Emirates Team New Zealand climbs to the top
Valencia, Spain, 11th October - 11th October, 2004 – Grant Dalton’s Emirates Team New Zealand swept its three races on
Monday afternoon on the Gulf of Valencia, leaping to the top of the leaderboard at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 2. The
Kiwis beat K-Challenge, Luna Rossa and +39 to go into the final day with a one point lead over Luna Rossa.
BMW ORACLE Racing and Team Alinghi, both highly touted teams coming into the regatta will need to win at least two of
their races on Tuesday to threaten the top of the leaderboard. Based on current form, Luna Rossa has the easiest
schedule on Tuesday.
It was a tricky day on the Gulf of Valencia with the Southerly sea-breeze battling against a more Westerly gradient
wind. In the middle Flight especially, this resulted in big opportunities for gains and losses on the race course.
Match of the Day – Luna Rossa beat Team Alingh i
This Match in the first flight of the day was a tight confrontation between two top teams with Luna Rossa skipper
Francesco de Angelis and his team making a pass on the final run to win the race. On the start, both boats hit the line
at speed, Alinghi helmsman Peter Holmberg settling for the right hand side of the race course, with James Spithill, ITA
74, claiming the left. The boats raced out on a long starboard tack, with Holmberg slowly gaining height on the Italian
boat until Spithill was forced to tack. Holmberg used his starboard tack advantage to keep bouncing the Italian boat
left each time they converged, and led around the top mark by 18-seconds. On the first run, Alinghi set a spinnaker
while the Luna Rossa afterguard elected to use an asymmetric sail. The decision appeared to work for Luna Rossa, with
the Italians closing up on the first run.
But Alinghi held firm and led by 13 seconds at the second windward. On the final run, the Italians gybe d first and
suddenly found better pressure on the left hand side of the race course. By the time Alinghi gybed in a covering
position, the Italians were storming down the side of the race course and were able to roll over the top of the Swiss
boat. Luna Rossa won the race by 14 seconds avenging a loss in Round Robin One against the America’s Cup Defender.
In the other matches in Flight 2, each of the top teams held serve against their lower ranked opponents in races that
started in a brisk 17-knot westerly, which eased to 10-12 knots by the finish.
In the Flight 3, the heat of the sun generated a sea-breeze that quickly extinguished the gradient Westerly. The wind
for these matches was light and patchy and offered plenty of peril for the tacticians and strategists on each boat.
Whilst Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand were able to build an early lead and run away with their matches, the other
two pairs struggled around the race course with BMW ORA CLE Racing struggling on the final run to hold off the winless
South African team. There was a moment approaching the finishing line when Team Shosholoza appeared poised to win an
enormous upset, but the Americans prevailed in the end.
The final pairing in this flight was a dramatic encounter between +39 and LE DEFI. In the fluky conditions the leading
boat was never confident as time and again the trailing boat found wind that didn’t reach the leader. On the final run
to the finish both boats eventually were forced to drop their spinnakers and the wind died completely with the pair just
metres from the finishing line. Skipper Iain Percy on +39 was the luckier man on the day, and found just enough breeze
to slide across the finishing line, leaving a frustrated Philippe Presti helpless and adrift.
For the final flight on the day, the sea-breeze died off, the gradient wind returned at 10-12 knots, and normal service
resumed, with each of the top four teams prevaili ng in their races.
Racing continues on Tuesday with Flights 5, 6 and 7 to conclude the second Round Robin, and the Valencia Louis Vuitton
Act 2. Racing is scheduled to start at 11:40.
Louis Vuitton Act 2 – Provisional Results and Leaderboard
Round Robin Two - Flight 2
Match 1 NZL 81beat FRA 57, delta 1:09
Match 2 USA 71 beat ITA 59, delta 1:45
Match 3 ITA 74 beat SUI 64, delta 0:14
Match 4 FRA 69 beat RSA 48, delta 0:58
Round Robin Two - Flight 3
Match 4 SUI 64 beat FRA 57, delta 3:23
Match 2 NZL 81 beat ITA 74, delta 6:18
Match 1 USA 71 beat RSA 48, delta 1:24
Match 2 ITA 59 beat FRA 69, delta 2:39
Round Robin Two - Flight 4
Match 3 USA 71 beat FRA 57, delta 2:06
Match 2 SUI 64 beat RSA 48, delta 1:17
Match 1 ITA 74 beat FRA 69, delta 1:08
Match 4 NZL 81 beat ITA 59, delta 3:17
Leaderboard
Team Name: (Points) Matches Won / Sailed
Em irates Team New Zealand (10) 10 11
Luna Rossa (9) 9 11
BMW ORACLE Racing (8) 8 11
Team Alinghi (8) 8 11
LE DEFI (4) 4 11
K-Challenge (3) 3 11
+39 (2) 2 11
Team Shosholoza (0) 0 11
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The Marseille Louis Vuitton Act 1 of the 32nd America’s Cup - Valencia, took place from the 5th through to the 11th of
September combining Fleet and Match Racing.
The Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 2 of the 32nd America’s Cup - Valencia, is a Match Racing event from the 5th - 12th
October.
The Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 3 of the 32nd America’s Cup - Valencia, is a Fleet Racing event, from the 14th – 17th of
October.
Racing for the 32nd America’s Cup - Valencia will continue in 2005 and 2006, with several more Acts in various
locations, including Valencia, the Host City of the 32nd America’s Cup.
In 2007, a fleet race event will precede the Louis Vuitton Cup, whose winner will then race the Defender, Team Alinghi,
in the America’s Cup Match in Valencia
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SINCE 1851, THE AMERICA’S CUP HAS TRANSCENDED THE SPORT OF SAILING TO BECOME A SYMBOL OF THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.
LOUIS VUITTON, ENDESA, GRUPO SANTANDER AND THE AMERICA’S CUP SHARE A HERITAGE RICH IN PASSION, INNOVATION AND
EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT…
LOUIS VUITTON, ENDESA, GRUPO SANTANDER AND THE AMERICA’S CUP – THE STAGE FOR CREATING LEGENDS.
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THE 32ND AMERICA’S CUP – VALENCIA ENJOYS THE SUPPORT OF NESPRESSO, ADECCO, DOCKWISE AND FORD; OUR SUPPORTERS, AND
VALUABLE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE AMERICA’S CUP.