Emirates Team NZ and Luna Rossa Challenge lead

Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Challenge take control

Valencia, 18 May, 2007 - Luna Rossa Challenge has jumped out to a 3-1 series lead over BMW ORACLE Racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup. In the Semi Finals, the first team to win five races advances to the Final, and following today's victory, the Italian team is one step closer to its goal.

In the other pairing, Emirates Team New Zealand started ahead of Desafío Español 2007 and extended the rest of the way around the race track. The Spanish made up five-seconds on the final run, but it wasn't enough; the Kiwis won by 42-seconds. The Emirates team now enjoys a 3-1 series lead.

An enormous spectator fleet enjoyed a sunny Friday afternoon with good sea breeze conditions for racing. The wind varied between 10 and 13 knots, with slight oscillations over the course of the day. Racing in the Semi Finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup resumes on Saturday afternoon.

Match 1 -Luna Rossa Challenge beat BMW ORACLE Racing - DELTA 0:23

Chris Dickson succeeded in avoiding James Spithill's attempt at aggression in the pre-start, and BMW ORACLE Racing rolled off the start line at pace, to the right of the equally quick Luna Rossa. When USA 98 tacked away, the Italians followed them out to the right, with a slight edge on the Americans.

After a long sail out to the right side of the course, Dickson eventually tacked, a move which initiated a long and tiring tacking duel all the way to the starboard layline. From there the Italians led around the windward mark with a 13 second advantage. Unlike previous races where USA 98 had shown a clear downwind advantage, the Italians kept their rivals at bay and led by 12 seconds at the leeward gate.

However, after a tightly fought match up to this point, Luna Rossa allowed BMW ORACLE to break away unchallenged to the left, Torben Grael keeping faith in the right. By the time Dickson tacked back, the separation between the boats was 2700 metres across the race course. Everything would now come down to who found the better wind. For a time it looked like USA 98 had the advantage to the left but when the boats finally reconvened in the middle of the course, Italy had jumped ahead to a five-boatlength lead.

It was a 29-second delta round the final mark and despite a protracted gybing duel down the last leg BMW ORACLE could only close the gap to 23 seconds by the finish. This was an emphatic victory for Luna Rossa.

Match 2 -Desafío Español 2007 beat Emirates Team New Zealand - DELTA 0:42

Karol Jablonski has looked very dangerous in the pre-start, but today Dean Barker gybed inside Desafío Español to seize the right-hand side of the start box. However, rather than starting on the right, Barker got a hook on the green boat, by slipping his bow under the Spanish transom, forcing Jablonski to tack away towards the Race Committee boat. The Spanish started downspeed while the Kiwis accelerated off the left-hand end of the line.

The New Zealanders sailed a typically tight match against Spain, taking small chunks out of their opposition in a tacking duel up the first beat and leading by 25 seconds at the first mark. They were never seriously challenged after that, and Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish 42 seconds ahead.

Louis Vuitton Cup - Friday's Semi Final matches

(the first team to win five points in each pairing advances)

Team

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Total

Emirates Team New Zealand

1

1

0

1

3

Desafío Español 2007

0

0

1

0

1

Team

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Total

BMW ORACLE Racing

0

1

0

0

1

Luna Rossa Challenge 

1

0

1

1

3

______________

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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. Offical partners LOUIS VUITTON, ENDESA, SANTANDER, ALCATEL - LUCENT and the America's Cup share a heritage rich in passion, innovation and extraordinary achievement. The 32nd America's Cup enjoys the support of Nespresso, Adecco, Ford, El Corte Inglés, Estrella Damm, Grupo Leche Pascual, Coca-Cola and Vodafone.

Racing for the 32nd America's Cup began with a series of Louis Vuitton Acts in 2004, 2005 and 2006 across Europe. It will end in 2007. Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13 - Fleet Racing - (April 3 to 7) preceded the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series (April 16 - June 12). The winner will race the Defender, Alinghi, in the 32nd America's Cup Match beginning June 23, 2007.

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