TWO RACE WEDNESDAY AT THE LOUIS VUITTON 37th AMERICA’S CUP MATCH

For Emirates Team New Zealand, the Defender of the Louis Vuitton 37^th America’s Cup, they will be looking to keep the scoreboard ticking over and apply maximum pressure. At 4-0 they are in a commanding position but are well aware of how the British have been able to adapt and improve through all the previous rounds and, after 24 hours to work on the boat, will come out looking to change the momentum.

For INEOS Britannia, who trained yesterday off Barcelona, they will be seeking to get their first points of the Match and hope to find another gear to shift into. A race win now is vital to engender belief in the team that they can take this series all the way. At 4-0 down it’s a tough ask but the resources that INEOS Britannia have are deep and highly technical. It’s a big day for them.

Racing gets underway at 14:10 with Emirates Team New Zealand entering from the port side in the first race. Windspeed is expected to be in the 7-12 knot range as the afternoon thermals build across the Mediterranean. Expect pre-start fireworks – this race will be unmissable.

CHECK BACK HERE AT 14:00 FOR LIVE COVERAGE FROM THE RACECOURSE OF THE LOUIS VUITTON 37^TH AMERICA’S CUP MATCH

Race 5

It’s light across the course with windspeed around 7-8 knots, above the wind limit of 6.5 knots, so racing gets underway on time with the course legs set at 1.5 nautical miles. ETNZ come in from the port side bang on at 2 minutes 10 seconds, IB comes in on starboard a little late. IB head up with ETNZ following and immediately fall off the foils in the win-wash of IB who carry on to the left boundary. ETNZ struggling to get back up and foiling as IB comes back on port tack along the start line and cross over ETNZ to funnel more wing-wash back to them. IB tack around at the port end of the line and then execute a dip-line start, again crossing ETNZ who are wallowing in displacement.

ETNZ starts uncontested and heads for the left boundary and builds enough speed to execute the first tack. ETNZ trying to build speed towards the right boundary but have to tack onto starboard before going out of bounds and are on starboard trying to build speed into the considerable seaway. IB sailing away uncontested and the battle now is to stay on the foils over the remaining 6 legs.

IB sailing wide angles to stay on the foils as the top mark approaches whilst ETNZ gets up on the foils some 1600 metres behind. IB select the port marker and bear-away at 39 knots to go right down the first run initially (looking downwind). A gybe before the boundary on a big shift allows IB to almost point at the leeward gate on port gybe and they are rocketing downwind on the waveforms.

A gybe low down the course sees IB round-up at the starboard gate as ETNZ rounds the top gate some 2 minutes 15 seconds behind. IB go left initially and then tack to get to the right, crossing behind ETNZ who are approaching the leeward gate. IB’s lead down to 1200 metres but they are uncontested at the second windward gate, sailing onto the port layline and bearing away at the starboard marker with three legs left to run.

IB sail down the left of the course to just before the boundary and then gybe onto a long starboard gybe down to the lower right side and the starboard layline. ETNZ round 1 minute and 47 seconds behind and follow the same course as IB down the left initially. IB gybe on the layline and come into the leeward gate to round the port marker and head to the right side of the course. Race Committee announce a lengthening of the course legs to 1.55 nautical miles as the breeze comes in at the top of the course to 9-11 knots.

ETNZ round at the port marker 1 minute and 36 seconds behind as the Race Committee lengthen the finishing leg to 1.7 nautical miles. IB sail up the right side of the course and bear away at the port marker for the run to the finish and hold on starboard before a gybe at the boundary to come down the course on port gybe. All about minimising manoeuvres here. ETNZ round 1 minute and 29 seconds behind.

IB gybe before the left boundary and come out high to stay on the foils on starboard gybe. One more gybe on the starboard layline is nailed and INEOS Britannia sails across the line to record their first win of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match. It’s 4-1. ETNZ comes across the line 1 minute and 18 seconds behind.

INEOS Britannia bt Emirates Team New Zealand (78 seconds)

Race 6

With the breeze up above 11 knots, race 6 of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match gets underway on time with INEOS Britannia (IB) coming into the start box bang on time from the port side and making the cross before heading up and going into a tack, sailing above the line. ETNZ hunts to leeward before IB tack and try to roll over ETNZ on their way to the right boundary. ETNZ first to gybe at the boundary, ETNZ set up to leeward and astern before tacking away to the right off the line. IB starts some 10 knots faster at the starboard end of the line and head left before tacking to engage with ETNZ at the right boundary.

IB clear ahead at the first cross and ignore the opportunity to cover, heading hard over to the right boundary before tacking. ETNZ head left in clear air and tack at the left boundary to then cross behind IB who sail to the port layline. ETNZ sets up on the starboard layline and aims for the port marker, 6 seconds behind. ETNZ heads to the right (looking downwind) and bounces off the boundary to come across on port gybe. IB clear ahead by 150 metres.

IB allow ETNZ to cross behind and sail on to the left side of the course before gybing back as ETNZ splits the phase and sails down on starboard gybe to the right of the course. IB set up on the port layline to the leeward gate and round the starboard marker with the lead up to 9 seconds. ETNZ head to the right boundary up the second beat as IB goes left initially and then tacks to cover.

At the first cross, IB clear ahead and heads out to the right side with the lead up to 160 metres. Minimising tacks, IB sails to the left side of the course with the pressure building before tacking back to engage mid course with ETNZ and still clear ahead. IB set up on the starboard layline and head for the port marker as ETNZ sets up on the port layline. IB round 9 seconds ahead and head to the right downwind whilst ETNZ had to pinch to get around the starboard marker and head left.

At the first gybe IB splashes down on the back of a wave and washes off some speed but cross ETNZ mid course with a lead at 265 metres. ETNZ head down the course on starboard gybe to the right, covered by IB and both boats gybe on the right boundary to come into the leeward gate on the starboard layline. Rounding up at the port marker, IB’s lead now at 16 seconds as ETNZ perform a slow gybe at the gate to round the starboard marker.

Up the second beat and IB tack before the boundary to cover ETNZ out left and as they cross mid-course, IB’s lead is out to some 200 metres. IB keeping a loose positional cover on ETNZ so as not to give up any leverage and as ETNZ tacks back from the right, IB wait for a pressure build before tacking to cover. IB set up on the starboard layline and bear-away at the port marker with their lead up to 13 seconds. ETNZ split tactics and round the starboard marker.

On this eight leg course, leg 6 sees IB lose a little bit of distance as ETNZ clicks into pressure off the left top quadrant and closes to within 120 metres as the breeze is down to 9-10 knots. Both boats sail a long port gybe and IB gybe before the gate to take the starboard marker just 7 seconds behind.

As both boats come back together mid-course, IB just ahead and gybe on the ETNZ line forcing EWTNZ to gybe away back left. The lead is now just 70 metres and ETNZ come back across on starboard gybe but IB cross and aim for the finish line to win by 7 seconds. The scoreline is now 4-2 in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match.

INEOS Britannia bt Emirates Team New Zealand (7 seconds)