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Epic Match Race Duel of Shosholoza and Luna Rossa:
But Still No Points on the Board
Auckland, February 3, 2009
Battling late into the the
day, LR and South Africa capped off RR1 Day 4
with a stunner.
Photo:©2009
Giuliano Luzzatto
(Shosholoza Press Release) -- The scoreboard
simply didn't reflect the performance of South Africa's Team Shosholoza at
the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in Auckland, New Zealand today when two
masterful battles out on the race course brought no result for
the team.
Race commentators rated
Shosholoza first match of the day against Britain's Team Origin as
displaying the most aggressive pre-start tactics yet seen in the event
and when the team's second match against Italy's Luna Rossa finally ended
as dusk fell over the Hauraki Gulf Shosholoza skipper Paolo Cian was being
hailed as one of the best match racers in the world.
"It was one of the closest
and most exciting matches we've seen so far. Without doubt It was match
racing in its most extreme form where speed around the course didn't
matter. It was all about who crossed the line first," said Matt Sheahan,
racing and technical editor of Yachting World.
"There were more lead
changes in the Shosholoza/Luna Rossa match than I have seen for a very
long time. Paolo has proved -- not that he ever had to -- that he is one
of the best match racers in the world," said Sheahan.
Although clearly frustrated
at not being able to put any points on the scoreboard after three matches
so far, Cian paid tribute to his crew.
"They are well prepared for
the fight. We just need to get to the point where we can kill the
opposition. In match racing 'going for the kill" is the normal use of
words. As far as I can see we are sailing well enough to race the other
teams. We can do it," said Cian.
Keith Taylor writing the
official event press release described the tactics and maneuvers between
Shosholoza and Luna Rossa as more like those of small dinghy boat racing
than of 80 foot Cup yachts. He likened the action on the four lap race to
scrapping tigers.
The victory honors went to
Peter Holmberg skippering Luna Rossa but only after multiple lead changes
and two penalties imposed on the South African boat.
A long delay waiting for
suitable wind forced a late start to racing and nightfall was near by the
time the Italians and South Africans and had their chance to sail the race
that had been abandoned yesterday.
A tense pre-start battle led
into a close weather leg featuring lead changes and some slow-speed
jockeying for position at the weather mark. Cian was first around with an
18 second margin only to be penalized on the run as Holmberg drew level
and tried to pass. At the leeward mark Holmberg scraped in by just five
seconds ahead of the Cian.
At the second weather mark
Cian had the upper hand again and executed a series of downspeed defensive
tacks that had the boats crawling above the layline as Shosholoza's
skipper looked for an opportunity to land a penalty on Holmberg, a move
that would cancel the penalty hanging over his head.
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Photo:©2009
Giuliano Luzzatto
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An already tactical race
turned bizarre as the boats rounded and neither set spinnakers. Cian was
still hunting for an opportunity to put a penalty on Luna Rossa and
Holmberg was content to lay back and avoid one. The top half of the last
run was a series of jerky S-turns with the big mainsails slamming back and
forwards as the skippers feinted and counterpunched. Finally it was Cian
who copped a second penalty which meant he had to take the requisite
360-turn to neutralize the first. Holmberg sailed away to win by 1min9sec.
In four other races today,
China Team lost to Emirates Team New Zealand after blowing their race
start, while Luna Rossa comfortably defeated the Greek Team. BMW Oracle
Racing won by 54 seconds over Pataugas K-Challenge and Team Origin beat
Shosholoza by 48 seconds.
With one day's competition
remaining in the first round robin, the scores are: Pool A ? Emirates Team
New Zealand, 3; Damiani Italia Challenge, 2; BMW Oracle Racing, 2;
Pataugas K Challenge, 1; China Team, 0. Pool B ? TEAM ORIGIN, 3; Alinghi,
2; Luna Rossa, 2; Greek Challenge, 0, Team Shosholoza, 0.
Shosholoza faces the Swiss Team Alinghi on Day 5 of the event tomorrow.
Links of
Interest:
CupInfo's main LVPS
page
Visit the Official LVPS Web Site
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