Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 3: Team Oracle USA takes the lead
Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 3
What a difference a day makes. The gentle zephyrs of Saturday were swept away by 20+ knot winds, with gusts significantly higher. The big breeze was back in Barcelona.
Both boats set up with their smaller mainsails and J5 jibs for the strong wind conditions, which were significantly higher than forecast.
INEOS Britannia vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
As Emirates Team New Zealand happily blasted around in the background in their AC75, the British and Italian boats sat motionless beside their support RIBs as the wind test was repeatedly failed at the top end of the range (21 knots).
Alinghi Red Bull Racing was also out testing and capsized, with their port foil arm staying up, meaning they had to cut their mainsail away, eventually righting the boats and bringing it back to their base.
When both teams thought they might get racing, they let the sides of their support boats and got up foiling, but Luna Rossa broke some battens in their mainsail, meaning they had to drop the sail and either repair the problem or put up another sail.
The clock was ticking, and it was just a case of whether the wind limit would be failed again as to whether INEOS Britannia would sail around on their own.
At 14:47 local time the Race Committee signalled that the wind limit had been passed, so the British team lined up to enter the start area. Since the Italian AC75 was still alongside their support boat (outside assistance) they were instantly disqualified, handing the win to INEOS Britannia.
Luna Rossa now had 35 minutes until the next race to change their mainsail. Time waits for no one… again.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. INEOS Britannia
The Italians successfully changed mainsails out at sea, which is no mean feat with the size of these sails, and were back out sailing, ready for the next race, but, once again, the race itself was delayed as the wind speed limit was breached at the top end.
At 16:10 local time the conditions finally moderated enough for the fourth race of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final to take place.
In an aggressive pre-start, INEOS Britannia held Luna Rossa high, with the Italian boat then bearing away in front of the British AC75, avoiding a penalty as they gybed in front of them near the boundary.
The fight continued upwind with Luna Rossa tacking on top of INEOS Britannia and the British luffing and protesting again, with no penalty called and Dylan Fletcher exclaiming, “This is a joke umpires”.
Without doubt, the best race of the Louis Vuitton Cup so far with close calls, controversy, drama and passion all coming to the fore.
Overall we’re locked at 2-2 with two evenly-matched teams. A fantastic situation for America’s Cup fans around the world.
Sarah Mitchell, an experienced sailor and marine journalist from Sydney, has nurtured a love for the ocean throughout her life. After earning a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of Sydney, Sarah quickly made a name for herself with her compelling and vivid storytelling. Her work captures the thrill of sailing and the unique culture of maritime life, making her a respected figure in the sailing community. Outside of writing, Sarah spends her time exploring Australia’s stunning coastlines and competing in local regattas, always on the lookout for her next great adventure.