LVC Report: Chris Dickson is the Comeback Kid of Round 2
VALENCIA, Spain-At 10 a.m. this morning, the wind on the North Course was blowing out of the west at 19 knots. It looked like it was going to be a great day of racing. By 1 p.m., there was barely enough wind to ruffle the flags and it looked like the schedule would be further compressed by Valencia's oddest spring weather in years. Then a moderate, shifty southerly filled and two flights were completed. Of the 10 races, just one went to the underdog, but that doesn't begin to tell the story of the day. A more telling number is 75 percent, which is a conservative estimate at the amount of time BMW Oracle Racing trailed in its two races, both of which it won. Or how about eight of 10, which is the number of races decided by less than 62 seconds. Hear Gavin Brady talk about the key moment in the team's second race, against Victory Challenge, as BMW Oracle made the pass at the second windward mark, in this audio clip. The situation was this, Victory Challenge had the starboard advantage so BMW Oracle Racing set up a little high on the starboard-tack layline. Victory tried to slow down, dial down the American team and then tack. But Dickson had enough room to take Victory's stern and sneak between that boat and the mark. From there boat teams went into an extended luffing match, with Victory eventually tacking away.The one actual upset could have big ramifications. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia made the first major switch of the regatta, replacing helmsman Flavio Flavini with Cameron Dunn. After 5 straight losses, syndicate CEO Vincenzo Onorato decided he had to make a change. It paid off today, with a crucial win over Desafío Español. The Spanish still have a strong hold on fourth, but they can't afford any more mistakes. Match NotesFlight 3Desafío Español vs. Areva ChallengeSeb Col, of Areva, appeared to win the start, taking the pin while Desafío Español was forced to double tack late in the countdown and start on starboard near the boat. However, Areva was never able to get enough of an advantage on the left. They missed a puff that lifted and accelerate the Spanish team. Areva was bounced out to the left a few times before both boats settled into a long port tack, with Desafío motoring away and opening up a 160-meter lead by the windward mark. From that point, there was little the French could do but follow them around the track. Seb Col talks about the difficuly of racing against a faster boat (which Areva did in both races today, against the Spanish and Emirates Team New Zealand) in this audio clip.Desafío Español wins by 30 seconds+39 Challenge vs. Emirates Team New ZealandThis start saw ETNZ start at the pin with +39 a little further up the line. The Italian team hung gamely on the first beat, but ETNZ's speed was too strong. Much like the earlier race, there was few passing lanes in this one. Nice to see +39 fight all the way around the track, and actually stay relatively close, they were only 44 seconds behind at the second windward mark.Emirates Team New Zealand wins by 45 secondsUnited Internet Team Germany vs. Luna Rossa ChallengeJesper Bank seemed on the defensive from the start, finally with 1 minute remaining, Luna Rossa helmsman was able to force UITG into picking up a penalty on a windward-leeward situation. Not how Germany wanted to start. Strange start in this one, Luna Rossa at the boat on starboard, with Germany tacking on to port and starting at the pin and crossing right behind the Italian team.Luna Rossa Challenge wins by 1:02China Team vs. Victory ChallengeChina Team ripped its main before the start went in to replace main, very late arriving to course, sailing with just a genoa. After entering the box, VC headed for them to prevent them from entering, but eventually returnedto line and started on time, by itself. China Team cleared both penalties, for not starting on time, as soon as it could and sailed under genoa alone up the course. Raised the main halfway up beat, but spent more time sailing with BMW Oracle Racing and Shosholoza, the match that started 5 minutes behind it.Victory Challenge wins by 11:49Team Shosholoza vs. BMW Oracle RacingChris Dickson controlled the prestart, Team Shosholoza was downspeed, even stalled, for much of the time. But the South African team pulled it together enough to tight to leeward of BMW Oracle Racing, which started at the boat. Shosholoza showing impressive speed, hanging, even gaining, on long starboard tack. BMW Oracle is the first to blink, tacking away after nearly 5 minutes of close-quarters sailing. Shosholoza soon follows and lifts away to build a solid lead. Rather than cover, Shosholoza tactician Tomasso Chieffi sailed his own race on the first, switching sides a number of times. BMW Oracle gradually ate into the lead, but was never able to gain control, Shosholoza carried BMW Oracle Racing way past the starboard layline and was able round just in front, though BMW Oracle Racing had the better set. Shosholoza held the lead on a long port run and then had the jibe of its regatta, filling before BMW Oracle Racing. The American team unable to roll over the top, but claimed the starboard advantage with a nifty jibe. Shosholoza took it back a moment later and added two seconds to the 7-second advantage it had at the top mark. BMW Oracle Racing following Shosholoza around the right-hand gate and then rolled right into a tack. Shosholoza again decided to sail its own race and the two boats split well apart. Skipper Mark Sadler explains that decision in this audio clip. On the long tack back together BMW Oracle Racing appeared to get the lead it needed, rounded the windward mark with a 24-second lead, and extended from there.BMW Oracle Racing wins by 43 secondsFlight 4Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia vs. Desafío EspañolOne of the more combative prestarts we've seen, but MLC, with starting helmsman Jes Graham Hansen at the wheel, takes DE to school, winning the left side and forcing DE to be late and slow at the gun. MLC, with new helmsman Cameron Dunn at the wheel, controls the first beat.DE cuts into the lead on the run, the Spanish boat is quick off the wind. Plus MLC comes into the gate in no man's land, and has to douse early, further reducing the lead, which was 23 seconds around the top mark, but just 10 as the boats head back upwind. MLC added 5 seconds to its lead on the beat. Desafío appeared to take a few risks on the run, none paid.Mascazlona Latino-Capitalia wins by 35 secondsAreva Challenge vs. Emirates Team New ZealandEach team appear to get what it wanted from the start, Areva halfway down, ETNZ at the boat. However Areva was late, handing the early lead and the starboard advantage to ETNZ, which it used to bounce the French team toward the port-tack layline. Areva really hung tough on the beat, but didn't seem to have the speed down the run. ETNZ built enough of a lead on the run to go into loose-cover mode on the final beat.Emirates Team New Zealand wins by 59 secondsChina Team vs. United Internet Team Germany Jesper Bank dominated prestart, China Team, which had to transfer an injured sailor to the medical boat just before the start, was slow and late. From there it was all over, though the teams did engage in a furious tacking duel, 29 tacks, up the first beat.United Internet Team Germany wins by 2:16Luna Rossa Challenge vs. Team ShosholozaJames Spithill put LR in a very strong position, to leeward of Shosholoza as the boats sailed on port tack above the committee boat. Shosholoza just able to get out of jail and get down below the line. LR jibed toward boat, tacking at the boat at the gun. Shosholoza started at the pin, with speed. Nice recovery for the South African team. Long starboard tack, then both tacked to port, very much bow to bow. LR gained steadily up the beat. But surprisingly Shosholoza gained on the run, really eating into the LR lead. In the end though the South Africans couldn't get close enough to make the pass.Luna Rossa Challenge wins by 25 seconds.BMW Oracle Racing vs. Victory ChallengeMagnus Holmberg seemed particularly aggressive in the prestart, really taking it to BMW Oracle Racing. In the end it was a very even start, VC to windward, BMW fairly tight to leeward. VC rolls right into a tack, and controls the right all the way up the beat. A massive tacking duel with Victory Challenge holding the lead up the beat. The boats split near the top mark, Victory picking up a late right shift to hold, then stalled a bit, dialed BWM Oracle down and forced Dickson into two quick tacks. Really nice match racing move by Victory. Long port tack run, BMW Oracle first to blink and jibe away. Victory stayed strong on the run and held the lead through the gate. A big tacking duel up the course, with BMW Oracle again tacking and accelerating better than Victory, but Victory holding on to the starboard advantage. Grinder Joe Spooner talks about what the sailing team thinks of USA-98 in this audio clip.Coming into the mark bow to bow, Victory tried to pull the same maneuver as last time, but Dickson had more room and was able to sneak in between Victory, which was tacking, and the mark. Then a thrilling luffing match ensued, with Victory eventually tacking off, the transoms missing by inches, and setting. Victory split to the center of the course, then jibed back. At one point, said Gavin Brady, Victory was six lengths ahead. But the wind went back left, and BMW Oracle took the win.BMW Oracle Racing wins by 14 seconds.
