LOUIS VUITTON 37th AMERICA’S CUP MATCH BEGINS AHEAD OF PUIG WOMEN’S AMERICA’S CUP FINAL

Barcelona is the battleground for this thrilling duel and today we have two scheduled races where these two titans of world sailing will be going head-to-head to size each other up and see who can snatch an early advantage. This morning in Barcelona, low cloud cover has been hanging over the city and out to sea but that is expected to clear with the thermal breeze coming in at around 7-13 knots this afternoon accompanied by a southerly swell of 0.8 metres. For the two AC75s, this could be a perfect speed test and an early sighter of potential.

The great unknown going into today is the relative speed of the Emirates Team New Zealand AC75 ‘Taihoro’ which has been on the sidelines whilst the Louis Vuitton Cup concluded. INEOS Britannia came through that series, beating Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, so are battle-hardened and well into their onboard processes. Can the British catch the Kiwis cold or will the upgraded ‘Taihoro’ in its final race trim be too fast? Those questions will be answered today.

Alongside from the Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup Match, today we have the conclusion of the first ever Puig Women’s America’s Cup where the Semi-Final series concluded just before sundown last night. After four super-tight fleet races, Athena Pathway and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli emerged as the top two and will contest a one-race, match-race, Grand Final scheduled to start at 14:58 CET. Don’t miss it.

CHECK BACK HERE AT 14:15 CET FOR LIVE COVERAGE FROM THE RACECOURSE OF THE FIRST RACE OF THE LOUIS VUITTON 37^th AMERICA’S CUP MATCH  

Race 1

After a drizzly dock-out for both boats, the racecourse is testing the lower wind limit of 6.5 knots and Race 1 of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match is under postponement. Stand by for further updates.

Race Committee announces a new start time of 14:35 CET and have begun the wind-sampling process. Further delay to 14:40 CET and then a further delay to 14:45 CET. Further delay to 14:50 CET. Wind is coming.

The clouds are clearing, the wind sampling is complete and the first race of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match is underway. Coming in from the port end, ETNZ dial in at 2 minutes 10 seconds whilst the IB are late having being off the foils and are forced to tack at the right boundary to come into the start.

ETNZ tack underneath IB and lead them into the box with just over a minute to go to the start. ETNZ lead out to the right boundary and tack around. IB go longer and then tack back for the line. ETNZ aim for the port end of the line and nail it. IB up to windward and it’s a drag race to the left boundary. ETNZ first to tack and look like making the cross so IB tack beneath and sit in disturbed air.

Drag race now to the right side and ETNZ gaining here. IB first to tack before the right boundary, ETNZ carry on a little further and then tack back. Both boats head to mid course on starboard before IB tacks and gets face-planted by ETNZ who are heading over to the starboard layline.

At the first gate, ETNZ take the port marker and bear away with a 24 second lead. IB follow and gybe immediately, covered by ETNZ who tack on the right boundary. IB click into good breeze left and close the distance before gybing on the left boundary. IB look rapid down this run and have already gained 100 metres. ETNZ gybe cover on IB’s line on starboard gybe, and then cover again as IB gybe back to the left boundary. ETNZ cover and cover again to set up on the port layline into the leeward gate. Ahead of the marker, ETNZ gybes and takes the port marker to round up with a delta down to 15 seconds.

IB tack immediately around the leeward gate, covered by ETNZ who are defending the right side of the course. Drag race up the course on starboard tack before IB tacks back to the right and are covered by ETNZ closely. Long port tack to the right boundary and ETNZ stepping out. IB forced to tack away and again covered by ETNZ. Long starboard tack now, following IB to the left boundary. IB tacks, covered by ETNZ with the second gate now in sight.

ETNZ bears-away at the port marker as the Race Committee lengthens the legs to 1.85 nautical miles with a lead now out to 36 seconds. IB come in on the port layline to bear away at the starboard marker and split tactics downwind initially. ETNZ gybe cover early and then bounce off the left boundary. Lead out to more than 600 metres with two legs left to run after the next leeward gate.

ETNZ gybe on the puffs down the course and come into the leeward gate, gybing onto the port layline and rounding the starboard marker (looking downwind) to head up with a lead at 40 seconds. Spotting that IB has taken the port marker to head right, ETNZ tack early to cover and then cover again at the right boundary and cover IB to the left boundary. Classic match-racing, ETNZ not allowing IB to get any leverage.

Very even upwind here, no-one stepping out but it’s boundary to boundary to boundary and ETNZ just covering IB’s every move. At the final windward gate, the wind goes light and both boats come in from the port layline with ETNZ bearing away for the run home at the starboard marker with a lead of 56 seconds. Very light now and both teams need to join up the puffs down the course. Eyeing IB’s rounding at the starboard marker, ETNZ gybe cover immediately and power down the course on starboard gybe.

ETNZ survive some downrange gybes to come into the finish line off the starboard layline having played the puffs down the right side of the course, to come in flat and record the opening win of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match. Finishing delta was timed at 41 seconds.

NEXT UP IS THE PUIG WOMEN'S AMERICA'S CUP FINAL MATCH BETWEEN ATHENA PATHWAY (GBR) AND LUNA ROSSA PRADA PIRELLI WOMEN'S TEAM

FOLLLOW THE ACTION LIVE HERE