PRESSURE ON AT THE ALL-TIED LOUIS VUITTON CUP FINAL

This morning a dappling of high cloud sat over Barcelona city but out to sea the skies are clear and the thermal ‘Garbi’ will, once again, come up the Mediterranean with expected condition in the 16-21 knot bracket. If the wind-sampling can dip below 21 knots long enough then we could well see some more of the finest racing ever seen in America’s Cup history.

Furthermore, we are expecting wave heights to build from 0.5 metres to up to 0.9 metres from the south, which could well prove challenging for the AC75s especially in the pre-start manoeuvring.

Tied at 3-3 in the series where the first to get to seven points lifts the Louis Vuitton Cup and becomes the Challenger in the Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup Match against the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, the talk dockside is all about how this tie will be broken.

The momentum pendulum is hanging dead centre this morning with neither team able to produce a consistent dominance but will racing today prove to be decisive? We have another two races today and, looking forward into the rest of the week, it's a changing weather pattern with forecasts suggesting lighter winds. Will Mother Nature be the final arbiter? 

The Race Village and Fanzones in Barcelona will be filling from noon whilst around the world, viewers will be tuning in to watch what could well be a decisive day in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. Nothing to separate the two gladiators in this contest – let the battle begin.

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

Day 5

The ‘Garbi’ breeze is in full flow, producing 16-19 knots from the south-west and racing gets smartly underway at 14:10 CET with GBR on port entry and ITA pressing in hard on starboard. GBR enter and make the initial cross, ITA gybe to give chase as GBR head up hard and then bear-away from high above the line to chase ITA deep into the box. ITA first to head up from the boundary and adopt the windward position, GBR to leeward. Both boats into high mode and drag racing to the left. Nothing in this.

GBR first to tack and ITA tack right on the leebow as GBR goes into super-high mode. ITA eking out a gain here and force GBR to tack back towards the left boundary. Advantage ITA at this point. GBR tack back as ITA continue to the right boundary and the starboard layline. GBR tack on the bow of ITA and head to the first gate. Nothing to split them as they both bear away at speeds in excess of 50 knots.

With both boats heading to different boundaries at pace, suddenly ITA comes to a halt after a nosedive with what looks like issues around their jib track area and pieces of combing coming off. The boat comes to a halt as the crew inspect the damage. Without receiving outside assistance, GBR are required to complete the course now to score a point.

GBR now sailing conservatively to get around the racetrack as ITA sit head-to-wind at the top of the course. GBR round the second top gate and go for a two-board bear-away before a gybe over to the port boundary to limit the manoeuvres down this second run, playing it safe and gybe on the port layline before smart gybing at the gate to take the port marker and head up on their third beat.

Halfway up the fifth leg, ITA officially retire from the race and Chief Umpire, Richard Slater, informs that the race is stopped and the point awarded to GBR. Race is on now for the ITA Shore Team to get ITA ready for the next scheduled race.

INEOS Britannia bt Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (Retired)

In an interview onboard, Francesco Bruni reported that there were issues onboard Luna Rossa on the first beat with the dropping the port foil arm. The Italians went for a tack from starboard to port on that foil and then a bear-away on to the starboard foil around the right-hand gate marker before the nosedive.

Bruni added that the nosedive was caused by the “balance between the sails and foils” and no issue with the rudder. The Chase Boat team are on the boat and making a temporary fairing.

Race 2

Luna Rossa recover and execute a test run with no issues as the clock ticks down under 10 minutes to the start. ITA will enter on the port side and at the start, but just before racing gets underway, the upper wind-limit of 21 knots is tripped. We’re into a delay which gives the ITA team time to re-inspect their repaired jib track fairing.

After a short delay, the race was called ‘live’ at 3.20 CET with the wind right on the limit. ITA enter the box and make a smart cross. GBR enter and gybe onto ITA’s stern and follow them initially up into the top right of the box. With two boards down, ITA sail deep on the boundary and gybe, as GBR go for a tack on the boundary and incur a penalty - that means after the start they will need to get behind 75 metres.

At the start, ITA get the best and start at the starboard end, GBR wash-off their penalty immediately and both boats tack to the right boundary. ITA clear ahead and in total control. A long starboard tack along the boundary and out to the middle of the course sees ITA gain and cover GBR on the tack back onto port. This is a good advantage building to ITA with a visual lead out to 150 metres.

As the first mark approaches, ITA tack onto the starboard layline and bears away at 53 knots with a 12 second lead at the port marker. GBR takes the starboard marker to split the tactics downwind. After the first gybe on the boundaries, the boats cross and ITA clear ahead and building their lead. Split gybes and both teams minimising their manoeuvres, ITA gets to the port layline whilst GBR heads to the starboard layline. ITA lead at the first leeward gate by 8 seconds.

GBR head right initially after a fast rounding at the port gate whilst ITA heads to the left boundary. ITA gain and cross clear ahead when the two boats come back together. In these conditions, ITA decide not to tack and head out to the right whilst GBR carries on middle left before tacking back. ITA ignoring the chance to match-race and are very much sailing their own race. GBR go far right, this will be interesting at the second windward gate.

ITA round at the starboard marker with a 7 second lead at 55 knots - incredible sailing as both boats go to split boundaries. After the first gybe, the boats come back together and ITA survive a small touchdown on the gybe to lead by 150 metres. Both heads for alternative laylines into the second leeward gate and GBR gained but it’s still ITA who round with a lead at 7 seconds. ITA skid around the port marker but recover well.

ITA head to the right boundary and tack, GBR to the left and at the next cross it’s all ITA who have kept ahead and then tack to cover GBR who are forced to tack away. GBR split to the left side of the course as ITA stay right and gain before again tacking on the GBR course and forcing them to tack away again. As the laylines approach for the third gate, ITA nail the starboard layline and round the port marker with a lead at 9 seconds.

GBR head left (looking downwind) and click into increased pressure but at the first gybe and cross the boats come back together and ITA still clear ahead and extending. As both boats sail onto respective laylines, ITA round the starboard marker and double-board round with the lead at 12 seconds. GBR heads right whilst ITA come in from the left boundary, cross and keep ahead.

ITA keep a loose cover up the middle of the beat from ahead, protecting the right side of the course and make no mistakes into the final windward gate, bearing away at 55 knots once again to lead by 16 seconds as both boats go to alternate boundaries. ITA make no mistake on the first gybe to maintain their lead and stretch out to over 350 metres ahead. One final gybe on the port layline brings ITA into the finish and then fly through the line with two boards down to record a 16 second victory.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli bt INEOS Britannia (16 seconds)