LVC Report: China Team Upsets Top Dog
LVC Report: China Team Upsets Top Dog
VALENCIA, Spain-On a day that seemed tailormade for the favorites, chaos reigned in the Louis Vuitton Cup. Of the 5 matches in Flight 2, two ended in significant upsets, while a third was one mechanical breakdown from ending in an upset as well. In that third match, we had the closest finish in Louis Vuitton Cup history. All in all a remarkable day, and there were still two matches from Flight 1 still to be sailed.The remainder of Flight 1 was just as exciting, with +39 taking Areva Challenge right down to the wire and Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia battling hard against Emirates Team New Zealand. To here Sailing World's Audio report from Valencia, click here.Match ReportsTeam Shosholoza vs. United Internet Team GermanyA fairly even prestart with GER-89 to leeward. Team Shosholoza used better speed and the right-hand advantage to build a solid lead on the first beat. The South African team looked strong in this one. Or the Germany crew looked quite weak. But either way a vital win for Shosholoza.Team Shosholoza wins by 1:23BMW Oracle Racing vs. China TeamEven with the backup crew on the boat-Sten Mohr driving and Bertrand Pacé calling tactics, the American team won the prestart and was on its way to an easy win. Then in what has to be the biggest surprise of the regatta, it was the BMW Oracle team that suffered a mechanical failure with the wind reaching into the mid-teens. The team had one jib blow out of the track, allowing China Team past. When a second genoa blew out of the track, BWM Oracle Racing was forced to sail the remainder of the leg bareheaded, allowing China Team to build a 5-minute lead. BMW Oracle Racing was able to get a jib up on the run and then chopped aggressive into the lead. But China Team, despite sailing quite nervously around the course, was able to hold on for the win. BMW Oracle Racing Design Coordinator Ian Burns explains what failed in this audio clip.China Team wins by 3:15Luna Rossa Challenge vs. Victory ChallengeVictory fought gamely in this one, keeping even with the Italian team on the first beat, and rounding right behind them. But after being unable to close the gap on the first run, when Luna Rossa flew a symmetric spinnaker and Victory chose an a-sail, Victory appeared to take some chances on the second beat and Luna Rossa jumped out to a 200-meter lead. VC closed on the second run, but couldn't overtake Spithill and his team, who moved into a tie for first place.Luna Rossa Challenge wins by 27 secondsAreva Challenge vs. Mascalzone Latino-CapitaliaAn even prestart that saw Areva tack off for the boat and MLC hit the line with not a foot to spare. But the French crew used the starboard advantage to build a small lead on the first beat. MLC overhauled to windward on a long starboard jibe, but Areva aggressively luffed and retook the lead and picked up a penalty as well. On the next beat, with the boats bow to bow, both on starboard tack, and on the port-tack layline, MLC skipper Vasco Vascotto tried to equalize the penalty, but Seb Col, the Areva helmsman, was able to stay out of trouble and roll past. MLC crossed the line first after a very even run, but having not done its penalty turn. The win went to Areva.Areva Challenge wins by 2:06+39 Challenge vs. Desafío EspanolIain Percy, the helmsman of the cash-strapped +39 syndicate took Karol Jablonski to school in the prestart, locking the Spanish team to windward of the committee boat. The Italian boat, which with its noticeable mast rake should be good in heavier breeze, remained in control for the first beat, bouncing Desafío out past the starboard layline. By the time the two boats reached the leeward mark, +39 Challenge had a large lead. But disaster struck as the two boats sailed on port away from the leeward gate. There was a jib sheet malfunction and +39 Challenge was forced to lower the jib partway to get it reattached. By that time the lead was down to a boatlength, which remarkably +39 Challenge was able to hold to the windward mark. There, though, a slow set brought the Spanish right back into the game. For much of the run, it looked as if Percy and his crew, certainly the "rag-tag bunch" of this Cup, would hold on. But with absolutely no time to spare Desafío Español rolled to windward of +39, dove for the line, and won by a single second. A gripping race, a heartbreaking finish for +39 Challenge. Iain Percy, 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the Finn class and +39 helmsman, dissects his team's performance in this audio clip.Desafío Español wins by 1 secondRemainder of Flight 1Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia TeamSplit-tack start with MLC on port at the boat and ETNZ at the pin. Quick tacks by both boats, first cross to ENTZ, which held onto the left side. Synchronized tacking up the beat until ETNZ could cross and take the right side and build a 100-meter lead at the first mark. MLC jibed first, may have picked up a bit on the left side. But on MLC's return to the left, ETNZ quickly doubled its lead, rounded over 30 seconds in front at the leeward gate and slapped on a firm cover as the breeze started to get soft into the evening. MLC picked up a huge shift and closes to within a boatlength in a matter of seconds. From there the lead was like a rubber band as the breeze got all sorts of crazy. ETNZ called a perfect layline and able to stretch away just a bit.As both boats charged down the run, MLC went into a jibe. As the spinnaker loaded up, the pole broke knocking the bowman into the water, though he was recovered by the afterguard. The team immediately broke out a splice, took about 5 minutes to fix the pole, but it didn't hold up. Remarkably MLC closed the gap while sailing without a pole, but was unable to get close enough to challengeEmirates Team New Zealand wins by 25 seconds.Areva Challenge vs. +39 ChallengeAreva was even closer to the line that MLC was earlier in the day. Very aggressive line call by Seb Col and bowman Sean Couvreaux. +39, however, won the beat. Areva Challenge made up the lead by calling a very thin port-tack layline. But +39 Challenge really sailed well, making life difficult for Areva in a race they had to win. Areva closed the gap in the last quarter of the first run, getting to within a couple of boatlengths. Both boats chose the right-side gate mark and rolled into a simultaneous tack. Areva ground back on the beat and the boats rounded bow to stern, Areva in the lead. On a long starboard jibe, +39 tried to repay what it received earlier on the final run from the Spanish, and roll over Areva. Both boats when into a jibe, neither went well, and as +39 was tried to roll over the top of Areva, the spinnaker touched Areva's stern, effectively ending an exhilarating match.Areva Challenge wins by 1:11
