defending like banshees.

Mistakes are costly in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and the level these two teams are on right now, neither can afford even the slightest execution error.

Dockside the chat is all about ‘momentum’ and it’s an important factor in America’s Cup campaigns. To early right now in this titanic Louis Vuitton Cup Final to call which way the momentum pendulum is swinging but if one team were to score both race wins today then that’s a serious springboard to success.

The Race Village and Fanzones at Plaça del Mar and Bogatell will be filling up from midday, whilst on the water again we are expecting a large spectator fleet all eager to be a part and witness the extraordinary spectacle of this thrilling Louis Vuitton Cup Final.

Too-close-to-call, expect fireworks in the pre-start today. First start is scheduled for 1410 CET with the second to follow at 1515 CET.

CHECK BACK HERE FOR LIVE REPORTS FROM THE RACECOURSE OF THE LOUIS VUITTON CUP FINAL FROM 14:10 CET

Race 3

The ‘Garbi’ south-westerly breeze is in earlier than expected and once again we are challenging the upper wind limit of 21 knots. The Race Committee are sampling the wind across the course and right now it’s a hold for the breeze to settle.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have a mainsail issue with broken battens in the upper sections so are forced to drop sails and re-hoist as the clock ticks down to the start despite the wind sampling currently above the 21 knot limit. Race against time for the Italians to get this sorted.

At 3 minutes, the race is called to start with Luna Rossa still changing their sails but with under 2 minutes to go, the Chief Umpire disqualifies the Italians due to the team Chase Boat being alongside and INEOS Britannia are awarded the race win. It’s 2-1 now in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. Desperate luck for the Italians but the team are working hard to get the mainsail skins down and new ones up.

Scheduled next start is at 15:25 CET.

Race 4

After a full-team effort, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli recover well and re-launch new mainsail skins ahead of Race 2 and get some practice ahead of the start. With the wind just above the limit, and a delay is called by the Race Committee.

With several delays called, GBR spot a suspected batten issue in their jib and go for a quick drop and re-hoist to check through with technicians onboard.

White horses across the racecourse, at 16:15 CET the call is made that the wind is under the limit and both yachts come flying into the starting-box at pace. This is going to be a thriller. ITA come in slow on the final approaches at the port end and get hunted down by a charging GBR who trails them out to left of the box and then back along the start line. ITA cannot gybe but go for it anyway and the subsequent protest is green lighted. GBR gybe around and hold to windward but the early advantage is to ITA and they force GBR to tack away towards the right boundary. Aggressive start to the race from the Italians.

GBR look rapid on the drag race to the boundary but ITA are clear ahead and tack on their bow. A luff from leeward by GBR fails to get a penalty and GBR are on the back-foot after that slow manoeuvre and are forced to tack away to the right boundary again. GBR get separation out to the right and make a gain but ITA are still a boatlength clear ahead and on the port layline for the windward mark. ITA round 4 seconds ahead at 55 knots and the two boats adopt split tactics down this first run.

At the first cross, ITA clear ahead but both boats pushing the limits of what these AC75s can do and flying down the course. ITA go to the starboard layline and two-board round whilst 6 seconds behind GBR split the upwind tactics, going initially left, before tacking back. At the right boundary, after a slam tack by ITA, GBR luff and call for a penalty, nothing given again and frustration building on the GBR boat.

ITA have a slow tack and again GBR come right back into it as both boats head to the right boundary and tack on the starboard layline in. ITA leads by just 5 seconds. This is high-pressure sailing. GBR first to gybe as Italy go to the right boundary (looking downwind) and start to turn on their low mode as ITA gybe cover.

Into the second leeward gate, ITA set up on a long port layline and round the starboard marker cleanly. GBR execute a gybe at the gate and take the port marker to split tactics upwind. ITA looking solid coming in from the left boundary and have extended to over 300 metres. Both teams ignoring any engagement on this, leg 5 of 8, with the sailors just getting into phase with the breeze.

At the third windward gate, ITA’s lead is now out to 19 seconds and GBR now require a mistake from ITA to get back into this race but down this penultimate run, it’s not coming with the Italians sailing well at 46-48 knots all the way down the leg. A final gybe onto the starboard layline brings ITA into the port marker that they round with two boards down and head immediately to the right boundary up the final windward leg with a 20 second advantage.

In the final quarter of the final beat, GBR close the delta down to just 6 seconds and are first to gybe but it’s an easy cover for ITA initially and a lead of around 90 metres. The second gybe brings both yachts on a long starboard gybe with GBR to windward. A gybe onto the port layline brings both boats, separated by just 4 seconds, thundering across the finish line with ITA levelling the series at 2-2. Brilliant racing.