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INEOS Britannia Secures Second Place in Challengers Leaderboard at Louis Vuitton Cup
INEOS Britannia, competing as the Challenger of Record for the Royal Yacht Squadron in the 37th America’s Cup, currently holds the second position on the Challengers Leaderboard following an eventful Day 3 at the Louis Vuitton Cup (Challenger Selection Series).
It was a challenging double race day for the British team, beginning with a match against Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI), followed by a race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA). The crew, led by Ben Ainslie, managed to secure a victory in their first race but faced a defeat against the Italians, who now lead the leaderboard.
In the initial race versus Alinghi, INEOS Britannia executed a well-planned pre-start strategy, maneuvering effectively to leave the Swiss team behind. This allowed them to gain a significant lead of over 1000m by the time Alinghi crossed the start line. However, as they reached the sixth and final leg, the challenging light wind conditions caused them to lose speed and temporarily fall off their foils after a critical gybe. Despite this, Ainslie’s crew persevered and managed to regain speed, finishing the race with a time advantage of 1 minute and 25 seconds, securing their second point.
Reflecting on the race, INEOS Britannia Team Principal and Skipper Ben Ainslie remarked on the unpredictability of the competition: “It’s a great example of why you can’t take any of these races for granted. We had a great lead there, but it just went light for us on that gybe and we fell off the foils as the Swiss were coming for us. You’ve just got to stay calm in those situations, and everyone on that boat did the best they could to get us back up on the foils.”
In their subsequent race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the Italians utilized a 15-minute delay due to a damaged jib, which shifted the dynamics of the race. When racing resumed, both teams started strong, with INEOS Britannia initially taking the lead. However, the lead fluctuated throughout the first leg until Luna Rossa seized the advantage, taking advantage of a slow maneuver from INEOS Britannia. The British team faced another setback when they fell off their foils during the third leg, which resulted in them finishing 2 minutes and 25 seconds behind the Italians, marking their first loss in the challenger series.
Trimmer Leigh McMillan from INEOS Britannia commented on their performance: “We had a really good start against Luna Rossa, and we had the jump on the first split, but they got a bit of extra breeze and then we had a tricky gybe and fell off the foils again. Overall, I feel like we are making really good gains, and there are lots of positives to take away as we continue to push forward.”
The day’s other races saw NYYC American Magic face off against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in a closely contested match, which ended in favor of the Italians. Emirates Team New Zealand competed against the French Orient Express Racing Team, while the French encountered their own challenges, resulting in another DNF (Did Not Finish) situation in their subsequent race against American Magic.
The Round Robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup continues, with INEOS Britannia scheduled to compete against the Orient Express Racing Team (FRA) tomorrow. Stay tuned for further updates as the competition progresses.
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Emily Carter, a seasoned sailor and marine journalist from Vancouver, has a deep-seated passion for the ocean that has shaped her career. With a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of British Columbia, Emily has become known for her captivating and detailed storytelling. Her work vividly portrays the excitement of sailing and the distinct maritime culture of Canada, earning her a respected place in the sailing community. When not writing, Emily enjoys navigating the rugged coastlines of British Columbia and participating in local regattas, always eager to embark on her next maritime adventure.
