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Auckland, February 14, 2009
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Challenger Final Race 2 Alinghi enter on starboard, ETNZ on port. Coming back to the line for the start, Alinghi to the right of ETNZ and both setting up for the line. Bows down and heading to the left hand pin end, nearly a re-run of Race 1 start except ETNZ gets the better of it now. Both boats got a clean start heading left, and on a left shift, but unlike yesterday where they were punished by a right-hand shift, this time ETNZ benefited, squeezed up and pulled out a little ahead. Alinghi can't live there and tacks first. ETNZ quickly went after Alinghi, who came straight back, but ETNZ crossed ahead and went for the right. Alinghi sought a Port & Starboard call, but no penalty flag. Alinghi tacks and both head right. A few metres lead to ETNZ, now coming back for second cross. ETNZ cross ahead and continue left, Alinghi still heading right. Seems like ETNZ are in synch with the shifts today ETNZ tacks back, now 67 metres ahead. Alinghi trying to keep it close tacks before layline. But ETNZ gets in their wind, forces Alinghi to make two short tacks, punishing them further. Approaching the top the lead is 94m. Around the mark, delta 21 seconds to TNZ. No in-roads by Alinghi on a small gybing duel downhill. Alinghi instead do climb a little closer chasing better wind, but need another pair of gybes to take advantage of it, and in the end ETNZ actually has pulled out to 130m. Heading into the downwind rounding, ETNZ looked like they were going to take the left-hand gate. But having got Alinghi to commit to the right, ETNZ change direction and take the right too, making life difficult for Alinghi coming into the same mark. Delta is identical to the previous mark at 21 seconds. ETNZ keep a tight cover on Alinghi now and tack in synch with them. It's looking tough for Alinghi now -- do Ed and Brad have any ideas left in the bag? If it was anybody else, you might say it's game over, but Alinghi are the Cup holders for a good reason. ETNZ allow some separation, but it looks like both teams are starting to take notice of the tide which is having increased effect. This cuts down Alinghi’s chances even more. 137m lead now for ETNZ. ETNZ ends up in nice pressure with Alinghi a long way to the right. Short of gear failure, ETNZ look to have this one. They are just pulling away all the time. Both are out to the left-hand layline with ETNZ leading by over 130m. Delta is 33 seconds at mark three. Downwind on the last leg ETNZ stretches to 170m. They come in to the finish from the right, on starboard, and cross the line. Finish delta 28 seconds. Series stands at one race all and everything still to play for. Alinghi knows they have a battle on their hands, and with ETNZ having their tails up and starboard tack for the next start, it’s all set for another Cracker on the Waitemata!
Challenger Final Race 3: Pre-start: ETNZ heads back to the line with Alinghi ahead and to windward. Alinghi tacks to the right, then back onto starboard, then immediately again to port, close and a penalty looks possible. ETNZ have them. ETNZ are hard on starboard at the committee boat and push Alinghi out. Umpires are flying a blue flag, penalty to Alinghi for not giving ETNZ opportunity to keep clear under Rule 16 when she tacked. Baird swung NZL-92’s transom too far towards NZL-84. Split start, NZL leads by 95m to the right, plus they trail over the line 4 or 5 boat lengths. Leg 1: Alinghi tries to get closer in hopes of getting a penalty against ETNZ. Alinghi go bow down on port and as ETNZ go for their lee bow tack, Alinghi try to climb up and live above them and push them to the layline, but they can't live there -- reminiscent of an ETNZ move in Valencia when they passed Alinghi, but it doesn't quite work out for Alinghi this time. ETNZ extend a few meters. The tough decision is whether to go for less tide or more pressure. The navigators and tacticians are earning their money now. Looks like Alinghi have a little pressure and speed but ETNZ are in significantly less tide, which is now tearing along, and as a result ETNZ are make better VMG. Clawing up to windward to make the top mark, ETNZ forces Alinghi out, and as they bear off the gap jumps from 22m to over 70m. Nice tack set by ETNZ. Delta is 30 seconds, a big gain to ETNZ in a very short span. Leg 2: Leg 3: Leg 4: Challenger Final Race 4: The RC moved the course, allowing them to manage an expected additional shift to the left. The breeze is building per Roger “Clouds” Badham, they can expect high teens with ripping tidal current. The move means many of the spectator boats need to pull anchor and vacate the new course. Pre-start and Leg 1: Leg 2: Leg 3: Leg 4: ETNZ are winners of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, which has brought us two weeks of gripping racing. Also on this page: -- John Crisp with Reporting by Diane Swintal for CupInfo/©2009 CupInfo
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Race Reports:
Rounds Robin
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Louis Vuitton Pacific Series Press Release: Emirates Team
NZ Wins Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Emirates Team New Zealand today laid claim to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, convincingly beating the Swiss team Alinghi with three consecutive wins on a grey, rainy and windy day on the Waitemata Harbour. The home team’s come-from-behind 3-1 victory marked the end of a 15-day match racing regatta in modified America’s Cup boats that drew praise for its format and its originality from all of the nine international teams that took part. Ship’s sirens and boat horns drowned out the cheering as the Emirates boat docked alongside the Swiss team for the last time. Emirates skipper Dean Barker accepted the silver and crystal Louis Vuitton Pacific Series trophy for his team in a Moët et Chandon, champagne-soaked ceremony watched by hundreds of spectators at the regatta village in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. Today’s win reversed a losing streak that saw the New Zealand team lose four out of its previous five starts. In all, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron as the organizer and host club succeeded in starting and finish 53 races for the competitors. Brad Butterworth the Kiwi skipper and tactician for Alinghi had high praise for the event. “Its been three weeks of very good sailing here, although obviously we don’t sail very well in the rain,” Butterworth said. “But it has been fantastic. I can’t say that enough. Today was a great day. It was a little hairy for both crews. You really saw how good the crews are. We couldn’t quite close it out today but the sailing and the competition was at a really top level and that’s what we love and that’s what we want to see more of.” Yves Carcelle, president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Malletier refused to be drawn on whether his company would run a similar event in the future. “We don’t know for the moment what the future will be but I would like to concentrate on the last two weeks,” Carcelle said. “I think we’ve seen here a fantastic sports series. The teams respected one another in an amazing way. The level of the competition was extraordinary.” Racing today, the Kiwi team was on fire after its loss yesterday. Barker and his tactician Ray Davies made the right calls in the first pre-start, allowing them to convert an even start into the thin end of a winning wedge. Emirates beat Alinghi by 29 seconds after leading the helmsman Ed Baird and the Swiss team around the course to make the series 1-1. The defining moment came when a small left shift in the early part of the first leg gave Emirates the leverage to make a close, heart-stopping port tack cross, barely in front of the right-of-way Swiss boat. From there they covered Alinghi and worked the shifts to sail steadily away. The breeze was at 20 knots and gusting higher at the start of the second race when Barker/Davies helm/tactician duo shut Alinghi out before the gun while laying a penalty on the hapless Swiss and then starting clear ahead. With the penalty hanging over his head, Baird worked hard stay in touch and bring the race back to the Kiwis but without success. That made the score in the best-of-five series 2-1 for Emirates. The New Zealand team was just one win away from the series victory. Alinghi had early
control of the third start but broke off to make a start near the pin,
leaving the Kiwi boat to start at speed in the middle as the breeze got up
to 25 knots. The Swiss enjoyed a small early advantage, getting out 23
meters in front of the New Zealanders. However when Ed Baird tacked
Alinghi back on port, Emirates was there on starboard and pushed them back
to the left side. Alinghi made tack after tack in their attempt to break
through but were quickly on the port tack layline and had to follow
Emirates into the mark, rounding 29 seconds astern. New Zealand had the
upper hand and cruised to a 20-second victory. |
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Team New Zealand Press Release: Emirates Team
New Zealand has won the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series with three wins today
against Alinghi.
Starting the day one race down in the
best of five series, Emirates Team New Zealand won in style, winning the
starts and then controlling the races and remaining strong in the face of
persistent Alinghi attacks. |
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Alinghi Press Release: Alinghi
Congratulates Emirates Team New Zealand
Alinghi, Defender of the 33rd America's Cup, congratulates Emirates Team New Zealand on winning the inaugural Louis Vuitton Pacific Series Cup in Auckland, New Zealand today. Alinghi won the first match of the best of five series, but ETNZ took the next three to claim the LVPS Cup. The event has been a great opportunity to get back to some racing and the caliber of the teams – most of them 33rd America's Cup challengers – has been high for the three week event on the Waitemata. Next for these 33rd America's Cup teams are the pre-regattas scheduled for July and October this year, followed by the Spanish Challenger of Record's annual regatta in November. “This has been a great fun event, with hard competition on the water and a great atmosphere ashore,” said Brad Butterworth, team skipper and four-time America's Cup winning tactician. “We look forward to getting on with the multi-challenge America's Cup now in Valencia, starting in July this year and culminating in 2010 with the 33rd America's Cup Match.” Emirates Team New Zealand remains one of the most powerful challengers entered in the 33rd Cup: “There is no doubt, they are a very strong team and we look forward to our next match with them – hopefully in the lead up to the 33rd America's Cup. They have managed and run a very good event here in Auckland alongside Louis Vuitton," said Butterworth.
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