2007 32nd America's Cup

No Shame?

ETNZ92 VS DE97
Day eight of the semifinals got underway in rather windy and choppy conditions. Boats were slicing, slapping and crashing through the water but this did not affect the result in the end. ETNZ came out on top by a large margin.

The Desafio Espanol made a slight error in the pre start and that mistake cost them the race. The Kiwis capitalised on this mistake and pulled away from the Spanish all the time. By nearing the 3 mark the ETNZ had well over 200M on the DE. At rounding the 3rd mark, the delta was 1 minute at that time.

The spinnaker was set for the last time and they powered down the final leg for the last time between these two and sailed confidently into the finish buoys some 1 minute and 13 seconds ahead of the Desafio Espanol.

What does this mean? It means that the score is now 5-2 to the ETNZ and the exhilirating run in the Americas Cup has come to an end for the team Desafio Espanol. They should not be down or anything though, i'm sure they achieved more that they expected. This win for the ETNZ also means that they will face off with the Italian team and boat, Luna Rossa on June 1 to see who will me the challenger to the defending boat, MSC Allingi.
Untill June 1 see you all. In terms of updates.

LR94 VS ETNZ92, First Blood Drawn

Welcome back to the updates of the LV cup.

Today is June first and was the resumption of the Louis Vitton cup and that start of the Finals.
Team New Zealand took the early lead in the finals and makes the score 1-0.
Now The Italians have to play catch up.

The battle to gain the initiative in the prestart was on and both boats went through the start almost on par. The ETNZ went through the start 1 second ahead of the LR and kept in front for the entire race. By the first mark, the ETNZ was a whole 12 seconds ahead on Delta. However, great work and skills displayed by the Italians ensured that they closed this gap tremendously. Nearing mark 2...

Mark 2: At the second mark the Luna Rossa was only 9 seconds behind on Delta.. gaining some 3 seconds. They both took the right gate and proceeded upwind. The ETNZ maintained the lead enroute to the third marker but was not in a comfortable lead. The LR was no more than 60M at maximum behind and closing on the third marker, the gap decreased but not by much.

Mark 3: The Luna Rossa was 11 seconds behind on Delta. With a perfect relaunch of the spinnaker for the ETNZ, they sealed the command on the final leg. Gybes dominated the later part of the third leg between both boats. The LR managed to close in by being just 32M behind the ETNZ. Tremendous sailing by the Italians despite being behind, the final gybe almost put LR in a beautiful winning position but in the end, ETNZ held on and finished 8 seconds ahead.

LR94 VS ETNZ92, Cat And Mouse

The second race of the Final of the Louis Vitton final got underway today...
James Spithill almost forced a penalty in the prestart but for some reason due to great skill, got away with a maneuver that could have been disastrous. None the less, the ETNZ took the initiative and on the way to the first marker with some 70M or 2.5 boat lengths. Nearing the first mark the ETNZ had near 95M on the Luna Rossa.

Mark 1: With nearly a 6 boat lentgh in advantage, Dean Barker and ETNZ easily rounded the first mark a whole 25 seconds ahead on Delta. LR executed a very sharp turn to decrease the deficit but the deficit seemed to increase. LR then tried a number of gybes.

Mark 2: Even further behind by the second mark, the LR lost 10 more seconds by the time they rounded mark 2. This meant that the Delta increased to 35 seconds. Powering up to the third mark, the ETNZ had some 165M on the LR.

Mark 3: By mark 3, the LR lost 2 more seconds and 37 seconds behind the the ETNZ on Delta. The ETNZ powers away as if almost under motor power downwind on the final leg. The LR could not even knock off a couple seconds, instead the Delta increased. The ETNZ powered through the finish line amazingly 40 seconds ahead of the LR.

This now means that the ETNZ are now 2 and the LR, 0. The third day becomes a must win situation of the Italians on board the Luna Rossa or else.. they could face a grim situation. Remember what happened to the BMWO.

For me I would like to see ETNZ win, I love their determination and tactics. Love their boat too...very colourful...
and how things are going right now i think I can see the ETNZ facing up with the Alinghi. I think the Alinghi as defenders could beat them though but racing takes place on the waters and not in our minds.

LR94 VS ETNZ92, How To Get Out Of A Hole?

Initially, the 3rd race of the Finals of the Louis Vitton Americas Cup got started in light 8 knot winds but picked up as the race got underway.

Finally the Luna Rossa gets a great start from the prestart and initially took a boat length lead. You could start to think that maybe the LR had the chance to pull one back. With the boats spread over 200M apart, the aim is simple, to take the lead. Amazingly, the Emirates team New Zealand crawled back into a near lead situation and was in good shape towards the first mark with a 60+M lead. Halfway up to the first mark, the ETNZ were 97M ahead. Some 'miracle winds' pushed the ETNZ way into the lead and a big one at the first mark.

Mark 1: The LR was 40 seconds behind on Delta at mark 1. The lead seemingly increased for the ETNZ. With kites raised, the battle was on to see who could overtake who and capitalize. However, this did not happen because the ETNZ extended their lead and made sure there was no comming back for the Italians. Nearing mark 2, the lead increased substantially.

Mark 2: LR were 55 seconds behind on mark 2. ETNZ took the right gate and LR took the left, opposite sides really. With kites dropped into the respective sewers, they drag raced for the third mark.

Mark 3: At mark 3 the ETNZ continued their 55 second Delta advantage. A slight glitch in the raising
raising the kite was no problem for the ETNZ as they powered downwind on the last lef. The reality was rubbed further in the skins of the crew of the LR as well as the Italian fans. The ETNZ sailed confidently across the finish nearly a minute ahead of the LR.

What does this mean? The LR are now 0 and the ETNZ are 3. What a day in jubilation the Kiwis must be experiencing. After the rest day tommorow, racing starts back on Tuesday. This is when the LR MUST WIN or else we can then really see who will face the Alinghi, even though it is lightly evident.

Luna Rossa is 'cooked' to say in Bajan terms, the score is 3-0. ETNZ are practically starring Alinghi in the face right now. Best score to 9 races wins. and ETNZ are already 3. If they get to 5 then it is obvious the LR can't win. Even if they won all the rest of races it would be 5-4. LR has to win all the other races with out fail in order to stay in contention.

LR94 VS ETNZ92, Must Win!

With a rather normal prestart, the boats got underway on race four, June 5th. The Luna Rossa were in a must win situation and both teams recieved a pretty good start. Luna Rossa took the right side and ETNZ the left. The Luna Rossa found pretty good favour with the wind and for the first time of the finals, the LR enjoyed a three boat length lead in the begining. Dramatically, the ETNZ tacked to the right hand side and found some favourable pressure which gave them better boat speed and the lead! The boats round mark 1.

Mark 1: The ETNZ had a sizable lead when they rounded the first mark 19 seconds ahead of the Luna Rossa. They (Kiwis) set the spinnaker flawlessly and were underway downwind. About halfway downwind to the second mark, the ETNZ pressed 90+M lead on the Luna Rossa. With the course adjusted by 10 degrees from 065 to 075 degrees, it seemd to favour the Kiwis.

Mark 2: At Delta, the ETNZ extended the lead to 54 seconds rounding the closer gate. Unbelievably, the Luna Rossa chose the far gate and paid the price, so to speak. They lost two boat lengths by doing this extra run to the lower gate. By doing this, when they rounded, the Luna Rossa were nearly 190+M behind the ETNZ. It was then, an all out drag race to the 3rd mark. This leg was filled with gybes and tacks, each team trying to force error to each other but it remained the ETNZ in a giant lead towards the 3rd mark.

Mark 3: The ETNZ rounded the third mark and added 6 seconds on advantage over their mark 2 Delta, wich means at mark 3 they were exactly a full minute (60seconds) ahead of the Luna Rossa. With a pretty good Kite set, the ETNZ powered towards the finish on the final leg. At this time the LR really lost it and mostlikely gave up. The point was just to finish the race now.

What does this mean? ETNZ are now 4 and LR, 0. An almost impossible position to comeback from now. So it is almost safe to say that the Alinghi will face the ETNZ for the 32nd Americas Cup. What is next for the Italians?

LR94 VS ETNZ92, The Writing Is On The Wall

A very close start at the beginning but the ETNZ seemed to have the slight initial advantage going ahead by 1 second. With 16M lead, Dean Barker made early inroads. Up to the first mark, the lead extended to about four boat lengths.

Mark 1: The ETNZ rounded the first mark first and set spinnaker flawlessly but 20 seconds ahead. Eventhough the Luna Rossa set flawlessly as well, they were initially 86+M behind on the downwind run. By this point the race between the two boats started to become closer. Just at a time when the Italians appeared to be making progress in catching up, mark 2 was in sight. The ETNZ took theright gate at mark 2.

Mark 2: The Delta on advantage remained the same for the ETNZ at 20 seconds and the LR had to play some catch up. The LR decides to follow the ETNZ around the right gate. The opposite to yesterday at the same mark. In light winds, they dragraced upwind towards the 3rd mark.

Mark 3: Amazingly at each mark they boats did not seem to pull away any further or closer in terms of the Delta times. Again, the ETNZ rounded the 3rd mark 20 seconds ahead of the LR. With LR realizing that they have to throw everything, a series of gybes get them alot closer to the ENZ, in fact they closed the gap to about one and a half boat lengths but a sprint to the finish reveals only one winner. Team New Zealand sailed across the line 20 seconds ahead. For the first time open celebrations were evident on board the ETNZ

This means that the ETNZ are 5 and the Luna Rossa 0. It also means that it is final and that the Kiwis will indeed face the Alinghi in the Americas cup on June 23.

Does she start to sing as yet or she has to wait untill June 23?

Well K1W1, you saw what happned when LR blanked BMWO 5-1 and they got cocky and overconfident comming into the finals and got blanked 5-0 by the Kiwis.
Today is the first time I actually saw the Kiwis/crew celebrating openly, they normally were reserved about their wins untill now. So they should keep this confidence in check as they still have the biggest task at hand, start June 23.

Americas Cup ETNZ92, SUI100

Welcome back to reports of the Americas Cup racing. This time we will see if the Emirates Team New Zealand will work wonders once again against the defender, the Alinghi. The Alinghi will be looking to make sure that they retain this coveted defender title.

ETNZ92 VS SUI100

Today, the 23 of June got started in good wind and some chop and it was almost immediately evident that the chop would play a part. The tension started about 10 seconds before the boats got away from the prestart. The ETNZ took a good start even thought that it was just by a meere couple of meters- about 1 second ahead-. The Swiss boat, very close behind followed very briefly as they dragraced to the top mark for the first time in this Best Of Nine.

Mark 1: Alinghi rounded the first mark perfectly with a great set of the spinnaker. They then barrelled downwind 13 seconds ahead on advantage. The ETNZ were behind for the first time in the races and needed to play catch up. About 3/4 of the way downwind the Alinghi stretched a lead of over 100M. The Alinghi then raised their Genoa early and then dropped their kite into the sewer within 8 seconds for Mark 2.

Mark 2: Powering their way around the left buoy, the Alinghi extended the lead to 20 seconds on Delta, gaining some 7 seconds. The ETNZ decided to take the right gate at the second mark and try to play catch up once more. This catch up never really materialized and so the lead was maintained even though the Kiwis gained by a couple seconds at the Third mark.

Mark 3: With the Alinghi still in the lead by rounding the 3rd Mark it was safe to say that they would be the clear winners of the first race of 9 ( if needed). The ETNZ reduced the Delta to 14 seconds, gaining 6 seconds. However, once again the Swiss sindicate proved that they were faster on the downwind runs. With the kites and jibs up they sailed towards the green finish markers.

On the entrance to the finish the Swiss boat, SUI100 amassed some +35 seconds on the ETNZ. Making this a definite win and the drawing of first blood so to speak. This then means that the Alinghi are 1 and the ETNZ are 0. More on the Americas Cup racing, tomorrow when the second day begins.