Alinghi Wins Act 3 Fleet Racing
A successful final day on the water today for the Swiss as Alinghi took third in Race 1 and second in Race 2, to become
the overall winner of Act 3 Fleet Racing series, with 40 points. In close second position was Emirates Team New Zealand
with 38 points, and BMW ORACLE Racing in third with 34 points.
At the conclusion of Act 3, the ACC Champion 2004, was awarded to Emirates Team New Zealand. It is a new title awarded
to the competitor with the best cumulative classification from Acts 1, 2 and 3, determined on a low point basis. BMW
ORACLE placed second and Alinghi third overall.
Race 1 got underway in light, shifty breeze of 10 knots with the fleet minus the French contingent clustered at the pin
end, going out to the left, while Le Defi and K-Challenge out on their own at the committee boat went right. The top
four, Alinghi, Luna Rossa, BMW ORACLE and Team New Zealand immediately peeled off to port together, Alinghi favoring the
middle stayed there while the others favored the right. Racing stayed close up the first beat with BMW ORACLE making it
around the top mark leading Alinghi. The Americans maintained their lead as the wind died off. The final run was
indicative of the hugely unstable wind direction characterizing this race, with leader BMW ORACLE dropping their kite
half way down the run and hoisting a jib to finish this leg first. K-Challenge and Alinghi followed suit, dousing kites
for jibs to finish in second and third place consecutively.
Fortunately, the sea breeze kicked in on schedule just prior to 4pm for a second race. For the Swiss this was a match
race within a fleet race against the Kiwis. Luna Rossa and Alinghi had great starts on starboard, while the Kiwis
appeared to get tangled with the Americans, and quickly tacked away to port to cleaner air just behind the Swiss,
Alinghi tacked to cover, the Kiwis tacked back, with the two engaging for a time in their own race out to the right.
Leading the fleet, Team New Zealand chased Alinghi around the top mark by seven seconds. Alinghi relinquished the lead
at the second mark to Emirates Team New Zealand, the two stayed very close with the Kiwis finishing just 13 seconds
ahead for first place. BMW ORACLE Racing finished in third, 43 seconds after Alinghi.
Overall Results: ------------------ Team Alinghi - 40 points Emirates Team NZ - 38 points BMW Racing Oracle - 34 points
Luna Rossa - 30 points K-Challenge - 28 points Le Defi - 17 points Shosholoza - 15 points +39 - 13 points