It’s race day seven on the final weekend of the Louis Vuitton Cup and it could be a campaign-deciding day for the teams fighting for survival and their place in the semi-finals that start on Saturday 14 September – one week from today.
We have a crucial couple of matches on this five-race day and one of the key match-ups is INEOS Britannia against Alinghi Red Bull Racing with the British coming off a double-defeat day on Thursday, whilst the Swiss are riding high after a crucial win against NYYC American Magic that secured them a vital point in the overall standings.
Straight after, we have NYYC American Magic against Orient Express Racing Team where the French will be desperate to score a point to match the Swiss on two points and potentially take the Louis Vuitton Cup to a race-off.
The stakes simply couldn’t be higher, and we are looking at a shifting wind that is clocking around the compass this morning and may take a while to settle into a steady south-south-westerly ‘Garbi’ breeze. Iain Murray, Race Director, briefed the media this morning, suggesting 8 to 12 knots of breeze filling in and a residual sea-state that should calm through the afternoon.
Five races, five stories to be written in this thrilling Louis Vuitton Cup.
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NYYC American Magic (Port Entry) vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
The Americans will be eyeing a good showing here against the in-form Italians and at the start it’s blowing up to 13 knots with a running swell. An even start sees Luna Rossa tack off to port straight after the start and take the right-hand boundary. Magic tacks to cover and at the first cross it’s Luna Rossa that legs out just in front by a boatlength.
Italians showing great pointing ability and head far left after the first tack, but a slow tack from them allows Magic to re-take the lead and perform a lee-bow tack that doesn’t quite work as again the Italians go into high mode. Advantage back to Luna Rossa. A slow tack and bear-away at the first gate with a 14 second advantage leaves the door open for Magic who bear-away and head to the right (looking downwind) and make immediate gains. At the bottom gate with the boats taking alternate markers, the delta is down to just three seconds to Italy. Close race – good job from the Americans to keep it tight.
The second beat sees nothing to choose between the two boats but tactically Magic comes back with starboard advantage from the right boundary and seizes the lead mid-way to the second gate. Super close, the right boundary seems to pay aligned with the starboard advantage and Luna Rossa seize the lead back again. A huge squeeze-up on the port layline, gasses Magic and Luna are off on the second run with a seven second advantage.
An early gybe cover sees a long port stint with very little to choose between the boats at 40 knots, but as the layline nears, it’s noticeable how much lower the VMG angles are on Luna Rossa and they round the second leeward gate with a 19 second lead. Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni have clearly worked these conditions out and are playing the phases brilliantly with an on-water lead in excess of 350 metres. At the final windward mark, the Italians come in on the port layline having increased their lead to some 26 seconds – devastating upwind performance from Luna Rossa. No mistake on the final leg as the breeze became readable, Luna Rossa slapped the gybe cover on, made no mistakes and recorded a 22 seconds win. Outstanding racecraft and outright boatspeed from Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli who remain unbeaten by the other Challengers.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli bt. NYYC American Magic (22 seconds)
