Alinghi laisse Oracle dans le vent et s’approche de la place en finale face au Team New Zealand

Photo : F.Socha / www.francksocha.com

At the finish gun, the Swiss Alinghi yacht, skippered by Russell Coutts, swept across the line to go 4-1 up, needing just one more win to take the Louis Vuitton Cup. The Louis Vuitton champion takes on Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup America's Cup #AmericasCup on 15 February.

The tension was high from the very beginning as the yachts towed out to the race course, sent off to battle by their loyal supporters. When Oracle BMW Racing won its first match of the finals in light airs and flat water conditions yesterday, the big question was whether a momentum switch had taken place. Would the San Francisco-based team skippered by Chris Dickson be able to build on its first win and seriously threaten Alinghi’s early dominance ?

The answer was provided in a spellbinding contest with both teams sailing well, but Alinghi coming from behind and showing enough of an edge to claim a vital victory.

The Gulf turned on perfect racing conditions with a southerly breeze of between 11 and 14 knots and flat water - not as shifty but otherwise similar to the combination that saw Oracle BMW Racing excel yesterday.

Despite a slow start on port tack, USA-76 climbed out to an early advantage and led around the first three marks. But, on the second downwind run, USA-76’s previous superiority off the wind was not in evidence and Alinghi rolled into the lead under gennaker. From there, the Swiss were relentless in protecting their lead and took the final gun by 13 seconds.

• ALINGHI (SUI-64) BEAT USA-76- DELTA 00:13
 Alinghi leads best-of-nine finals over Oracle BMW Racing by 4-1

With two minutes to go to the pre-start Oracle BMW skipper Chris Dickson agreed with helmsman Peter Holmberg to "go for the committee boat end on port tack". Holmberg duly delivered, but Russell Coutts at the helm of Alinghi won the start, crossing the line six seconds ahead with better speed and pulled out an early lead.

Eager to get to the right hand side of the course, Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth opted to cross sides as the boats converged and crossed ahead of USA-76 by one boat length, after three and half minutes of sailing. Meanwhile, Dickson was sure the left would pay and patiently held out on the far left side of the course. Through a combination of boat speed and slightly better wind, USA-76 gained the lead despite being on the outside of a right hand shift and rounded the first mark 28 seconds ahead.

USA-76 did not struggle for speed upwind in the flat water and 11 - 14 knots conditions, but Alinghi seemed to have a very slight advantage downwind. Both boats opted for asymmetric spinnakers on the run, but Dickson covered every move from the Swiss boat and rounded the leeward mark 27 seconds ahead. The margin stayed close, but Coutts struck back on the second downwind run. Using Alinghi’s boat speed advantage on the reach, the Swiss crew rolled the American yacht to windward and led at the fourth mark by just nine seconds.

On the final beat, Butterworth put his faith in the right hand side and protected it fiercely, gaining just a little each time the boats entered a tacking duel. At the final mark, the Swiss boat rounded just over two boat lengths ahead, setting up for a grandstand final run to the finish. Unfortunately for Oracle BMW Racing, Alinghi prevailed. Coutts and his crew were able to extend by protecting the west side of the course and take their fourth win of the finals, to a cacophony of sirens on the finish line.

Pas de miracle pour la plan Farr... La Cup s’éloigne du Golden Gate Yacht Club de San Francisco.

Photo : F.Socha / www.francksocha.com

ORACLE BMW Racing loses close battle against Alinghi
 Source Oracle BMW Racing

Having led for over half the race, USA-76 falls behind and is now 4-1 down in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final series.

Auckland/Munich. After yesterday’s emphatic win, ORACLE BMW Racing lost a very close battle out on Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf to go 4-1 down in the best-of-nine race series for the Louis Vuitton Cup. After a split-tack start, the opening windward leg was marked by a huge separation of nearly a kilometer. USA-76 chose the left side of the course whilst Alinghi held out right. ORACLE BMW Racing overturned the early advantage to the Swiss as the after guard, led by skipper Chris Dickson, accurately predicted the shifting breeze. When the two sailboats came together at the first mark, USA-76 was able to cross ahead and power into a 28-second lead.

With the wind varying between 12-16 knots in velocity, ORACLE BMW Racing rounded mark 2 still ahead by 27 seconds. Alinghi initiated a tense tacking duel up the second windward leg, with the Swiss able to dictate when they chose to tack and nibbled away at USA-76’s lead, reducing it to only 10 seconds at mark 3. With the action fast and furious both boats set their downwind sails before engaging in a classic downwind gybing duel. Alinghi managed to get some distance to windward of USA-76, with some added wind pressure, as both sailboats headed out to the starboard layline. SUI-64 broke the overlap and as both boats gybed back towards the leeward mark held an advantage that USA-76 was not able to close. By the final leeward mark the Golden Gate Yacht Club challenger trailed by 9 seconds.

Up the final windward leg USA-76 gave it everything, first breaking cover through a dummy-tack and then sailing smartly on the wind-shifts. However Alinghi held the starboard advantage and made no mistakes to round the last windward mark with a 16-second lead. The Swiss team then offered up no passing lanes on the run to the finish line, although USA-76 closed the gap a little on successive gybes, through some very smooth crew work.

SUI-64 took the winners gun by just 13 seconds. With the score line at 4-1, ORACLE BMW Racing must now win every remaining race if they are to win this series and advance to the America’s Cup America's Cup #AmericasCup Match.

Quotes from the boat :

"We were pleased to round the top mark in front and to be able to stay in front for the next two legs. However it was very disappointing that we weren’t able to defend our lead on that second run. Alinghi did a very good job in passing us then defending their lead. We made some errors that opened the door for them and they took their opportunity.

We have no more lives. We will have tomorrow off, and then we must win every race - starting on Sunday. We have been ahead at some stage in the last three races, so we have the ability to get more points." Chris Dickson, skipper.

"Alinghi did a nice job staying in the race today and eventually forcing the pass. Everyone at ORACLE BMW Racing is well aware of the score-line and we’ll have to raise our game even further if we are to achieve our ambitions." Afterguard member, Tommaso Chieffi