‘SUPER TUESDAY’ AT THE PUIG WOMEN’S AMERICA’S CUP

With everything to play for, we have a perfect Barcelona day in store with a predicted 12-18 knots of breeze which will see the fully-equalised AC40’s on the limit and hitting speeds well in excess of 40 knots. There will be thrills – and maybe even spills – across both fleets, but at the end of the day the podiums will be set and the pecking order established.

The schedule for the day is for Group B, the Invited Teams, to sail four races starting from 1100 CET and running through to approximately 1300 CET. Then there will be a short changeover as the America’s Cup teams jump in for their four fleet races starting from 14:10 CET.

For the Group B racing, Race Director Iain Murray, is expecting 10-16 knots from the west, the ‘Ponent’ wind that comes down the mountains and can produce shifty conditions. The swell will be building throughout the day with the expectation of 1.1 metre waves from the south-west by the afternoon – and that’s challenging. The afternoon racing for Group A is also expected to be pushing the upper wind range of 17 knots for the AC40s with the mean being between 12-18 knots, and possible gusts up to 20 knots.

A full-on day at the Puig Women’s America’s Cup. Strap in and enjoy the spectacle. This is going to be brilliant.

CHECK BACK HERE FROM 11:00 CET FOR LIVE COVERAGE FROM THE RACECOURSE OF THE PUIG WOMEN’S AMERICA’S CUP:  

Race 5

With the wind testing the upper limit of 17 knots, Group B (Invited Teams) are cleared to race and at the start, in relatively flat water, NED receive a total of three get-back penalties whilst GER with a new helming duo get away cleanly and lead from SWE. CAN up in the hunt to leeward of GER on a long drag race from the left to the right boundary. SWE have gone far left and at the top gate, it’s SWE who tack in under the starboard tackers of GER and CAN to lead at the port marker.

At the first gybe on the right boundary (looking downwind) GER spin out and CAN fall into displacement, allowing AUS to come through into second as SWE streaks away in the lead. NED, after a terrible start, are up into third. At the leeward gate, SWE come in on the port layline and round up with a 24 second lead over AUS with NED rounding up on two boards 18 seconds further back.

SWE covering from up the course and going from the left to right boundary and at the final windward mark, round with their lead out to 29 seconds. NED score a penalty again but manage to stay ahead of ESP in third. Down the final run, SWE make no mistakes, win the race cleanly and move into the podium positions. AUS clean in second and NED sail fast to stay ahead of ESP and secure 5 points for third.

1.⁠ ⁠SWE 
2.⁠ ⁠AUS 
3.⁠ ⁠NED 
4.⁠ ⁠ESP 
5.⁠ ⁠GER
DNF CAN

Race 6

After a short delay, racing got underway with two dramatic splashdowns from GER and CAD pre-start and a fall off the foils from NED. AUS and ESP start at the starboard end of the line with SWE beneath them. NED recover to start on port tack and head right. ESP hold the early lead and tack over from the left to cover AUS on the right boundary. At the first gate, ESP round the starboard marker with a lead of 17 seconds from SWE who overtake AUS as they fall off the foils, pinching too high for the gate. NED also overtake AUS to take third.

Down the first run, ESP gybe cover SWE who are closing fast as the Race Committee lengthens the legs to 1.2 nautical miles. On the final gybe into the leeward gate, ESP fall off the foils and allow SWE to pass who make a wild rounding but just keep it together to stroll into the lead. ESP get foiling again and make chase for SWE.

NED make big gains on the left side of the course and come in to the three-way battle, tacking beneath ESP whilst SWE stays ahead and tacks off to mid-course for the final approach to the windward gate. NED tack on the boundary and duck ESP but both boats fall off the foils on the exit of their tacks. ESP are the first to get foiling again as SWE makes their final approach to the windward gate, clear ahead.

Bearing away with a big lead of over 600 metres as the wind dies at the windward mark, SWE have a delta of 1 minute 33 seconds over ESP. NED come round in third 22 seconds adrift. SWE sail through the complex puffs down the course and make no mistakes, gybing into the finish on the port layline, it’s a dominant win and SWE takes the overall lead in the series. Two from two.

ESP and NED enjoying a good battle to the finish, gybe for gybe down the course on the puffs. ESP survive a near fall off the foils on the port boundary and manage to bear away to the finish line and secure second and 7 points. NED in third for 5 points.

1.⁠ ⁠SWE 
2.⁠ ⁠ESP 
3.⁠ ⁠NED 
4.⁠ ⁠AUS 
DNS GER 
DNS CAN 

Race 7

With the points tight for third place between ESP and AUS, this race could be crucial. At the start, the wind has dropped and AUS are off the foils with 2 minutes to go and desperately trying to build speed to get back into the start. All the fleet fall off their foils into displacement as the wind shuts down and its NED that ghost across the line with ESP following.

This looks like the race will be abandoned unless a new breeze comes down the track with ESP struggling to even start in displacement. With only NED over the line correctly and no chance of making the first mark in 12 minutes, the Race Committee abandon the race and will wait for the wind to settle before starting again.

The Race Committee have also announced that the scheduled Group A racing that was scheduled to follow the conclusion of the Group B racing, has now been postponed to Thursday and cancelled this afternoon.

Race 7 (Re-sail)

After a short delay for the wind to settle, the re-run Race 7 gets away in around 10 knots with gusts coming in from the right side. AUS recover from being in displacement with a minute to go and at the start everyone heads to the port end of the line. AUS are called OCS, whilst SWE and NED make the best starts before SWE fall off the foils on their first tack. ESP and NED stay middle-right with NED launching into the lead.

ESP tack on the right boundary but find that SWE are ahead whilst AUS having cleared a penalty are sailing hard up the left boundary. At the top gate NED round the port marker 21 seconds ahead whilst SWE take the starboard to split the tactics down the first run. NED gybe cover SWE quickly mid-course and these two are clear of the chasing pack.

NED ride into the better wind at the bottom of the course and round the leeward gate on two boards just 7 seconds ahead of SWE who make a good rounding of the starboard marker (looking down the course). SWE tack smartly away to mid course and better wind whilst NED fall off the foils trying to cover. SWE sail into the lead as NED recover but the Dutch are looking over their shoulder at ESP as the whole fleet sails to the right boundary.

At the final windward gate, SWE bear-away again with a big lead to start the final downwind leg some 1 minute and 3 seconds ahead. The battle for second is tight between NED and ESP who cross each other by a boat length going to opposite marks. On the gybe back, NED gain by clicking into a puff on the right side of the downwind leg.

SWE score three from three, powering across the finish line to secure their place at the top of the podium. NED and ESP go gybe for gybe down the final quarter of the leg and survive a last gybe scare to score 7 points for second just ahead of ESP who take five points and move 3 points of AUS. the podium will all come down to the final race.

1.⁠ ⁠SWE 
2.⁠ ⁠NED 
3.⁠ ⁠ESP 
4.⁠ ⁠AUS
DNS GER 
DNS CAN 

Race 8

Racing gets underway with plenty on the line between ESP and AUS. At the start, NED nail the port end of the line whilst AUS starts well mid-line. SWE started at the starboard end of the line and at the first tack are ahead. AUS tack off to the right first with ESP knowing they need a result here. SWE eke into the lead but at the tack back on to the starboard layline, NED sail smart, tack on the SWE bow and lead around the windward gate. GER in third, ESP in fourth and AUS in fifth.

Out front it’s a super-close battle with NED fending off SWE down to the leeward gate at 40 knots and round with a slender lead of just 3 seconds as NED hit a wave and slow. ESP make it into third whilst GER touchdown.

Up the final beat,there’s a split in tactics with SWE going far left in the final quarter whilst NED go hard right. When they come back together, SWE just make the cross on port tack and head to the starboard marker whilst NED bears away at the starboard gate. ESP and AUS round almost simultaneously at differing gates.

After a gybe at respective boundaries, SWE gain coming from the left, coming across on a great puff and shift to cross clear ahead by almost 400 metres and head straight for the finish line. NED have to fight hard for second and ESP finish third.

SWE, NED and ESP are the top three and advance to the semi-finals. AUS agonisingly miss the cut.

1.⁠ ⁠SWE 
2.⁠ ⁠NED 
3.⁠ ⁠ESP 
4.⁠ ⁠AUS  
5.⁠ ⁠GER 
DNS CAN